Ending the year on an encouraging note

 So when I moved to Haiti about 10 years ago, I was just more clueless than I could imagine, and I knew I had no idea what was going on. But my main goal was to start a special needs classroom. After a little bit of time, we were having students enroll, and I would ask why are they here. They seemed fine, I wanted to make sure it was a special needs school, not just a classroom for kids who could not afford school, the mission already had a school for them. I soon realized that what I thought was a disability and what Haiti thought a disability was, are two very different things. So Elena entered our classroom, and honestly she did not belong, she was learning faster than the others and should be in regular school. So we advocated for her and got her in school, two years ago she finished sixth grade!! Which is great as we had to start her in kindergarten, last year she asked if we could help with money for school and we did. This past summer she came by and said she needed to talk to me and Presen Dieu. She asked for school help again, but she was in the same grade again. When I asked why she was repeating 7th grade, she said she did not go to school last year. Instead she used her school money to pay for her dads funeral. We told her she should have come by and talked to us last year. But she said we trusted her with the money and she did not spend it on what she said she would. Still told her she should have come by. Anyway, we knew we could not help her finish out school. We encouraged her and told her she was smart enough to finish, it was just not a financial commitment we could make. So we asked her if she had thought about trade school, she said it has been her dream to go to pastry school. So we enrolled her in a two year program for pastry school. It has become an odd highlight, when she comes to the center to show off what she has made and give us a taste try. Love seeing these kids that started with us turn into adults and have plans for the future!! Love seeing them do what they love and seeing them thrive!!

What Covid -19 has taught us

       I wish I was one of those people who love to blog, there are always so many things that happen that should be shared. But I did want to take the time to write about our Covid journey.  Just like everyone else, we have been affected by Covid. I don't want to downplay the uncertainty, concern and yes, fear that Covid has brought us. Because it has brought those thoughts to us. I very much dislike some of the conversations that I have had to have with the boys at the Miriam Center as they were and continue to be concerned about the virus. I feel like we always try to protect them from bad things that happen in the world. But that was not an option with Covid. So we keep reminding them that God is in control and always has a plan.

    But there have been some amazing things about our lock in. Our lock in made us change around some things in our daily schedule and routine. As this confused some of the kids, it gave others a chance to step up and shine, and they did. Our mornings would start off with the more fragile kids getting therapy with the therapy staff and the moms. The older kids would start their day off with stretching and yoga. The boys started off strong, leading the others in yoga and stretching. Since they started strong and doing such a good job, we did not watch them everyday as days were just busy ( they still had a staff member with them). But then a switch happened and the boys stopped doing stretching and yoga for themselves, but went over and started stretching and massage for kids who can not do stretching or yoga by themselves but need help. We were sitting talking one night and I asked the boys what changed, they said it was not good that they just make themselves stronger, they needed to help the others. Did not know if this would just be a phase, but they kept it up throughout all of our lock in.

    Had a sweet and surprising moment the other day. We had suckers for a treat in the evening and the older boys again stepped up. Some of the kids that would need help with their suckers they stood or sat beside them and held it for them so that everyone could have one. When I saw what they were doing, I sat with Emma, as she does love suckers, but you have to hold it for her and it can take her a long time to finish it. Joseph came by me and pushed me out of the way, so he could hold it for her. Sure enough, he sat there and held it for her until she was finished.    

    Obviously, I am not happy that Covid has come, but I am happy with what it has and is teaching us. I love seeing the boys realize that they are not really kids anymore and they are thinking about what kind of men they want to be. They had been asking about how they could help and now they don't ask, they look around and see who might need a little help and they help. They are learning how to not just live in the same area, but how to live and work together.  In the midst of craziness, it has been a blessing and kind of grounding to watch these boys and the men they are turning into. If you are reading this, please pray for us at the Miriam Center, that the boys would continue to learn how to love and serve our Savior.