Busy Days, Sleepless Nights

The soft pink curtains sway gently as a welcoming breeze makes its way through the flimsy screens. In the darkness I watch their ghostly forms dance this way and that. Turning over, I re-adjust my pillows to find the ever illusive comfortable sleeping position. Insomnia has plagued me these last few months.

Finally, giving up, I sit up and ease ever so quietly out of bed. Walking carefully through the maze of suitcases that plaster our bedroom floor I silently open the door and slip out into the hallway. Closing it softly behind me I flip on the hallway light. Making my way to Jayden’s bedroom I crack open the door and smile at the sight of three small boys sprawled out on beds and air mattresses.

Reaching above the door frame, I feel with my fingers till they touch something metal; the hallway gate key. Closing my fingers around it I insert the key into the iron security gate and it opens with a click.

In the kitchen I fill a glass with water and ice. The kitchen clock reads 3:00 a.m., meaning it’s probably about 3:25. Even with new batteries its accuracy never last long and I’ve learned to slowly add 5 then 10, and now up to 25 minutes to get real time.

Cradling my glass, I head over to the living room and turn on the light. No cockroaches scurry off into darker corners and for this I am thankful. I make myself comfortable on the couch and slowly sip my ice water. Today is a special day. My 26th birthday and the day we travel to Canada. Still unable to fully wrap my mind around the changes that are to come, I decide instead to reminisce about this past week.

With our friends from Canada and their three children visiting us, it’s been a busy and exciting week. As I lay my head back on the armrest a string of memories play in my mind.

Visiting the downtown core.

The heart breaking poverty there.

Parents, so desperate they beg us to take their children.


The filthy streets.

MAF flights.
Landing in Oanaminthe

Feeling like the odd ones out!

Okay, that's better!

A bus ride through the village with adopted Uncle Jason.

Christmas feeding programs.


Make new friends.

Handing out Bible verse coloring books.

Happy kids!

This is for you!

Rice and beans.

Christmas Eve.


And special times with special friends.

Gradually the images fade in my weary brain. Drinking the last sips of water I shuffle back up the stairs, through the hallway and into our bedroom. Crawling under the thin sheet I close my eyes and dream. Winter coats, boots, the flu bug, airports, babies, Jason, Jayden, family, friends.

Slowly I doze off into a restless sleep. Less then 2.5 hours before it's time to get up and get ready to leave Haiti. It seems so unreal.

Christmas Outreach Program

The sun steadily sinks lower in the cerulean sky as children push and jostle each other to get through the orphanage gate. Today is the Christmas Outreach Program and anticipation and excitement buzzes through the air.


Finally it's our turn and as we enter the courtyard we can see a crowd has already formed inside.


To get a better view we climb up the side of a crumbled wall and get comfortable on the roof of a neighboring house.


With over 400 people in the community attending, it takes a little for the crowd to settle down, but when they finally do the Christmas program begins.


Strains of 'Gloria in Excelsis Dio' waft upward as the children who regularly attend the feeding program sing their praises to God.


The T-Rex that Jayden had snuck along in his pocket evidently begins to get hungry so the boys collect dinosaur vegetation to calm its grumbling tummy.

The program continues with various songs and skits allowing both those who live in the orphanage and attend the feeding programs to participate.

After a rousing round of applause for all their efforts, the crowd quiets as the Christmas Story is read. As the ancient Biblical words resound around us, I glance up.



The fading sunlight illuminates a cross perched on a neighboring building. Christmas is all about celebrating Christ's birth, but the cross is a reminder of what Jesus came to do. He came to die for sinners.

Darkness falls and the program ends. As we mingle, the kids are quickly surrounded.

Two girls playfully touch Dia's silky locks and she giggles.


Josh soon finds someone his own age and does his best to communicate using sign language.


Other children crowd around us, asking to get their pictures taking.

Slowly the courtyard empties and it's time to return home. In the pale light of the moon we make our through the dusty streets back to the car. The birth of Jesus. What a special occasion to share and celebrate with the community around us.

Mosaic of Memories

Sarah's Visit

long flight, crossing time zones, finally here

busy traffic, bright colors, dusty roads

From 2011

colorful art, pushy vendors, bartering time

From 2011

turquoise water, white sand, coconut milk

beautiful sunset, warm temperatures, perfect day

MAF flight, sensational scenery, breathtaking

all on 1 motorbike, village life, step back in time

lazy rivers, crowded markets, friendly children

crumbled palace, broken cathedral, heartbreaking poverty

Haitian rice, feeding programs, brown eyes

beautiful jewelry, talented artists, new hope

dinosaur paint set, dinosaur books, a little boys adoring gaze

long talks, good times, special friends

You Can Help!

Three and a half years ago we met Anoud, Denise and their two boys for the first time. All four of them were too thin and the youngest of the two boys showed signs of malnutrition.

Anoud had been employed on our property for the past 10 years, but Denise had no income and lived an hour away in a tin shack on the side of a ravine with their two boys. The tin shack didn't keep out the wind, or the rats, or the torrential rain and life was hard.

Not wanting Anoud to lose his job, we agreed to hire him and asked Denise if she would like to live on our property with him as well. At first she was hesitant, saying their two kids were too noisy, but when we convinced her that we had a noisy boy too and that wouldn't be a problem she gratefully accepted.

As we learned the language the friendship grew not only between the adults but also between the three boys.

The following summer their family expanded when Jocemine was born. To honor our friendship Anoud and Denise chose to name her after both Jason and I. It was very special.


A year later we officially became godmother and father of all three of their children in a special dedication service.

Denise who had begun to help me around the house talked often about wanting to learn a new skill. Coming from a large family, she only went to school when her parents could afford it which was not very often, leaving her almost illiterate.

When I heard about the Apparent Project jewelry making program I approached her and asked if she would be interested in learning how to make beads from recycled paper and design necklaces. She was thrilled and several weeks later we went to the Apparent Project to learn together.

It didn't take very long for her to become a talented bead maker and jewelry designer and she soon taught her husband as well.

"With the money I earn I would like to help my elderly parents, pay money to rebuild our church, send my second child to school and save up for a piece of land," Denise told me. Very ambitiously she set to work and did just that. She sent money to her parents, donated to her church, paid for Sabboule's schooling and saved whatever was left to purchase a piece of property.

"This piece of property can change the life of my family," she said. It means that we will always have a place to rent out or live on. It can be a legacy for our children.


Several days ago Denise approached me to say she found a piece of land to purchase. With the legal fees she only needs $1200 more.

She has over $1200 worth of jewelry waiting to be sold so this is where you can help. A friend of mine hopes to return to Chilliwack with Denise's jewelry on December 14. If we can sell $1200 worth before the end of the year Denise can buy the land. If you live in or around the Chilliwack area and would like to purchase some of her amazing jewelry please email us.

Her jewelry is beautiful and unique and makes great Christmas gifts!

If you have family, friends or coworkers that would be interested and would like to sell some of the jewelry to them before Christmas we can work that out as well.

Will you help Denise realize her dream and leave a legacy for her children?

November: Prep Month

November was prep month; meaning I spent hours writing lists, organizing cupboards and closets, packing, washing curtains, mending clothes, cleaning fans, wiping down dusty suitcases and studying re-entry books.

With the whole month of December packed full of visits from friends, November was it.

Jason teased me that I was going overboard with nesting due to pregnancy hormones, but I firmly believe that in order to experience a positive cross-cultural transition some special planning was in order. Especially considering that others would be living in our home while we were away.

Although it’s one thing to physically prepare for a cross-cultural move, there are definite mental and emotional things to consider as well. What’s it like transitioning between two countries and cultures that have so little in common? Two books that have graced my nightstand this past month were ‘Re-Entry' and the 'Art of Coming Home’.

Some of the challenges the books covered were these:

Climate changes. Temperatures in Port au Prince rarely dip under 20 degrees Celsius over the winter months. During the afternoons it’s still easily in the low 30’s. Over the last three years our bodies have adapted. 35 degrees is no longer hot, and 20 degrees means we pull out our sweaters and extra blankets.

Going from that to Chilliwack, where temperatures have stubbornly hovered around 0 degrees will be a shock to our systems!

Traffic in Port au Prince is crazy. Every time I drive I feel like I’m in some bizarre video game twisting the wheel this way and that to avoid potholes, animals, pedestrians, dump trucks, rocks and garbage. The only difference is, is that its real life and doesn’t come with a ‘redo’ or ‘try again’ button. After three years though, it’s my new normal. I actually enjoy the challenge and feel like I’ve learned some impressive defensive driving tactics. Also, my average speed is 15km/h, with 30km/h being my maximum. Going from that to driving on highways with 100 km/h speed limits is mind boggling.

Shopping in Haiti is all about bartering and building relationships. During the process there is a lot of talking, joking, and touching involved. When you finally agree on a price many vendors pull change out of various undergarments. Going from that to electronic self checkouts seems crazy.

I buy my fruits and vegetables in outdoor markets. Most of the food is on the ground, dusty and dirty. I bleach everything I buy for 20 minutes before considering it safe to eat. Now go to your local Safeway and see the magnificent display of brightly polished shining fruits and vegetables. Don’t be surprised if you’ll find me there just looking at it all in awe one morning.

Physical changes. The last time my friends and family saw me was when I was 12 weeks pregnant and hardly showing. Since then my baby bump has grown rapidly and most days I feel more elephant than human. Throw in clumsiness, forgetfulness and fatigue and I’m certain I’m up for an interesting cross-cultural transition!

Not to forget the lack of exotic pets in Canada.

What are we going to do without frogs on our couch, my pet gecko in the kitchen, cockroaches snacking on our lasagne and tarantulas skittering across the floor?