Love is...

Where do I start? Well I've only been in Haiti for 4 days (and only 3 in Jacmel) but it seems like a lot longer then that, but not necessarily in a bad way. My first day back at the base was quite interesting. First late me give you a little background on what's going on at the base now. Right now there are 17 people living at the base including 4 orphan children that the mission has adopted. They are Caprice (probably around 7), Roselea (around the same), Daniel (maybe 6 or 7??) and Santiben (somewhere between 3 and 5). As you can probably tell no one is really sure of there ages, we have birth certificates for 3 of them but we are pretty sure they're not correct. Anyway, back to my first day here; on my first day here I got thrown up on my a little boy who had malaria, cleaned him, held him, put him to sleep, took a tap tap into town with Sandra, got the boy's test results, found out that he did indeed have malaria, went to the doctor and got the prescription, found out he needed shots and an IV as well, went all around town looking for the medication and IV supplies, finally found them, brought them back, went to help find the nurse, found her, helped her give the shots, learned how to put an IV in, and then stayed with him for a while while he tried to sleep. He have us quite a scare. It was also Sandra's birthday that day (by the way, Sandra is one of my good friends from my DTS who is now working in Haiti) Sandra is also the one who mostly takes care of the children. I can tell it's a lot of work, especially considering the medical problems the children came to the base with, two of them had worms and one had scabies (and those are just the things we know about), but she is really doing a wonderful job.

I must say, it's only been 4 days and I can already tell it's going to be really hard to leave the children, I love them soo much. They also have taught me a lot about what it means to really have love for someone. I can't help but think about how many people I've heard talk about wanted to go start an orphanage or go help children in third world countries (myself included) but I don't think many people know how hard it really is, I didn't. It's easy to love a child you babysit or play with, when the hardest part of loving them is changing a dipper or getting up early because they are up already or MAYBE even having to take them to the doctor. It's quite another thing to care for a child who is dirty and smelly from an infection that she's had for who know how long or who has thrown up on you or peed on you and all over the clothes and sheets you just spent a better part of the day before hand washing, or when it's 90 degrees out even at 8:00 at night and the child still wants share a sweaty mattress with you, if you can do all that all still love sharing that sweaty pee-stained mattress with them, that's love. I don't know if I could even say I have a love like that yet. I though I did, but even I haven't done all the things on that list (I've done most but not all). That kind of love has to come from God. It has to be something He gives you, otherwise, where does it come from? I pray that God will give me that kind of capability to love someday. But I do love these children, I really do. Tonight I share my bed with a sweaty little body who would wrap her little arms around me just to make share that I was not going anywhere. I couldn't help but wonder though, I love this girl, but my love her is no where near what she deserves, what a mother could give her and it breaks my heart, and, what kind of person am I? I really do love her, but I'm only here for two weeks. I pray that we will always feel loved.

Well, it's getting late so I should probably get to bed. If you are a person who prays, please pray for my precious children, for their health and that they may always feel loved. If you are not a person who prays, I ask you to reconsider. Would it really hurt anything?

Good night and I love you all!

Lauren McConkey
Jacmel, Haiti

Wow, so here I am. On a bus. Going to Haiti. Sorry, I haven’t posted anything for a while. It’s been quite a week. Let’s see if I can recap.

I left La Vega exactly one week ago (though it seems like a lot longer ago then that) and took a bus up to the YWAM base in Santo Domingo (aka The Capital) where I planed to stay for only a few days and then go to Haiti. I THOUGHT I was ready to go to Haiti and that my time in the capital would just mainly be passing time until I could to where I though was the main focus of my journey. Not quite the cause. Once I got to the base, it didn’t talk long to remember how much I missed my Dominican family. I immediately felt like I had returned home. My time was amazing. I was able to see 10 of the 16 people that I did my DTS with almost a year ago. (the other 6 are were not in the country.) And also, I was able to actually communicate with them this time! (The Spanish speakers) It was great! It’s kind of funny because during my school I spent everyday cleaning with this girl (who is staff at the base in the capital now) and we could barely hold a conversation, but this week we were able to actually talk. It was soo cool. I was also able to meet some other really cool people, Luke and Laura (both from the states). They’re awesome and I’m really going to miss them. I also got to play tour guide with them. They had never been to Jarabacoa before (the city were I did my school) nor had they ever ridden the bus alone not to mention motor conchos (motorcycle taxis). So we spent the day in Jarabacoa, it was really nice. We also met this amazing man. His name was Bernisio (or something close) and he did have any legs. I saw him scooting alone crossing the street and I ask him if I could help him with anything or if there was anything he needed and he said no, I don’t need anything with a big smile. And then we just hung out and talked for a little and he was telling me how a lot have things have happened to him in his life but that God has been faithful to him. I was so cool, and had the best smile and when we were leaving and saying good bye he said, I’m going to look for you in heaven. What I kind thought. The sweet old man made my whole trip and also taught me thing or to about having a good attitude. I hope I have able to find him again when I go make again.

The rest of the day was pretty fun too. We took moto-conchos to the base (which is always fun) and then went on a hike up to a waterfall, (long walk but worth is!) All in all it was a good day, but I had also realized that I had only been gone for a few hours and I was already missing the capital base. They really are like family.

I actually end up pushing my trip to Haiti back 4 days and I’m really glad I did. Here are some other fun things I did this week in the capital: saw Spiderman 3, bought lots of yummy Dominican cocoa to bring home, went to one of the most amazing churches ever and here Porfi (AMAZING VOICE) sing again, ate chimmies, share a house with people representing the countries of Dominican, U.S., Haiti, Nicaragua, and Peru, and went to the central plaza, and spent time with some of my most favorite people in the world.

I’m gonna be honest with out, I didn’t really want to leave. I would have been just fine staying in the Capital for another month or two, but I’m sure my mind will change when I’m back in Jacmel. Though I had to promise that I would return soon (and I can’t break a promise….) I had a great send-off though and I’m glad they were there because I didn’t realize how complicated buying a bus ticket to Haiti was!

So here I am now, on the bus. The most complicated part of my trip is over (hopefully) although we’ll see how, crossing the border goes. I had a great meal on the bus and now I’m just going to sit back and watch the Haitian soap opera that’s playing on the bus TV screens. I’ll check in when I get to Jacmel! Peace out, God bless, Good bye Dominican and hello Haiti!

Laure McConkey

Somewhere between Santo Domingo and the Haitian border