Bonjou!
The bikes are being worked on right now, so I have a little time to blog while finishing my coffee! Perfect Friday morning! :)
I should start of by saying why I am called Tampico. When my name is pronounced here it usually sounds like "eader" or "either" - and since that isn't what I am used to hearing, sometimes I don't answer. So last time I was here in Feb. 2013 I thought I needed a nickname because I didn't want to be called "eader" forever! I was obsessed with finding the juice drink Tampico while we were here - we had to go out on special runs just to find it some days! So our Haitian friends decided that should be my nickname since I like it so much. My mom wanted to find a t-shirt for me so she contacted the company to ask about buying one. The Facebook manager of the Tampico Beverages Official page wrote my mom a very nice email back and then sent a box of Tampico gear to my house!! I was so pumped!!! I got some Tampico drinks, t-shirts, stickers, visors, water bottles, and back sacks! They only asked that I send pictures of myself using the stuff while in Haiti - so this is why I have been uploading photos of my gear on Facebook. If you haven't tried the juice drink, you must! Li anpil bon! (It's very good!!)
The past two weeks we have been out riding around on motorcycles in Savanette all day. We have been finding kids to sign up for the Thrive for 5 program (starting Monday, Sept. 2) and the after school program (starting in October.) Sometimes we go house to house, and other times we make an announcement so they all gather at one place and time for us. It has been so cool to meet all these kids and get to know more about each of them. The Thrive for 5 kids (0-5 year olds, not in school) get a little scared of us sometimes though and don't always want their picture taken! I have noticed a definite change in the children and the adults as we pass through the streets every day. Usually the children yell "BLANC!!!" at you when you're riding through, which they sometimes still do, but things have changed. I feel like we get more smiles and waves from adults every day and the children aren't just yelling BLANC at us anymore. Woody (our awesome Haitian co-worker) tells us they are saying "oh look at the nice people on the bikes!" but who knows! ;) They are excited to see us around more and it makes me so happy that the people in our community are welcoming us more and more each day with these simple gestures. I can't wait until these programs start and we can get to know them even better!
Most of the parents that we talked to were concerned that we were trying to start an orphanage and didn't want to give their children up. As soon as they found out we just wanted to feed their children in the morning, share Bible stories with them, and play with them for a few hours each day - they were pumped!! They were excited to be able to get some things done on their own while their child would be cared for and fed at the same time. I am so thankful for Tim's vision for this Thrive for 5 program and I cannot wait to see how it takes off.
Cassidy and I have been fitting in here more and more each day! We have been having the best time! (If you have seen any of my Facebook pictures you would know that!) From laughing and killing bugs at night, hand washing our own clothes, drying clothes on the roof, cleaning off the roof so the drains aren't clogged, heading to market, etc. we feel like we are getting the full Haitian life experience and it has been fantastic! We have had so many laughs with each other and our Haitian friends, our days just fly! I am so happy that we both were blessed with this opportunity and that God had this planned for our lives at this very moment. I was placing some dishes in the sink this morning and thinking to myself "there is no place on earth I would rather be at this moment." Only God can fill me with such a peace about living in a foreign place far away from my family and friends. :)
I started a new book the other night called "The Prayer Dare" by Ron Kincaid and I love it so far! It challenges you to go deeper in prayer with God than you ever have before. I'm only 4 small chapters in and it's working!! I have been reminded that God cares about even my smallest prayers and has answered 15 specific prayers I have had in the last 3 days - wow!!! Sometimes I forget to ask God for little things like: a small breeze when I'm so hot, to keep the rain from coming so we could finish getting kids signed up, to keep us safe on the bikes each day, to protect us when I accidentally splashed some contaminated water in our mac and cheese, and just for patience during the day. He has answered all of these prayers, and more!!! I can't wait to continue keeping a journal of all the specific prayers He has answered! I know I serve an amazingly powerful God, but I'm human - so I need to be reminded of how awesome He really is sometimes. I feel like my faith has been even more refreshed in my short time here! :) and it's only been two weeks!!!!!! :)
Feel free to add me to Facebook if you want daily updates and to be able to see all the pictures Cassidy and I post every day! You'll know you found the right Heather Brown when you find the Tampico banner at the top of my page! :)
Thanks again for the continued prayers! Cassidy and I can feel them every day! We cannot express how much we each appreciate them! If you would like to hear Cassidy's stories you can follow her blog here. You can also check out the Many Hands for Haiti webpage here if you are interested in sponsoring a child in this new Thrive for 5 program (should be available on there soon!) :) WARNING: all these children are adorable!!! :) The MH4H website has a letter from us and some pictures from our first week here so check it out for more details on this journey.
Mesi bokou!!! (Thank you so much!!!)
Love,
Tampico
Friday, August 30, 2013
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Haiti Life!!!
Bonswa!!
Sorry it has taken me so long to update! Cassidy and I are officially living in Pignon!!! WOOHOO! We have had a great couple days and we are so grateful for all the prayers that you have been praying! Thank you! :)
While we were on the plane I was thinking about my first trip to Haiti. Literally every leg of that trip (from Cedar Falls to Spencer, Spencer to Omaha, Omaha to Florida, Florida to Haiti) I was thinking to myself "it's okay, you can still back out now, you're not there yet!" When we landed on the runway in Cap-Haitian that first time I thought, "well, now I officially can't back out." I was thinking about that in the plane on this trip because backing out never even came into my mind as an option this time. Leaving was the weirdest feeling I have ever had though. It was like my body and mind were like "okay time to freak out, you're MOVING TO HAITI!" but my soul, heart, and my gut were like "this is going to be awesome, this is where you are meant to be!" I had this total peace and comfort and I can only explain it like that because I know that every one of the prayers you prayed for us that day were answered! We were totally in Jesus's hands and I could feel it, His peace has never been so real! :)
We got into the country just fine even though I was freaking out about that a little! We got comfortable Saturday night and unpacked and hung out with our Haitian friends and learned a little Kreyol. (Wi Wi!)
Sunday we went to church up at Guimby - Spencer Hope is one of the churches that sponsors this school so it was fun to see all those familiar faces. We had to walk across the little river to get to church because the roads were too bad to drive on - it felt amazing!! :)
Monday we sat at our table the WHOLE day and wrote out sheets for the kids in the 'Thrive for 5' program and the Pella Christian after school program. Woody (our wonderful co-worker) was so great, he already went out and found the 122 kids in the Thrive for 5 program and the 127 kids in the after school program. So we had to transfer that information to other sheets and then today we went out to the towns and got all the rest of the information about their families, parents financial situation, favorite subjects, etc. - all things their sponsors would like to know. We got to ride motorcycles out there and it was a blast riding around on those things!!! :) We are officially Haitian biker babes!!
Not totally sure what we have planned for the rest of the week, and even if we had it planned out it would probably change. :) Just wanted to update everyone and let you know that things are going GREAT! Cassidy and I both feel so at peace here and we know in our heart of hearts that this is where we are supposed to be!! I cannot thank all my family and friends enough for all the prayers that you have prayed! Like I said - we can feel them! Bondye Bon! (God is good!!)
Something I am the most thankful for today: Woody as a co-worker!
New Kreyol word of the day: fou (crazy!) :)
Thanks again! (Mesi!)
Goodnight!!! (Bon nwit!)
Tampico
Sorry it has taken me so long to update! Cassidy and I are officially living in Pignon!!! WOOHOO! We have had a great couple days and we are so grateful for all the prayers that you have been praying! Thank you! :)
While we were on the plane I was thinking about my first trip to Haiti. Literally every leg of that trip (from Cedar Falls to Spencer, Spencer to Omaha, Omaha to Florida, Florida to Haiti) I was thinking to myself "it's okay, you can still back out now, you're not there yet!" When we landed on the runway in Cap-Haitian that first time I thought, "well, now I officially can't back out." I was thinking about that in the plane on this trip because backing out never even came into my mind as an option this time. Leaving was the weirdest feeling I have ever had though. It was like my body and mind were like "okay time to freak out, you're MOVING TO HAITI!" but my soul, heart, and my gut were like "this is going to be awesome, this is where you are meant to be!" I had this total peace and comfort and I can only explain it like that because I know that every one of the prayers you prayed for us that day were answered! We were totally in Jesus's hands and I could feel it, His peace has never been so real! :)
We got into the country just fine even though I was freaking out about that a little! We got comfortable Saturday night and unpacked and hung out with our Haitian friends and learned a little Kreyol. (Wi Wi!)
Sunday we went to church up at Guimby - Spencer Hope is one of the churches that sponsors this school so it was fun to see all those familiar faces. We had to walk across the little river to get to church because the roads were too bad to drive on - it felt amazing!! :)
Monday we sat at our table the WHOLE day and wrote out sheets for the kids in the 'Thrive for 5' program and the Pella Christian after school program. Woody (our wonderful co-worker) was so great, he already went out and found the 122 kids in the Thrive for 5 program and the 127 kids in the after school program. So we had to transfer that information to other sheets and then today we went out to the towns and got all the rest of the information about their families, parents financial situation, favorite subjects, etc. - all things their sponsors would like to know. We got to ride motorcycles out there and it was a blast riding around on those things!!! :) We are officially Haitian biker babes!!
Not totally sure what we have planned for the rest of the week, and even if we had it planned out it would probably change. :) Just wanted to update everyone and let you know that things are going GREAT! Cassidy and I both feel so at peace here and we know in our heart of hearts that this is where we are supposed to be!! I cannot thank all my family and friends enough for all the prayers that you have prayed! Like I said - we can feel them! Bondye Bon! (God is good!!)
Something I am the most thankful for today: Woody as a co-worker!
New Kreyol word of the day: fou (crazy!) :)
Thanks again! (Mesi!)
Goodnight!!! (Bon nwit!)
Tampico
Sunday, August 4, 2013
ok seriously- now I'm really leaving in 2 weeks!
WOOHOO!!
It's official folks - plane tickets booked - I'm leaving in less than two weeks!! AHHH! I am so excited and ready to go, just need to finish a little packing!! My two big Wal-mart runs have me stocked up on a few necessities like: contact solution, fly swatters, sunscreen, chapstick, deodorant, allergy medicine, vitamins & calcium chews, soy sauce, mio/water flavor packets, coffee creamer, vanilla musk (perfume that doubles as bug spray so I don't have to wear that smelly sticky junk everyday!!), lots of journals, etc! I think I should be prepared for almost anything! :)
Since I moved back to Spencer in May I have been helping at the Many Hands Market. Most of you should know - but in case you don't - it is a higher end thrift store that is totally not your typical thrift shop (no popping tags please.) It has been fun getting things ready there and seeing the opening, but I am ready to move down to Haiti and start some projects in a new place.
The house in Savanette isn't done yet, so Cassidy and I will be living in Pignon to start. It will be fun to see all my good friends who live there, and to be able to chat with teams as they come every week. It will make the move a little easier too!
School is out for the summer so we won't start the after school program for the Pella Christian school until the fall - I think October. In the mean time we will be helping launch a new program called "Thrive to Five" and I am beyond excited for it! We will help pick out 100-150 kids right in the Savanette area that are 0-5 years old and invite them to come to our place to be fed 5 days a week. Kids who are older than 5 usually are sponsored and attend school and get fed there so we want to reach the LITTLE little ones who typically are not fed as much! We will also be taking them to the hospital and making sure they have all their needed shots. Every week/every other week we will be talking to their mothers and giving them tips on how to keep their children healthy. Basic healthcare 101! We will also be making chlorine to give to the children to take home - with 12 drops of it you can purify a liter of water in 30 minutes. Whenever they have used up their chlorine, they will bring it back to us and we will give them another small container of it. For those of you who know how awful I was in science, the news of me making chlorine terrifies you I'm sure! :) Bible stories will also be shared with the mothers and their children so we can meet their physical needs as well as their spiritual needs! I can't wait to get started!
I know these next two weeks will fly! I will update when I get down there, but in the mean time I could always use the prayers!
Bon nwit!
Tampico
It's official folks - plane tickets booked - I'm leaving in less than two weeks!! AHHH! I am so excited and ready to go, just need to finish a little packing!! My two big Wal-mart runs have me stocked up on a few necessities like: contact solution, fly swatters, sunscreen, chapstick, deodorant, allergy medicine, vitamins & calcium chews, soy sauce, mio/water flavor packets, coffee creamer, vanilla musk (perfume that doubles as bug spray so I don't have to wear that smelly sticky junk everyday!!), lots of journals, etc! I think I should be prepared for almost anything! :)
Since I moved back to Spencer in May I have been helping at the Many Hands Market. Most of you should know - but in case you don't - it is a higher end thrift store that is totally not your typical thrift shop (no popping tags please.) It has been fun getting things ready there and seeing the opening, but I am ready to move down to Haiti and start some projects in a new place.
The house in Savanette isn't done yet, so Cassidy and I will be living in Pignon to start. It will be fun to see all my good friends who live there, and to be able to chat with teams as they come every week. It will make the move a little easier too!
School is out for the summer so we won't start the after school program for the Pella Christian school until the fall - I think October. In the mean time we will be helping launch a new program called "Thrive to Five" and I am beyond excited for it! We will help pick out 100-150 kids right in the Savanette area that are 0-5 years old and invite them to come to our place to be fed 5 days a week. Kids who are older than 5 usually are sponsored and attend school and get fed there so we want to reach the LITTLE little ones who typically are not fed as much! We will also be taking them to the hospital and making sure they have all their needed shots. Every week/every other week we will be talking to their mothers and giving them tips on how to keep their children healthy. Basic healthcare 101! We will also be making chlorine to give to the children to take home - with 12 drops of it you can purify a liter of water in 30 minutes. Whenever they have used up their chlorine, they will bring it back to us and we will give them another small container of it. For those of you who know how awful I was in science, the news of me making chlorine terrifies you I'm sure! :) Bible stories will also be shared with the mothers and their children so we can meet their physical needs as well as their spiritual needs! I can't wait to get started!
I know these next two weeks will fly! I will update when I get down there, but in the mean time I could always use the prayers!
Bon nwit!
Tampico
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