March 14th
Good evening! Douglas led us in devotions this evening on the theme of the easy and hard work of a Christian we have undertaken this week on this VIM mission. We finished devotions around 9:00 p.m. and remained talking around the table...I snuck up to prepare the blog. Tonight the Guest House is filled. Not only are two other teams here, one from Mississippi, the other from New Jersey, but folks from the Board of Global Ministries, and the Methodist Women's Division from the Bahamas and North America. There must be a 2-1 ratio of ministers and lay people. The Bishop of the New York Conference stayed with us over the weekend. Myrna and I are having to share our room but we still maintain the squatting rights with the in and out residents.
Today our small band of 6 split into two groups. While Zac, Myrna, and Kent remained on the Guest House compound to finish the outside painting, sanding of inside walls, and tearing out the last of the tiles in the ceiling of the conference center. Steve, Doug and I worked along side the Haitian men continuing the cement block walls. There has been some give and take in the leadership roles and when one of the Haitians said I wasn't allowed to carry a cement block, he experienced my independent look and "oh yes I can." Afterwards, he jokingly laughed and called me the boss lady. Hmmm, am I that transparent even to strangers?!
Although we felt this was an ordinary day when we had some selfish moments and thoughts, some amusing highlights include the "Oh did I mention that there were snakes in the ceiling?" Zac had just completed the tearing down of the tiles to learn that tidbit. When Myrna was doing some sanding she was shocked by a bare electrical wire. The minister's wife came along and wondered if there had been a problem with the electricity. Myrna smiled in her usual kindness only to learn that live wires are many in the house including some that run at the top of the shower. While bending over to get some wet cement, Douglas was unaware of two cement blocks holding the string for the row to be level. Oops, blood oozed through his hat and he is sporting a band aid across his left temple to cover the gash. Kent and Myrna considered sneaking out into the street when the students left the campus but decided it would be best not to knowing full well if Mary Ellen had been there, for sure the three would have slipped by the guard.
All in all we are enjoying this experience and look forward to our day at the Children's Orphanage tomorrow when we will play with the children, do arts and crafts, before taking them outside for soccer, bubbles, games, etc. The selfish feelings that each of us have shared are that we so wanted to be with the Haitians in a one-on-one activity. Tomorrow is our big opportunity and we are so excited!
O Lespri Sen desann sou nou; nou gen yon misyon pou Ayiti.
(O Holy Spirit, descend on us; we have a mission for Haiti)
Mary Ellen
