Learning To Adapt- My Third Day.

On the Computer

Well, I made it through my first real day with something to do. I watched Thamara and Jabez until about 4:00. It wasn’t hard at all. (Thamara is fat. She needs to cut back on the food. She ate the whole time she was with me. If it were my own kids at home I would say no more. But when I quit giving her food she would cry. I was afraid all the Haitians next door would think I was beating her. So I just let her eat and eat. I think that was why it was so easy.) At about noon they took naps and Jabez didn’t wake up until after four. (It might have been all that Benadryl I gave him, just kidding!)

After Edaline came back to get them I just worked on my website trying to get the cameras to work (They work. I just can’t make them so everyone can see them) and get all the kinks out. A couple of little neighbor boys hung out by the gate and kept calling my name. “Hey Bhoob, hey Bhoob”. First they want me to pump up their tires on their bikes. So, I do that. Then they come back with a couple more kids with more tires to be pumped up. Then about a half hour later I hear a knocking on the gate and “Hey Bhoob, hey Bhoob” This time I ignore them for awhile, but they are persistent. I know they are testing me. Checking out the new guy to see how far they can get. I don’t want to be mean. But I also want to set some boundaries. So this time I go out and they want me to go back in and get them some water. So now I resort to talking as fast in English as I can hoping that I sound to them like they sound to me. They might then get confused like I do and just go away. Or if that doesn’t work, I just shrug my shoulders and smile a lot and say “what?” Or “No comprendo”. Actually, that is Spanish but it makes me feel like I am trying to communicate. Then I feel better about myself. Better because I don’t feel like a lazy American who doesn’t even take the time to learn the language. But, I realize that all cultures have pros and cons. I know that sometimes people think we Americans are too rich. Or don’t have enough compassion, etc, etc, etc. They might be right but, we have some good attributes too. Like, I don’t knock on people’s metal gates pestering them to death. I started to feel bad though so I did go back out with a cup of water. Which they drank and then wanted me to get them something else. I honestly didn’t know what they wanted this time. So I just smiled and said your welcome and went back inside. They finally left me alone after I threw some rocks at them. I’m just kidding again! I’d never think of doing something like that.

I almost forgot, some old guy with a fishing spear came by and wanted to know if I wanted to buy some lobster he caught. So I showed him some of the Haitian money I had and basically motioned “how many can I get for this?” After a little negotiation I bought two lobsters. He threw in another one too. I think I got a really good deal. So, after the kids left I got on line and googled how to cook lobster. So I boiled it and ate it and it is almost midnight and so far I feel fine. I think I’m safe.

Nap Time

The kids wouldn’t go take a nap when they were supposed too. I fianlly had to go and lay down with them until I fell asleep and the crying didn’t bother me anymore. Finally Asleep.

I am here!!

I finally arrived here in Haiti. It was not as bad as I thought it would be since I had an extra compter and computer stuff to drag around. I got here and met Ben ( Ben has taken off from his job for over a month to help out while Drex and Jo are gone.) It is great that he would do that. I have to take hm to the ariport at 6 in the morning and then I am truely here all by myself. I speak no Creole (the Hatian language) but luckly a few people here understand a little Spanish. I know a little Spanish so I have been speaking Spanish more than anything.

I haven’t got to see much of the kids that are here yet. We spent most of the afternoon and evening going over the baiscs. Like, how to turn the water on, and how to switch from battery power to the generator if need be. Where to get fuel, etc, etc.

Well, I want to write more but I am pretty tired now. I will have more time tomorrow to fill everyone in on my trip.

Day Two, My First Full Day

Well, I am ending my first full day here in Haiti and getting ready for my first night alone. I have to go around and make sure the outside gate is locked and also make sure that all the doors and windows are locked here in the building. I also have to let the dog out of its pen so it can roam around the compound at night. The dog doesn’t seem like much of a watch dog. He likes to jump all over you and lick you. I would feel a little better about something that was a little meaner. But, whatever. I played with the kids today and that was good that they got use to me because I have to watch them by myself tomorrow. It should be no problem. That is about the only thing I feel confident about. I have five kids at home so two are going to be a piece of cake. Although, I don’t think I am going to go to church tomorrow. I checked in and they don’t seem to have child care. J I am sure by next Sunday I will have no problem going to church with them but I think I will make sure things go well first before I head out into public with them alone.

I met several guys from WYAM today, Larry and Patrick.. They came by and hung out for awhile and then we went for a ride to see some property where another orphanage is going in soon. It was nice to get out and talk to someone without using hand motions.

I have been working on the computers trying to get my live webcams up and running but I have to much socializing going on. After dinner another missionary named Teresa who is a P.A. and runs a clinic a couple of hours away came by to stay the night because they couldn’t make up the mountain before it got dark. She had a couple other people with her also. Once she got here people came to our gate looking for her because someone had a really high fever and needed a doctor. I went with them to someone’s house and the teenage boy had malaria. She came back and got some meds out of her truck and sent it back to him to take..

It was a very interesting day and I met lots of interesting people but I didn’t get much stuff done on the internet like I wanted to. So I will try to upload some pics tonight if I can but I may have to wait until tomorrow.

Getting Ready To Go

It is past midnight and I am packing some last minute stuff. I am taking a couple of computers so that is a hassle to pack. I leave Thursday but I have to stay overnight in Miami. I will be getting into Haiti around noon and have to wait for another in country flight to get me to Jacmel. This is my first blog and is really just a test to make sure this all works. While I am there I will be blogging and sending out pictures and video. I also plan to set up several web cams so you can see what is going on while I am there. It may take me a day or so to get those up and running. This is really a test trip of how I want to set up things there at the orphanage. My goal is to have camera on all the time in the future so people here in the states or anywhere else can get online and see what is going on there and get to know some of the people. I will also be putting some interesting pictures from the early Audio Adrenaline day and before when we were in collage. Some are funny and Mark and Will may not be to happy want me to take them off. He he he. They should just be landing in New Zealand right now so it may take them a while to get their computers on line and check this out. Ok, I am going to bed and will report back later.

Bob