Ready, Set...GO!!!

We have everything in place to be able to return to Haiti.  My wife's green card finally arrived, thanks to the help from Christian at Brad Ashford's office.  We used the green card to secure all of the other legal documents we need...social security, state ID, library card!  Now my wife can come and go without much hassle.

She speaks English!

During the time we have been back, my wife has completed three sessions of English as a Second Language (ESL) at Metropolitan Technical Community College.  My friends that saw us in December and again lately can attest to her awesome grasp of the language.  Every Saturday, 9 to 1...she went to class, and Victoria and I would hang out in the lobby.

Container is Here!

I did manage to get a container and it is sitting on the ground in Council Bluffs - a few miles from my parent's house, but a great location - secure and right off the interstate.  I have already started filling it with my tools and other stuff from home, donated tools, clothes, shoes, school supplies, even some appliances for our house!  I am still looking for donations to fill it up.  Kids clothes and shoes (used is OK!)  New socks and underwear for boys and girls - this stuff would most likely go to Jan's orphanage, Christopher's Hope.  Any other clothes and shoes in decent condition would be accepted as well - if we can't wear them, my wife and her cousins will sell them - a method of support for us.  I am also still looking for school supplies like paper, pencils, pens, erasers, notebooks and books to read.  For our house, we could still use a chest freezer, microwave and rugs.  For my carpentry school, I would still accept hand tools and power tools as well.  I have a pretty good collection, but if you have something sitting around that you could get rid of, I'll take it while I can.

Since I am leaving soon, donations will have to be routed through friends and family, so get a hold of me at my email - blueteamleader@gmail.com and we will set something up.  I will need a lot of help paying for the container to get to Haiti when the time comes, so please consider a special donation for that as well!

Haitian American Drums

I got a chance to build some of my Cajones here.  I think I built 14 or so while I was back.  I was able to get a logo created and a branding iron purchased, so now everything that I build in Haiti will be marked with my new carpentry business name.  Bon Bagay Chapant.  In Creole, if you see something cool, something unique, something you like...you say "Bon Bagay,"  That translates to "Good Stuff."  So my new business name will be Good Stuff Carpentry!

What will we miss?

My wife is ready to go back, she misses her family and friends - we have been here for nearly ten months!  But we will miss all of the food options.  There are so many restaurants with such variety of foods here in Omaha.  I like Haitian food, but it is not "on demand" like it is here.  If I am hungry at two in the afternoon, I will have to make something for myself because all of the vendors are finished serving lunch...if they do have something, it was cooked a couple of hours ago and has been sitting in the island sun since then!

I will miss the availability of tools and supplies - a quick trip to Home Depot or Menards and I can grab nearly any tool or building material that I want.

We will miss family and friends.  We have had a great time living with my parents.  We have spent some time with friends.  I have had many good work experiences here doing little side jobs like tile and countertops and working with a general contractor on some small commercial projects.  Good experience all around to take back with me.

I won't miss the driving everywhere and the schedules.  I will be on my motorcycle soon and I will be on Island time.  Ready to slow down just a little...things down there happen when they happen, not on somebody's schedule.  I miss that a lot.


Oh yea, she is walking!

So our little girl was three months old when we arrived.  She is now a  year and a month and she is walking around everywhere...and pretty proud of herself for doing so!  She has a couple of teeth on the bottom and she is not really talking yet, but I think that will come soon enough.  I love being a dad, she can bring a smile to my face any time day or night!

At our going away party last weekend, we made up some plantain and pikliz...no charcoal here!  Borrowed a turkey fryer from a friend and make quick and clean work of frying them up.

Thanks for taking the time to check up on how we are doing.  The next blog will be from Haiti...and I promise it will not be very long before I write again!

If you would like to help support my efforts in Haiti, please consider a monthly or a one time contribution.  The buttons are at the top of this page.

Scott, Ruthcher and Victoria