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)