More Haiti "Facts" - Our Observations of the Quirkiness

Before we provided some factual information about Haiti to all of you and I am sure that we could add to that list, as many of you are wondering what it would be like to just see for a day what we see.  Here's some peculiar and maybe bizarre occurrences that we tend to observe on a daily basis.  Some are funny and some just cause us to shake our heads...

1) It is ALWAYS noisy here.  The kids start arriving at 6:30 and they are very active and loud.  At least the Pre-Kindergarten kids have stopped crying when they get dropped off.  Classrooms are noisy and there are no window panes so the sounds of 15 classrooms hums together in a great symphony of chatter and song.

Church services and choir practices commence as early as 6am and end as late as 12pm.  The sound systems here would have a better chance of deafening the listener than enhancing their listening experience but they like it to be LOUD!  During dinner time once in a while, you have to raise your voice substantially to have a conversation across the table.

I kid you not, someone at the church next door was performing a microphone check at 3:15 in the morning.  Ugh.

2) Roosters crow from 12am to 6am, usually about the same time as dogs start barking and terrorizing each other.  Often, we'll hear one dog yelping like it was being attacked, which sets off the other animals for hours on end.  Thank goodness for earplugs, fans and familiarity.

3) Creole does not include a lot of 'r' or 'l' words.  When most people try to pronounce these consonants it sounds like an 'r' is an 'l' or 'w'.  This makes word pronunciation very challenging!  The one that bugs me the most is "four" - "fwa".  But we're working on it :)

4) Adjectives are scarce.  Synonyms are even more so non-existent.  There is usually 1 word for an object or action and that's it!  Wash means mop, clean, sweep, scrub...

5) Everyone has a cell phone but all the service is pay-as-you-go.  They are constantly talking and it doesn't seem they ever have enough minutes, always running out and having to buy more.

6) Girls like guys who speak French.  This is a very desirable quality for a man to possess, because it means you are educated.

7) If there is an open road, a Haitian will drive as fast as mechanically possible.  We travelled the one nice highway here in the back of a tap-tap and you would've thought our driver had been given a Ferrari for the day.  We haven't driven with him since, and we're ok with that.

8) Roads are all 2 way.  There are 2, 3 or 4 lanes, based on driver's discretion, with no formal yellow markings.  Motorcycles slip through tiny cracks between opposing vehicles, so that actually makes 5 lanes.

9) If little kids don't speak a lick of English, they all can shout "Hey you!"  You = white person

There is no 10th fact, that would be too conventional :)

The Growing Stage

     Today marked the first day - of many days to come - of getting up at 5:00 to work out with Nadege.  We went to the roof, where the sun was not yet up, but rising, and the rays coming over the mountain were amazing...the view was miraculous, and the cool morning breeze made everything perfect.  This in itself will be motivation alone to get up.  To see God's creation, so beautiful, made me feel such a connection with God.
     It has been a month (and half a week) since we first arrived here in Haiti, and the time here has challenged me in many ways already.

      I have been challenged in the nursing realm: to critically think through symptoms and decide on the potential illness - one that we don't have at home.  ( Some of the symptoms are the same as home, all the illnesses are different).
     I have been training a Haitian nurse to take over the school nursing position, which is ironic considering this is the first time I've worked this position as well.  Working with Jesula, the nurse, has challenged me to be open to a different nursing opinion than my own, adjust to the laid-back culture, and be very patient.
     Nursing has revealed assumptions I have made, that have been wrong.  I have seen some terrible things when the children come to me.  Worms in one child's foot cutting of the circulation and having the potential to take his foot from him if the problem persisted.  This was a rough day for me.  I instantly became mad with the parents, and could not imagine how the parents could allow this boy's foot to become so bad.  I still don't know.  I sent home the medication needed to help heal the foot, and prayed that they would follow the instructions I laid out, but knew if they didn't his foot could be far worse the next time I saw him.  I would be lying if I said I was not surprised when the next time I saw him his foot had begun to heal.
     This is where the assumptions come.  I believed the parents did not care enough to take care of this boy; but, given the right resources they were able to look after him.  He is still recovering, but he is recovering.  After remarking on the lack of care the parents had, I learned that many Haitian parents work all day to provide food for their family.  A day without work to go to the clinic for help would mean a day without pay.  I am torn, and still working through my feelings on the justification of this, but it is still a reason.  I am learning to understand the way a culture living in poverty works.

     I have been challenged in the spiritual realm: to set time for God, and time for my devotions.  Through this time I have already seen a growth in my connection with God, and my understanding of His word.  I have felt more of a peace regarding the unknown future (I mean years from now)... but i believe God has also been giving Jeremy and I dreams for the future in a country we have not yet been.  We will see what is to come.
     These dreams have been exciting, but also tough as I think of the time away from my family.  But I know that God knows my heart, and when I follow his will for our lives, then He will provide a means to connect with family.

     This hasn't been a challenge, but Jeremy and I have grown in our marriage in the short time we have been here.  Living in a different culture, following the call on our life, dreaming of the future, has all helped the strengthen the bond we already have.

      In all, I do not believe that Jeremy and I are called to Haiti for a long-term duration - although know one really knows the future.....  But I do believe that we are hear to grow in many ways, and prepare ourselves for the future to come.

So what now...?

Alright, alright it's a loaded question and in some ways probably premature, right?  Is it really though?  The time here has been more encouraging than eye-opening I could say.  Our eyes have been opened before, that's why we're here now.  The encouragement from our friends here, family and friends back home and the smiling kids who encourage you simply by giving ALL their time to you has made it very worthwhile.  Too worthwhile?  A life-changing, life-shaping worthwhile?  There's a lot going on in our thoughts.  This passage in Isaiah is profound for me right now and consequently has landed in my devotional at precisely the right time:

If you offer your food to the hungry
    and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,
then your light shall rise in the darkness
    and your gloom be like the noonday.
The Lord will guide you continually,
    and satisfy your needs in parched places,
    and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
    like a spring of water,
    whose waters never fail (Isa. 58:10-11)

Truly, I hope that God can give us wild dreams beyond our comfort and scope of thinking and challenge us to then go and accomplish it, no matter what.  I can feel God's provision for us and it gives great hope for the future, especially when wondering about all the what-ifs that would love to steal my time.  At the same time, I don't wish to say too much or too little.  God is working in us every day, for now and for the future.  I'm pretty sure He's telling us to reference any queries we have to Isaiah 58 for today and that in itself will be enough to face tomorrow.

We're still here!

Sometimes its hard to find the time to write a blog, or just motivate yourself to do so.  However, if I found time to study the NFL scoresheets today, I suppose I should finally sit down and write again!

Life is great here and we just completed our first full week of school.  A lot of students are still missing as we have been told they trickle back from holidays, so in another week we should be at full capacity.  So far I have found I still am quite terrified of grade 2s and it has been a real treat to work with grade 6s.  They are so grown up!

The adult classes keep me on my toes as well, these Haitians are really hungry for knowledge and all of them are extremely motivated to learn English.  I have realized that there's a lot more than I remember when it comes to grammar and the specifics of writing.  I'm so used to simply writing and processing simultaneously if the words make sense or not.  For people that don't understand the language though, making sense of even beginning English is a stretch.  I don't know how far I will stretch their experience with my native tongue, but we are certainly enjoying ourselves and they call me "teacher".  I don't think that will lead me to develop a Messiah complex, but I do carry the title with much responsibility.  Did I mention I am making my own curriculum too??

So besides working out grammar with the adults, simple sentences with the higher grades and Head and Shoulders with the little kids, there hasn't been much time to work on my Creole or French.  However, my translator is very motivated to teach me and keeps offering his regular services.  That's what I love about some of these people, they take a lot of pride in what they do know and willingly extend it to others no questions asked.  Haiti would become a different place if the mindset of all these people work within their community with this sort of attitude.

One story that is close to home.  Pastor Leon is taking a trip to Calgary and consequently he received a call from a singer from there who visited Cite Soleil last year.  He told Leon that he performs benefit concerts and that he would be interested in raising money for Leon's mission here at HOM.  Leon was thrilled at this prospect but he just never heard back from this guy.  Well the singer just happened to call Leon the other day and said he'd be performing this Wednesday night in Edmonton, so Leon and his wife will be able to attend the concert while they are in Alberta!

I was getting the feeling that we would know who this person was once he told us his name, even though to Leon, this singer was just a regular dude with a guitar.  Well it turns out its Paul Brandt, so we told Leon he's very well known and always is doing amazing things for ministries like his.  Really awesome that this is in the works and I'm going to track down the details so that you Edmontonians could maybe attend!

Thanks everyone for keeping in touch as well.  We really have felt loved during our first 3 weeks here and part of that is the great communication from home!  Our love goes out to you all and we really hope you will stay in touch :)

The Broken City

Yesterday we took a trip to downtown Port au Prince, which was hit the hardest in the earthquake.  The sights overwhelmed me by the end - so much devastation.  Picture this: beautiful old buildings, 3-4 storeys high, with old & unique architecture, lining the streets.  The envision these buildings missing large parts of walls, sloped, falling, rubble at the bases of the buildings, beams exposed, large pieces of concrete hanging from the floor above it; in some cases the buildings look as though they could fall in the next major wind.  Directly under the awning of each building sits person after person, selling their product - a tiny selection of shoes, fruit, gum, purses, clothes, paintings...anything they can really....and their are thousands of these people in front and almost under each destroyed building.  And then, of coarse to finish the scene, thousands of people on the street buying items, sacs on top of heads, tap-tap’s, loaded with people, all attempting to be the first to get through the chaos... and motorcycles carrying anything that it can have near miss after near miss while weaving in and out of traffic.  During this, what appears to be a mess of traffic, each vehicle is laying on the horn to speed pass the next vehicle.  Riding in the back of a tap-tap is also a unique experience, as the passengers get to look out the back of the truck bed at all the passing sights, a breeze making it’s way through to each person - this breeze also filled with dust and emissions from every vehicle that passes.  By the end of the trip, this also became overwhelming to me.  I was craving the smell of fresh air, but as soon as we left the city core, the smell of burning garbage and polluted stagnant water filled the air instead; and even back at the base we still could not escape the smoke from the garbage.

When you are immersed in the middle of this devastating, and seemingly hopeless situation, it is hard to see past it all.  How can things change?  Where do you begin when EVERY building needs to be re-built?  When EVERY previously green space is inhabited with tent after tent - people’s new homes?

Once back in the quiet of the complex I began to remember the reason we came: it was for the children.  To help equip and change a new generation.  WIthout Jeremy here, there would be 100-120 adults without an English teacher, and English is the new hope.  If we can help stimulate the children to dream and discover new things and want change, then that is the beginning of the future to come.

Field of Crosses

On Saturday, we had the privilege of stopping on the side of the road at a mass grave where bodies used to lie after the earthquake, now marked by fallen crosses.  On that same highway, a new community of people who had scattered to the side of a mountain to start a new life after the earthquake - Pastor Leon calls this community “New Jerusalem”.  In most places you go there are reminders of the earthquake; yet, it will take still a very long time before things are “cleaned up”....

A general overview....

It has been a week since we’ve been in Haiti, and it feels just as so.  The days, since coming here, have been long; and, there has not yet been a night where we’ve slept without waking numerous times... this is due to the 2 AM dog fights, the 3 AM roosters, and the 4 AM woman singing... Despite these things, Jeremy and I are coming to love Haiti, and most of all, the Haitians that live here.  The people at the base where we live - Terre Noire -  have been so welcoming and genuine, always greeting us with “Bonjour Stacey/Jeremy, Komon ou ye? (How are you?)”. 

Although the President just declared that school would start the second week of October, “Summer School” will start, just as planned on Monday, which will bring the beginning of our responsibilities here.  

Today Jeremy had registration for the adult English classes, which will be held after regular school hours - 2 classes of 40 quickly turned to 3.  How do you turn away people who come to better their future?  In Haiti, English is just that, hope for a way out of such poverty.  

Following supper, we spent a good hour going over different meanings of words with my translator, Garrison.  He speaks very well already, yet is eager to know everything. It was enjoyable just watching how excited he was merely to learn new words!

On Sunday I started my first after-church blood pressure and blood sugar screening at Blanchard, where we live.  I will be alternating this screening between here and Cite Soleil every Sunday.  Once school begins, I will also be the school nurse on alternate days between Blanchard, Cite Soleil, and Ibo Beach - where I have not yet visited.  I am a little nervous having to treat skin diseases that I have not yet seen, but, like I told Garrison, Monday will be a learning experience.

Too Much Computer... Where's the People?

The luxury of having the internet here will be a blessing as we somehow try to bridge the gap between us and our loved ones but I can't seem to get off it tonight, a problem that I don't wish to have!  This after I just told Forrest, another guy on the base, that I don't want to log on more than once a day.  Tonight its been two long sessions and I still wanted to blog...

Funny how there is so much quick, compacted conversation that is had on the internet.  People can't even bother to spell words properly anymore.  How is spelling "bye" like "bi" easier?  If I do that starting next week, I am going to have a seriously confused group of students.  Although, Creole, the official language is spelled completely phonetically, just how it sounds.  So just take most French words and spell them how you hear them and you might be close to speaking Creole!  After the first 2 days, a Haitian was telling me to just speak Creole, just go ahead and do it.  Maybe it will be easier to learn than I thought.  Here's hoping, because some days in the classroom I just know that I'm not going to have a translator...

Back to the initial conversation though... And meaningless and intelligible it was not.  Well perhaps some of the latter because when 2 parties attempt to speak each other's language without ever knowing much of it beforehand it can't help but be a little muddled.  2 things I did today:

1) Sang ABC's with a new friend Eddy, under a tin roof, while the daily thunderstorm tried to stifle the laughter in our childish exuberance.  Of course, my little friend Stetson was there as well, so that made us feel like we were singing for his benefit, right?  No, song is perhaps the best way that you can learn something new.

2) Sang Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes in English and Creole.  Tete, Epol, Genou, Zotey for those who aren't fluent :)  I constantly made sure I did the actions and words out of order to frustrate and amuse my young teachers but they were adamant that I do it right!  No better way to gear up for ridiculous classroom behaviour than exhibiting it yourself, and remembering how fun it is :)

This could have been the single most important day I have ever experienced in a missions setting so far.  I was able to take the time to simply BE with the people, mostly children, and absolutely love each other's company, for hours and hours, free from time constraints or group pressures that often short missions are inevitably subjected to.  Unlike past short-term missions, I can truly say that this is my home for now, and I am trying to do as a Haitian might do, taking time to converse with anyone who has the time (everyone), with no keyboard, but just simply my impressionable self, who is committed to nurturing relationships with others because that is what God has called me here to do.  If you have prayed through our mission statement at all since we've been here, know that your faithfulness in prayer will work at establishing deep-rooted connections with many lost and directionless people who are desperate to see God's Kingdom come but have lost sight of that in the wake of all the disaster this country has experienced.  And sometimes, all you have to do is recite your ABCs... in song, and like you mean it, of course.  Who knows, your life may depend on it :)

Did you know...

Haiti is the poorest place in the Western Hemisphere.  Their exports are limited, the GDP is staggeringly low and many economical and political hardships can be directly linked with corruption.  The media can always bring us the harsh truths in Canada but I will try and shed some positive light on our home for now...

1) Only 5% of people graduate from high school and 40% might have the chance to make it to junior high. The new president wants to make education free to all children but the scarcity of resources and buildings will make this promise almost impossible to keep.

The children that do come to school at our base (as well as Cite Soliel and Ebo Beach) are sponsored by people like you.  There is one little boy named George who lives at the Repatriote base and is eagerly awaiting the new school that will be ready to open before Christmas.  Until then, this little grade 1 boy will ride his bike (or sometimes walk I'm sure) the half-hour distance to school every day.  If students do have the chance to receive an education here, it is a source of pride for the family and certainly gives the children a new lease on life.

2) The cholera outbreak was bad, so was the one before that.  It was not the Haitians that brought this infection upon themselves though.  The infiltration of cholera to Haiti was linked to improper cleanliness of a UN base in Nepal, which was then transferred here when the UN came in after the earthquake.

Terrible things just seem to happen here and disastrous mishaps such as this plague these people for whom the desperation to survive is fierce already.  Dirty water in a gutter might seem like a desert oasis for those who thirst day and night but it is often a deadly decision.  Stacey especially, along with other school staff will work hard at educating children and their families about safeguarding themselves against cholera, scabies, malaria, etc.

3) The earthquake rocked Haiti and people will always talk about that fateful January day.  Disheveled buildings and roads remain jaggedly interlocked in a crudely creative discord that only gravity could neatly tuck into place.

It is easy to measure the destruction through the eyes of a Westerner who is used to seeing a mess cleaned up so that life can return to "normal".   For all the lighthearted sorrows that we feel when we watch the devastation unfold on television and the soapbox that it provides celebrities to pour out their hearts through remorseful song, it is a disgraceful shame how little has been done to "clean-up" Haiti.  I digress if the only reason I touch on this event is to somehow exercise my own shame and behold it reverently so that I may do something more noble about it next time.  And excuse my antagonist view of what has not been done for the clean-up when there are Westerners who have sought to help with the clean-up in some way.  But to help people within a community like Port-au-Prince, you need not the help of white men far away, though this does provide tangible help and encouragement for the people in many ways.  No, the hope comes from the way that Jesus Christ works selflessly and flawlessly in the hearts of his servants like the heroes which I will briefly acquaint you with.

Pastor Leon and his wife Jackie are native Haitians who began Haiti Outreach Ministries less than a year after they were married roughly 22 years ago.  There was need in Haiti then, much like there is now and they answered the call of God willingly and sacrificially.  As Jackie remarked, "sometimes your plans are not always God's plans," and remembering back to less than a year into my marriage I can say that I was not ready to plant a seed in the poorest slum (Cite Soliel) in the Western Hemisphere.  As we toured the compound I can only think that this is the most ambitious, and most finished, projects I have seen in all my travels.  Unscathed by the earthquake, the church building for 1000, the primary school for 300 students, 2 clinics (because they share a base with Samaritan's Purse) and courtyards for communities of people form the most faithful blueprint you could hope for in an otherwise debilitated community.

Ignorantly, I commented to Leon about the history of the Outreach and he pointed out that it was him and his wife that started this ministry, not the board of HOM in Maine.  I was ashamedly dumbfounded to doubt that a young Haitian couple could start all this.  What about the acres and acres of land, the creative use of space and the vision to build more still?  Aren't things supposed to never ever get completed in 3rd world countries??  Leon and Jackie are the most driven nationals I have ever met in any of the countries that I have visited.  You will no doubt here more of the amazing ministry taking place in this country and it started with the courage of a young, innocent couple who followed God's calling to settle in a place where so many earthquake survivors fled, years and years after they started the original church, school and clinic.

Ben, who is the resident liaison for HOM pointed out, that if Leon lived in the States, he would've become a millionaire, maybe a few times over, because of the drive that fuels him.  Jackie, Leon's wife, lovingly reflected that, "working with the poor and the needy is the greatest joy because they are the apple of God's eye.  There is nothing greater than this because He loves them so much."  Certainly a stark contrast to what might have been and what God tells someone otherwise, and most assuredly a supreme example for Stacey and I to serve under while we are here.

Welcome to our Island Home

Hanging out in Fort Lauderdale was relaxing, just the break we needed from the all the events of a busy summer.  For the first couple of days it felt like a regular holiday, until this morning.  Suddenly we were aware that a destination just an hour and a half away was going to become our home, a place where we'd never been, knew nobody and had only a skewed media perspective of from whenever disaster strikes this tiny country.  Could this really be what we wanted?

Flying into Haiti was beautiful, the lush mountains and menacing storm clouds overhead.  Not surprisingly there was a lack of beaches along the waterfront and not much architecture over a few stories high.  Grey and brown tones were awash across the whole landscape and trees like broccoli stalks sprouted up between these makeshift homes.  Nothing impressive, but in its own way, beauty simplified. 

Perhaps by this point we were feeling enamored by the sites that excited our emotions so much in missions trips of the past, but a reassuring feeling told us that this was where we were supposed to be.  God has been with us each step of the way and we couldn't wait to touch down. 

The drive was bumpy as we precariously moved throughout the city.  It was hard to imagine we were getting anywhere as our driver turned down unnamed street after unnamed street, only to arrive at our compound in a mere 15 minutes.  We didn't feel as out of place as we have in other places.  The presence of Amercians and the UN peacekeepers made our entrance more ordinary compared to shouts of "Muzungu!" when you tour through Africa.  Stacey rode in the truckbed and saw a pig.

Hey Stacey, why don't you tell them about our new home!

...I didn't JUST see a pig....riding in the back of the truck was a completely different view, and although we had been warned that the roads weren't maintained, driving over the the large pieces of missing concrete is a personal experience.  Behind us, several cattle made an appearance, along with stray goats, and i don't even have to mention..but dogs.  Someone also held on to the truck while riding his bike...

It is ironic how we left a house behind, full of "stuff" to find ourselves quite surprised with the great amenities....we even have a desk (of sorts), a shelf, a closet, and a huge fan!  who could ask for more in a place where our faces wouldn't stop sweating in our own room?

Looking at the Immediate Future

Five years happens pretty fast.  You can earn a couple degrees, work a lot of hours and see many places.  If you’re lucky, maybe you’ll even complete your 5 year plan, which definitely included some of these criteria for us.  We certainly have grown together in half a decade of marriage, as we completed our education, gained valuable work experience and managed to stay somewhat cultured along the way.  Now on to the next step...

As part of our early years of marriage, it was always a valuable goal to complete our education as a means to prepare us for the work world of course, but our bigger dream of participating in global missions.  God gave both of us a very clear leading in our educational goals as we met, married and mapped out our future.  A teacher and a nurse are coveted positions in other parts of the world and we’ve really enjoyed working these jobs in Canada during the early stages of our careers. 

Edmonton is where we reside and work, but for the immediate future our home will be elsewhere.  On August 18th, 2011 we will be traveling to Haiti where we will serve for 4 months.  During our time, I (Jeremy) will be teaching English to a range of ages and Stacey will be tracking all medical records for the hundreds of students who attend the 4 schools run by the organization Haiti Outreach Ministries (HOM).  These are our primary objectives but we will also be involved in teacher training, construction, community outreach and evangelism.  

After Christmas we will return home to eat Alberta beef and peanut butter all while enjoying a time of refreshment with friends and family.  Our journey will continue east this time, landing in Australia and making our way north through much of southeast Asia before arriving in Cambodia for another 4 months of intensive ministry at Place of Rescue.  This organization focuses on education and community as it provides relief and a home for destitute grandmothers and children with AIDS.  We will continue to work in educational and medical fields here.

The planning process for this second leg of our journey is still in the works, although Cambodia has been given the green light and will involve preparations even as we are in Haiti.  We desire to have a chunk of time to travel after Christmas but we will also be seeking smaller ministry opportunities in southeast Asia as we trek around.  Ultimately, we know that this down time will restore much of the energy we will expend and we will seek to strengthen our bond as a couple as God leads us during the time away from our longer periods with organizations. 

We have prepared our hearts for this year, knowing full well that this could disclose what is to come in our next 5 years, or even beyond.  To be able to extensively... travel and enjoy so much culture and creation appeals to our adventurous sides but our true passion lies ahead with the relationships we will form and the lasting impact that the words and actions of Jesus Christ will leave along the way.  We are extremely open to the possibility of a longer term somewhere and this series of intermediate-length opportunities to serve will really speak to our capacity to serve with clear minds and open hearts for an extended period of time.

ACOP and it’s Missions Director Jerry (and Brenda) Scheutz have been extremely supportive and encouraging during our seeking process.  We will be sent under the covering of this organization which has embraced our mission as couple and will help us in many tangible ways as we move around.  They will be kept up to date with all our activities and take care of paperwork back home.  They will handle any donations that are contributed to our mission, which can be done by check or credit card. 

The truth is that we are committed to this year no matter what the cost and have made preparations to do so as part our process of mapping this journey out.  Our desire is not to be in this alone and willing people have already asked where they can donate as one of their means of supporting us along the way.  The total cost of the ministry portion of our trip is projected at $9 000 - $11 000.  We will be classified as volunteers during all ministry times this year so thanks for your financial support if you choose to give this way.  

Truly, this mission would never be happening if not for the extreme grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ.  So many people have poured into our lives as we’ve ministered and worked in Canada both as individuals and a couple and if not for the invitation to join short-term mission teams, supportive church groups and unite with people in prayer, we could have never dreamed that this would finally take place.  We are excited that this year could mean many more years of serving in global missions and we ask that you pray for open doors, obedience, safety and above all that we can be the hands and feet of Jesus everywhere we walk.  

Much love to you all, Jeremy and Stacey

the unforeseen future

In just over a month, Jeremy and I are planning our departure around the world... unsure of the exact return.  Each announcement of our plans brought very different reactions....some excited, some skeptical....and although different, each reaction had one thing in common:  many questions.

I will attempt to answer a few of the questions best I know at this time.....  We plan to be in Haiti from August until December, and although we are expecting the worst, the worst might just exceed our expectations.  We expect to help change things for the better, but it might just turn out that we are the ones in fact changed for the better.  We both have a heart to help a hurting nation in the best ways we know how, and those ways will incorporate our skill...mine nursing, and Jeremy's teaching..... and although we know what those skill sets looks like in our comfortable country, it can be expected that those skills will look very different in a very different country.
From Haiti we plan to travel Australia and area, then Thailand/Cambodia area.....followed by staying in Cambodia for an extended amount of time (yet to be determined).  In Cambodia we expect to teach some English, and hope to get involved in some other areas.  We also have heard some sad things about this poor country, but have also heard how much it becomes a piece of you.  We then plan on finishing the trip with Europe....  We are very much looking forward to learning about new countries and culture, as well as experiencing things first hand.  We know there will be good days and bad days, great experiences and terrible experiences; but each day will mold us for the better... we won't come back the same.

So to sum it up, Jeremy and I don't have all the answers...there is still many details to figure out..... but one detail we did not fail to miss is that travelling is our dream and helping people is our passion, and the combination of the 2 could not be any better.