Friday, February 29, 2008

What Are You???

Ok. Saw this quiz at Julie's blog (http://acceptancewithjoy.wordpress.com/) and had to take it...then I made my hubby take it...Why again are we married???hehehehe

ME-
You Are An Exclamation Point !!!!

You are a bundle of... well, something.
You're often a bundle of joy, passion, or drama.

You're loud, brash, and outgoing. If you think it, you say it.
Definitely not the quiet type, you really don't keep a lot to yourself.

You're lively and inspiring. People love to be around your energy.
(But they do secretly worry that you'll spill their secrets without even realizing it.)

You excel in: Public speaking

You get along best with: the Dash



Curtis-
You Are a Colon :

You are very orderly and fact driven.
You aren't concerned much with theories or dreams... only what's true or untrue.

You are brilliant and incredibly learned. Anything you know is well researched.
You like to make lists and sort through things step by step. You aren't subject to whim or emotions.

Your friends see you as a constant source of knowledge and advice.
(But they are a little sick of you being right all of the time!)

You excel in: Leadership positions

You get along best with: The Semi-Colon

The US Government Sucks!!!

The title above may seem a little harsh for an American to say about their own government; Let me explain....
For 9 years I have worked with the US Government, USCIS (Immigration or whatever else they have decided to call themselves as they change names as much as they change email addresses and phone numbers).
I have several families that I know of that have been trying for at least 1 month or more to get a Visa appointment with the US Consular section of the US Embassy in Haiti. One family has had their papers at this very office since beginning of Feb, another for several weeks as well and another one of my families has papers that have been there for over a week.
I have emailed, called and repeated for over a week. I have let the Consulate know the papers were coming, that I knew they had arrived and if anything was needed to please let me know so we could fix it. We are up against huge time constraints as the US Embassy is closing for the entire month of April.
Of course, this closure is rumored on many levels, but has not been confirmed by the US Consulate due to the fact that they have not answered their phones or emails for about a month.
I know that I have inquired, as many of the members of the JCICS (Joint Council of International Children's Services) as to what they are going to do to make up for the lack of Visa appointments in the month of April and to catch up with the back log their closure is going to cause.
It has been said that 50 dossiers have exited the MOI office in the last month or so. If that is true, US Consulate only sees 1 family a day Monday thru Thursday. How long will it take them to catch up with the families that are already sitting in the Haitian system for over 1-2 years now??? Please, we are supposed to be a World Super power and we cannot even process a Visa in sufficient time for a LEGALLY Adopted child...we suck!
I would really call the offices more to complain, but know what??? They change their numbers. USCIS changes their email addresses and phone numbers every couple of months....I didn't know a Government office could do that..true story! It is also like trying to find someone in Witness Protection if you are looking for the new numbers and addresses...once you find them it is like gold baby...hehe

I really do LOVE the US of A...but we really need to get our government working in an orderly fashion. People are living here ILLEGALLY, and we want to give them free Citizenship...I cannot even get LEGALLY adopted children here...AARRGGHH!

Thanks for the venting time...now back to your regularly scheduled Friday! ;-)

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Tobymac - Boomin'

LOVE IT! A friend posted this on her Myspace..how did she know I would love it so much??!
Kids crank this song and listen to it LOUD and dance..shaking the upstairs. They love the fact that he says "Haitian Princess" in it as well! ;-)

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

I Would Die For That

Saw this on The Haiti Nurse Blog. Hits very close to home...Prayers for everyone out there suffering, sometimes in silence, while praying for a child of their own.

Monday, February 25, 2008

It All Depends on Whose Hands It's In

A basketball in my hands is worth about .
A basketball in Michael Jordan's hands is worth about million.
It depends on whose hands it's in...

A baseball in my hands is worth about .
A baseball in Mark McGuire's hands is worth million.
It depends on whose hands it's in...

A golf club is useless in my hands.
A golf club in Tiger Wood's hands is four Major Golf Championships
It depends on whose hands it's in...

A rod in my hands will keep away a wild animal.
A rod in Moses' hands will part the mighty sea.
It depends on whose hands it's in...

A sling shot in my hands is a toy.
A slingshot in David's hands is a mighty weapon.
It depends on whose hands it's in...

Two fish and five loaves in my hands is a couple of fish sandwiches.
Two fish and five loaves in Jesus' hands will feed thousands.
It depends on whose hands they're in...

Nails in my hands might produce a bird house.
Nails in Christ Jesus' hands will produce salvation for the entire
world.
It depends on whose hands they're in...

As you see now it depends on whose hands it's in.
So put your concerns, worries, fears, hopes, dreams, families
and relationships in God's Hands.
Because, It depends on whose hands they're in.


By Author Unknown

Rejected Hallmark Cards...

A little blog theft on my behalf from my friend Britney (This is How We Live and Love)...I Loved these and thought I would share the laugh with all of you!



My tire was thumping.

I thought it was flat


When I looked at the tire...


I noticed your cat.


Sorry!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Heard your wife left you,

How upset you must be.


But don't fret about it...


She moved in with me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Looking back over the years


that we've been together,


I can't help but wonder...


"What the heck was I thinking?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Congratulations on your wedding day!


Too bad no one likes your husband.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How could two people as beautiful as you


Have such an ugly baby?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I 've always wanted to have

someone to hold,


someone to love.


After having met you ..


I've changed my mind.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I must admit, you brought Religion into my life.


I never believed in Hell until I met you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the days go by, I think of how lucky I am...


That you're not here to ruin it for me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Congratulations on your promotion.

Before you go...


Would you like to take this knife out of my back?


You'll probably need it again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Happy Birthday, Uncle Dad!


(Available only in Tennessee , Kentucky & West Virginia )

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Happy birthday! You look great for your age.


Almost Lifelike!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When we were together,

you always said you'd die for me.


Now that we've broken up,


I think it's time you kept your promise.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We have been friends for a very long time ..


let's say we stop?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I 'm so miserable without you


it's almost like you're here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Congratulations on your new bundle of joy.


Did you ever find out who the father was?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So your daughter's a hooker,

and it spoiled your day.


Look at the bright side,


it's really good pay

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Saturdays Over...Whew...

Our weekend is coming to a close. We are done with Boys Basketball for the season...yeah...a little sleeping in next week! ;-) We still have cheer until May or June, but the practices aren't until 11am...yes...1 morning a week where we don't have to be out the door before the crack o' dawn.

Today Hunter went for a shot and was fouled....he set up for 2 free throws and sunk both with ease! We were so pleased, as was he, he tried to play it off cool but was all talk about it in the car "did ya see it, I hit both of them...I didn't think the second one was going to go in but it did!" His team still lost, but they played their hearts out.

Kai hit 3 shots today and they all made it in the basket....he was so proud. He looked up where we were sitting and gave us the biggest toothless grin he could.
All of us got to see the girls cheer today. Nikaya did her sign carry as one of the team 'mascots' and Demi did her cheer and stunts. We went and enjoyed a great lunch at Golden Corral (all you can eat buffet with more shrimp than the kids can handle...they LOVE it!)

My only grump of the day was our Coach for Hunter's team. He has been such a jerk the whole season, not just to the kids, but everyone. He told Nikaya one day she couldn't play with the basketball because it was Hunter's. Hunter said he told her she could. The coach leaned over to her and told her he was not used to being told no and she needed to put the ball down...NOW. Nikaya looked up at him and stared him in the eyes and said "You, are a scary monster!" She then walked to me and relayed to me that HE was a scary monster...which made several people but the Coach laugh. 3 Years old...I guess she calls them as she sees them. Curtis was afraid I had said something to him because of it..I didn't feel I needed to, Nik did a good job herself. I also figured if I did it would include one of MY body parts inserted into one of HIS body parts etc and that was probably NOT the proper time or place for it..hehe
Anyway, after the team played, I had made arrangements to get the boys trophies. I am not sure how other places do it, but the boys here earn trophies for their hard work when they participate in AU or Y-ball. I purchased the trophies with the understanding that everyone would pitch in for their child's trophy and the Coach and Assistant Coach plaque like we have always done after EVERY other season of sports my kids have played in.
Well...was I ever wrong. I am not sure if the majority of the parents are ignorant, butt heads or just don't care..but Coach tells everyone I purchased the trophies for the boys even though HE thought it was silly so "Thanks to you for the lovely gift". WHAT? Only 5 of the 11 parents paid me back...the total of $130 was out of MY pocket. I was SOOOO angry I could have spit nails.
Curtis tells me to pray for grace in the situation, learn my lesson to have the money beforehand and go on with it knowing the boys were happy. I guess if the boys were happy I can be happy, but I still don't like the Coach. :-P

Tomorrow we are off to Church to see our friends Julio and Lilliana and hear their testimony. Should be great.

Thursday, February 21, 2008

YOU KNOW YOU'RE AN ADOPTIVE PARENT IF ...

Found this cute List of Fun Facts at http://prayingthemhome.blogspot.com/


YOU KNOW YOU'RE AN ADOPTIVE PARENT IF ...


1. The fact that there are 143 million children without a parent to kiss them goodnight has made you lose sleep.

2. You realize DNA has nothing to do with love & family.

3. You can't watch Adoption Stories on TLC without sobbing.

4. The fact that, if 7% of Christians adopted 1 child there would be no orphans in the world, is convicting to you.

5. You spend free time surfing blogs about families who've experienced the blessing of adoption.

6. It drives you crazy when people ask you about adopted child's "real" parents.

7. You've been "pregnant" with your adoptive child longer than it takes an elephant to give birth.(2 years!)

8. You'd no idea how you'd afford to adopt, but stepped out in faith anyway, knowing He'd provide. (& He does!)

9. You've taken an airplane half-way around the world with a child you just met.

10. You believe God's heart's for adoption.

11. You realize that welcoming a child into your heart & family is one of the most important legacies you could ever leave on this earth.

12. You know what the word "Dossier" means & you can actually pronounce it correctly!

13. You've welcomed a social worker into the most private parts of your life.

14. You shudder when people say your child's so lucky that you adopted them, knowing full well you're the blessed one to have him or her in your life.

Good Charlotte - We Believe

Love this song and video...If we just believe, we can change things for the better!

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Things That Make You Go Hmmm....

Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard?

Why do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are flat?

Why do banks charge a fee on "insufficient funds" when they know there is not enough?

Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?

Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?

Whose idea was it to put an "S" in the word "lisp"?

What is the speed of darkness?

Why is it that people say they "slept like a baby" when babies wake up every two hours?

If the temperature is zero outside today and it's going to be twice as cold tomorrow, how cold will it be?

Do married people live longer than single ones or does it only seem longer?

How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?

Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground?


Did you ever stop and wonder......

Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, "I think I’ll squeeze these pink dangly things here, and drink whatever comes out?"

Who was the first person to say, "See that chicken there... I'm gonna eat the next thing that comes outta its bum."

Why do toasters always have a setting so high that could burn the toast to a horrible crisp, which no decent human being would eat?

Why is there a light in the fridge and not in the freezer?

Why do people point to their wrist when asking for the time, but don't point to their bum when they ask where the bathroom is?

Why does your Obstetrician, Gynaecologist leave the room when you get undressed if they are going to look up there anyway?

Why does Goofy stand erect while Pluto remains on all fours? They're both dogs!



If quizzes are quizzical, what are tests?

If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, then what is baby oil made from?

If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?

Why do the Alphabet song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune?

Stop singing and read on…….


Do illiterate people get the full effect of Alphabet Soup?

Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him on a car ride, he sticks his head out the window?

Does pushing the elevator button more than once make it arrive faster?

Our New Friends

All I can say about last night is WOW!
We spent from 7pm until 10pm with Julio and Lilliana from Chile' as well as Melody, their Interpreter. They were absolutely wonderful, dinner was fabulous and the fellowship was even better.

Lilliana and Julio are from Chile', around the Santiago area. Julio has been a Pastor all of his life, and Lilliana has been his loving wife and mother to 4 kids. They both have studied Psychology as well and are so intelligent when it comes to so many things. They both are so full of love and life and were absolutely amazing to speak to. They will be going on a 30 day Mission to Cuba, 30 days is all that is allowed in Cuba and one must enter on a Religious Visa. They have been to Cuba before, many times, and have always met resistance from the Government when it comes to Christian teachings there.

Their Interpreter Melody was also wonderful. She was originally from Texas, and met her husband in Bible college. She and her hubby were missionaries to Chile' where she learned fluent Spanish and translating as well as Chilean life and customs. She said that 4 years ago she lost her wonderful hubby to brain cancer, and felt that her career as a Missionary was over, she just did not feel she could return to Chile' without him and settled in Virginia to be near their children. The Lord had other plans for her and she has now begun translating for the Spanish and Chilean missionaries that come to the States, often times having them live with her in her home. What an amazing bond they have with one another. She travels all over the US with the different missionaries and translates for them....what fun that would be!

Curtis and I were nervous to have them over. After a lot of things we have dealt with when it comes to 'Christians' Whose Christian was always better than ours... I was ready to put up a wall on bringing someone I didn't know into my home. I am so glad that God had other plans, they taught us so much last night. They have renewed my Faith when it comes to a Church family and had amazing insight into why I feel the way I feel about 'church' in general...a very good observations from them as well as Dr. B when it comes to my non-conformity to practical churches. It helped Curtis see as well that the Church we found may actually be the one for us to let go and trust God and seek membership....we shall see where it leads.

One thing I have always struggled with is sharing my 'Testimony'. When someone asks you about that, what do they want to hear??
Curtis has stated that he is even more frustrated by that question since he really has never had a 'ding dong I am God conversation with the Lord'. Has anyone else out there ever had that question?

We both know we believe, are young in our faith and do not have a tremendous working knowledge of the Bible. We also know that we have a deep spiritual faith in God, but not necessarily in man and the Church. Julio explained it well by reminding us that every church has good and bad people and people who technically interpret the Bible in their own way, but if we Pray, God will show us the correct was to live etc.

Please, post your thoughts and let me know.
All in all, it was an amazing night! I will post the photos as soon as I get them off the camera!

Monday, February 18, 2008

Nervous Excitement

I am excited and nervous all at once. Tonight we are hosting a Missionary couple and their translator for dinner at our house. The couple are from Chile' and will be serving a Mission in Cuba. We are excited to have them here, but nervous since they do not speak English and we do not speak Spanish.....Amy, can you fly here tonight and help out??? :-) They will have a gal with them, but it would be easier if we could speak to them clearly.
I will post later to let you know how it goes.
Demi made a picture for them of our house, and all of us with a Thank you note for them being a visitor at our house...very cute.

Saturday, February 16, 2008

My Weekend Thus Far

Our week has been busy as ever. After our usual Tuesday B-ball practice we had Wednesday AWANA's and Thursday B-ball practice and Friday Cheer practice. We were able to go Friday evening over to the house of some old friends Gary and Dee and their boys Grant and Garrett. We had a wonderful dinner of Nachos and visited and the kids played. it was a blast...THANK YOU!!

Today was Saturday games times 2 and 2 cheer Performances. I am so bad that I have not taken my camera yet...Naugty mommy! But I will this next weekend since it is the last game for the boys and the last performace for the girls in February. I am lucky enough that games and performace times will work out so that I can see ALL my kids events as this next week instead of running from here to there to see at least 1 ball game and cheer performance. :-P

I have several families getting ready to travel...so exciting as I am anxious to see the kids come home and blossom!!! I love it! Saw some photos of some of the kids that have come home recently...the kids are pudging up and looking happy~~does my heart good on the bad days!

Well, so much for my exciting life so far this weekend. I think I am going to watch a movie with the kids "The Game Plan" with the Rock and that cute little Curly haired girl that Demi Loves...Should be fun. Then we will be off to bed for Chruch tomorrow since we have to there a little early since Kai and Demi decided they want to be in the Kids Choir.....Oy Vey....hehe

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

The Haiti Lady Has Left The Building....Kinda......

It has been a while and I needed to post for several reasons....1.To give Ange something to read at 4am 2.To get some things off my chesticles (what Demi calls it) 3.Just to let people know some things, so here it goes.

I have been in an up and down cycle lately with my life. I have been having good things and bad things happen to me lately and they were all pointing to one decision I needed to make. I am one of those people that the good Lord needs to hit me with the proverbial Spritual 2x4 in order for me to believe that I am indeed receiving the answer I was (or possibly wasn't) looking for.

I have worked in adoption for about 9 years...since Hunter was a baby. I have seen so many families united during that time that it makes me smile to think about each child that is now home safe and sound and how many others were able to come to the orphanage when the ones leaving made room for 'just one more'. I have had so many wonderful experiences with the families...agonizing, rejoicing, the frustration and the final..."ah, thank ya Lord we made it!" I have had a few families that have been difficult, but they are over shadowed by the good ones.

Adoption brings out the best and worst in a person. To trust someone with something so large with nothing but Faith is a big thing. Most of the families start this process and do not know me, my situation, my heart or desire for the children of Haiti....if they really ask, they will know very soon into our relationship.

I advocate for the families and the children. I live the process with the families...I do not sleep well, I cry, laugh and enjoy, feel the frustration of it all...several families at a time. It is such a part of my life that my family gets to know the names of the children waiting to come home and rejoices as well when good news comes.
Sometimes though, when things go wrong, I am the one blamed for it. This puts me in a hard spot you see; I have always had a HARD time when people believe that I am someone or something that I am not...wether it be at fault when I am not, a non-Chrisitan, a Liar, a Mis-Leader....that hurts my soul very deeply.

I go into each process with each family knowing that I want give them the hope that I KNOW will show itself in God's timing...not ours. When that hope doesn't show up in the families timing, I become a liar or misleader....I MUST prove to them that I am not those things, that things are NOT in my control, things are NOT my fault....But I cannot prove that to them...I cannot and should not have to prove to people anymore who I am. I am 36 years old and KNOW the things I have done with my life, who I am and what I believe. Therefore, I have decided to let go.

I have asked God for quite a while where I should go and what I should do. I never actually planned on being called to the world of adoption, but I was...Thank God for wonderful prayers that I never requested!!!
I have tired of trying to explain myself, processes which I have no control, prove myself to people I cannot and frankly...to go thru the adoption processes of joy, sadness and frustration over and over and over again with so many people at one time.

I have given my 2 weeks at my current agency....I will finish my families thru the other agency and see them to completion-I could NEVER leave them, even the ones that do not really like me :-) I MUST show them the HOPE that really is there. It has taken a lot to show me that this is what needs to be done, and I have peace about leaving.
I know that I am not done 100% You never are with Haiti if it touches your soul as it has mine and my family. I will do Independent Consult when asked by the Orphanage, I will participate on Mission trips in the future and may even lead a couple (scary I know... hehe) I am 'mostly' done with the world of adoption as a Program Coordinator, and LOVE the time I had with my families (most of whom I am still dearly friends with and respect greatly!).
I AM and will ALWAYS be The Haiti Lady.... but....The Agency Haiti Lady has left the building!

Saturday, February 09, 2008

Providence Ministries.....

Please stop by the Providence Ministries blog here listed below. Find a way to pray for Marlene (and Marcia) as you see Marlene's sons beautiful face and read about her loss....

http://providenceinhaiti.blogspot.com/

May the Lord Bless and keep Marlene and all the Mothers, Fathers and Children of Haiti.

Lord Give Me a Sign

Artist: DMX
Song: Lord Give Me A Sign

Lyrics :

LOVE this song. DMX is NOT the most righteous man...but here he speaks an amazing truth!


[Intro:]
Yeah..Uh
In the name of Jesus
(thats right)
No weapon formed against me shall prosper
(preach)
And every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn
(preach)
(Lord give me a sign)
For this is the heritage of the servants of the Lord
(preach)
and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.
(preach)
Amen

[Verse 1]
Lord Give me a Sign!
I really need to talk to you Lord
Since the last time we talked the walk has been hard
Now I know you havent left me
But I feel like I'm alone
Im a big boy now but I'm still not grown
And Im still goin threw it
Pain and the hurt
Soaking up trouble like rain in the dirt
And I know!
Only I can stop the rain
Wit just the mention of my saviors name
IN THE NAME OF JESUS!
Devil I rebuke you for what I go threw
And tryin make me do what I used to
But all that stops right here
As long as the Lords in my life I will have no fear
I will know no pain from the light to the dark
I will show no shame spit it right from the heart
Cuz its right from the start
But you held me down
And Aaint nothin they can tell me now
Lord give me a sign!

[Hook:]
Let me know whats on your mind
Let me know what I'm gone find
Its all the time
Show me how to teach the mind
Show me how to reach the blind
Lord give me a sign!

Show me what I gots to do
To bring me closer to you
Cuz I'm gonna go through
What ever you want me to
Just let me know what to do
Lord give me a sign!

[Verse 2:]
Please show me sometin
Im tired of talkin to him
Knowin he frontin
Cryin bout life aint nuttin
But you either be the one mad cuz you trapped, or the one huntin
Trapped in your own mind waitin on the Lord
Or huntin wit the word that cuts like a sword
The spoken word is stronger than the strongest man
Carries the whole world like the strongest hand
Through the trials and tribulations you neva let us down
JESUS!
I know your here with us now
JESUS!
I know your still wit us now
Keep it real wit us now
I wanna feel show me how
Let me take your hand, guide me
Ill walk slow but stay right beside me
Devil's tryna find me
Hide me, hold up I take that back
Protect me and give me the strength to fight back!

[Hook:]
Let me know whats on your mind
Let me know what I'm gone find
Its all the time
Show me how to teach the mind
Show me how to reach the blind
Lord give me a sign!

Show me what I gots to do
To bring me closer to you
Cuz I'm gonna go through
What ever you want me to
Just let me know what to do
Lord give me a sign!

[Verse 3:]
Life or death
Live or die
I will never live a lie
Im goin there cuz I try
I wont quit until I die
Im gone make it wrong or right
Make it through the darkest night
When the morning comes you'll see
All I have is God in me
(Lord give me a sign!)

[Outro:]
No weapon formed against me shall prosper
For this is the heritage of the servants of the Lord
In the name of jesus
Lord give me a sign
Amen

Eske Ou Manje? Ou Vle Manje Teh? (Are you hungry? Do you want to eat Dirt?)

Poor Haitians Resort to Eating Dirt
By JONATHAN M. KATZ – Jan 29, 2008

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — It was lunchtime in one of Haiti's worst slums, and Charlene Dumas was eating mud. With food prices rising, Haiti's poorest can't afford even a daily plate of rice, and some take desperate measures to fill their bellies. Charlene, 16 with a 1-month-old son, has come to rely on a traditional Haitian remedy for hunger pangs: cookies made of dried yellow dirt from the country's central plateau.

The mud has long been prized by pregnant women and children here as an antacid and source of calcium. But in places like Cite Soleil, the oceanside slum where Charlene shares a two-room house with her baby, five siblings and two unemployed parents, cookies made of dirt, salt and vegetable shortening have become a regular meal.

"When my mother does not cook anything, I have to eat them three times a day," Charlene said. Her baby, named Woodson, lay still across her lap, looking even thinner than the slim 6 pounds 3 ounces he weighed at birth.

Though she likes their buttery, salty taste, Charlene said the cookies also give her stomach pains. "When I nurse, the baby sometimes seems colicky too," she said.

Food prices around the world have spiked because of higher oil prices, needed for fertilizer, irrigation and transportation. Prices for basic ingredients such as corn and wheat are also up sharply, and the increasing global demand for biofuels is pressuring food markets as well.

The problem is particularly dire in the Caribbean, where island nations depend on imports and food prices are up 40 percent in places.

The global price hikes, together with floods and crop damage from the 2007 hurricane season, prompted the U.N. Food and Agriculture Agency to declare states of emergency in Haiti and several other Caribbean countries. Caribbean leaders held an emergency summit in December to discuss cutting food taxes and creating large regional farms to reduce dependence on imports.

At the market in the La Saline slum, two cups of rice now sell for 60 cents, up 10 cents from December and 50 percent from a year ago. Beans, condensed milk and fruit have gone up at a similar rate, and even the price of the edible clay has risen over the past year by almost $1.50. Dirt to make 100 cookies now costs $5, the cookie makers say.

Still, at about 5 cents apiece, the cookies are a bargain compared to food staples. About 80 percent of people in Haiti live on less than $2 a day and a tiny elite controls the economy.

Merchants truck the dirt from the central town of Hinche to the La Saline market, a maze of tables of vegetables and meat swarming with flies. Women buy the dirt, then process it into mud cookies in places such as Fort Dimanche, a nearby shanty town.

Carrying buckets of dirt and water up ladders to the roof of the former prison for which the slum is named, they strain out rocks and clumps on a sheet, and stir in shortening and salt. Then they pat the mixture into mud cookies and leave them to dry under the scorching sun.

The finished cookies are carried in buckets to markets or sold on the streets.

A reporter sampling a cookie found that it had a smooth consistency and sucked all the moisture out of the mouth as soon as it touched the tongue. For hours, an unpleasant taste of dirt lingered.

Assessments of the health effects are mixed. Dirt can contain deadly parasites or toxins, but can also strengthen the immunity of fetuses in the womb to certain diseases, said Gerald N. Callahan, an immunology professor at Colorado State University who has studied geophagy, the scientific name for dirt-eating.

Haitian doctors say depending on the cookies for sustenance risks malnutrition.

"Trust me, if I see someone eating those cookies, I will discourage it," said Dr. Gabriel Thimothee, executive director of Haiti's health ministry.

Marie Noel, 40, sells the cookies in a market to provide for her seven children. Her family also eats them.

"I'm hoping one day I'll have enough food to eat, so I can stop eating these," she said. "I know it's not good for me."
Hosted by Copyright © 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Monday, February 04, 2008

Funny For The Athiests....

An atheist was walking through the woods.

"What majestic trees"!

"What powerful rivers"!

"What beautiful animals"!

He said to himself.

As he was walking alongside the river, he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him. He turned to look. He saw a 7-foot grizzly charge towards him. He ran as fast as he could up the path. He looked over his shoulder & saw that the bear was closing in on him.

He looked over his shoulder again, & the bear was even closer. He tripped & fell on the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up but saw that the bear was right On top of him, reaching for him with his left paw & raising his right paw to strike him. At that instant the Atheist cried out, "Oh my God!"

Time Stopped.
The bear froze.
The forest was still.

As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice came out of the sky. "You deny my existence for all these years, teach others I don't exist and even credit creation to cosmic accident." "Do you expect me to help you out of this predicament? Am I to count you as a believer"?

The atheist looked directly into the light, "It would be hypocritical of me to suddenly ask You to treat me as a Christian now, but perhaps You could make the BEAR a Christian"?

"Very Well," said the Voice.

The light went out. The sounds of the forest resumed. And the bear dropped his right paw, brought both paws together, bowed his head & prayed:

"Lord bless this food, which I am about to receive from thy bounty through Christ our Lord, Amen."

****

Why do so many ignore God during their daily lives,.... until they find themselves in desperate situations?

Blessings

Pastor Rick
Myspace.com/ReachOutCenter

Funny Commerical

Ok...I KNOW it is a beer commercial, but the dog cracks me up. If you know me, you know I have A LOT of animals as well as having rehabbed squirrels...this commercial made me laugh until I cried tonight!

More Cowbell 2.0!

This SNL skit is hilarious. Watch Will Farrell work that cowbell! ;-)
Taught Nikaya how to say this "I Need more cowbell!!"

Saturday Night Fights

Saturday was fight night. Relatively clean fights with only 1 real bad cut to the bone on the guys left cheek....amazing to look like THAT and be the one who won! ;-)
Had a blast as did the people I took to watch....maybe some new fans.

Get to go again March 15th!!!

Oh What A Night

Once again I had an insomnia night. This one was not entirley my fault, hubby is sick and SNORES like a crazy man. hehe

I tried sleeping but spent most of the night listening to Curt making noises and tapping him to move him around so he would quit...didn't work. Then, Kai woke up with 'snakes in his bed'. I don't know what it is about that kid, but he always has snakes in his bed at night. He walked the hallway mumbling and I found him in his room spreading his covers out looking for the offending snake. It took quite a while to convince him that we did not have snakes in the house or his bed and he should go back to sleep. I sat on his floor and rubbed his leg for about 30 minutes. My legs and butt fell asleep and my head was bobbing so I went back to bed. Curt kept making the 'snark' noise....no other way to describe it..hehe

I got the kids up for school and was able to lay back down before Nikaya got up. Try as I might, I still could not get thru the noise so I packed up my pillow and extra blankie and went to rest on the snake bed in Kai and Hunter's room.....at least I got another hour before Nikaya woke me up with the need for breakfast! ;-)

I think next time I will just phone my friend Ange and she and I can catch up on life at 4am!

Sunday, February 03, 2008

Headstrong by Trapt

Not that I have EVER been accused of being headstrong...hehe But this song is one that defines me and the way I approach things in life: "Back off, I'll take you on, headstrong to take on anyone!"
This song and the one below are about how I have felt over the last month or so....please listen and enjoy and feel how I have felt!

TRAPT-Stand Up

This is one of the songs by ONE of my favorite bands, that has defined the way I have felt over the last month. Those that know me, Know I am not one to give in to anyone for anything. When a challenge is presented in front of me I take it head on trying to prove me point to whomever needs to know it.
This song above tells the final thoughts I feel about my situation lately! Ejoy....