Rain

Rain.

When I think about the rain I think about home. I think about how much joy and peace rain can bring. I love everything about rain. I love how I can smell it before it comes, how the energy flows through you right before the fat drops start to fall, how there will be a visible line that you can see where the rain has fallen in montreat and not in black mountain. I think about laying on the tennis courts with PK and Elizabeth in the summer, sitting on my pourch watching the lightning flash across the sky. I remember how the storms would scare me and later Levi and how I would hold him to try to block out the sound in the youth center. Rain brings mud and I've had a lot of fun with mud in my past. I love rain, always have and always will.

It has rained once every day for 12 days now. Haitians do not love rain, in fact they are scared of it. If one drop is felt then there will be no one on the streets. This fear of rain was very strange to me at first, I'm the one who likes to run outside to meet it. It's a different story here. It's a fact that there is less the 1% of trees left in Haiti. This means erosion. On the mountains there is no top soil to soak in the rain, it's just rock. The water runs down the mountian into the vallies where people live, TONS of people. EVERY TIME IT RAINS IN HAITI SOMEONE WILL DIE. Every time the rain falls. Haitians are scared of rain because it kills here. It runs from the mountains straight into the city. There are holes in the streets that are more or less like caves. These holes fill with water. If you are caught in the rain it's better to stay put and not risk falling into one of them. If you listen to the radio you can here about the deaths the next day.

I'm asking you to pray. This weather is very very odd and bad. It has poured every day for 12 days now. Rain, I think how something so good could be so bad all at the same time and don't know what to think. I don't play in the rain here, it's unheard of.

Rain, just something for you to think about. How it's different here then at home.

cool cats

just for fun

art!!

this is my room. I've put all the art work on my wall and every morning the sun shines and I wake up with color all around me!








yeah for shaving cream!

HEY!!! LOOK AT ME!!!

I CUT MY HAIR!!!!!

well really Angela cut it for me but hey...I love it!!! It's been really funny because every one here does not like this fact but I love it so ha.
it's been rainging all week and guess what...it's raining right now. well Deb comes tomorrow and that means I have one week left and that fact makes me very sad. I've been doing lots of art with the kids and the color in my room is amazing.

I send my love.

sad day

Today has been slow and filled with tears.

Arnold died today from Aids. He was one of five of the original boys at St. Joe's and his loss is a great one. He passed away this morning and worship was hard. He has a son Raulph that I am friends with but wish I was closer. There is also a little sister not older then 5 and we should keep them in our prayers.

There is a boy named Steven here. He is the oldest here and after worship this morning he started to cry. Angela asked him why and he pointed to the picture of Arnold. Steven lost his dad about a year ago and I'm sure it was hitting home for him. He is so strong and such a good kid. He reminds me of Levi. Their faith is so strong for their age and it really humbles you to be with them. Steven is taking this hard so pray for him too please.

Tears fell from my face as I sat this morning. All I could do was to sit there and listen to all the boys sing. It fills you. Their sadness and joy and faith fill you to the point of tears. They sing with such emotion that it over whelms you sometimes. You could see the loss in their face. A dear brother. It has been gray all day with a soft rain.

I took a nap because I feel drained and sad only to wake up with the sound of the entire house filled with screaming and crying children. The nurse came to give shots. No one, NO ONE likes them and it does hurt. It's just not the best way to wake up but all you can do is to go and hold them.

Death is hard to deal with but I'm dealing and to be honest I saw him in such pain that I'm glad to know he is at peace now. All he could to was to sit and drink. He would suck down bottles of juice and water and then just sit looking out of breath and energy.

The rain brings me peace. It RAINED and our street was a river and I just about swam in it. It was funny because we were making dinner and I looked out the window to see a man on his roof with his arms lifted up to the sky with the rain coming down. This just made me smile because it would be something that I would do. I made Angela look and she laughed saying, "that's not Haitian." Haitian people are all scared of the rain and think that playing in it will make you sick. I laugh but understand. Oh the rain came down and I closed my eyes thinking of home. The smell was the same, the sound and I flew home that night.

I miss you all. It's hard here beause I look at the children and the people here and I can't read their face. I can't just look at them and know what they are feeling. That goes for the kids, for the boys, for everyone. It's hard. I want to be let in. I want to let go into someone but haven't found him or her yet. The only thing I can do is to keep turning to God and His word.

Please pray. I send my love.

good day

today I've played with kids,

ate strawberries

went to the pool to swim in class.....it was amazing.

picked flowers

raced to the roof to catch the breath taking colors of a sunset

and it's 8 and we have power. it's amazing and this just doesn't happen. the kids are coloring down stairs and I'm cooking chicken, the first meat I've had since I've been here.

It's a great day. It's a cool night and I'm wearing my jeans with my skin warm with the kiss of the sun. The kids will go to bed soon and you will find me on the roof looking at the stars thinking of you. God is here. I see Him EVERY DAY. I'm meant to be here. I'm so happy and am overflowing with joy and love. If only, if only people would take a moment for Haiti there eyes would be opened to see the wonder and beauty of these people. I'm learning so much.

close your eyes with me and I'll meet you half way.

love

hello to all!!!!

sorry it's been so long...kinda crazy here in Haiti! I'm doing just fine as you can see and hope you enjoy the photos!
I love the kids and they love me. It's hot, HOT but the nights are cool and filled with stars.

I wish you all were here with me. It's everything I've ever dreamed of and the children here are just beautiful, all of them.
I send my love!

Megan

The brave four and the baby

What a day it has been. It's my last full day before we wake up at 3:30 tomorrow morning to catch a 6:00 plane flight into Miami.

Andria, Deb, Lauren, and I are the four women going on this trip. I sit here laughing at what we've done today, a very typical American Friday. We drive down to FL, went to a movie, out to dinner and come back to go swimming in the pool. It's funny to think how this seemingly typical lifestyle will drastically change in 24 hours and I can't wait. We've been to the store three times to pick up things we have forgotten but I'm sure we are all still going over the check list to triple check that we have everything.

I like the four of us together. We mesh very well with each other but are very different at the same time. Deb I trust completely and is the man of the group. Lauren has gone off to have her quiet time away from people. I'm here checking in one last time and Andria is such a happy person I feel like she's going to fall asleep with a smile on her face. She has never been before unlike the rest of us but I'm excited not to be the "baby" of the group this time. I know what's coming. The baby is Deb's backpack that has all the important papers and money in it. It's rather funny and we all take turns keeping a close eye on it.

At dinner as we were waiting I had nothing to do but to people watch. I thought about how soon the four of us will be the only white women for miles. There was a women with a little girl, age of about 3, holding an ipod listening to Jesus loves me and princess music. She looked at me, pointed suddenly and said, "she's my best friend." I smiled back at her and pretended to dance along with her to the music that would never reach my ears. I thought about the children I'm going to serve and how I want to become their best friend as well. It just makes me smile to remember that girl. It was like she was a "mini" ipod commercial. She was dancing and had long orange hair in pig tails. I thought about how different the settings will be at the orphanage where I hope to bring color to their lives. I still plan on breaking out with random dance moves because that just makes everyone smile.

so here we go. My belly is full, my mind at rest, and my heart open for what ever may come. It's all ready been such an adventure we can't wait to see what will happen in Haiti. Please pray for safe travel and for a friendly face to meet us at the airport.

quote of the day, "Megan Bannerman is a party all the time."
food of the day: frosty