Another Day at the Beach!

Patty and I had the privilege of accompanying a team from Florida/Tennessee and most of the New Life kids to the beach yesterday. Going to the beach as a child of NL is a very special treat. This only happens if a team has been blessed enough by others to have the ability and resources, so most children here take it very seriously. Just like at home, if the kids have not been behaving properly, completing their chores, being good examples to others and treating each other with respect, they can loose their privileges for this. As we loaded up the bus yesterday some of the children had to stay behind. I am sure they have learned their lesson. So it was off to the beach as the weather was beautiful! The ride out is always an adventure with children sitting on missionaries laps, beach bags stuck in-between and listening to the sweet voices of children singing worship songs. We stopped one time along the way near the site where there is a mass grave for all the earthquake victims and prayed. All the children bowed their heads and covered their eyes humbly. It was a short time after that we were turning into the steep road that led down to the beach. It didn't take the kids long to pray one more time, thanking all the missionaries that made their day possible and for everyone's safety and they were off. The missionary team and Patty had brought many beach toys, beach balls, sling shots, Frisbees and kites. The kids had a blast, most only leaving the water for snacks and lunch. Mid morning snacks, hotdogs, were handed out and a sweet or two. For the missionaries, it was a time to play with the children in the water, soak up some rays and enjoy some fellowship time with other missionaries. We had the blessing of three deaf people visiting us from this team as well and the kids were curious and interested in learning how to say "I Love You" in sign language! What an experience for them. Soon, a vehicle arrived from NL with lunch and all the children reluctantly came out of the water to eat. We all enjoyed a lunch of spaghetti and salad eaten with a spoon. Soon we were watching children and missionaries slurp up long strands of pasta making funny sounds! You just have to make do with what God provides sometimes :). Four o'clock brought the sound of Jean Rony blowing the whistle for "all out of the water". Had prayer of thanksgiving to God for the wonderful day and off we went. The ride home was not boring by any means, children sleeping in your arms and the older boys giving us samples of Haitian tunes complete with drum sounds coming from hitting the back of bus seats. About twenty minutes into our journey, a loud "bang" came from the middle of the bus. Our driver cautiously slowed down and pulled over with horns honking behind. He got off of the bus to inspect the under carriage. We all had a picture in our minds of us standing along the roadside waiting for another bus to arrive trying to keep one hundred kids from getting hit by passing traffic. Luckily, the driver returned telling us, no worries, as we blew an inside tire that, "we don't really need"! So, he started the bus, pulled back into traffic and limped along causing us to get back quite late to NL, but safely. I never thought a cold shower with water trickling out could feel so good. Then it was down to join everyone for homemade pizza, salad and the best peach cobbler this side of the DR! Unfortunately, by our return being so late, the kids were not able to have devotional time. For me, it was off to see my sponsor child and say good night.
Patty and I have been sharing where we see God working in our lives and others here, so I have something to share with you in closing. My sponsor child is a boy, Chiniado's who is ten and has hydrocephalus. Simply put, when he was in his mother womb, the embryonic fluid flowed into his brain and stop causing him to have a enlarged head and weakness on the left side. As a result, he stays in a wheelchair most days. So when I went down last night I asked him if he just wanted to sit on a bench under the mango tree and hang out. He said yes quickly! He has a friend who is also handicapped, deaf and mute. This friend has been watching my sponsor child and my relationship grow over the last couple of weeks. Of course, it's God's love that he has seen! I have been trying to include Chiniado's friend in everything we do. So last night, Chiniado's friend rolled his wheelchair over to me and gave me his hand and smiled looking in my eyes. That's God, pure and simple! Through all of the days up and downs we can depend on Him to carry us through and give us hope for all of our tomorrow's.