Remembering

Today is the anniversary of the earthquake in Haiti. It was the eve of my 50th birthday. I attended a mission committee meeting where we were just beginning to learn details of the devastation. Jim was gone, and I went home and spent the night watching CNN in the basement. I never watch CNN. I was also texting with Nana Lois, which would continue throughout the week.

I prayed for my friends in Haiti. I prayed for my Haitian friends. It would be several days before we received word that our American group was safe. We cried when we learned that sweet baby Jude and one of the young Sisters had been killed.  Sometimes we just cried.

This is a picture of Jude, Jed, and Jennifer.  Bondye beni ou Jude.

Here are some before and after photos showing just a tiny bit of what happened that day.  I took this picture of the National Palace in Port au Prince in November '09.

This was the guest house in Fondwa.

My friend Jesula's house before.

And after.

And these last two are a couple of my favorite pictures taken by Jennifer in November.  They are slowly rebuilding in Fondwa.  The students are attending school in temporary structures, and enrollment is as high or even a bit higher than before the earthquake.

Especially in the faces of the children, I see hope.
 

And I pray for a bright future for these precious little ones.

 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—

   where does my help come from?
 My help comes from the LORD,
   the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip—
   he who watches over you will not slumber;
 indeed, he who watches over Israel
   will neither slumber nor sleep.

  The LORD watches over you—
   the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
 the sun will not harm you by day,
   nor the moon by night.

  The LORD will keep you from all harm—
   he will watch over your life;
 the LORD will watch over your coming and going
   both now and forevermore. 

Psalm 121:1-8