melancholy and photos

To say that I love being back in Haiti would be an understatement. This place, to which I have traveled for over half of my life, has really and truly become home.

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That's as far as I got with attempting to blog while I was in Haiti back in May, and I just now rediscovered this beginning to the-post-that-never-was, as I'm again trying to figure out how to put into words some of my thoughts, some of my experiences, some of my feelings about my Haiti home.

I've been back one month so far, this go around, with a mere 10.5 days left. Some people (Paul) might say it's premature, but yes, I am already getting slightly panicky at the thought of leaving again so soon. Yes, I know it's necessary -- I have to go back, to attempt to survive my fourth semester of nursing school, to go back to brewing coffee to make money and drinking coffee to maintain (achieve?) my sanity -- but oh, how I dread that moment when I have to pack up my bags, to say goodbye (just for now!) to my Haiti friends...to Christina... Because yes, Haiti has my heart. Has had it since the moment I first set foot on Haitian soil nearly 15 years ago.

But, enough of the melancholy for now. I may only have ten days left, but still, I am so thankful for ten more days. That's longer than I had when I was here over Spring Break, and just a little shorter than the time I spent here at Christmas, and a lot can happen in a week-and-a-half. May I make the most of and be grateful for each moment! And speaking of gratitude -- thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you who are praying for me, for Heartline, and for the women and babies in the maternity program and in this community. I cannot overemphasize how much your prayers are needed and how much they are appreciated. Thank you, too, for those of you who have made it possible for me to be here this summer. I am so grateful.

I'm thinking this is going to be a bit of a cop-out post, resorting to posting pictures rather than actually saying much at this point, but...let's start with this, and hopefully soon I'll be ready to share more in words. So, here's a quick* photo summary of the past month (in no particular order):

making cookies with Wini and Nirva

Agathe, Ana, Cherline, and Beth

with baby Richard

Guernise and Alexander

Mama E and Emmanuel

twins! with Mom and Grandma

self-defense class at the OK

miss you, Melissa!

Taylor with just-born baby Richard

Jude and Christina

Shelly and Taylor, about to give blood at MSF

lunchtime at Notre Maison 

Jonathan and Christina

TJ and Christine

Taylor and Christina

Beth and Tara - love these two!

horse therapy!

Jephte

back in the same country!

Michael

Lernie and Woodson

Schnieder

the Big Latch On - representing Haiti

Guernise, sharing her story with Yolande

Fabienne and Lochemie

Yolande and Schnieder

excited about her positive pregnancy test

*Just kidding, not so quick. It's hard to narrow down a month's worth of pictures, especially when so many of them contain cute babies!