Sunday (Nov. 20) was election day here in Haiti and because of potential unrest, the US Embassy “strongly urged” all US citizens to “shelter in place.” That meant that we had to stay at the guesthouse all day on Sunday. Though not what we had planned, it was a good day of rest.
When we got to the orphanage yesterday (Monday) morning, all the children were together with nannies in the pavilion setting up and decorating their Christmas tree. They were singing “Jingle Bells” though none of them, I don’t think, have ever seen a sled or snow for that matter.
The guesthouse that we are staying at is beautiful despite having no air conditioner and no hot water. There are 8 different kinds of fruit trees in the yard, inside our guarded wall: mango, banana, cherry, orange, lime, papaya, almond (actually a nut) and coconut.
The balcony has made for some sweet time with the Lord in the early morning, which is so desperately needed to prepare for the day.
Please continue to pray for endurance for Allison and me. The trip is getting long and we miss Beau and Grace.  Please continue to pray also for fruit from our time with C and O – that our God would be about His business of building our family.
Also, please pray for our interview with the Haitian social worker that should take place sometime in the next 3 days.
Below are some pics of the Christmas tree, the building at the orphanage with that houses the children’s bedroom and some pics of our two children.

______________________

Wednesday morning (Nov.16) we had an appointment at the US Embassy here in Port-au-Prince to officially file our request to adopt C and O. The appointment itself was fine but the bus ride there was through some of the worst traffic our translator had ever seen – and he is from Haiti. We were in a traffic jammed intersection and did not move for an hour and a half! Haitian roads are completely free of all the traffic rules that we enjoy. It is chaos!

Our time with our children continues to be fruitful. We still see more of their personality each day. We have had the opportunity to interact with their teacher some. She has been able to point out strengths and weaknesses which we can also observe.
Today is a national holiday in Haiti. It is a celebration of the final battle in their fight for independence from France in 1803. All of the children drew swords and canons in school yesterday. To celebrate the holiday, there is no school today, so we will be with our children all day.
Please continue to pray that our God would direct our time, and make it fruitful. Please continue to pray for Beau and Grace – mom and dad have been away for a while now and still have a week to go.

___________

Today (Tuesday, Nov. 15) was our fourth day in Haiti. Our flight early Friday morning was canceled, pushing back all of our flights and so we were stuck in Fort Lauderdale Friday night. The airline put us up in a hotel and paid for our lunch and dinner that day – so we weren’t suffering. But we did not arrive in Haiti until Saturday morning.
We went almost immediately from the airport to our children’s orphanage, with only 10 minutes to prepare.
When we arrived at the orphanage we were introduced to C & O (our children, I can’t publicly name our children on any media yet) and taken with them to a back patio area. We spent the rest of the day, coloring, playing with playdo, a ball and a bat and a few other activities that we brought with us. It was a good day, but long. They are sweet children, and as any children who are with people they don’t know well would be, very sheepish and shy that first day.
Each day seems to bring more of their personality out. Each day they seem to be somewhat freer with us. Yesterday and today, our play time has been full of laughing and more talking than the day before.
Of course they only speak Creole, no English. We do have a translator with us and Allison and I are picking up phrases here and there that we can understand and put to use.
We were not able to go to church with them on Sunday morning because of our driver’s schedule and the children’s early departure from the orphanage for church, but we have been able to sit in on their school classroom yesterday morning and today. They are in a classroom from 8:00am until 12:30pm, with one snack time and recess time.
Their teacher is a good teacher. She has a 3 year old table and a 4 year old table in the same room and manages to give them individual instruction as well as creative activities. C and O can both write their own entire name in beautiful cursive!
Our play time has been with just C and O, but there are about 20 other children at their orphanage and at the end of our time each afternoon, there are always a few minutes that we play with all of them together in the courtyard. That is a lot of fun. There are a lot of personalities and they are all trying to get our attention.
Please continue to pray for our time with C and O that our God would be at work in their hearts preparing them and leading them to trust us. That Allison and I would continue to be healthy. And for Beau and Grace as they are away from us for this extended time.
We are so thankful for you, our church family and want to include you in what our great God is doing here and in our Brady family.

Pastor Chad

« Previous Post

Next Post »