1 week till Christmas…….…

   

    

“…Christmas is all in the heart. Even if no white snow falls, that’s all right because the joy can still be found... wherever you are. Christmas is all in the heart…” –Steven Curtis Chapman

girl’s christmas party

we had the party on saturday, december 4th. it’s tradition to have the christmas parties in the anba pis (pavillion for those of you who don’t speak creole)…

 

here the girls are impatiently waiting. we got started late due to generator issues.

 

the yard ladies made the food. a full course haitian meal…rice, chicken, banans, sauce, piklies, and red beet salad. we provided cookies.

 

gina and wylande

 

nadia and kristi

 

enjoying the meal :)

 

the 3 ladies that live here in the yard-gina, maude, and wylande

 

mandie, phara, and altanise

 

backpacks (my wonderful mom sent them down) for christmas with some fun stuff inside from the martinsburg ohio work group

 

they were quite pleased!!

 

 

janise

 

janise and trish

 

elizabeth, trish, kristi, and mandie

 

 

The last few days have been quieter…no protestors marching past the yard. Rumor has it they will possibly be making an announcement tomorrow about the recounting of the votes. Time will tell what happens next. Marion & Tena and Mike have plans to return on the 20th. Pray that the airport stays open so they can come. The girls were off school last Wednesday-Friday due to all the unrest in the country. Were also off on Monday due to rain. They were pretty happy about finally being able to go to school again today!!!

-Mandie

life…

The election results were announced on Tuesday evening and the Haitian people were not happy. This resulted in burning tires, vehicles, and buildings. Also shooting, people marching and yelling, and many roadblocks. Normal life is on hold for many people. Traffic is at a minimum and a lot of  people are staying in their houses. As for us here at Leogane, we’re staying inside the yard. Yesterday we put boards on the gate so passing protestors couldn’t see in as easily.

 

The girls aren’t going to school these days….this is what was keeping them entertained this afternoon….

        

While the girls colored, some of us put up Christmas decorations in the kitchen. It was a cloudy day. We had Christmas music. Greens and lights. But the sweat on my face reminded me I was still in Haiti. :) 

Keep us in your prayers!!! Pray for the Americans that would like to get in and out of the country. Pray for the Haitian people. Pray for peace.

 

We talked about this verse this morning in devotions.

John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

So much to be thankful for…

Somedays we forget
To look around us
Somedays we can't see
The joy that surrounds us
So caught up inside ourselves
We take when we should give.

So for tonight we pray for
What we know can be.
And on this day we hope for
What we still can't see.
It's up to us to be the change
And even though we all can still do more
There's so much to be thankful for.
Look beyond ourselves
There's so much sorrow
It's way too late to say
I'll cry tomorrow
Each of us must find our truth
It's so long overdue

So for tonight we pray for
What we know can be
And every day we hope for
What we still can't see
It's up to us to be the change
And even though we all can still do more
There's so much to be thankful for.
Even with our differences
There is a place we're all connected
Each of us can find each other's light
So for tonight we pray for
What we know can be
And on this day we hope for
What we still can't see
It's up to us to be the change
And even though this world needs so much more
There's so much to be thankful for

“Thankful”

Josh Groban

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Us Leogane staff are in Port for the night and spending Thanksgiving here tomorrow with the rest of the Blue Ridge staff.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

-Mandie