Sunday...No day of rest here!

Greetings all,
It is almost time to shut down our power so I will send off a quick note. Our day started with Karens yummy porridge, then clean up (dead rat with ants having breakfast)the classroom at the school to get ready for church, wait until we heard singing and then go to church (better than a bell anytime). We had a good service with us understanding very little...actually we knew most of the songs they even sang some in English. Trueman graced us with a song as did several kids and mommy Cecile. After church all HATS related people came back here and we had bread and pop and then watched a Gaither video and then gave clothes and gifts to all who were here. They were quite pleased and the 3 little ones were excited to try all theirs on and they looked great and wanted everyone to see them.
Remember my title...well we were put to work after everyone left. Gail and I painted, Trueman worked on computer, Dickie worked on putting wood to stuff holes over doors (sounds professional) and Karen had about 12 visitors from the US who were here in Borel at Project Help who came through and she showed them around here and the school.
I want you to know that when we were painting I was up on the ladder working very hard and I looked and Gail was lying down on the job, what kind of help is that? I sure wish I could get the picture up to show you...you would believe me then!
After supper we went through all the boxes of stuff off her shelves and decided what was what and what went where and now we are about to shut down the power for tonight.
I can tell you one thing and that is God has a big job to do on me if I am to come here for 3 or 4 months like I would like to.
If there is anyone out there who cares anything about us they will send down a few snowballs with Pastor Jim. We would sure appreciate them! We will wait to see how many he arrives with.
Good night

A Travel Day

Good morning folks, well I guess its afternoon again. We wrote a long blog last evening and couldn’t send it, and then we lost it… So after a very busy morning we are getting back to you to fill you in on yesterday’s news. It was a very stressful day in Haiti. Trueman, Karen, Luckner, Cecile and I took a trip into St. Marc . We all rode in the Hats truck with Karen driving and Luckner riding shotgun with his motorcycle. We traveled with great speed through a deserted area known as “The Bandits garden” because of the number of robberies that take place there. Keeping our eyes open for possible trouble. When suddenly we saw a roadblock ahead. Whew…. as we got closer we realized it was just the police. But oops #1 We did not have a license plate on the truck, we carried all the paperwork with us, but as things go very slowly in Haiti…. the actual plates were still in process. oops # 2 Karen did not have her driver’s license, as again it was in process this time to change her name to Huxter. Luckner immediately put on his Lawyer persona and argued a good case for us, although at first it looked like he was going to have to put his motorcycle in the back because they did not want Karen to drive…. PTL he got through to them and we were on our way. We went to many different stores to pick up a few items. We needed 24 hinges; we picked up 9 in one store and the rest in another. Karen and I went into the bank and Luckner went on to a store. When we came out we were to join him, however Karen couldn’t find the store and Luckner phoned us a little worried. He told us to stay put and He came and got us… Finally on the road home just into the Bandits garden when we saw masses of vehicles on the road ahead. We came upon a horrific accident involving two loaded tap taps. Bodies lay in the road and many injured stood around. Karen and Luckner were overwhelmed by the tragedy. They both wept for their people. We drove back to the center of the accident scene and moved as much as we could into the cab. They loaded 3 injured people into the back and we headed for the hospital. We heard later that 5 people had died. When we arrived home Karen was emotionally exhausted and fell asleep in my arms. As I sat there with my precious bundle snuggled beside me, I felt that they were not really my arms, but in fact Jesus himself was there. It was a very precious 15 minutes as the Lord ministered to us both.
We can only hope that those who died were in the Lord’s grace and that the family will find God’s precious peace in the midst of their terrible loss. Later in the evening we sorted all the clothes we had brought into piles for each of the children, Luckner and his family and Cecile. The plan is to give them out tomorrow.
I will sign off now and leave Sunday for Sandra and Dickie… Please be praying for these who have lost loved ones…
Love in Christ
Gail & Trueman