Ripe Mango Chronicles

I was sitting in my office, dripping with sweat.  I had to sit directly in front of my little fan for a few minutes before I could reach down to open my bag. It is just so hot these days, like deadly hot, with no relief. I wiped my brow, then wiped it again as I had already started producing new sweat and pulled myself together. I got out my computer, pulled out some files and got to work. A short while later a few kids came bouncing into my office with giant grins and something tucked up their shirts, or hiding behind their backs. They then proudly pulled out their report cards and handed them over with a smile. I was so busy trying not to drip sweat on my keyboard that I had completely forgotten that our primary kids were getting their final report cards today. The kids were so proud of themselves as they handed their reports over. The chatter was constant as they lounged on the couch and leaned all over my desk.    Eventually Ochanel came wa...

There are so many days I feel like I have the best job ever, and this Saturday ranks most definitely as one of those days. A group of our young men (Wish I could say boys, but they're too manly for that anymore.) are in a Christian rap group. If you follow my blogs, you'll have heard of them before. They call themselves Young Hope. We brought them to Kenol's old church in Port au Prince to take part in a rap concert. I figured they would be one of the first groups to play as they are just starting out, but group after group was called up and more and more people were showing up. I kept getting more and more nervous. Kenol was called up to share a short message, they collected offering and yet another group was called up. I started really freaking out now because the group was really REALLY good. I didn't want our boys to have to go up there after them...but of course, as soon as they were finished Young Hope was called up to take the stage. My heart was pounding, I ...

A few weeks ago the boys and I jumped at the chance to go visit an orphanage in Williamson. The boys were super excited about our afternoon adventure, that is until we got there. We pulled into the orphanage/churchyard and hopped out of the truck. It was interesting to watch the boys as they took in their surroundings. They were so timid. There was a small metal swing set and monkey bars in the yard so I headed in that direction. The orphanage boys came out to get a better look at us. I greeted them in Creole, which sparked a whole series of questions. I chatted away with them and introduced Joshua, Olivier and Joseph. Slowly but surely Joshua started talking to the boys and a short while later all three of them were running around showing off their dance moves and doing flips. Once I knew they would be ok, I headed into the church to see what everyone else was up to. I saw the Pastor and went to introduce myself.  When I greeted him in Creole he was lit...

We currently have 3 positions to fill at the orphanage so for the past two weeks we have been doing interviews. I have done numerous interviews over the years, and yet I am always surprised what I find out when I ask personal questions. In these interviews we ask what level of education the potential employee has received, and I am often shocked at the answers we are given. I don’t think I have ever interviewed someone over the age of 40 who has been to school, can read, or even write their name. During this batch of interviews this proved true once more. One woman we interviewed was about my age, maybe a few years older (Early 30s). When I asked her level of education a look of shame came over her and looking at the ground she whispered, “Second”. In Haiti, there are two second grades; second fundamental grade which is the equivalent of grade 2 and seconde which is the equivalent of grade 10 or 11. Confusing I know, so considering her age I assumed the latter. She quic...

Good Friday and Easter Sunday are pretty important days in the Christian faith. It’s what our entire belief is based on. Without Jesus there would be no Christianity. Without Jesus there would be no salvation. Without Jesus we would be a lost and lonely people with no hope. I am thankful for Jesus, and the sacrifice He made for me. Tonight at the Good Friday service a few verses really stuck out to me. …the punishment that brought us peace was on him and by his wounds we are healed . We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:5-6 Those few lines sum up so much of where my hope is found. I have been, and continue to be healed through Jesus Christ. That being said I still sometimes go astray and turn to my own way, but God still laid all my iniquities on Jesus, knowing how many times I have and will need forgiveness. We sang a beautiful song tonight too, the chorus says, “A ...

Whenever a new child comes in to the orphanage I always take some time with their family to get their story, where they came from, their family history and why the family made the decision to bring them to the orphanage. It is so important when the children get older, and start to ask questions, that we can share their stories with them, so I was a little bummed when I found out via email that we had a new child in the orphanage, and I would have to wait 2 days to get back to Haiti to meet him. All I knew was that the child was male and about 20 months old. When I got back to Haiti I went straight to the baby room to meet little Mackenlove. He was fast asleep when I came in so I just got to take a peek at the little guy. Over the next few days I was asked a number of times what his story was, but I still had no idea. Then on Sunday at church a woman came to greet me and shared with me how happy she was that her son was in the orphanage now, and it all came together. I have me...

Today I witnessed a beautiful miracle. I saw God's love poured out in a lovingly selfless act. Today I saw the hands and feet of Jesus at work. Today in Leveque something amazing happened. It started with something terribly sad. A newborn baby was dropped into a latrine and left to die. Something I cannot fathom and which shatters my heart. I cannot even begin to understand what went through this mother's mind as she let go of her baby and watched him fall into the dark pit. Thankfully God has a wonderful plan for this little life and his sweet cry was loud enough to be heard by a good samaritan passing by, who quickly called Pastor Williamson, the deaf pastor from Leveque. A group of people worked together to smash the cement cover off the latrine carefully so the baby would not be injured. Then they somehow used some metal bars and a net or basket of some sort to lift the baby out of the pit. Miraculously he only had a few scraps on him. The community came together to care ...