Well it's time to relax a little. We had the Gross family here for two weeks checking on how their children would adapt to living in Haiti. Well they didn't want to go home, really enjoyed trantula hunting after dark, playing Wii and their Haitian playmates. We took them to catch their flight this morning and picked up Matt, Stacey, Lily & Sophie as they came back. Dave & Marylyn Graffenburger are at the bus station awaiting a new team arriving through the Dominican Republic. They will be doing daily vacation bible school this next week. Jane & I have been catching up on some down time and getting some paper work completed. Tomorrow after church we plan to keep a low profile while the Graffenburgers take the team to lunch. Steve & Melissa Gross are both school teachers and feel called to join the staff at Cowman International school here.
Steve, after helping with bible school volunteered to help me with some mechanical repairs. I cautioned him that it would be hot & greasy but he jumped right in with both feet. A week ago Friday we were able to once again repair the John Deere mower. Monday & Tuesday we spent changing a rear main oil seal on an ailing generator out at the transmitter site at Petit-Ance (Little Inlet). This was a great relief for me as this project has been on my to-do list for 11 months now but we had to wait for a special installation tool to be sent in which arrived June 2. Since then it has been one thing or another delaying the fix. Thursday evening a new generator end arrived to replace a bad one at the radio station, once again Steve jumped right in and Friday afternoon we were able to rig the generator into place and get it bolted to the engine. Monday will be getting all of the electrical connections made and preparing it for automatic operation.
Jane has been very busy with teams, Starfish, VBS, and you name it. She has been wearing many hats this summer in keeping things working smoothly. Edric is putting the final touches on the new Plaine-DeNord school we were able to tour last Thursday evening. What a beautiful facility.
Bud
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Friday, July 01, 2011
How did we cram so much into June?
We have been back for a month now and it feels like months. So much has been crammed into this very short time and we both feel like we are running on God's strength alone. Two teams have come and gone. Our third team is here and two more are coming in over the weekend. Last week we had 28 visitors on the compound.
The main focus for the summer is VBS. Each team coming in will be working with local churches to assist them with VBS. Each church is planning for at least 200 kids. It is very much like the VBS in the states including all the same songs only in a different language. The last team did two VBS back to back. What a great team. Not only did they help with classes but took the time to clear a better soccer field for the children of Vaudriuel Church.
There has been a lot to do and we only have 5 missionaries on the field. At our prayer meeting this week we prayed for strength and endurance to get through the rest of the summer. We have no down time till the end of Sept. I am reading a book called" Too busy NOT to pray' and it has been a real blessing for me. It has reminded me that if we are to have the strength and guidence to do what need to do we need to take time for rest and Prayer. We also need to ask God what things are important for us to be doing and what things are just things we think God wants us to do.
One thing I have been tring to put into my day is time to sit and talk with the Haitian who come to my door asking for help. It is a steady stream of people. This month was my last classes for English as a second language. I held to graduation parties for my two classes. Some of my student need some extra help this summer and others want time to just come and spend time practicing language. It adds to my work but it also gives me a chance to sit and really get to know them and help them to know Jesus better.
We continue to build schools. Right now we are working on a new school for Plain du Nord, which is not far from our compound. The children in the neighborhood are so excited. Other areas are getting new toilets and water, both are needed to help fight deases like Cholera.
Our schedule for the fall when we will be out raising support is filling up and we are praising God for the opportunity to share God's blessing on Haiti with them. We continue to Praise God for the people He worked through to keep us in the black financially.
We are so excited the Lenkers will be joining us soon. They are new missionies from Oregon and are packing as we speak. We have seen how God has worked to open doors for them and we are so excited. We will have two maintenance men named Bud at that time. What a blessing for my Bud.
We are seeing a rise in theft in the area and we feel it is because of the rise of food prices. People feel desperate. That is a common feeling among people who feel they have no where to turn for help or any hope. We are so greatful that we have a Savior who is always preparing a way for us. Thank you for your prayer on our behalf. We feel them and appreciate them more than you know. Jane
The main focus for the summer is VBS. Each team coming in will be working with local churches to assist them with VBS. Each church is planning for at least 200 kids. It is very much like the VBS in the states including all the same songs only in a different language. The last team did two VBS back to back. What a great team. Not only did they help with classes but took the time to clear a better soccer field for the children of Vaudriuel Church.
There has been a lot to do and we only have 5 missionaries on the field. At our prayer meeting this week we prayed for strength and endurance to get through the rest of the summer. We have no down time till the end of Sept. I am reading a book called" Too busy NOT to pray' and it has been a real blessing for me. It has reminded me that if we are to have the strength and guidence to do what need to do we need to take time for rest and Prayer. We also need to ask God what things are important for us to be doing and what things are just things we think God wants us to do.
One thing I have been tring to put into my day is time to sit and talk with the Haitian who come to my door asking for help. It is a steady stream of people. This month was my last classes for English as a second language. I held to graduation parties for my two classes. Some of my student need some extra help this summer and others want time to just come and spend time practicing language. It adds to my work but it also gives me a chance to sit and really get to know them and help them to know Jesus better.
We continue to build schools. Right now we are working on a new school for Plain du Nord, which is not far from our compound. The children in the neighborhood are so excited. Other areas are getting new toilets and water, both are needed to help fight deases like Cholera.
Our schedule for the fall when we will be out raising support is filling up and we are praising God for the opportunity to share God's blessing on Haiti with them. We continue to Praise God for the people He worked through to keep us in the black financially.
We are so excited the Lenkers will be joining us soon. They are new missionies from Oregon and are packing as we speak. We have seen how God has worked to open doors for them and we are so excited. We will have two maintenance men named Bud at that time. What a blessing for my Bud.
We are seeing a rise in theft in the area and we feel it is because of the rise of food prices. People feel desperate. That is a common feeling among people who feel they have no where to turn for help or any hope. We are so greatful that we have a Savior who is always preparing a way for us. Thank you for your prayer on our behalf. We feel them and appreciate them more than you know. Jane
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Busy Time
It has been a very busy time here in Haiti. We have been back just over two weeks but seems like months.
A Resounding Hope team from Columbus, Indiana were here with Kate Michelle doing evangelism and distributing solar powered radios for the radio station. They were a lot of fun and a great asset as are all of the teams.
The team helped dig up and replace a weeping waterline that has been keeping a driveway wet. This had been a big concern of mine for over a year.
Dave & Marylyn Shaferly were covering for us while we were home, completing many of my mechanical items on my To-Do list. It was good to spend a little time with them as they are a great inspiration, sharing some 40+ years of Haiti experience.
Wednesday we took the team to the airport early and then spent the day ordering parts and getting caught up on little projects.
Late in the day Maxi from the Seminary called and said that our John Deere mower had a broken hose and was making a strange noise. Thursday I grabbed my tool box and headed out to work on the mower. Upon first look, a breather hose had become brittle from time & heat. We were able to make one from a piece of rubber hose until one can be flown in. Upon starting the engine there was still the noise, with a closer check, a head gasket had blown. While we were home Edric had replaced that cylinder head with a new one because of a problem that we had a year ago and had been running on a temporary fix all of that time. Knowing that there was an extra head gasket back at the Vaudruiel shop (5 miles away) I prepared to go get it.
Abel said wait a minute, “T-Louie” was here the other day and said that we have an electrical problem, pointing to the main power transformer atop the utility pole behind the shop. I could see long lengths of insulation hanging from the now bare wires and dangerously close to shorting out against the transformer. Maxi told me that he and John had to wrap the tops of the wood utility poles with metal because of the wood peckers, and now they were destroying the insulation on the wires!
One more thing, Abel said leading me to the “motor house” the float in the “day tank” that regulates the diesel fuel to the generators was slowly leaking and causing it to overflow and creating a puddle on the floor. That one was a quick fix with a close of the valve and instructions to keep it closed when the generators are not running. I made a quick trip back to Vaudruiel for a gasket and the “hot stick”. Upon returning we pulled the fuse on the transformer and covered the damaged wires with lengths of garden hose. I was able to get the engine disassembled and the parts cleaned up for the new gasket but when starting to torque the head bolts I found that one had stripped the threads in the block, after measuring I found that possibly a longer bolt would catch some good threads further down in the block, we called it a day.
Thursday night I was able to find and download a service manual for the engine with torque specifications and sequence to make sure that all would be Ok. On Friday morning I was able to find a longer bolt and returned to finish the job. Again starting to tighten the head, a second bolt stripped out so another round trip to the shop for more long bolts. Finally I was able to get the engine finished and Maxi was able to start mowing at 4PM, it’s a good thing as the grass was getting very long. During one of the trips I left instructions in Creole to go buy 100 goats which got a good laugh.
During the engine assembly, “T-Louie” had called that the generator at the radio station had overheated again and Edric would try to take care of it. After Maxi was mowing away I headed back to Vaudruiel, stopping at the radio station, Edric was standing by with another radiator to change. The generator overheated again and so we started a quick change out, releasing the boiling water onto the floor, me in sneakers and he in flip-flops we danced around and in about 10 minutes we were ready to start-up. Quickly we found that a hose clamp was leaking and now the thermostat wouldn’t open causing it to overheat. Again the boiling water and a very hot removal of the thermostat. Soon the generator was running again at a cool 170 deg. We will install a new thermostat when we get the second radio station generator up & running, parts expected in a week.
It’s now 5:30 PM and we are both grease to our elbows, it’s time for a shower and call it a day. A new team arrives Sunday afternoon, only God knows what next week holds.
Bud
A Resounding Hope team from Columbus, Indiana were here with Kate Michelle doing evangelism and distributing solar powered radios for the radio station. They were a lot of fun and a great asset as are all of the teams.
The team helped dig up and replace a weeping waterline that has been keeping a driveway wet. This had been a big concern of mine for over a year.
Dave & Marylyn Shaferly were covering for us while we were home, completing many of my mechanical items on my To-Do list. It was good to spend a little time with them as they are a great inspiration, sharing some 40+ years of Haiti experience.
Wednesday we took the team to the airport early and then spent the day ordering parts and getting caught up on little projects.
Late in the day Maxi from the Seminary called and said that our John Deere mower had a broken hose and was making a strange noise. Thursday I grabbed my tool box and headed out to work on the mower. Upon first look, a breather hose had become brittle from time & heat. We were able to make one from a piece of rubber hose until one can be flown in. Upon starting the engine there was still the noise, with a closer check, a head gasket had blown. While we were home Edric had replaced that cylinder head with a new one because of a problem that we had a year ago and had been running on a temporary fix all of that time. Knowing that there was an extra head gasket back at the Vaudruiel shop (5 miles away) I prepared to go get it.
Abel said wait a minute, “T-Louie” was here the other day and said that we have an electrical problem, pointing to the main power transformer atop the utility pole behind the shop. I could see long lengths of insulation hanging from the now bare wires and dangerously close to shorting out against the transformer. Maxi told me that he and John had to wrap the tops of the wood utility poles with metal because of the wood peckers, and now they were destroying the insulation on the wires!
One more thing, Abel said leading me to the “motor house” the float in the “day tank” that regulates the diesel fuel to the generators was slowly leaking and causing it to overflow and creating a puddle on the floor. That one was a quick fix with a close of the valve and instructions to keep it closed when the generators are not running. I made a quick trip back to Vaudruiel for a gasket and the “hot stick”. Upon returning we pulled the fuse on the transformer and covered the damaged wires with lengths of garden hose. I was able to get the engine disassembled and the parts cleaned up for the new gasket but when starting to torque the head bolts I found that one had stripped the threads in the block, after measuring I found that possibly a longer bolt would catch some good threads further down in the block, we called it a day.
Thursday night I was able to find and download a service manual for the engine with torque specifications and sequence to make sure that all would be Ok. On Friday morning I was able to find a longer bolt and returned to finish the job. Again starting to tighten the head, a second bolt stripped out so another round trip to the shop for more long bolts. Finally I was able to get the engine finished and Maxi was able to start mowing at 4PM, it’s a good thing as the grass was getting very long. During one of the trips I left instructions in Creole to go buy 100 goats which got a good laugh.
During the engine assembly, “T-Louie” had called that the generator at the radio station had overheated again and Edric would try to take care of it. After Maxi was mowing away I headed back to Vaudruiel, stopping at the radio station, Edric was standing by with another radiator to change. The generator overheated again and so we started a quick change out, releasing the boiling water onto the floor, me in sneakers and he in flip-flops we danced around and in about 10 minutes we were ready to start-up. Quickly we found that a hose clamp was leaking and now the thermostat wouldn’t open causing it to overheat. Again the boiling water and a very hot removal of the thermostat. Soon the generator was running again at a cool 170 deg. We will install a new thermostat when we get the second radio station generator up & running, parts expected in a week.
It’s now 5:30 PM and we are both grease to our elbows, it’s time for a shower and call it a day. A new team arrives Sunday afternoon, only God knows what next week holds.
Bud
Saturday, June 11, 2011
We Are back to Work
We have been back for a week and we started off running. Bud has been trying to catch up on all that was done while we were gone. Yesterday we had a big rain storm and it took out our security lights so he was working his way around the compound trying to find the problem. The construction of Plain du Nord school began while I was out and so I have been very busy working out communication problems on it. We have wonderful Haitian workers here and their work is great but sometimes communication can add to problems. This is very common when you have two different cultures working together.
Monday and Tuesday I gave the final exams for my English classes. We also have a Resounding hope team here as well. They are here to learn about missions and do radio distribution. I have been under the weather for the last two days. I spent yesterday in bed all day and today I am much better. The body aches have stopped since my fever has broken but I still have no strength so Bud is taking the vistors to the beach by himself. I am grateful for Dr Rodney being here. Yesterday he made a house call for me. Next week we have teams coming in to do vacation Bible school for two of our churches. We have teams coming in to do VBS for the next two months. Please pray for my health to be restored so I can do the work I was called to do. Jane
Monday and Tuesday I gave the final exams for my English classes. We also have a Resounding hope team here as well. They are here to learn about missions and do radio distribution. I have been under the weather for the last two days. I spent yesterday in bed all day and today I am much better. The body aches have stopped since my fever has broken but I still have no strength so Bud is taking the vistors to the beach by himself. I am grateful for Dr Rodney being here. Yesterday he made a house call for me. Next week we have teams coming in to do vacation Bible school for two of our churches. We have teams coming in to do VBS for the next two months. Please pray for my health to be restored so I can do the work I was called to do. Jane
Monday, May 09, 2011
A Visit Home
Bud and I are so fortunate to be able to have a break at home with our family. We will be returning to Haiti on June 2. This pictures were taken Mother's day I am teaching my grandchildren how to make pizza's for their mothers for Mother's day. It was a wonderful day and I feel so blessed to be with my daughters and grandchildren on such a special day.
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