Thursday-Sunday, April 1-4, 2010
Two men came from the states to help with the fish harvest in the mountains on Thursday. Originally we were all planning to go up together to be involved in the harvest, but Wednesday night resulted in Mike going into a nearby town to find a doctor after midnight. He was having some chest pains and difficulty breathing, which the doctor informed him was stress and anxiety. While Mike and Nicole were gone looking for medical attention, I had waited in their space per their request in case one of the children woke up or in case we had a small aftershock (in which case they might have all woken). Because of the early morning adventure, we were all needing a little extra rest the next morning and opted not to go to the harvest. However Bill and Nick went to count the fish. The harvest was decent sized despite the concerns related to the strange weather and potential complications from the earthquake shifting land (and negatively affecting the ponds/fish).
We enjoyed the took this time to have some down time and relax. I enjoyed conversations where I practiced my Kreyol. One young man in particular enjoys practicing the French he knows. So one of the conversations I was speaking in Kreyol to him through his friend who was translating the French into Kreyol and vice versa. If nothing else, the time was good for laughing. I also regularly walked the beach and had opportunities to meet new young people. More and more of the local community are aware of who I am, call out to say hi, and ask how I am doing as I pass them. On Saturday, I was even able to stop and watch part of a futbol game on my way back to the compound.
Sunday we had intended to join the services at the church we normally attend, but preparing breakfast took longer than anticipated. We decided to have a time of fellowship for the nine of us at the compound together in English instead. Our Bible study produced some great conversation and was a welcome time of rejuvenation. The kids made Funfetti cupcakes for dessert, and we started dinner with an egg-jousting war with the colored eggs they made the previous afternoon.
The guy from who
m we buy fertilizer for the project had given us a gift for our Easter celebration. This gift included two bunches of plantains, a large quantity of dried white beans, and a live goat. Mike and Nicole had planned for the staff to butcher and prepare the meat for us, but the children heard the goat's cries on Friday afternoon and begged for it not to be killed or eaten. Therefore the emotional factors involved in this decision escalated, and the goat continued to live. (P.S. He is still living in our outer compound today, but I believe he will be part of a celebration in June.) Of course, the beach children are aware of the goat's presence and laugh every time they are told it is still alive. Goat is a preferred meat by many here.
Two men came from the states to help with the fish harvest in the mountains on Thursday. Originally we were all planning to go up together to be involved in the harvest, but Wednesday night resulted in Mike going into a nearby town to find a doctor after midnight. He was having some chest pains and difficulty breathing, which the doctor informed him was stress and anxiety. While Mike and Nicole were gone looking for medical attention, I had waited in their space per their request in case one of the children woke up or in case we had a small aftershock (in which case they might have all woken). Because of the early morning adventure, we were all needing a little extra rest the next morning and opted not to go to the harvest. However Bill and Nick went to count the fish. The harvest was decent sized despite the concerns related to the strange weather and potential complications from the earthquake shifting land (and negatively affecting the ponds/fish).
We enjoyed the took this time to have some down time and relax. I enjoyed conversations where I practiced my Kreyol. One young man in particular enjoys practicing the French he knows. So one of the conversations I was speaking in Kreyol to him through his friend who was translating the French into Kreyol and vice versa. If nothing else, the time was good for laughing. I also regularly walked the beach and had opportunities to meet new young people. More and more of the local community are aware of who I am, call out to say hi, and ask how I am doing as I pass them. On Saturday, I was even able to stop and watch part of a futbol game on my way back to the compound.
Sunday we had intended to join the services at the church we normally attend, but preparing breakfast took longer than anticipated. We decided to have a time of fellowship for the nine of us at the compound together in English instead. Our Bible study produced some great conversation and was a welcome time of rejuvenation. The kids made Funfetti cupcakes for dessert, and we started dinner with an egg-jousting war with the colored eggs they made the previous afternoon.
The guy from who
m we buy fertilizer for the project had given us a gift for our Easter celebration. This gift included two bunches of plantains, a large quantity of dried white beans, and a live goat. Mike and Nicole had planned for the staff to butcher and prepare the meat for us, but the children heard the goat's cries on Friday afternoon and begged for it not to be killed or eaten. Therefore the emotional factors involved in this decision escalated, and the goat continued to live. (P.S. He is still living in our outer compound today, but I believe he will be part of a celebration in June.) Of course, the beach children are aware of the goat's presence and laugh every time they are told it is still alive. Goat is a preferred meat by many here.
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