The Big Hike

This week, we have had the opportunity to get to know a group from Minnesota.  They came to BHM ready to tackle multiple projects and they have completed them all with excellence and a great attitude.  We were blessed to have the majority of the group build a house for a family up in the mountains, and also a mechanic and carpenter to do various jobs around the mission.  Not only that, but one of the girls on the team cuts hair and we had a missionary haircut marathon with her one night as well.  Let's just say the BHM staff is now looking clean cut and fabulous! Ha.

On one of the first days they were here, several of us joined them on a hike down into the valley and back into a ravine to see several waterfalls.  Let's just say that it was an adventure!  What was really humbling about the hike is that we were often passed by Haitian women and children with large baskets of clothes on their heads as they were headed down to the river to wash clothes.   I cannot imagine having to balance something on my head while scaling a mountainside.  Yes, we are officially lightweights compared to them!  Here are a few pictures of our journey together.

Chelsea and I are all ready to show this mountain hike who's boss!

The hike begins.  Trey leads the group down the steep hillsides.

Chelsea shares some Haiti info along the way.  A little fella tags along with us.

This is about midway down the mountain.  Once we reach the bottom, we will hike far back into the ravine at the left of this picture.  It was a long way down!

This group was full of seasoned hikers.  It was no sweat for them!  We hiked up and over rocks and through riverbeds (wet and dry).

Ken (wearing backpack) was a trooper and carried everyone's water for them in his bag so that we could all use both hands as we climbed.

 

After a long journey into the ravine, we finally reached the waterfall!  It was gorgeous.  We were hot and sweaty, but the cool water and the shade of the large rocks was a sweet reward!  We rested, took pictures and chatted awhile before we began our ascent back to the mission.

  

This pic at the waterfall is my personal favorite.  Evidently I did not hear Trey say that this was the "make a funny face" picture, so I kind of left Chelsea on her own.  Moment captured.

The climb was beastly!  We all knew that once we made it down, we would definitely have to come back up, but I don't think I personally knew just how difficult it would be.  I was definitely the weakest link!  Ha.  Let's just say I took several opportunities along the way to stop and admire the view (and slow my breathing).  All in all, it was a fun hike and a gorgeous day to enjoy beautiful Haiti!

Broken Bones and Missing Teeth

Well, most of you probably know by now that our sweet little Kilee has broken her arm again!  As you may recall, it was a little over a year ago that she broke her left arm when she was dancing on a step stool and fell off.  Well, just a few days ago she was pushing Josiah on a swing and as she was giving him an "underdog" she fell, tried to catch herself and broke her right arm right above her wrist.  She was with Madam Ruth at the time because I was at Ladies' Bible Study here at the mission.  As soon as I saw her arm, I knew it was probably broken.  Poor thing!

The one thing about serving here with Baptist Haiti Mission is that you get pretty rapid medical treatment seeing as how the hospital and doctor's residence are located on the mission property.  We immediately met Dr. Bernard at his house, he called in his X-ray technician after hours and 30 minutes later Kilee was getting her arm x-rayed at the mission hospital.  We immediately got the x-ray results, got some pain medication at the hospital pharmacy, and Dr. Bernard reviewed the images.  After it was determined that it was broken, he called his friend in Petion-ville who is an orthopedic surgeon and he met us a few minutes later to splint the arm for her.  Talk about quick!  We are so thankful for all the special care Kilee received through her ordeal.

As for how she's doing now, she feels pretty good.  But, I'll let the pictures speak for themselves . . .

We joked that she looks like an old lady lounging out in front of a rest home wearing that pink fuzzy bath robe with her feet propped up.

Having a broken arm hasn't slowed down playtime!  She made some pretty elaborate play-doh creations today.

A little bit before breaking her arm, she lost her 5th tooth.  A couple of days after the broken arm, she lost her 6th one!  Talk about falling apart at the seams!  She does look pretty darn cute, though.

Missing two front teeth, among others.  Reportedly, there are more loose ones just waiting to fall out!

As for the other kiddo in our family, he seems to be cheating injury at every turn.  I obviously never want either of my kids to be hurt, but I honestly am surprised that it is always her because Josiah is the one doing all of the crazy stuff!  I think he's made of rubber and just bounces when he falls.  Here's an example of one of the aforementioned "crazy" activites...

In this picture, he is about 8 feet off the ground.  Keep in mind that on other occasions I have found him much higher up this tree.  He is so fast that by the time I notice he has run off, he's already 10 feet off the ground and picking fruit off the branches.

The life of a monkey does seem to agree with him, though, don't you think?

When You Become a Missionary Mom . . .

This post is not intended to say that I am good at these things, but just the opposite!   Take a minute and laugh with me, or at me.  Here goes . . .

When You Become a Missionary Mom

1.       Water becomes a big deal. 

Frequently heard in our house:  “Did you put bleach in that water??” “Don’t use THAT water!” “Are we out of water?” and my all time favorite, “Would somebody go outside and turn the pump on?  I’ve got shampoo in my eyes and the shower’s out of water!”  With water usage being such a big deal here in Haiti, I am now officially Sergeant Mom of the Water Police.

2.       Trying to think in another language, do money conversions and still be “mom” leaves you with a constant glazed-over look in your eyes.

I’m sure that most places I go, people think I’m not “all there” based on my furrowed brow, half smile and far-off look in my eye.  Really and truly, I am trying to make sure I get where I need to go and get back home with the same two kids I left with.  I’ll get better at this, but right now, just smile back and know I’m on sensory overload.

3.       Mold and mosquitoes become your arch enemies.

Fear me, villains.  Mold, I have bleach and I know how to use it.  You may think this is your house, but you are sadly mistaken.  Mosquitoes, you won’t live long in the Bidwell house.  I will swat you out of the air like the mosquito-killing-ninja that I am.

4.       You become a pharmacist.

I have learned that just because a pharmacy exists in Haiti, doesn’t mean that it is well-stocked and run by qualified personnel.  You buy the antibiotic, they hand it to you in its original packaging, and then you become the pharmacist.  After reconstituting several oral suspensions thus far, figuring out doses based on body weight, and triple checking to make sure I’m not doping my kids, I can safely say that I would never want the responsibility of being a professional pharmacist.

5.       You become a foreign language rockstar to your kids.

My kids look at me and wonder what is coming over me.  “What is Mommy saying?"  Don’t worry, kids.  It may seem like I know a lot of Creole right now when I talk to people, but you’ll be bypassing me soon.  A few months from now, Mommy will ask, “What are my children saying?  They are speaking Creole so fast!”

6.       Spiders as big as your hand are no longer something you run from, you run toward them with a broom . . . or a machete.

Spiders make my skin crawl.  Most bugs do for that matter, but they are now part of my world on a regular basis.  Justice must be swift.

7.       You regularly check what your child just did in the toilet for worms.

I’m sure this qualifies as TMI, but it’s definitely the new normal.  For the record, all missionaries on this compound are treated for worms bi-annually.  By a doctor, not a vet. ;)

8.       Strange rashes on your kids are the norm.

“What kind of spots do you have today, kids?”  My kids’ allergies are always being aggravated by something.  Concerned people often ask me, are you introducing something new to their environment or diet?  Well, um . . .everything is new.  The rash mystery continues.

9.       You actually want to take your kids to the market with you.

Let's be honest, mommas.  One of the things you look forward to when you have young children is an occassional trip to the grocery without the littles.   In Haiti, the mere presence of kids in a hectic run to the market makes everything go smoothly.  It is a common fact that when white people shop at the local outdoor market, there will be a huge markup.  It’s just the way  life is here in Haiti.  It is assumed that you have a lot of money with you and can pay ten times as much as a national shopper.   When a Haitian mom is selling vegetables to me and my kids at the market, it’s just a mom selling to another mom.  We understand each other.  She has kids, too.  The kids learn a lot by being out and about and allow even more connections to take place with nationals.   It's a win-win!

10.   You find that the Lord empowers you to enjoy a life you never would have wished for, and gain a perspective that you would never have had in your home country. 

The Lord is stretching me and changing me in more ways than I ever could have imagined.  Though I feel that I am constantly failing in so many areas, the Lord is showing me more and more of Himself with each passing day.  He truly is the God of all nations and each day is a humbling step toward a realization that the more I learn, the more I realize I don’t know.  But little by little, He chips away at me for His glory and my good.  Hallelujah, what a Savior!

New Relationships!

If you have been reading this blog for long, you have probably seen a post or two about how much more daily work is involved to simply live here in Haiti.  From washing and bleaching all dishes by hand, to cleaning mold from the walls because of the jungle-like climate, to cooking everything from scratch...well you get the idea.  This has been particularly cumbersome for Monica because we are adding homeschooling into the mix as well as odds and ends for her to do around the mission.  After three months of feeling overly fatigued and consistently impatient with the children, we decided it was time to look into hiring some help for sanity's sake!  A friend of ours was able to locate a woman from a trustworthy family that was interested in some part-time work.  After a couple of interviews and a trial period, we are thrilled to have Madam Ruth working in our home!

Kilee and Madam Ruth playing Haitian "Ti-Ta-To" 

Practically speaking, she has been a tremendous help with the dishes and keeping up with sweeping!  I still do all the cooking (which I enjoy) and most of the laundry, but she helps with just about every other area of housework!  It has really helped to have her here in the mornings while I am homeschooling Kilee, since Josiah now has someone to play with during that time.  She is on-call with the kids while I have my Creole lesson in the afternoons and when Scott needs my help around the mission.  What has been wonderful is that I have so much more time with my kids each day!  I no longer stand at the sink for 2-3 hours per day!  Can I get a hallelujah?!?!?!

She is a spunky lady to be sure.  She is probably in her late forties/early fifties and enjoys jumping rope with Kilee, running all over the house with Josiah, and teaching us all Haitian rhymes and games.  She loves Jesus and enjoys talking about what He has done in her life and in the life of her family.  And let's go on the record and say - nothing quite works to improve your Creole speaking abilities like having a non-English speaking Haitian in your home 5 half-days a week!  My Creole is blazin'!  Ha.

Making new friends

She invited us to her church last Sunday and we enjoyed it so much!  We weren't sure we were going to find it since it was so far back in the mountains, but we kept stopping and asking people on the sides of the road where it was and we finally found it.  We feel blessed that she wanted us to come visit and meet the rest of her family.

No matter where you live, kids are kids.

Most of all, we are thankful that our children have the opportunity to experience all of this.  We rejoice that their eyes are open to something that only a tiny percentage of children in the world get to see.  Lord, let missions be imprinted on their little hearts such that it becomes a lifelong passion for each of them!  Move them to cherish their front row seat to the work of God in Haiti and across the nations!

Exploring the Mountains

As often as possible, we try to get out as a family and explore a little bit of Haiti.  We really believe it is important for our kids to regularly get away from the mission and experience different areas of Haiti and multiple aspects of Haitian culture.  Our most recent trip was up into the mountains, through layers of clouds and past several small villages until we were high enough to see all of Port-au-Prince, the outlying areas, mountain ranges in the distance, as well as the bay of La Gonave.  It was gorgeous!   Our Creole has really been coming along and we were able to stop and talk to several people along the way.  Here are a few pictures of things we saw.

 

 

 

 

Most of the time, cows, goats and pigs are tied to the side of a hillside where they graze.  How they do so without falling down the mountain, I don't really know.

A hillside farm

Another hillside farm that we saw as we ascended the mountain.  A great many of the trees we saw growing in this area are here because of Baptist Haiti Mission's reforestation project many years ago.  It has really made a difference in these communities that were so devastated by erosion.

Ridin' in "Big Red"

One of the many gorgeous views from up here.  From the left to the center of the pic, you can see the bay of La Gonave.

Daddy's pretty cool.  He was holding on pretty tight to these kiddos as the side of the road
drops off "just a bit" behind where they are sitting.

Some hillside communities in the foreground of the pic, Port-au-Prince in the background down below.

Just one of the many "Kodak moments" in Haiti.  Breathtaking.

A walking path leading down to a small farming community.  People walk this trail continually as they walk to get water in buckets that they carry on their heads, as they bring their produce to market in nearby Kenscoff, and for many other reasons.

A young man carrying water back to his home.  We couldn't see where he was headed, so there's no telling how far he might have traveled after this picture.

We continue to be in awe of just how beautiful this country is.  The people we have met are beautiful in so many ways.  Lord, thank you for the honor of serving here.

As promised . . .

As promised . . . Christmas Part 2 and New Year's Celebrations post.  It has taken awhile for all of these pictures and videos to upload, but it is finally all here.  Prepare yourself for a couple of good laughs with the videos!

On the 23rd, the BHM missionaries all got together and we had a Christmas service, snacks, and all of our kids put on a Christmas play.  It was SO cute!  Since we have an abundance of little girls around here, Kilee ended up playing the role of one of the wise men.  Josiah was a cow in the stable.  We joked that he looked like the Chick-Fil-A cow!  Here are a couple of videos from the play.  Enjoy!

We personally enjoyed the part where the cow and the puppy got into a heated discussion about the presents under the tree in the shepherds' field...

We had footage of the wise men coming to see Jesus, but their backs were to us so we didn't get any video of Kilee's part.  But they are both in the next video with the grand finale as the cast sang "Away in a Manger".

Our little cow.

The wise woman on the right is ours.

Then, Christmas Eve came and we got to take part in some new traditions.  We walked up to the mission hospital to spread some Christmas cheer to those who happened to be in the hospital on Christmas Eve.  We brought candy canes, copies of John and Romans in Creole and we sang and shared the gospel in each ward.  There were so many sick, injured and generally unwell there, especially one little boy who was very ill.  Kilee and Josiah clung pretty close to us at first since it was a bit of an intimidating atmosphere for little kids, but gradually they warmed up and started to interact with the patients.  It was such a blessing to get to be a part of this.

Kilee and Rebekah delivering a candy cane to a man awaiting surgery.

Later that day, we had our mission Christmas dinner and played the White Elephant gift exchange.  Everybody really got into the game, especially the kids!

Then, that night we did our yearly tradition of listening to Daddy read the Christmas story before bedtime.  We even made our first fire in the fireplace because we had a few sticks that were dry enough to be burned along with scrap paper.  The kids thought it was so cool.

The next morning, the kids woke up at five and we sent them back to bed for a little bit.  It was so cold in the house we all needed to stay under the covers until the sun came up.  No heaters here except for a fire in the fireplace, y'all!  Then, we all ventured into the living room to open gifts.

Josiah tearing into his first gift.

A toy "tap-tap" just like the real ones in Haiti!

"Just what I wanted!" Kilee said of her Jasmine costume from Nana and Papaw.

I think this picture captures the excitement over his new sandbox digger.

Kilee got a pink crocheted hat she had her eye on at Mountain Maid (BHM's shop).

Josiah's wooden toy machete: it was one of those gifts a parent looks back and wonders, "What was I thinking?"

There are no words.

Princess Jasmine, everyone.

Christmas just kept coming!  These gifts were from Mamaw and Rodney and Gigi and Bill.

Her camera/video camera from Mamaw and Rodney.  Lovin' it!

Thank you for all the Christmas presents, Mamaw, Rodney, Gigi and Bill!

After a leisurely Christmas Day, it was back to work on the mission.  We had several work days and then we all ventured down from the cold climate of the mountains to the warm weather at BHM's Camp LaPhare for a New Year's Celebration.  We swam, played basketball on the new court that Crossings built, ate a nice dinner on the beach, and set off fireworks to bring in 2013!  It was a great time for all of us!  Kilee and I had a slumber party with all the girls upstairs in the beach house and Josiah and Scott slept in a hammock strung between 2 palm trees right by the water.  What fun!

Kilee above, Josiah below.  

Josiah didn't fall any other time other than when I was taking this video, by the way.

All the little kiddos sitting in the beach house watching a movie, trying desperately to stay awake until the New Year's fireworks began.  From left: Jonathan, Josiah, Robert, Rebekah, Kilee, Naomi, Anna, Lizzie.

Bon Ane tout moun!  Happy New Year, everybody!

 

Kilee's First Blog Post

Since moving to Haiti many people have asked us how our children are adjusting to life living abroad. We wanted to share a little piece of that here.  Kilee received a Hello Kitty camera for Christmas and we received it this afternoon through MFI (Missionary Flights International-They fly our mail over each week.) and these are a few of her first videos taken along with some of her friends here at BHM.

Christmas Week Part 1

As I sit here in the 70 degree weather of mountainous Haiti (you wish you were here, don't you?), I am deciding that rather than try to sum up our Haitian Christmas in a post, I am going to divide up the events of the past week over a couple of posts, lest I leave out some piece of vitally important information... :)

Christmas week has been a busy one up here on the mountain!  We have had a lot going on here at the mission with Christmas events, birthdays and the like.  Since the week was so packed full, we ended up celebrating a certain little girl's sixth birthday on Wednesday the 19th!  We baked a cake and had a celebration with all of the mission staff after dinner that night.  It was so much fun!

 

Blowing out 6 candles on her Hello Kitty cake!

 

Opening gifts from friends.

 

Hugging sweet Naomi after receiving a handmade gift.

 

We made a "Pin the Bow on Hello Kitty" game.

 

 

The next day was a busy work day for Scott. He had to work really late, but he had a Haitian friend pick up some of my favorite flowers (like the ones I carried in our wedding) he brought them home that night. What a stud.

 

 

 

Then, the next day we got to see the Crossings college staff mission team who came up the mountain after their week ministering in the Montrouis area. We were so excited to see them!!!!! It's always good to see familiar faces when you are so far from home.

 

Friday night, while the Crossings team was enjoying a bonfire, Scott and I got to have dinner with several of the Haitian pastors in our area and meet their wives.  It was hosted by our Field Director and his wife in their home and it was such a fun time!  After that was over, we got to chat with David Rouse, Patrick Greer, and Quentin Matthews, some of the Crossings staff we worked with in the states.  We had so much fun hanging out with them.

 

Saturday was busy morning until night.  I have absolutely no recollection of the specifics of what we did, but it was a busy day. 

Moms out there, you know what I mean? 

 

Then, on Sunday we celebrated the REAL birthday of our dear sweet Kilee Anne Bidwell!

Can you believe she's 6?

 

 

Daddy and Bub made PINK pancakes for her birthday breakfast!

 

 

 

She got some cool stuff: A stuffed poodle, a Kouri Deye necklace from her bub . . .

 

. . .which he received a giant hug for!

 

And a vintage "fashion plates" toy like I had when I was a little girl.  Does anyone else out there remember these? 

 

All in all, we had a WONDERFUL "Part 1" of Christmas week.  Stay tuned for "Part 2"!