I added a new video to my site

Well, let's see. what has gone on in since the last time I wrote...hmmm...stuff happens all the time and I think 'okay, remember that to write on my site' but here I am...and I'm drawing a blank. Actually, there is something I remember. Okay, well I was kind of having a rough time here because for the last couple days I have been in the office pretty much the whole day (I do a lot of work in the office, like making the newletter, orphanage stuff, accounting, stuff like that). So I was looking at pictures to try and find some for the newsletter when I can across all the outreach pictures where people were working with the kids, doing street evangalism and helping out in the community and stuff like that and then I was also looking at the pictures where the teams usually go out to a resturant or somthing like that at the end of there time here. So I'm looking at these pictures and I'm like wow, I could really use a fun activity or something. And I was also feeling pretty down because I was like "what am I doing here? I want to be out there, working with people not stuck in an office. I want to work with children again, or at least see them." So I was just kind of not in the best of moods, however, it was friday. Also, it was Terry's (the National YWAM Haiti director) last day visiting the base here and Lubens wanted to do something special for him so, guess what? We went out to a hotel to eat lunch! The hotel was beautiful and right on the beach. It was such a fun time and we took a whole bunch of pictures. (Kind of like those times when outreach teams come and they usually go out to eat or something like that...hmmm) THEN later that days the national director son had come to make this little documentary of the base (which is REALLY cool by the way) SOOOO, Lubens took him out driving and to see different parts of the city so he could film them. It was AMAZING. It's nice to be reminded of what you're working for. We also stop at THE ORPHANGE!! It was so cool. I got to hang out with the kids a little more. (this kids are doing great be they way, they seem like whole new, healthy, happy, energetic kids) We played with my camera for a little bit (they LOVE seeing themselves on film. Christian (the guy doing the documentary) even got a video of it too, so that was pretty cool. In fact, that's the new video I put on my website (you can get to it and see the other videos I have on there by going to www.myspace.com/laureninhaiti or just looking on the right-hand side of this site and clicking on the link that says "Videos from Haiti" on that same note, if you want to see the newletter I made, a similar verson of it in now posted on the Jacmel site (www.ywamjacmel.org) or, again you can just click on the link on the right-hand side of this site) Whew! that was a long side notes. but anyway, it was SO wonderful to see the kids again. So that was a much needed pick-me-up. OH, I CAN'T BELIEVE I ALMOST FORGOT THIS PART, we were going back to the base but we decided to stop at the beach (were the prostitution house is) so Christian could get some footage and guess who I saw??? MILLER! (Or many of you may know him as the man who stabbed himself infront of me) He saw me right away and came over. Lubens asked me if I knew who that was (I knew) by the way, if you don't know this story you will either have to ask me about it sometime or see my other blog from my DTS in the Dominican (www.visitlauren.blogspot.com -if you scroll down, its the part in red) So I get down from the truck to meet him and he seemed very happy to see me and I was happy to see that we was alive. He seemed to be doing a lot better then before (I mean he wasn't bleeding or anything)and he was selling paintings (WAY better then drug or killing people for money)he said that he remembered me and that he has thought about me a lot and was hoping that I would come back. We talked for a little bit about how things were going and stuff like that and then we had to leave so I said good bye and climbed in the back of the truck and we left ( a WAYYY better farewell then the last time) It was good to see him.

So that was a pretty cool day, that was actually a week ago. I started this entry but haven't been able to just sit down and write, until now

So lets see, we are just finishing our 3rd week of the DTS. and hmmmm....what has happened. Well I guess there is just little stuff here and there, for the most part my day is pretty routine (not to be confused with normal) It is definately interesting being cut off from your own culture, I'm learning new things all the time. Like this, I couldn't believe this, but Lubens told me that Haitian women try to get fatter, because they think its more attractive, he said that maybe 70 percent of the women here will actually take pills to get fatter! Crazy, huh? definately a cultural difference there (which doesn't make it any easier on me) they are always trying to fatten me up, I don't know if they think they are doing me a favor...but always, AWAYS when I go to wash my plate, Naomi (the cook) looks and me and yells "seconds!" (one of the few english words she knows. And its delicate because you don't want to offend anyone, but seriouly, enoughs enough. One time she actually took my plate and a loaded it up herself. I have never been to terrified in my entire life. But I've learned to adjust, but it isn't easy. You see, what you need to do is take the littlest amount of food possible your first time through, without making is seem like TOO little, (if you error on the side of TOO little, your screwed because then chances are that Naomi will take your plate again*GULP.* you also spread your food out so it looks like you have more. Then you eat, slowly (because if you eat too fast you may end up having to go for thirds, seconds are almost always a given) but you're okay because when Naomi looks at you and says "SECONDS!" you can do it because you only have filled your stomach half way. Yeah, sure you could just say "no thank you" but you want to be on the cook's good side. Actually since I've started talking seconds, Naomi and I are getting along great. (you shouldn't think bad of Naomi, she really is a good person and cook) Its funny too because everyday, no, every meal someone ALWAYS asks me. "more, Lauren? Go get more" "Ou vle plis? Ale anko" but now I do, because I have a system. However, as far as the food itself or the taste of it, there is nothing I can really do about that, you just have to eat it no matter what it is. But the food is usually pretty good (the thing that gets kind of hard is the pre mixed spaggetti which seem to be a common breakfast food around here) I miss chocolate :( Oh, I ran out of skittles the other day, now I see what I'm really made of. But its okay, I think that everyone, at some point in there life should live in a way that is completely different then what they're used to (maybe even uncomfortable). It funny what things have just become "normal" like not having a flushing toilet or electricity until 2 and what things now seem like luxgeries, like a cold shower (I don't think I've taken a shower for granted since I've gotten here) and cold water to drink. but I like it.

I think its funny how God just answers those little prayers. Now I understand that some of you reading this may not believe that it is God but that maybe these thing are just coinsidences. If you think that, I'm not going to try and convice you otherwise, you can just keep track of these little instances when it happens and see if is still fits under the coinsidences profile. (you can add the nice meal and the trip to the orphanage to the lists of prayer requests answe---er, I mean, coinsidence--list) and you can also add this: I AM ABLE TO WATCH NEW EPISODES OF LOST EVERY WEEK ONLINE...IT IS ABSOLUTLY AMAZING! by the way, Lost season premire, oh. my. gosh.

Well, I guess this is getting pretty long so I better wrap it up. The temp is starting to cool down a bit, except for today, apparantly. And all in all things are going pretty good. We are now in the process of planning the Benin outreach. I still have now idea if I'm going to stay for that or not. I was talking about that with Nixon today at lunch and he said that I'm not allowed to talk about leaving early, he doen't want to here it. So I don't know, I'm praying about it.

Well, folks I guess that's about it for now, I don't really even know if anyone is reading this due to the low volume of COMMENTS posted. but, I don't know. well, until next time. bye

Prayer requests:
~Finances for the students and the base
~the Orphanage and the children there
~My creole (and my spanish too while your at it, why not?)
~Africa outreach preparation (this outreach is very important the the DTS)
~direction and clearity if I am supposed to come home in Demecber or finish out the DTS

Merci! M'renmen nou e Bondye beni nou! (<-- don't be decived, I still have a longs ways to
go with my creole)

Feeling HOT HOT HOT

Well I'm here! It was a good flight. I kind of forgot that is was my first time flying into Haiti by myself. It's a bit different that way, but nonetheless, I guess now I now how its done. You see first it's pretty much the same as anyother airport, first you go through customs then you go to the baggage claim and wait for your bags. However, once you get your begs, you are suddenly bombarded with people that want to, you know, "help" you carrying your bags. "Oh, how nice" you may think, but when they start fighting and yelling over who gets to carry the bags, then it's a little less, well...nice. Oh, and you better not forget to tip at least one of them. Lubens was right outside the airport waiting for me. It was kind of cool because we actually flew to Jacmel from Port-Au-Prince. It was a scheduled 12 minute flight. The plane seated maybe 12 or 15 people and compared to the normals plane, flew pretty close to the ground. I was neat to be able to see so much of Haiti from the air.


Okay, the that last paragragh was written over a period of the last three days. I hadn't really gotten much of a chance to just sit down and write but hopefully I will now. So I've been here for 3 days now so I will try to start from where I left off in the first paragraph.

Okay, airport, Haiti, landed in Jacmel....alright, so then we went to the base. It was kind of weird coming back with out my DTS team. As you some of you may know I was also a little worried about the room situation. (For those of you who don't know I am staying with the two girls in the DTS, one of the other staff members here and the consin of Lubens's wife and they are all Haitian and I will told that one of them speak English or spanish) I was also a little worried too because the last time I was there the room really wasn't set up for people that were going to be staying an extented period of time. But actually, the room turned out to be pretty good. I even have a drower! I kind of have my own little corner and there is also a ledge on the window here I can put stuff. I was pretty please.

I'm not going to lie to you, that evening was pretty tough. I was kind of wondering 'am I really going to be here from the next 3-5 months??' What did I get myself into. I tried to keep busy. I unpacked my stuff and then Lubens said that the he, his family and Naomi, were going to get something to eat and he asked if I wanted to come but I told him thanks but I think I'm going to rest a bit. By that time I had planned on just take a shower and go to bed. I got all my stuff ready and then when I got into the shower I just started balling. I felt like a pretty big baby but it felt pretty good to get let it all out. After the shower I felt a little better. After that I was pretty thirsty and went down to get some water. All the students were down there having dinner and one of them I actually knew from the last time I was here. His name was Lucson and he speaks spanish. So that was cool, at least I could kind of talk to someone. So then I got my water and started back up the stairs and I met other one of the students and was just coming down the stairs and HE SPOKE ENGLISH. Not only does he speak it, but he speaks it very well. He told me that I should come down so he could introduce everyone to me. It actually turned out to be pretty cool. I was telling them how I wanted to learn creole and they started telling me that them and Lubens had talked about it and two nights a week we were going to have english and creole class. They were pretty excited about it. So the night ended up no being so horrible. I talk with Nixon (the one that speaks English) for quite a while and he ended up sharing his testamony. It was pretty cool.

All in all I would say that I was given a pretty warm welcome. They are very good about helping my learn creole but also at just trying to communicate through the language barriar. I've learned throughout the past couple days that Rachel (one of my roommates) speaks a little spanish and a little english and Nixon also speaks spanish so he is helping me with both. It's cool because I talk with Nixon and Lucson quite a bit in spanish. I appears my spanish was better then I thought, which was pretty cool. They keep telling me that after 3 months with them, or especially after 5, I will be able to speak creole like a Haitian. We'll have to see about that. They also say that my spanish will be a lot better to. I hope so. It's nice that they are so willing to help me with both languages and also are trying so hard to use and learn english.

So, over all, things have been pretty cool (and of course but that I don't at all mean the temperature.) It is so hot here. Most of the time you just sweat even if you are not doing anything. But at 2:oopm the electricity comes on so then at least you can be by a fan.

The DTS seems to be going pretty good so far, things are definately run differently here then they were in my DTS. The students here work a lot more and they don't really stick to the schedule very much. They may just be because it's the first week but I have a feeling that not all of that is going to change. I can't imagine working and building stuff outside in the sun like they do in this heat. I'm just in the office and I still break a sweat.

For this past week I mostly worked in the office area, I organized it and set some stuff up for Lubens. It's funny how he wasn't joking about making me co-director of the DTS. He kind of leaves a lot of stuff just up to me. I guess every else expects me to know what I'm going too because the students are asking me stuff all the time and I'm thinking 'I just got here, you've been here longer then I have.' But I do my best. Actually I think it's almost just kind of better to be thrown into the position becuse then you know what you're really made of, and it helps you catch up quicker. But I guess that's just kind of the way things are done around here. They are not really in to the particulars or specifics. You just find a way to get done what you think you are being told to do with what you have. For example, Lubens gave me a list of thing for the students to do for work because we weren't having class that day and one of the things on that list was to build a frame for a roof over this space between these two buildings. And that's all he told me. So I tell the students and they asked me how and I said just do what ever way you think is best, but they were like "where all the nail?" and "I don't think we have enough wood." But they did it (Ludbens gave them a little direction just as a lesson to use what you have) but the roof was build.

Overall, they take pretty good care of me here. They never let me carry anything heavy and I never have to tell them to do something twice. And sometimes I feel bad giving them so much work (cause that's what the boss tells me to do) but they never complain. One time I needed to get a table thing that was covered in stuff out of this storage area, cleaned off, and then brought up to the guest room. I ask then and then said you that if you guys can just get in out of storage, I can clean it, but they were like, 'no, no, you don't have to do that, I will do it.' I was very impressed. Also I didn't go to lunch one time because I wasn't feeling very well and wanted to sleep a little (but mostly because they were just having spagetti with the sauce already mixed in) and almost every single one of them asked if I was sick and how I felt now and stuff like then. Nixon was like, "it's not good for you to skip a meal." I thought it was pretty sweet that they cared.

Okay so I'm gonna wrap it up here pretty quick. I think this is going to be a pretty good experience and I think I will learn a lot from it even if it isn't always exactly what I want to be doing at the time. Being the only person from your own culture in a country that is not your own is an experience that I think everyone should have. It kind of gives you a different perspect of on things. For one thing, being here has really redefined my definition of 'uncomfortable' but I think it's good to have your personal definitions checked every once and a while. Well, I guess that's it for now. Oh, and drop me an email of leave me a comment. (I REALLY love comments). Also, if you want to see more videos and picture for Haiti go to the left-hand side and click on the "Video" link. There also a couple other link there that are worth checking out.

Stay cool (You will have to do it for me),


Lauren McConkey
Jacmel, Haiti

September 20, 2006

Well, I’m sitting in the airport now, waiting to catch my flight to Port-Au-Prince. I’m actually not sitting in the section I am supposed to, rather, I am sitting in the section next to it where the people are waiting to board a flight to a little city called Santo Domingo. I like it here, it seem oddly familiar…
Well anyway, either way, I guess there is no turning back now (but to be honest, I kind of still think about it). I don’t know why this trip seems so much more…well…scary, then the others. It’s still kind of hard to believe sometimes, it kind of feels like a dream. I woke up on the flight to Miami, and for a second, I didn’t know where I was. It was pretty weird.
But I guess a lot of thoughts are going through my head right now, like…”why, the heck am I doing this.” But then again I guess I remember asking myself that the first time. Besides, its only three months…right?
I guess maybe what I feel the worst about right now it having to spent seven bucks on a sandwich, it was good…but now I’m thirsty, and I’m not even going to look at the $2.50 bottles of water.
However, I find comfort in the fact that I am not going alone. Yeah, of course I mean God and I know He’s got my back and stuff, but actually, I was referring to my iPod. That’s right, folks, I finally got an iPod thanks to my wonderful parents. It has already been pretty amazing, I mean, all my songs are just right there. It’s great! (Oh, but by the way, if I did have to choose between going with God and going with my iPod, I hope you all know who I would choose. I’d hate to have to call upon my iPod for protection or discernment the only reply I would probably it London Bridge by Fergie. and I’d hate to see where that would get me.)
But seriously, I don’t know why I would even be here if it wasn’t for God. I guess maybe that’s not the biggest Kudos to Him, at the moment, seeing as how I really don’t feel incredibly good about being here, but then again, I felt the same way before I left for the Dominican, and that turned out to be one of the best experiences of my life. So….
Well all that aside, I need to remember that, hey, I like Haiti, remember that Lauren….heh, and I’m sure everything will look different in a week. Hey, I may even never come back! Except for that I probably will, at some point.
I know I talked to some of you about, well, honestly, just not wanting to go. In fact, on the ride up to the airport this morning, I way almost sick with anxiety. HOWEVER, as some point, and I’m not exactly sure when, I suddenly felt a lot better, so, there you go. I feel better.
Yeah, well anyway, I’m just going to go now, this entry doesn’t exactly seem to be turning out like I would have liked, but nonetheless, that’s what you get when you read the blog of someone who is in between destinations (it’s the worst place to be, by the way.) But that’s what you get, honestly. Well, until later,

Peace out

Lauren


Miami International airport, Gate A10
Okay, I’m back again, and, yes, I’m still at the airport. It actually has only been a couple of minutes but I feel a ton better and I will tell you why. First of all this story isn’t really that amazing so don’t get your hope up there too high. Okay, but I was sitting here waiting of my flight and I just felt disgusting. I mean, the only sleep I’ve gotten was a little on the ride to the airport and one my first flight. So, I had circles, my eyes were all swollen from crying and I just felt icky (not to mention the gross pimple that had just popped up on me, those of you that have seem it know what I’m talking about. And this is something you girls will probably get but maybe not you boys but you know how sometimes when you feel ugly, it can just bring your whole mood down. Well, that was the case so I went to this cosmetic place store that they usually have all over in airports, in hopes of maybe just finding some eyeliner so something for a little pick me up. (I’m not at all saying us girls need make up to feel good, but if I was going to explain every feeling and mood I found myself if we would be here all night.) So anyway, eyeliner, and you always feel kind of stupid just using the make up there (but does it stop me, no) So there I was trying to be all quick and discrete and then this little Latino sales woman came up and asked me if I needed any help. I said something about powders or the first thing I could think of, a little caught off guard. But this woman showed me one and put in on me. Not bad. Then she was like “lipstick?” and I’m like, “why not?” After that she just kept going to town. She asked me about were I was going and I told her and then she told me that I should pray to God, because going to anther country can be hard. We just talked for a little bit about what I was going to be doing there and such as she would saying ever once and a while to herself “oh, a little, lighter” or “and now some mascara.” I really enjoyed talking to her but I was a little worry that I might be conned into buying a $40 thing of powder before I left. (I’m not very good at saying no) But then after she was done, she backed up and said, “Very beautiful, you are a very beautiful girl.” I thanked her and she said, “Now God bless you, honey and take care,” smiled and then went to help another costumer. Now, it made not seem like a big deal, but I was amazed at how good I felt went I left the store. I guess maybe sometimes you just need a stranger to tell you you’re beautiful and God bless you and genuinely mean it.
Everything just seemed a little brighter after that, including the dark circles that were under my eyes. In fact, I even moved to the boarding for Haiti section. I forgot some much I like listening to Creole, and guess what, I understood a little. Believe me, it was very excited. Things are looking up. I like being with all the Haitians. Well I better get going my battery is going to die. Next time I write I will be in Haiti!


Lauren McConkeyMiami International Airport gate 12

Well it's been 9 days

It has just barely become 9 days since my last post and not only is my ticket payed for, but pretty much the whole trip is payed for, plus I was even given $50 specifically for personal spending (talk about the Lord providing) over $1,400 in one week and more on the way. I guess that that a pretty good sign that God is in this with me. Well, anyway, I leave on Wednesday. That's pretty much all I have to say for now, I just wanted to put a mark on how quickly the money was provided to me.

(The picture is of Haitian currency, "Gourdes")

This is the introduction Paragraph:

Alright, I guess when looking at the title for this blog, you may wonder what it is that I'm refering to, what do I know how to do now? Is it that I think that I'm all ready to be a "missionary" now because I did my DTS? Or maybe I just think that I've got the whole Haiti thing down (I mean this my third trip and it's a small country right?) Or maybe just life in general, yep, it took 19 and a half year but now I finally got it (it really all starts to become clear as you enter into that second half of that nineteenth year). Well actually, it's none of those things. To be honest I don't really know what I'm doing. Which brings me to my next point: honestly. I intend this blog to be full of honestly and by honestly I mean you may fully expect a real account of how I feel and what is going on.

Okay, so chances are that, if you are reading this, I am already in Haiti. I guess that means that that in itself is a miracle, you see, it's a bit of a story and I may or may not get into that later but the point is that I'm sitting here in my room in South-central Minnesota and in a matter of maybe about a week and a half, I need to be in Jacmel. Now, as of right now, I have no money for this and, well, lets face, the clocks ticking. I need about $900 for a ticket and we'll figure the rest out once I'm down there. So, that's where I sit.

This is the closing paragraph to the "Now that I know what I'm doing..." blog's first entry:
I must say I'm fairly please. It's nice to be ahead of the game (not in that fact that I don't have a single cent of this mission trip paid, but just that I have the blog set up at least.) Oh, and I should also warn you that this blog will be plum full of spelling and grammatical errors. (Just try to think about what I meant to say. Oh, and as for the thing that I "know what I'm doing," you will just have to keep reading and see!