The Rat Round-Up

Today I'm going to talk about an animal that everyone I know hates!!! It is the rat. As many people know there hasn't been a full time missionary at the Borel compound for a couple of years. So there hasn't been anyone here to keep up with that furry four legged creature that we all hate. That is now my job. There isn't any rats in the house we are staying in because Steve has it completely rat proof. There is one house on the compound that the rat's chewed a couple of holes in the wood near the roof, so they could get into the ceiling. So last week we put poison in the ceiling and other places in the house that I knew the rats would be. So far we have found five big rats dead.
This morning Ben was looking in a toat in our shop when he came running out and said Andy there is a big rat in the shop come see. Ben is afraid of all little creatures. Even cute little frogs. So I go into the shop with him and he said it was in the toat. I grabbed a machete and a hammer and was ready for battle. Ben looked at me like I was crazy so I thought about it and decided to put the lid on it and take it outside, because we had a better chance of killing it in a wide open space. So picture this. There is about five Haitians armed with numerous items, A hammer, a couple of machetes, and two shovels. Also myself and another guy had our boots ready.
We lift off the lid and here comes the rat. Everyone is chasing it and swinging their weapon. The rat made it about one min. before someone made a fatal blow. We then went to the toat and dumped it out, there was three little one in there too. We killed them also. I hate to sound so violent, but the only good rat is a dead one in my book!
Now don't let this change your mind about visiting us. I'm in the process of building bait stations around the compound, but away from the house's. They will be locked so the children can't get into them but the rats can. This will eventually kill all the rats on the compound. I promise if you come and see a rat in your living quarters, your next weeks visit will be on the house.

Football (Soccer to Americians)

Soccer is the sport of choice in Haiti. As some of you know the world cup is going on right now. Most Haitians are Cheering for Brazil. Everywhere you go you see Brazil shirts. Ben and Watson (work for project help) came to me the other day and asked if they could hook a TV up so people could come and watch the games. I thought that would be a way to reach out to the community, so I yes. There must have been two hundred people all huddled around the TV’s. They ended up hooking up two TV’s because so many people came. We as Americans take so much for granite. Since being in Haiti I relies all the little things that I took for granite. One thing that I miss the most is being able to get into my car and run up to the store to get something, be it anything. Here we have to drive 45 min into St Marc to get most of our supplies. The grocery store consists of two food isles. It is a little bigger that a convince store. We can get something’s at market but that isn’t easy for me to do. I have to send a Haitian to get it for us because we will pay a lot more because we are white. I like to see what I am buying.
The family is doing okay. The kids are doing well. Today was Theresa's bad day. People just kept showing up outside our door. They just hang out and watch us through our screened in porch. That porch is the same place we eat. When we eat that is the hardest time for us. We always hear "mwen Grangou" I'm hungry, that is so hard for us knowing that a lot of them don't have money for food. Theresa didn't even want to walk outside, she said she would use the back door to hang her laundry outside. I told everyone before we came that the third week was going to be the hardest for all of us. It is a combination of the Heat, lack of good sleep, and being overwhelmed by the Haitians. Tomorrow will be a better day for her. We will continue to listen to God and pray that his WILL will be done. Thanks for all the prayers.

Good Day's and Bad Day's

Yesterday we went to the beach at St Marc. It was quite a drive, we had to climb up over this hill side. It was like I was going four-wheeling. We drove for about 5 miles and came out at a hotel. It was in the process of being built. The crazy thing was they were open, we paid $15 Haitian which is about $2 US and then walked down to the beach. We had a great time. The kids really enjoyed themselves, they needed to get off the compound for a little while. After we left we were driving through St Marc we noticed a truck that had goats riding on top of a bunch of bags of charcoal. It is funny to see how they transport animals. Yesterday was a good day.
Today was a hard day for me. Zacc woke us up at 6 am he said he wanting to eat breakfast. We staled him for a while, but ended up getting up around 6:30. We decided not to go to church today, because it is hard for the kids to sit through the service when they can't understand anything thing that is going on, so we had church at home. Theresa did a great job giving the message.
Satan was really tempting me today, he was telling me that we couldn't do this. He was telling me how nice the AC felt at home, and how easy it would be for me to say "I Quit!" I knew there would be days like this, but today was the first. Our friend Josue has been staying with us for a couple days, and I felt like I should talk with him about how I was feeling. We sat and talk for a long time. He encouraged me so much. I know God has him in our lives for a reason. He is such a faithful servant of God. After talking with him I felt so much better. I know God wants us here! Satan is hard at work here in Haiti. We definitly need your prayers. Thank you so much!

Not a lot has been going on here the past couple of days. We celebrated my birthday on the 22ND. That was a good time. Miranda made brownies, which were awesome. I also caught a tarantula, it was big. The Haitian were flipping out. I then took a small string and tied it around it's waist and took it for a walk. It was fun to watch the Haitians, they think I'm crazy!
It has rained here the past 3 days. They were very hard rains, we keep getting water in the shop. We haven't been able to solve the problem yet. There has been a group of boy's working for me digging a ditch around the compound to get rid of the rain water. They work so hard, the digging isn't easy but the just keep going. We put a hole at the end and ran a pipe out to a canal. The mud is everywhere. I can't imagine how bad it is for the Haitian.
Theresa had an upset stomach, thankfully it went away. The kids are all doing well. Zacc did say the other night he wanted to leave this place and go back home. That will be a challenge for me if my kids struggle with being here. Miranda and Ariel haven't said anything about leaving. Hopefully tomorrow we will be able to go to the beach. I think we all need a day away from the compound.

Good day.

Today was a good day. It is starting to feel like home. Theresa has been teaching a couple of Haitians English. They brought her coconuts yesterday and came on the compund around 10am asking for her. She really enjoys it and shows great patients. I got a lot do around the compound. We did have a lot of rain this afternoon and that gave us a chance to figure out how all the water is getting into the shop. We now have to dig around the foundation and put cement on the blocks to seal it.
I was with a couple of boys trying to clean out one of the ditches when all of a sudden I felt a sting on my foot. Then another and another. I said ouch and one of the boys saw me rubbing my foot. (I had sandals on) He said something in creole and then they took off, rubbing there feet too (they had no shoes on). I took off running too and found out that we were in a major ant nest and the ants bite feels like a sting from a bee. Then we all started laughing. We were a little more cautious after that. We also saw a big toad. They were said "Andy Krapo" I picked it up and they all scattered. For some reason be it voodoo or what ever they hate any reptiles; toads, lizards, ect. They always want to kill them. Even the adaults don't like them. I explained to them that they eat mosquitos and that is a good thing!
We have a Haitian girl named Clona living with us. She is 20 yrs, she grew up at an orphanage named Caanan. I stayed there last year. She speaks perfect English so she is a big help if we need anything she is able to help us get it. We are paying her to cook, clean, and help us with the kids. Her cooking so far has been great! She cooks supper and we take care of the other meals.
The kids are doing great. They have been getting along much better since we got here. It is nice not having a tv, they are outside playing all day. Mainly in the pool. We all get up early and go to bed around 9. The kids are so tired they just say good night and go into their room. It is great!!!
There are many things that need done around the compound so I know it will be a busy week. My creole is getting better, when I talk to Haitians in creole the tell me that I speak good creole. I just wish I knew more words. That will be one of my biggest struggles remembering creole words. So please pray that I will be able to learn to speak creole. Thanks to everyone who is praying for us. I hope to have some good stories to post on our blog as time goes on. I pray that Gods WILL will be done!

Learning how to drive Haitian style!

Today was our first day on our own. Got in the truck to drive to mowie to drop of a couple of Haitian and the truck wouldn't start. So we got a new battery and it started up. Then had to drive through the market to get to one Haitians house. Just picture driving through an alley with people everywhere selling things. It was crazy. I asked Theresa if she wanted to drive, she said no way. The stopped in St Marc at the store for food and realised our tire was really low. we put some air in it and then went to a tire shop. The tire shop was along side the road all they had was a portable air compressor. It cost me 3 Haitian dollars. (about $.36 US) But we made it to Borel safe and sound. It was a good day to learn how to drive in Haiti. When we got here I set the pool up for the children. Theresa and I even got in. It was refreshing, I feel bad that the Haitian can't get in but our kids have to have something to do by themselves.
So much work needs done on the compound. There is always someone there to help. On boy named Lama works from sun up to sun down and never asks for any money. I'm try in to think of a way I can pay him. He is a good kid. Him and his friend put a garden in. I wish I would have been here when they put it in. I can't tell what is weeds and what is plants. I'm going to work with him this week in his garden.
We have church tomorrow. Watson told us we should go at 6:30 but I think we will show up around 7:30. It will last until 10 am or some. People just keep wondering in through out the whole service. It is hard to sit through it when you can't understand a word they are saying. We plan to start a family devotion tomorrow and have it every night. Please keep us in your prayers. I know the days ahead will be full of challenges, but with the strength of Jesus we will overcome!!!
Theresa posted pictures on her facebook so if you want to see todays events I will repost her photos on my facebook.

Challenges

A work team just left. They were here from the midwest. KS I think. I didn't think about how hard it would be on everyone when teams leave. You get so used to them and enjoy the fellowship. Miranda has been taking this really hard. She really bonded with a boy named Zach and his father. She is crying right now.
It is hard to get time to yourself. Just picture all the neighborhood kids hanging outside your house, and everytime you go outside they all want to talk to you or need something. Right now there is probably 10 children and 6 adults. I brought a swimming pool but I don't think I can put it up because it will be ruined within hours. It would be nice to have a fenced in yard. Hopefully things will settle down next week. I doubt it, but it would be nice.
Steve and his community sent down a couple of thousand shoes. So I had some kids work to earn a pair. A soon as I started to give them out Haitians started to come out of everywhere. Luckly I had a Haitian who spoke english tell them that the boys worked for the shoes and that the church was going to distribute. I will be glad when we get the compund secure. There is too many Haitians that can come onto the compound. It will take time to implament new rules. We plan on building a new gaurd house and everyone has to come through there to enter the compund. The gate will be locked and only the missionaries will have the keys. I wish it was in place already. I know Zacc is overwhelmed with all the kids wanting to pick him up and to touch him. We will definitly need prayers to be able to handle this new enviroment.

Tap-Tap ride to remember

Went for a ride on a Haitian tap-tap today. Ben who works for project help borrowed it from his brother so we could get soda. We all piled into the back and headed to Liancourt and got the soda. When we went to leave, Ben tried to start it and the truck caught on fire. We all jumped out of the back. The Haitian volunteer fire company went into action. (It was people just around they started do grab dirt and leaves anything to smother it.) One guy took off his shirt to put on the fire, I did the same. We put them on the fire and Haitians were putting dirt on the shirts. We got the fire our. I looked around and there must have been 50-75 Haitian staring at me with no shirt on. Theresa said they were talking about all my hair on my chest. After that happened I relized that we were in Liancourt and didn't have a ride back to borel and I didn't have a shirt. Steve was in St Marc getting supplies. The owner of the store told us he would give us a ride in his truck. Later Ben said his brother went to get the truck and there wasn't any wire damage we got it out in time. It is great too see how quickly the Haitian people come to help each other. I wish someone was taking photos because it all happened so quick.

Getting Settled in!

Greetings!!! We are starting to get settled in. The trip so far was picture perfect. We had a lot of luggage but everything went smoothly at the airports. God is good!!!

The Kids are adjusting well. They have so many kids to play with. Everyone is fascinated with Zacc. The kids want to pick him up and help him. I think Zacc gets a little overwhelmed, he will tell them put me down. The kids also call him Zaccy. He doesn't like that he will say it is Zacc.

Ariel was sitting with some children, they had our English-Creole book. They were teaching each other words. She got her first Haitian shower tonight. The water is really cold, but feel great after you get in it. It is really hot.

Miranda got to spend time with Sasha today. She was holding her a lot. Sasha is getting big. Miranda also has been chasing lizards around catching them.

I got my first driving lesson today. I went with Watson and Ben. I drove down to liancourt to get soda. It wasn't bad Ben said I drove too fast. It is crazy, just beep when you pass someone or if someone is walking on the road or on a bike and you want them to move out of your way. Steve said I have 6 days to learn, then I'm on my own. We will be here without any Americans from June 19 - July 21. That will be an adventure.

Theresa is doing well. I will try to get her to post something after they are done playing "spoons" (a card game)

Tomorrow will be busy. There is a lot of work going on. We are building a carport, running electricity in the shop, are there is a free dental cl inc on the compound all week. We like to thank everyone for their prayers.

The Snyders