The Gween Gwoblins! and other stories...

Bonjou!

Some housekeeping first:

1) Please please please comment on the actual blog and not Facebook.  I avoid Facebook like the plague while I'm here, so I won't be able to read them.  (I thought nobody loved me at first until my mom told me where everyone commented.  Not a fun feeling...)

2) Good news!  I've decided to start blogging three days a week (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday), as internet allows.  Hopefully you won't get sick of me.  :P

Moving on... Training week is in full swing, and with Barb in charge, you never know what to expect... Our first "training session" consisted of walking into the chapel to the beat of drums as Barb explained that we are now in Survivor: Haiti.  They threw dyed water balloons at us to choose tribes, and we created a name and banners.  My tribe became the Green Goblins, inspired by a little boy who runs around campus in a Spiderman suit everyday yelling, "I'm looking for the gweeeeen gwoblin!"  I'll have to post a picture sometime... it's pretty much the cutest thing in the history of the world.  Seriously.

Anyway, after that we did this whole crazy "rewards challenge" involving blindfolds, being tied together, puzzles, and a massive game of Hide-n-Seek meets Sardines... Long story short, it was crazy and my tribe lost by a hair.  No matter, the other team just one the bigger tent for their tribe site.  AKA It took waaaay longer for them to set it up because boys won't read directions.  : P

We spent Monday just getting to know the St. Louis area.  We went to the local brothel and jail and also to some random houses to talk to people.  Tuesday was Anse a Foleur.  We hiked to the Voodoo monument, but they wouldn't let us into the temple... it was too busy.  I ate my weight in black beans and rice at the restaurant (which apparently Americans get sick of here, so more for me...) and then we went to the beach.  I was really excited because two girls at the beach remembered me.  They kept calling "Maleesah!  Maleesah!" until every Haitian on the beach knew my name!  Ha!

Today was just a loooong trip to see the waterfall.  I got to practice my Creole with a boy who walked down with us, so I don't feel nearly as rusty anymore.  Back at the mission we also got a little lesson, so I'm practically fluent... except not.

I've decided to start adding a Prayer/Praise list to each blog.  Prie means pray and loue means praise.  That's a freebie lesson just for you.  :)

Prie:

Nison and family-- Nison is about 8 or so years old and has hung around the mission forever.  His home recently got burnt down and now he's living with 9 other people in a small one-room hut.  One of the staff members at the mission is trying to raise $10,000 to build them a new house to live in.  Please please please pray for Nison's family and the money-raising process.  If you would also prayerfully consider donating to the cause, I will be posting the link when I get it.

Loue:

I've been sleeping well lately.  No headaches!  :)

Creole Lesson:

If you read my blog last summer, you'll remember that I translated "reckless" into "viv san pe" or "live without fear."  I've updated, or rather added to, that translation:

Renmen san pe.

Love without fear.

Sorry this was so long, guys!  I love you!  Please post comments on the blog, so I can read them!  :)

-Ti Blanc