August: Full, Fun, & Hot!

August has just flown by and been a great, full month for us!

We continue to work in the garden, train Nicolas, and are working at passing more leadership off to him. We are seeing lots of plant growth and some ongoing harvests. We took our first cuttings of mint up to the kitchens a last week and were met with excitement… more tea in the works! A new electricity solution has been found and we hope to implement that next month. Please pray for wisdom as we decide what responsibilities to give to Nicolas, perceptiveness in teaching him, and that we can get the new power in place soon.

 

 The mint plant and harvest!

A few of the girls who live at the Children's Village checking out the basil plants and gambousia (little mosquito eating fish)

The nursing school has been a happening place, too. At the beginning of the month, we had a special ceremony to award caps and crosses to the sophomore nursing students as a symbol of all they have learned and accomplished and to distinguish them as being able to perform more skills in the hospital. It was a very touching ceremony that made it clear just how many dreams are becoming a reality because of the nursing school. All of the students have been in clinicals at the hospital this month. It is a great time for them to not only get experience with skills, but to learn how to relate to and really care for their patients. The goal of this nursing school is to produce Haitian nurses that are skilled, knowledgeable, and provide great patient care, including compassion, advocacy, critical thinking, and teaching. We have a long ways to go, but I (Allison) love how eager these students are to learn and provide good care. Please pray for me and the many others who are working to plan how best to teach and then carry out that plan to help these students become godly, caring, wise nurses.

Ready to enter the ceremony, new uniforms and all.

The sophomore students sung a beautiful special with Velande, the secretary, performing the solo.

  Sophomore students received coats, lamps, caps for women, and cross pins for men.

At the beginning of the month, we were busy with a youth team that came to work with the older kids at the Children’s Village. They stayed with us and were a breath of fresh air. Their love for the kids, excitement to give both generously and wisely, and joy in the day to day experiences of Haitian life were contagious.

The team also spent an afternoon

helping local students practice their English. 

After class they sang a song and were treated like celebrities :)

 And... they brought this! I am so lucky!

There are always odds and ends that seem to fill our days and make time fly- Helping with a tech issue, massage training with the girls from the Children’s Village, trips to the mainland, visits to neighbors, checks on the elderly at the House of Hope. We love this work and are so grateful in your partnership with us here. Sometimes it is easy to be the hands and feet of Christ, to show his love, selflessly serve, and have grace for those around us, but some days we are just tired and these things are not so easy. We know that it is only in the strength of the Lord and with the backing of your prayers and encouragement that we flourish here. Thank you for all the ways you continue to support us!

We were able to do a slideshow of old pictures other missionaries have taken at the Children's Village. The kids loved seeing themselves and laughing at the fun memories! 

 Our new song book for church- a mix of Creole and French. We don't understand it all, but it sure helps and worship here is sweet. 

Having fun with the neighbors

Sometimes technology is a novelty and Youssantha took

advantage with some selfies while she waited for Cartine-Flore to finish her massage :)

We are very excited to let you know that we will be in Indiana and Illinois for a visit from September 7 to 21. We would love to see you and catch up, so please, please, please let us know when we can get together!!! 

Our July

 It’s funny how sometimes days on the island pass slowly, but weeks and months just fly! The Lord is at work in many areas and has been keeping us busy, too.

The Aquaponics garden continues to provide some steady produce, but we are still working around heat and electricity that is not ideal. Just the other day I took a big bunch of okra and basil to Madam Florence, one of the Children’s Village supervisors, and she was so grateful and excited. She said she was getting ready to start of a big pot of rice and the okra would be a perfect addition. She also raved about the basil, saying it makes the best tea when boiled with a pinch of salt and a spoonful of sugar. We have installed some new, bigger batteries as a test to help determine the best electricity solution and have seen a little less generator run time. We plan to have a complete power solution in place by the end of September. Pray for wisdom on our part as well as the system donors for how best to implement this.

The growth of our mint plant from July 11 to August 1!!!

Our beautiful basil plants.

 

Craig and Jason installing new batteries

I, Allison, have continued work in the Nursing School skills lab. This month we focused on more advanced skills, including blood draws and IV skills. We have now reached the end of the trimester, which means a break for me and exams for the students this week. On Friday, the capping ceremony will be held for the sophomore nursing students in recognition of all they have achieved in the last two years. I am so proud of all of the work they have invested in their nursing education! Please pray as we begin clinical time in the hospital next week with both freshman and sophomore nursing students. With so many students, this is a lot for us instructors to keep track of, the sophomores will be allowed to practice many new skills, this is the freshmen’s first time in the hospital, and most of all we want to be the light of Christ in that place.

Never a dull moment when practicing IV starts on one another!

This has been a busy month at the Children’s Village and it has been a huge honor for us to be involved there. 

We had a massage therapist, Essie Cade, come at the beginning of the month and provide training for 4 of the older girls on massage. This is a huge, incredible step as we think about teens transitioning out of the Children’s Village and needing to support themselves. We have been dreaming about small businesses that could be successful here on the island, but this is the first concrete step we have made towards an actual business start. Since the training, the girls have come over to practice their technique several times and I have loved getting to know them a bit better in the process. So, if you need a great, very relaxing, free massage during this training period, you know where to come J

It is such a joy for us when groups come to the Children’s Village with a purpose and seek to provide new teaching and help the children be proud of the lives they can have here. We had two teams that did just that this month. One did a day camp for the younger kids, teaching about Haiti and the world around them. Another took the older children to see national historical sites in northern Haiti and then spent some time just building relationships at the Village.  Please pray for continued provision for the Children’s Village as the start of the school year and all its expenses are right around the corner and as Madam Soliette seeks to help so many children from all over the island.

 Youssantha, Francesca, Essie, Nadelta, and Cartine-Flore 

 Learning anatomy before practical skills

Practicing massage technique

 

Learning about the world and Haiti. Dave's hand drawn map of Haiti. 

I know I sound a bit like a broken record, but we are still unsure of what the future holds for us and desire your prayers for wisdom and direction on that front. We have had a few doors open up for continued work with the Aquaponics system, Children’s Village, and Nursing School, but continue to wait on direction from the Lord. Our desire is to live at the center of his will, not just doing what makes sense or we think is best. Please pray that we would know his voice with assurance when he speaks and act in obedience at that time.

Thank you for the many ways you encourage, support, and love us well as we serve here on La Gonave!

June Hiatt Happenings

Life here on La Gonave is so full and blessed and this past month has been no exception!

At the beginning of June we had a visit from the aquaponics system developer, Glynn, and Kellie. It was a great opportunity to get to know them better, get expert advice on system care, and share the ins and outs of Haitian life with them. We are thankful for the fun, energy, wisdom, and love for Haiti they brought with them!

As the temperatures and humidity rise, we have noticed the aquaponics system slowing down a bit, but we have been thankful to have continual harvests of okra and green, leafy veggies. We also harvested some fish from the system… a task that is not as easy as you would imagine!!! The ladies who cook for the Children’s Village are always so excited when we bring them some produce, but getting ready to fry up the fish brought their excitement to a whole new level! The next day they raved about how good the fish was and how much the kids loved it.

We have found that the current solar configuration is not enough to effectively power the aquaponics pump and are currently working alongside the Children’s Village and the system donors to find the best solution for enough electricity. Jason has learned a ton about solar power in the last month! Please pray that the best solution is found soon and we will see improvements in produce then.

 

One of our many okra harvests

Madam Florence with the catch of fish!

Work at the nursing school has continued to be a great opportunity for me, Allison, to serve. I made it through teaching skills lab by myself for a few weeks and am always impressed by the students’ eagerness to learn and practice skills. We have had a few visiting groups in for special teaching seminars this month and it has been helpful to see some other teaching methods and get resources we don’t always have access to here on the island. Our newest adventure in the lab is giving injections to each other. Only a few drops of blood and tears have been shed J

Nursing students in the Helping Babies Breathe class............. Nurses and students had a CPR seminar   

We celebrated our 3^rd anniversary this month and feel so blessed by the way our love has grown, the adventures we have been on together, and the promises we have seen fulfilled in the last 3 years. We were able to take a little get away to the mainland for our anniversary and it was such a sweet and refreshing time. Please pray that we continue to put God first in our marriage, see the best in each other, and support and encourage each other in growing love.

This month the Lord has been teaching me more and more about trusting him in all things. I love to plan and be prepared, so this lesson is always challenging for me. In big things, like our plans after September, God is reminding me that he has always opened doors and directed in his perfect timing to grant us incredible blessings and will be faithful to do that again here. So, in the meantime, we wait, continually ask for direction, and work to invest all of ourselves here. Here, where life is so hard for so many and we have to again trust that God has a plan that is far bigger than we can see right now. We work to be his hands and feet by providing jobs for those in need, helping with education, giving when we feel led, and just being friends. As we work, we trust that God is also at work to bring redemption and full lives to the people we interact with. Please pray that we would be faithful in this work and that the Lord would make clear the best ways we can help and love those around us.

Working together on the quad when it broke down...well, most everyone working!

Two neighbor girls, Chaya and Smi

Thank you for your love, encouragement, and prayers. We appreciate each of you!

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

A Look at May

May has been such a fun and full month!

The month started out with our visit from Mom and Dad Swartzentruber who blessed us in so many ways, were up for lots of adventure, and now have a much better understanding of our life here on La Gonave. The opportunity to share the week and the people and places of our life here with them was so meaningful.

We have seen slow and steady progress in the garden with impressive fish growth, gambusia fish continuing to help with pests, plant growth and the beginning of okra harvests. Everyone at the Children’s Village has been waiting for the okra (kalalou) with eager anticipation! Please pray for wisdom for us and others involved as we try to make the Aquaponics system more efficient and productive in this environment and with the resources we have.

Jason with the gambosia that are thriving, multiplying, and helping to take care of garden pests

Okra!

Jason and Steven at work in the garden

I, Allison, have continued work with the Haitian Nursing School. After a week break for students and staff, we restarted classes with me helping in the skills lab. We are learning more advanced skills this semester and the students have been eager as ever to learn and be competent in these skills. Please pray for me over the next few weeks as I will be teaching skills lab by myself while Susie (another missionary who works at the nursing school) is in the States. We are currently learning injections and having fun giving shots to hot dogs!

 

The nursing students watched a video about injections and are now practicing. Soon they will be performing competencies on each other!

One of the biggest highlights of the month has been the opportunities we have had to build relationships with those around us, including neighbors, those we work with, and other missionaries. Although communication is not always easy, it has been such a treat to just sit and visit with these people, encourage one another, and share the love of the Lord with them. These friendships have truly been a blessing to us this month.

A visit to Nicolas and his family

The neighbor kids having fun

Thank you, too, for the ways that you encourage, bless, and support us. We are so thankful to have you on this journey with us! Please continue to pray that the Lord will make his plans for our next year very clear to us and that we will know how to best invest in and care for those around us.