I’m just getting back on here after a few week break. Things have been good in Haiti this summer. The interns are great and the groups have been great too. We have 6 days in between groups and are going to head out to the Far West next week to see the new orphanage construction and rest just a little before getting back into the swing of things. We broke our computer a couple weeks ago — should have the replacement coming soon. I’ll be sure to get pictures up as soon as it gets here.
here we are again in Haiti
I feel like I’m always saying, “we’re back in the states!” or “we’re back in Haiti!” So here we are…back in Haiti. I guess I’ll say it again just because that is where we are. We had a great trip in and actually made it a day before the group which gave us a small amount of time to get settled.
It looks like it’s starting to be a really good thing for us to leave Haiti because there are huge surprises every time we come back. So this time, the kitchen was all I could think about. I couldn’t wait to see the huge change and how happy the cooks would be in there new place. Well, didn’t have a clue that my house was also being changed and rearranged as well. We were blessed AGAIN by an addition to our home. I guess I should say NOW its a home, before it was a couple rooms. My two favorite things are the closet and the bath tub!!! Jody had our bedroom decorated beautifully with the perfect sheets and pillows and candles everywhere. The kids rooms had all their favorites things in them which was so great to see their faces. Ne kept saying, “mom, is this our house?” She has been the one of us thats had the hardest time LEAVING the house.
Janeil and I would like to humbly thank everyone who donated to the construction on our home. We never expected it or even thought we needed it….but let me assure you it didn’t take long to get used to!! It is absolutely beautiful and unexpected and wonderful and perfect. Thank you so so so much to everyone.
Mike and Theresa made it in yesterday and have already left with Janeil and the group to the Far West. The summer is officially underway and it’s been great so far. If you are planning on coming in this summer be sure to bring some extra money to spend at the canteen. It’s been quite loved so far. It’s really great for pregnant women that don’t need but really need all the junk they can get their hands on!!
IT’S A GIRL!!
It’s so funny how things happen. Two weeks before we even knew we were pregnant, Janeil and I decided to name our next baby girl Ruby. We were SHOCKED later that month when we found out that I actually was pregnant. Over the last few weeks I was SO sure that we were having another boy and suffering a bit knowing that Janeil was dead set on the name Taubensee. Everyone’s typical reaction to that news is….”huh?” Exactly. On Mother’s Day Janeil was shopping for a guitar for me. (its a dream of mine to learn how to play) When he found the one he wanted the guy at the store brought it out to him and said, “did you want the ruby one?” ”Ah, yeah………I want the ruby one.” Since it was Mother’s Day it had to be a sign so after that — half of us believed it to be a girl. I no longer have to worry about that crazy boy name — we found out today that we are having a little girl. She is completely healthy and very active.
Little Miss Ruby Renee.
Harbor of Hope
I got these letters in the mail today from some children in Boston at Harbor of Hope Church (where my brother Gregg is on staff) and they were so precious I just had to share:
Bon jar Heather,
At this moment, our group is in the middle of our 30 famine and I’m starting to get hungry. Still, I know I’m not even close to the pain 1 out of 4 kids feel. I appreciate what your doing there, housing all those orphans. Gregg is doing a great job here making sure we can do all we can do to raise awareness of poverty. I hope all is going well in Haiti with Janeal and the kids. Thank you for helping! Sincerely, Whitney
Dear Heather,
How is Haiti? Gregg has told us a lot about you. Our youth group is doing the 30 hour famine and raising awareness about world hunger. We are having a lot of fun. Have a good year may God bless you. From, Kyle
Dear Becky, (?)
I miss and a lot. How are you? I think your making a difference in the world. I also think that the people are great to have you their. We are doing a 30 hour famon. Love Marina
——
I love how they called their 30 hour fast a 30 hour famine and I love how these children were so wiling to participate in a very difficult spiritual discipline in order to feel the pains of children in Haiti. Amazing.
I praise God for you kids and please keep up the incredible example you are to all of us!!
the last few days
I’m so sad that my pictures from this last weekend will not upload. You would have been able to see Josiah and Ne playing in the most gigantic, perfect, indoor waterpark. We were in Cincinnati with the River Church. I have never seen this side of my second born and I LOVED IT! He was a mad man going for the water slide until he could hardly walk. Ne was a bit reserved even though Dan Wheeler had brought two young girls from the church to play with her (which was so thoughtful). First, she didn’t know if she wanted to wear a bathing suit, feeling quite sure she would be too busy putting on her make up to swim. Then she got to the swimming pool, saw her brother acting like a crazy man, and FINALLY decided to put her feet in. I foolishly tried to bribe her with an ice cream cone if she would go down the slide KNOWING that my NeNe was way too clever to fall for it. WRONG. She ran up the stairs got on the slide and went down before I could even get my camera turned on. She got water in her nose and eyes and wanted nothing more to do with the slide, but was more than ready for her ice cream. Great parenting skills I have, huh.
The next morning Janeil was presented with a check to build the church at the Salines Myet campus in the Far West!!! This is the land that the orphans will move to at the end of the summer. As if that wasn’t enough, we made a connection with an amazing woman who had felt the Lord call her to full time missions about 6 months ago. She actually quit her job and has been using her time to volunteer on mission projects with the River Church. She wanted some more focused ideas on how she could help us in the best way and Janeil directed her towards food projects with Kids Against Hunger and Feed My Starving Children. I love watching God weave things together.
We are now in Columbia!! YEAH!! Finally at home with my momma. We haven’t gotten the chance to spend a lot of time here in the last 18 months and so its a HUGE treat for me be here for a few days.
June 1 — we head back to Haiti. The time has flown which is nothing new.
