Resting~

Hello from my office. I finally have some time to sit in here and report a few things from the last few days. The Crossroads team left yesterday morning bright and early. I can not believe how quickly their trip went. Wow, 10 days almost doesn't seem long enough. I really enjoyed getting to know some of the people. I was encouraged by them and how flexible they were when what they had planned to do often was changed everyday.
They were able to make some more playground equipment for the school. It looks really great and the kids are loving it. They also painted primer on the school and finished the school office by painting and moving in all the supplies from the main building.
On Thursday we had a baptism service for the church. What an absolute blessing to hear 20 people confess faith in Christ and proclaim what He's done in their lives. Two of the Crossroads team members were also baptized. It was such a great experience. Memorable and unforgettable I am sure.
We also did some finger painting with the 2 younger classes in the school. It was a lot of fun I am sure most of them had never done that before. Some of the really little kids were actually scared of us. I had one little girl come up to me and say that her sister was scared of the blan moun. (white people)
I think by after recess most of the children were warmed up to us as we couldn't get them to stop clinging onto our legs and asking to be picked up. It was a lot of fun to hang out with the children. I hope to be able to come in and teach some English is the new year
So next week there is going to be a medical team from Cranbrook BC here. I look forward to this different experience and everything it will bring. I am sure it will be busy but really fulfilling in serving all of these sick people.
Please pray for protection on all of us here as a lot of sick people will be coming in and out of the building. Also for great endurance to serve well and be a great witness to the people on the medical team. As far as I know some of them do not know Christ. We need God's strength everyday and every hour. I have a head cold at the moment and would like prayer for healing. I don't want to already be sick when we will be ministering to all these people next week.
The reason I called this blog resting is because that's what we are all doing for the next few days. Recharging our batteries to be able to serve to the best of our abilities.
Last night we had a movie night with everyone who is still here. Marc, Lisa and family, Kathleen and the Nowochin family. All of whom I mentioned in my last blog. It was fun and relaxing we ate popcorn and drank chai tea. Good times on a Friday night at Haiti Arise.
Well I think that's all for now.
Thanks for your prayers and faithfulness in reading and following our blog.

The long awaited...

Too many things have happened and are happening since I last blogged. Please forgive me we have been so busy since the teams have arrived. It's been great and we are excited to have new people here and be helping them serve. It's also great to have our wonderful leaders Marc and Lisa back. It's been awesome catching up and sharing prayers together.
Today the construction team left, there were here for ten days with the goal of getting one section of the medical center up and train a team of Haitian guys to continue the process. They succeeded but, not without trials and frustrations. I believe they learned a lot out of the experience. It's amazing how God teaches everyone patience when they come to Haiti. It's just something that we need more of. (me included)

There is a also lady here named Kathleen who is an architect. She is here until Christmas to over see the building projects on the compound. It will be great to have her bring continuity to the projects and the building teams that come in.
The Crossroads team has been fitting in well. They have a few projects on the go. Painting the elementary school and also building more playground equipment. They've really enjoyed the beach afternoons, but seriously who doesn't. :)
It is such a change for Chris and I having all these people here. I am thankful for it and we are learning lots from everyone.
I also want to mention the Nowochin family that is staying here with us in Haiti for the next 4 weeks. They are planning on helping in the elementary school and with some of the construction. They have two kids that Miesha and Asher are having lots of fun playing with.

Last week Sunday we went to the children's church in Tapion. It really was a blessing and such a joyful experience seeing all those children recite Bible verses and sing praise songs.
I shared my testimony with them ad Chris gave an encouraging word and prayer. Tomorrow we will go back with the team and minister to them again. God is doing good things amidst the suffering.
I know some of you may be concerned about the cholera break out. So far nothing has come to Grand Goave. We just need to be cautious. Continually washing our hands often, drinking only water from the compound (or bottled). If you are healthy and strong the disease won't really harm you too much. It's treatable with Gatorade and rehydration salts. The reason it's spreading fast in Haiti is the poor sanitation and lack of health care. But, please pray for us and the people here. I can't understand why the Haitians continue to experience trial after trial. But, God is good and in control and we can have hope in that.
I will end here.~

Over Due.

So I've been meaning to write this blog for about 3 days now. So here I am amidst the busyness of Haiti Arise. School started on Monday so there is plenty of noise and entertainment on the compound. The kids are super cute. Some of the youngest ones were crying Monday because it was their first time coming to school. We actually have a pre-school for 3 year olds and they are precious. They raise the flag every morning and that is neat to see, all the kids proudly standing in lines and singing their national anthem.

We now have 4 guys from Surrey BC here with us. They are here to start working on the medical clinic. They got to work right away yesterday by fixing the bobcat. Oh how thankful we are to see it being driven around the property. Today they are making a work site near the back of the property to cast forms and prep materials. It's great to have some new faces around and be able have some good conversations in English. Chris is excited to learn from these guys and he will be a great help.

I just want to thank God for the Kreyol I have learnt. I can understand so much more than I can speak, but it's such a blessing to be able to convey small things about my family to some of the wonderful staff here. We don't have too many lessons any more but we study our selves and people are willing to help out if we have questions.

Last Thursday and Friday we got the big vinyl tent back up. Another huge praise item. We had David Wine here, he goes around Haiti setting up tents for NGO orgaizations. He is an awesome motivator and a huge help. It was an adventure and the weather didn't always seem to want to cooperate. But it was a success nonetheless.

As we look ahead to next week it's going to be busy around here. Marc and Lisa get back on Monday. Then on Tuesday we have a team from Crossroads church in Red Deer coming. We are looking forward to it and the excitment all the people will bring. It will be so great to have construction and building happening for 3 solid weeks.
I wanted to mention that if you ever have questions or want to know about something that I haven't blogged about. Please feel free to leave annonymous questions in the comments box below. We'd be happy to tell you more about how life is here.
I did want to talk about what we eat here, especially for our moms. :) Our diet mostly consists of the following: coffee, bread, bananas, mangos, juice, rice, chicken, beans, macaroni salad, cheese, spagetti and other types of rice like substances and sauces. (only know names in Kreyol)
We eat well, we are very blessed. The kitchen ladies take great care of us, they have huge servant hearts. Well I think that is all I have to report for today. Thanks for reading.~
Rebecca

October is here~

Today is Monday, the start of another week of adventure. Let's just say that last week we were singing the song rain rain go away come again another day. It rained on and off all week so we didn't have church, Bible study, or kids English class. Instead we had lots of mud on our wet feet and rivers running through the property. But the fence did get put up around the elementary school so that was an accomplishment.
Elementary school starts next Monday along with putting up the big vinyl tent. As that has been delayed by the rainy days of last week. Next Tuesday a team of 4 men are coming down to do some construction projects. So next week looks like the start of some serious busyness around here.

Yesterday Chris had the privilege of preaching in church. By God's grace it went over really well. He spoke about the certainty of God's promises and how God never lies and that we can trust in Him completely, no matter what situation we are in. We looked at a bunch of promises from the Bible that we have in Christ. Encouraging for me to hear a sermon in English. We have had our sermons translated for us but it's not the same as being able to listen and hear in your own language.
We also went to the beach yesterday but it was really crowded and didn't have the best vibe. We usually go on Saturday and it's much quieter then. This weekend and today there is a celebration for the city of Grand Goave. So there are lots of people around and parties happening. I think today we are going to go and see some activities that are happening in the town.

I think I mentioned about hitting a road block in studying Kreyol in my last blog entry. Well we (I)seem to be excited again as we have all this new vocab to learn and I've been able to talk with a lot of kids. It's funny how I have these crazy expectations to be able to be speaking really well by now. Ridiculous I know, we haven't even been here a full 2 months yet and we do know quite a bit.

We are looking forward to the return of Marc and Lisa and all the teams that are coming. It's going to change everything around here so much. I am thankful for this time we've had to get to know people and get adjusted to the climate. I remember I wasn't looking forward to this time, but God knows what we need and He's been our sustainer even through the tough weeks when it felt like we weren't contributing in any way. God is good and we always need to remember this truth.

Thanks for reading today~
Rebecca

Lavi okipe. (life is busy)

Bonjou from Haiti.

Here we are days away from October and I can't believe it. My mom was right in saying that as you get older life only goes faster. Also another reason why the Bible mentions our life as a vapor.
It seems as though the pace of life has quickened here in Haiti as we look forward to the next few weeks. Teams are going to be coming down and next Tuesday the elementary school will be starting. Which means there is going to be a lot of commotion on the Haiti Arise compound. I am looking forward to it, more challenges and things to help with.

Last Friday there was a big wind/rain storm in Port Au Prince and a few people died. Here in Grand Goave we had a bit of wind and lots of rain. We were actually in PAP that morning getting supplies for the tent but thankfully we left in time to miss that storm. Sometimes I think it's not fair that the Haitian people always have to deal with bad weather this time of year. There always seems to be some sort of adversity that they are facing just to survive everyday life. That's especially why they need Christ, to give them hope and comfort.

So finding things in PAP was an interesting experience the first hard ware store we went into was guarded by a guy with a shot gun but there wasn't much in the store. Then we went a different hardware store where were surprised to see it full and stocked like an American store. We found what we needed but were shocked when we heard the cost. It was about 3 or 4 times more than what you'd pay in Canada. The only people who could shop here would be NGO's or rich Haitian people. So we are pretty sure that was an American Store. There is no way the average Haitian person could shop there. So that was quite surprising.

The reason we needed supplies was for the large vinyl tent that went down on the property a few weeks ago. It's going to be cleaned, ropes repaired, and put back up sometime later this week. Along with those preparations we needed to clear a new site on the property for the tent. How are we going to do that you wonder, well there is this amazing tool called a machete. Christoph (the gardener) and Chris went to work hacking and wow it was a hot experience. I helped wheelbarrow away all the piles of grass and brush. It's amazing how much energy that sun takes out of you. It's intense but I am happy to report that as of today the site is cleared and ready!

Today is definitely the coolest day we've experienced since being here. We are actually a bit chilly if you can believe that. But Chris and I have noticed that we have become quite climatized. We don't turn on the air conditioning at night and the shower is 'more' refreshing than usual. I am thankful for this because it makes the heat way more easy to manage and we have more energy.

A few prayer requests:
~ there are a few small projects that need wisdom and strength to get them done.
~ grace and patience for learning Kreyol and an attitude of service.
~ for the leaders here and the people that serve, hearts need to be encouraged.
~ Marc and Lisa and their family, they need our prayers as they travel around the US.

Thanks for reading today. May God be with you!
Rebecca

A rainy day in Haiti

It's raining so I thought it's a perfect time to update the blog. We are doing well and would like to share a few things about the past week. On Saturday we started teaching English. It was definitely a good challenge as all the students levels were mixed together. Next Saturday we will divide the group into two so that we can manage it better.
Also yesterday we started an English camp for the kids from church. I think about 50 came. It's funny when you announce "children's" camp in church you end up with "kids" ages 2-17. With some improvisation and prayer I have to say it went well for a first try. I really just wanted to get a feel for how the Haitian children behave and respond to learning English. They enjoyed it and were really enthusiastic, well.... most of them. :) We are doing it again on Wednesday and then probably again next week. It's amazing what you can do with a chalkboard and energy!~ Oh yes and we said come at 9am and well we actually didn't start until 9:45 because it took a while for everyone to show up. That's something we still have to get used to, that when you say 9 o'clock it means that's when people start getting ready to come and by ten most people will be there.
There has not been to much action on the property this week. The elementary school is getting closer to being ready for classes on October 4. The teachers had meetings here last week for preparations and orientation. It was neat to meet some of them and chat about the upcoming school year. Many of them could speak some English. We look forward to helping with recess time as I hope to plan some sort of exercise activities and games!~
Kreyol is going okay, I feel like I've hit a road block for studying like I can't learn anything else at the moment but i know that's not true. We have very patient staff and teachers so that really helps. Please continue to pray for us there.
Seen all kinds of creepy crawly flying things lately. Some I've never heard of before. It's definitely interesting. The cat we have here entertains us by playing and eating the various creepy crawly flying things. I guess they have some kind of fire fly type bug too because when we shut the lights off last night we saw this little light flying around our room!
Well that about tells all our adventures lately, thanks for reading.
Blessings from Him through whom all things flow.
Rebecca Girvan

It's my turn to write - Becca said so.

Greetings family and friends.

We have almost been in Haiti for a month at this point (time truly flys). I believe we are getting accustomed to the heat but I am definitely not okay with the mosquitoes. I think my annoyance of those little bugs started in Korea and is continuing to grow here in Haiti.

Our days seem to be going by fast and we hopefully are making the most of it. We are both spending a lot of time studying Creole and talking with various people around the compound. I believe I am getting better at speaking but really have a hard time hearing (Pray for the Lord to open my ears. We will start teaching an English class this Saturday which we are both excited to do. I have just recently started to teach a few people English these last couple of days. So as we wait for the official classes to start I have fun teaching individuals.
Becca has been putting in lots of time doing inventory around the compound and has many lists and things in order. We hope this will be a help to the teams and workers here.
I am not as thrilled about doing inventory as Becca. So when I'm not helping out, I am working on a Bible study that I teach on Friday nights. We are starting in Genesis and I hope to go through a lot of the major stories and promises found in the Old Testament. Needless to say I have a lot of information to cover which is great. I realized though, after the first study, that few actually have complete bibles, most just have the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs. Please pray with me so that we can get some Creole Bibles. I contacted the Canadian Bible society but they are all out after sending down over 20,000. So I just sent an email to the Haiti Bible society. God will surely provide! It is just not clear in what avenue at the moment.

Last night we had one of those moments where you realize not only are we living in Haiti but also a reminder of the times. We went to play basketball at a local mission (Life-Line). Upon entering their property we found a large, loud crowd. It turns out yesterday was food distribution day put on by Samartians Purse. As we walked past the one huge crowd we made our way to the basketball court and found another large one. There were people everywhere, motorcycles flying by, little arguments taking place, and lots of food being distributed. I was a bit shook at our surroundings. We started shooting around while dodging various motorcycles, and people with wheelbarrows full of wheat (I think) running through our court. We actually played a number of games in this atmosphere. Before driving to the basket, I would have to take a look behind me and in front to check for motorcycles. At one point a wheelbarrow ran into me. I can honestly say that was the most epic and memorable games of basketball I have played :).

So we are doing well and continuing to find ways to serve God, Haiti Arise, and the people here. Praise the Lord for good health, good fellowship, and always good food as well. Oh God is good!

To finish I was just like to relay what an older Haitian man told us concerning the day of the earthquake. He said "everyone was speaking the same language, all you could hear was JESUS! Everyone was calling on His name." Please continue to pray for Haiti at this time in their history. I am reminded of something I read in Isaiah that speaks about when Jesus first came to earth but also about this time as well. "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned." (Isaiah 9:2).

May the Light of Jesus shine ever increasing here in Haiti and I pray in your heart as well.
God Bless.
Chris (I wrote it) and Rebecca (she made me write it and corrected my spelling and grammar :) Girvan.