A Day In Our Haitian Life

Several of you all have asked what a typical day is like here at the mission in Haiti.  In an effort to capture what this looks like, we have compiled a typical day's schedule to share with you.  It's nothing super-awesome or earth shattering, but it is interesting in some ways.  Hope you enjoy!

5:00  Wake to the sound of roosters, goats, pigs and dogs.  Haitians are waking up now and starting their day.  We hear the voices of people that live nearby.  Try to go back to sleep.

6:30  Light is streaming in the window and K and J are waking up.  We start to get moving.  Do we have electricity?  If so, turn on shower because the water will be warm.  If not, wait 20 minutes and try again.

7:00 Breakfast together.  Hear a Haitian man belting out "How Great Thou Art" in Creole while he works down the hill.  He's pretty good!  Prepare list of needed items from the market: Lettuce, Mangoes, Potatoes, Eggs, and Tomatoes.  Wash and bleach dirty dishes.

8:00 Scott heads to work.  Takes list of market items to Haitian BHM driver to pick up on his daily route.  (So thankful for this since I have no driver's license here yet!)

8:30ish Start school with Kilee.  Try to keep Josiah occupied and entertaining himself for the first half of the morning.

9:30ish Reading time with kiddos.  We read several books in Kilee's curriculum and Josiah joins in.

9:45  Run down hill to see if laundry facility is being used.  It's available!  Run back up hill to gather laundry and start a load.

10:00 Snack time for kiddos.  Decide what to make for lunch.  After snack, do math and science work with the kiddos. 

11:00  The house is a wreck!  "Everybody pick up your stuff!"  After pick up time, go outside and play.  I run down the hill and throw laundry in the dryer.

12:00  Daddy walks home for lunch.  Eat together and then put Josiah down for a nap.  Kilee goes outside to play with the other MKs.  Wash and bleach dishes.

1:00 Our Creole Lesson with Hassan

2:00 Scott goes to his office to have another hour of Creole study with Hassan.  I go inside to do housework, read email if internet is working, or just sit down and loaf a minute before Josiah wakes up.  Go get laundry from dryer.

3:00  Josiah's up.  All kids go outside to play some more.

3:15 Oops!  Tropical rain shower is coming!  Kids come inside and watch a movie instead.

4:30  Pick up stuff around house.  Bust up fight between kiddos.  Start to cook dinner.  Bust up another fight between kiddos.  (It's just that time of day, you know mommas?)

6:00  Eat dinner together.  Skype family. 

7:00  It's dark.  Wash and bleach dishes.  Hang out as a family for a bit.

7:30 Get the kids ready for bed.  Get filtered water from kitchen for brushing teeth.  Read story, pray.  Good night, kiddos!

8:00  Pick up stuff around house.  Work on blog, answer emails, put laundry away.  "Josiah, get back in bed!"  Work on lesson plans for homeschool tomorrow.  Read, study and/or watch a DVD.

After 9 but sometime before 11 : Good night!