Some of the HAF kids (Kettia in front) waiting for a ride after church with one of their nannies.

The kids from the Hands and Feet Project in Jacmel have transitioned very well into their temporary home.  It’s like summer camp for all of the kids – making new friends and figuring out the new pecking order.  Angie was telling me how blessed she was to see Denise leading the girls in worship in their room recently.  She said they sang and worshiped together for about 30 minutes.  We have squeezed an extra 48 kids into our classrooms, so that their education and sense of normalcy can continue.

Lots of visiting and fellowship happening after this morning's service in Thozin.

Between the kids, missionaries and care givers, we have quite a crowd on Sunday for church, too.  Today was standing room only, even after dismissing all the children to Sunday School after the song service.  Ed Locket has a group from Missionary Ventures staying with him.  Pastor Eddie preached for us this morning.  It was quite a lively message.  Lex managed to translate, even with Pastor Eddie’s Georgian accent.

Lex, Angelise and Marie Yves are happy about all those desserts.

This is our 2nd year actually celebrating Thanksgiving in Haiti.  We had a group of about 20 missionaries from different organizations join us.  Everyone brought something, so it was quite the feast.  It was also quite an ordeal preparing for this feast.

Wow! Does anyone remember when Alexis was Faith's size???

Fanès, our construction supervisor, brought us a turkey.  It was really nice to not have to go in search of one, but it also presented another problem.  No one wanted to slaughter the turkey.  Finally, Maestro Odenet tied it up and Bobby got the machete out.  Angelise and Mirtho plucked/burned the feathers off and gutted it.  Marie Yves joined them to clean it and put all the Haitian spices in it.  We shipped it over to the Hands and Feet Project to cook, since they have 3 ovens on site and we only have one.  When the turkey arrived, it was more the size of a good roasting chicken, rather than a turkey.  To my surprise, the turkey was actually very moist and tasty.  After a couple of bites I was wondering how such an ugly bird could taste so good.  I suddenly lost my taste for turkey and gave the rest to Gama.  He didn’t mind a bit.

Fatih smiled, waved, laughed and ate all night! Kera, Leslie and Angie are enjoying her here.

Andrew and Angie’s baby, Faith, was the most popular person at Thanksgiving dinner.  We were all excited a couple of weeks ago to hear their announcement that faith is going to be a big sister.  Angie has her hands full, not only with Faith, but with almost 80 other children, construction and being a wife.  She’s quite the trooper!

Elementary school students head to their upstairs transitional classrooms.

School continues to go very well.  I love that our preschool teachers are so animated.  Although some of the preschoolers still sing (with much vigor!) “You! YOU! You! YOU!” whenever they see me, most of them now recognize me as “Madame Pasteur” or “Madame Pasteur Lex.”

After the earthquake, demolition and changing plans, we finally have the flagpole back up at the school in Thozin.  This means that all the kids line up at 7AM for the flag raising ceremony.  I love this.  After the ceremony they stay in line and go to their classrooms.  There’s a lot to be said for getting these kids to stay in a line!!!

Angela Parayson and Nathan headed back to the US a couple of weeks ago for a couple of months.  We miss them.  It’s more meaningful when I say that in Créole.  “Nou manke yo.”  This has more of a meaning that we are coming up short.  We’re missing them.  We’re incomplete.  There’s the emotional aspect of missing someone, but there’s also actually something missing in our lives.

Jacmel kids heading to the ocean for a swim. When they learn how to line up at school, they are taught to stay an arm's length behind the person in front of them. That's why you see them putting their hands on the child in front of them - they're measuring the distance!

The kids from the Hands and Feet Project in Jacmel came down to go swimming. Afterwards, the Grand-Goâve Hands and Feet kids came for a swim, as well.

There's nothing quite like "choukoun time!"

We had a good crowd under the “choukoun” (round pavilion pictured here) after church today. Ed Locket came with his group for hot dogs and French fries – Marie Yves’ specialty!

Lex and Len (Be Like Brit) visited a tent city in Port-au-Prince recently.  Among all the other issues, Lex noticed young girl after young girl – 12, 13,14 years old – carrying their newborn babies.  He told us about the heat in the city and how it is exaggerated by the sun hitting the tarps and tents, making it difficult to even breathe inside.  Can you imagine a 12 year old girl, with a newborn, surviving like this?  Then when it rains, everything turns to either mud or a river.  We’re coming up on the two-year anniversary of the earthquake and people still have no place to live.  It’s a heartbreaking situation still.  Keep the prayers raising on behalf of these people in such need.  I encourage you to take action, as well, as the Lord leads you.