Birthday, Boston and Bread of Life

Birthday, Boston and Bread of Life

I remember on Lilly's birthday she asked me "what are we doing for Ava's birthday? What kind of cake will she have?" I honestly didn't know. But last week the girls said they wanted to have their friends over for Ava's birthday. So we planned a little party. Haitian style.

How is Ava already 3? It seems like just the other day that I was running late for my c-section.

We started celebrating on Friday night by surprising the girls with the movie Frozen and pancakes for dinner per Ava's request. 

Saturday Charles and Tony spent the afternoon clearing the backyard and putting together our new trampoline! Since it was after dark when they finished the girls awoke to the surprise on Sunday! And we all jumped in night gowns and pajamas at sunrise.

Last year Ava had a traditional birthday party - pancakes and pajamas - with friends her age, their siblings and parents, gifts, a chorus of Happy Birthday, an overdose of sugar ... but this year the party was so different and I realize again how good different can be. 

After decorating and walking to the bakery to buy bread for peanut butter sandwiches, Sunday afternoon Ava, Lilly and I walked outside the gate to pick up the 13 children from the orphanage. Ava and Lilly's friends. I could hear Dahlia, their caretaker, say Madam Charles (ha - sounds so proper) is here. The kids run at me yelling "Mama Lilly, Mama Ava" ... (if you move to Haiti you are known by your kids - it's kind of the same in the States, just not as blatant - why not just call it what it is - I'm mama Lilly and Ava). They were dressed in new clothes a team left and were trying desperately to finish fixing their hair and such. These children rarely leave the confines of the walls of the orphanage and never for a birthday party. 

We all walked back up the hill and into a  party. The giggles from the trampoline were priceless sounds and the smiles outweighed all troubles of the week. They were in heaven bouncing and laughing. 

Ava said "I want cake" so we brought out the cake and several of us sang the tune of Happy Birthday while our little friends watched the lit cake in amazement. Everyone had a plate of cake and ice cream as well as the pb sandwich that also seemed foreign to them. The plates were licked dry. 

Lilly played them all a few tunes on her new guitar and we sang worship songs. 

Then we played the movie Frozen in French on the projector! The children were enamored with the movie and sat quietly through the 90-minute film. 

Lilly and some of the team members had used a Rainbow Loom to make bracelets for each child as a party favor. They all left with a bracelet and a smile. We walked them back to the orphanage with hearts full. 

It was the most organic, raw birthday party that filled our hearts with joy. 

No balloons.

No invitations.

No presents.

No parents.

No tears.

No bounce house.

No frills.

It was real. It was different. A good different. The kind of happiness you find when you don't have the usual resources and make do and find out that is just as well.

A little girl leaned over and was asking me something in Creole I didn't understand. Miguelson interpreted and said she was asking "when is Lilly's birthday?" ... basically, when can we do this again... Soon, I hope. We are planning a birthday party for all of them. In Bolivia, we used to do a birthday party on Christmas and have a cake for Jesus and all of the kids to celebrate all of them. Like there, most children here don't know their age or birthday.

We woke up Monday and headed straight to Karibe to celebrate Ava on her actual birthday by taking a day off and swimming at a resort/conference center. It was a nice break. Getting out of the Hope Center is a must and is refreshing in more ways than one. We swam. The girls filled their bellies with cheese pizza and chocolate cake. Charles was happy for a cheeseburger and fries! I had an hour or two of sleeping in the sun and we all recharged. Vladimir drove us and said it was his easiest Monday yet. 

The team this week is from Chespeake, VA, and is offering locals a music and voice camp all week. Lilly has been in heaven singing to her heart's content. So much so that 13 year old team member Julia gave her first guitar to Lilly. Now Lilly is beside herself and Charles and I are praying as to how to help her channel that God-given talent. Right now the team is outside my door teaching little ones the hand bells. It is sweet sounds wafting in from little voices and a dozen or two bells ringing. We have also been blessed by the team's willingness to sit and play instruments and sing and worship. We rarely have had that opportunity to sit and sing in English. 

The songs from the time last night were still on my lips this morning when I went running. The thoughts from a year ago today of the Boston Marathon play over in my mind. I am content with my 8-10 mile run with Mack; with no starts and no scary finishes. No bombs and no blood. So grateful for a year of healing from that and the many miles that separate me now from that outcome. I couldn't help but think of how a year changes so much and yet for the victims a year is still inside the window of deep healing and recovery. As I kept running I was thinking the hard part of running in Haiti on the rocky surface is not the risk of falling or the danger, but rather that I have to constantly look at my feet instead of looking up. There are beautiful sunrises and amazing mountain ranges but my eyes are on my feet and the steps ahead of me. This thought reminded me of Psalms 121 that says, "I lift my eyes up to the mountains. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip - he who watches over you will not slumber." Of course then I was reminded that it's good to look at my feet since I immediately saw a tarantula bigger than the size of my outstretched hand. I kept running. But this week we have had tarantulas under our feet and over our heads. We killed two on the ceiling over the weekend. Thankful for a God who sees me (and not quite as thankful for the tarantulas that do).

Since being in Haiti a lot of the stories in the Bible have become more visual and concrete to me. I see the people riding on donkeys who look bruised and battered from their travels, I see the weak and weary, I see the poor. This week we a bought a bag of bread and set it aside to save some for later. It occurred to me in hindsight that most people don't save bread here. They buy what they can afford for the day and eat it right away. But we left ours in the bag and saved what we didn't eat. Several days later I went to get a piece of the bread and it had molded. I was bummed. I was reminded of the Israelites in the wilderness gathering manna. God specifically told them to gather what they needed and trust him for the next day. I know God was trying to teach me that because it came to me immediately when I saw the molded bread. Living on the bread of life. One day at a time.

Vegetables too. Charles is seeing corn come out of the ground and he said it's a daily reminder of God's goodness to see it sprout. He is always somewhere watering something these days. I think about how much watering we need in our own lives to grow. I wish sometimes I was as adamant and consistent as he is about watering the plants to water my own life for the purpose of growth.

I was sharing that with mom when she called over the weekend. She is slowly gaining ground in the process of healing. She is sleeping off the pain and grateful for the in between moments. I loved hearing her voice. She is slow in speaking but clear in thought. I am ever more grateful for her as she fights to heal and grow stronger every day. Please keep praying for her.

Sunday Mickenson preached on prayer. He was expressing that we often pray in certain circumstances but not consistently. He used the example of praying when your child is dying and I was thinking how strange that is to use as an example and yet how prevalent it is here in Haiti with one third of all children dying before age 5. It's real to them to pray for children to survive. Every child is a miracle and it rings very true here in Haiti.

We continue to be blessed by life here. The simplicity. The contentment that we often lack but see on many faces here. The compassion and grace spread like wild fire. Love beyond borders. The intentional time. The investment in relationship. The teams that come and serve. God is good. 

                                    the birthday party guests!

 cake!