Sunday

I thought I would put up a quick post while my little Nate is sleeping soundly on the bed next to me.  Last night was truly fun.  We got to have Nate all day long.  He played and played and at the end of the day actually started making some sounds.  He had been quiet up until then.  He would point to things and grunt wanting to know what everything was, but he didn't make any other sounds.  Today, though, he did it.  Now, he is pointing at everything saying,"Ma?"  It turned out he didn't really like the downpour we had earlier.  However, we were eternally grateful, as it cooled things down a bit.  Up here in the mountains, it is warm, but not near as bad as it is in Port Au Prince. 

This morning we went to Port Au Prince for church.  We did not go to Willem's church in Gramothe as he was preaching elsewhere, so we went to church with Rachel, the orphanage director.  The church apparently is normally air conditioned, but not today.  There are only brief periods when the public electricity is on, and during church today was not one of those periods.  As we drove through Port Au Prince on our way to church I was struck by all the people walking.  They were in fancy dresses and suits, on every corner and street.  I came to know they were all going to their various churches to worship. Little girls had fancy dresses on and bows in their hair, the boys wore ties and the men suits.  It looked like there must be a fancy wedding somewhere, turns out it was just Sunday.  When we entered the church as the only white people, we were greeted cheerily,"Bonjour!" and smiles.  Music began to play and everyone was on their feet, some dancing, some with their hands in the air, some eyes closed, all in worship.  I stood in the Lord's house listening to hymns with a calypso flavor with my little Nate in my arms feeling very grateful the Lord brought us here.  The other mom we are travelling with was moved to tears, as was I. 

I must make a shout out at this juncture to my Southridge family...,"What can wash away my tears, nothing but the blood of Jesus!" sounds amazing with a calypso beat.  The other couple and Tim and I sang it in English against the back drop of Creole.  I began to look around and it really sank in.  These people have very little, at least some of them.  We passed the tent city just a few blocks away.  No real roof over their heads, no good source of food, nothing really, yet here it is, Sunday, their hands are in the air praising God.  It made life make just a bit more sense. 

After church, we stopped at a street vendor and bought some fresh bananas, which Nate gobbled up, and we even got some flowers for Rachel.  It was the other couple's idea and I loved it.  When we got home there was an early Sunday dinner for us, which was delicious.  Funny, I didn't realize we were eating so early, frankly every day here is a bit of a mystery, so I had heated Nate up some Gerber Ravioli pick ups.  He didn't like it.  I thought he was just full from his banana, but no, he was just waiting on the Haitian rice!!  Two bowls later, plus applesauce he was finally full.  Poor guy.  He is still having diarrhea, so I was glad to have some rice in him. 

Tim made me laugh while the cook was putting dinner out, he was busy teaching Willem how to play boogie woogie on the piano.  It was really funny, as he was not too familiar with it I don't think!!  We also got treated to Tim, Willem and Pat singing some amazing Christian tunes.  Pat is an amazing worship pastor I have a feeling and his daughter can harmonize like crazy. 

Tomorrow we will go to the orphanage, the plan is to spend the day there.  We were to go today to meet Nate's birth mother, but she didn't come.  Maybe tomorrow.  To my other Mamas blanc...pictures tomorrow and I promise to love all of your children!!!