Thursday- Written by Lisa Smith

       Happy Thanksgiving!! We have so much to be thankful for. Or as the Haitians would say, "Nou gen telman yo dwe rekonesan pou".  This morning, at 6:15, Pastor Pierre took a few of us up the mountain that sits next to the mission. The view was breathtaking. We sat on the top for a while to take pictures and meditate.

       After breakfast, we broke off to do different jobs. A few of us worked on rice distribution. Then the guys worked on putting up the post for the school bell to wake the children in the villages up for school. They also carried buckets of sand and water around the courtyard to use for laying down tile. Keith and Sam worked on building cabinets and computer desks. Darby and Allison worked in the clinic with Shelly. Some worked on scarves and some on bracelet beading. A couple Haitians got Allison Cho and Clay to teach them some English. It was an exhausting day!
     When school was over, Luke, John, and I got the opportunity to ride the bus home with the kids that live too far to walk. The bus was crazy. There were about four kids in each seat and kids standing in the aisle. The girls began belting out songs that Edvans said they made up themselves. It was cool driving past all the villages.
     After school at beading, Allison Evans and I talked again with a boy named Belgelo. Yesterday he asked us to teach him a song in English, so we taught him "Here I Am to Worship" and he taught us a song in Kreyol. We practiced again with him today. He said that he loves talking when we're here because he loves to practice his English. He told us that it takes him about an hour and a half to bike to and from school everyday. Can you imagine!
     After we were finished with the projects for today, some of us climbed the mountain again with a bunch of Haitian kids. We talked and joked with them and took a ton of pictures.
     For dinner we had a delicious chicken casserole, stuffed tomatoes and mozzarella, steamed carrots, and white rice. Mama Gallo brought four amazing pies for Thanksgiving. They were so good!!
    I can't believe it's already Thursday. This week has gone by so fast!! We've met so many fantastic people and had so many great experiences. It's amazing how these Haitians have so little, but they still find so much to be thankful for. As we finish out this week, we could really use prayers to help us finish laying down the tile, and also prayers for the continued success of Pastor Pierre's mission.