Gauvreau en Haiti

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Friday July 28, we went to the wedding of Yannick’s aunt. It was in a small Haitian church and we were sitting eight on a bench for five. It was different, but I liked it a lot. We were the only invited white people, but it went well and some of the young girls talk to me half Creole and half French.

The wedding processus was very special, not at all like Canada or US. Before the groom Jean Wilnor and the bride, Emaze come in, there are young little girls who are coming in the church dancing with very small steps, and they throw rose petals on their way. Following are the godfathers and godmothers of the future spouses. Following are the king and the queen, dress almost more beautifully than the groom and the bride. After come more little girls dancing with very small steps followed by the ”girl announcer” of the groom and the bride coming soon and always dancing with small steps and throwing rose petals on her way. Then the groom enters first and walks half way through and he waits for the bride before seeing the pastor who waits up front. And now, this is the bride walking in the church. What a beautiful bride! I am so happy for her, she deserve it because she made her choice with God and with much prayers toward the One who can do everything.

There were three or four pastors who preached on marriage and they each brought up some anecdotes on the future spouses. There was many choirs who sang a capella. Finally, the groom and the bride made their vows before God, like in Canada or US.

Following the wedding, we went to the reception in a large house lended to Emaze by a friend of hers. There were a lot of pictures taken, but the lights were deemed, so the pictures are not too good. I put the ones who were the best. (See photo August). In Haiti, when there is a wedding all the people who were at the church are invited to share a meal. But only the ones who have an invitation can take the meal in the house, the others stay outside in the court yard. Because Georges and I received a written invitation we were allowed to go inside the house where it was very hot.

Yesterday, Saturday July 30, we have moved to Fort-Jacques in the mountains. The directors of the orphanage lend us two trucks to move all our belongings and it went very well. The three girls moved into the ravines in Delmas 65 and the rented a truck to move in the house they are renting. They are very happy. We did not visit their house yet, but as soon as we can we will go. When we arrive at our house, that the orphanage is lending us, Roger, his two boys and Mat had made a Welcome sign for us. (See photo August). They have handed it over the entrance door and had swept all the driveways and the front of the door. God is so good with us. He sends us marvelous teams who have many little considerations for us.

Friday, August 12

I think I am starting to recuperate after all these changes. The first week we arrived, I was sick with diarrhea and the toilet was at 600 feet of the house and I have a small hill to go up. So no running here! It was not obvious when you do not have running water in the house. However, we have had a great team of volunteers from Arizona. One of the men installed the toilet and door frames. Now, we have a door for the bathroom and our bedroom. It is very nice. This team have put a base coat on the walls and filled all the cracks, and they finished painting the outside walls of the house. (See photo August).

This week we do not have a team that gave time to John and Georges to do the ceramic tiles in the kitchen and installed the lower cabinets with the doors. Matt from New York continued to paint and filled the holes and cracks in the bathroom.

Last Saturday, we went to Petionville to buy a washer-spinner machine. It was the 17^th anniversary of the store, so we had a great rebate of 17%. And the US dollar is lower that the Canadian, I will get a better price on my credit card.

Thursday, August 18

I am so happy to pray for a protection against any accidents on the construction site. Like today, Georges was hurt slightly, his ladder has slided and he felt on his hip, but the boxe of the sound system felt on his head. Georges has a slight cut on his head (did bleed a lot), on his elbow but on his hip he has a huge bruise. Today he does not do too much, he needed some time off. This accident could have been a lot worse.

At this time we have a team of three men from Saskatchewan, for two weeks, who work on construction. One is a plumber, the other one a painter and the last one a jack of all trade. Also we have a family from Alberta who does what we ask them to do. (See photo August). The young girl loves to paint. She painted the corners of the cupboards and was glad to have white hair. The man love gardening, so the whole family cleaned part of the land so there will be less pine needles and weeds on the pathways. I did burn all this in two days.

Sunday, August 28

This morning we went to the house church as usual. Now we are back home and I am happy. It is raining a lot and it looks like it is snowing, except the noise on the roof. The clouds are as white as when it snows in Canada. But it is calming, Georges does his Sunday afternoon nap and me, because I do not have access to Internet, I write the blog and prepare the pictures to insert on our web page.

They have started to improve the land for the six toddlers’ pods (10 children per house with two nannies), the school and the playground. (See photo August) We wish that it will be ready for June 2012. At this time, GLA USA is doing a fundraising to help build these little houses. If you want to participate go to the Internet site: http://godslittlestangelsinhaiti.org/hairless-for-haiti/

It has been eight days that I am playing a game on Facebook « Gardens of time ». It is the girls at the orphanage, who work in the office, who introduce me to the game. I like it a lot and normally I do not enjoy game on Internet. If there is some who want to join me, ask to be my friend on Facebook. And I congratulate my sister-in-law, Eliane, who started to play also.

Tuesday, August 30

Georges is doing a lot better, he heals slowly but surely. He is due for some vacations in Quebec. We will go at the end of September.

Regarding the pictures for the new house at Fort-Jacques, we will have better ones when everything will be done. It should be in October of this year.

This is my quotation for the month:

“The most important "done" in my life is not the one I hope to write on my list at the end of the day. Instead it's the one I hope to hear at the end of my life:

"Well done, good and faithful servant."

Ah, yes, I'm called to relationship not accomplishment.

And I'm loved no matter how many items on my list are left unchecked.

Whew.

I'm so glad.

You too?” From Holly Gerth

We wish you a wonderful month!

Cordially,

Jocelyne and Georges