heading out…

It’s 1:15 am and I just started packing. Whoops.

I”m leaving for Sudan tomorrow..I’ll route through NC on the way out and then leave on Saturday for Africa. More soon.

dirty water Friday night

We are happy to report that there was little unrest as the election result was what the people wanted.. The results were supposed to come at 5pm. Then at 9pm. Then at midnight.. and in typical Haitian style they weren’t announced til 6 am. Reporters slept over night in the small room awaiting the results. Port-au-Prince was eerily quiet as the town waited by radios, tires poised and ready for lighting. Random shots rang. I think the rioters eventually got tired, went to bed. The result: Madame Manigat and Sweet Mickey. Should be an interesting run-off.

I am unhappy to report that my bathroom was flooded last night. With a few inches of standing, dirty water. I walked back there gingerly after bible study and saw water flooding out from the bottom of the door. Uh oh.  My chair was floating when I waded in, trying to rescue my towels and other novelties that were getting swept away. Okay maybe that’s a little dramatic, but there was quite a bit of water. I wish I would’ve thought to take a photo. I proceeded to spend a majority of my Friday night in my flip flops sweeping dirty water with a broken push broom and a grumbly face. Justin had to come rescue me after a goodbye party he was at. He found me a wet mess, hair astray, broken broom on the ground, leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed in an “i give up” pose.  I have concluded that there is likely a dead rat clogging my drain. The smell and the size of the clog are my indicators, though it could also be a ferret or other small farm animal. And in perfect timing, it started to rain. Don’t be too envious of my life here.

Unto new news.. I am heading to Sudan next week for a few weeks.  I will be doing some photo/story journalism there to capture human interest pieces on the referendum. I feel very fortunate that I’ll get to be a part of telling the story of this historical time for Sudan, though it will be an intense trip. I think I’ll be sleeping under the stars most nights.  I’ll be going solo; it’s not possible for Justin to leave his programs for this long. So my carry-on, trusty notebook and camera will be companions. Stay tuned for more on that.

Below is a video of Justin and a sweet friend of ours, Esaie. He runs an orphanage in Titanyen just down the road, caring for 15 children that were orphaned in Cite Soleil after the earthquake. His story, and his heart, are remarkable. He inspires us to do more, to be more. Please watch it if you have a moment.
http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/articles/faith_in_action/