104

Another Sunday in Lagosette, a day where we can rest, catch up on sleep, and update our blog! We try to take it easy, because the other days fill up fast with responsibilities.

We've been blessed with many healthy weeks here so far, but this past week a tropical disease managed to sneak past Laura's strong immune system. She went to bed early Monday with the beginnings of a fever and woke up in the middle of the night with a raging temperature of 104 degrees. Laura was on the verge of hallucinations about meningitis and having to fly to the States for medical care, but after a combination of rest and medication, the fever subsided and she was back on her feet. The tropical disease was short-lived...but intense.

A big change occurred this week when Rebekah, the other nurse that was here, left to go home to Washington. Laura tried to ingest as much information as possible from Rebekah during the one month overlap, and now is taking over all the nursing responsibilities and tasks. There is still a lot to learn with each new day, so prayers are needed for this transition.

Thursday afternoon, we had rare but exciting visitors come to COTP. Clowns. That's right, Clowns Without Borders. A world-wide ministry aimed at putting smiles on kids faces. We were a little leary at first, thinking the kids may be scared or unsure, but the clowns were a hit. They spoke in Creole and did skits and songs complete with a set of stilts. It was fun to watch the kids faces as they experienced something new. Who knew there was a clown ministry?

Kurt's building project for the prenatal program is complete minus two windows and a door. He put in a lot of hours in the heat finishing the roof, and is glad to have it done. The program should be up and running in September. The building will also be used on a daily basis for preschool. Kurt's looking forward to spending more time with the kids and starting play therapy.

A highlight came at the end of the week, when we went out on a double-date with Jamie and Jenny for Jenny's birthday. We ventured into Cap Haitien to find some deals in the tourist market and then satisifed our longing for American food with cheeseburgers, fries, and Cokes. It was delicious. It was great to get away for awhile with friends and just relax for the evening. Driving through the city in the dark on the way home proved to be a challenging task because of heavy traffic volume and a lack of brake lights. But...we made it home safe with enough time to dominate Jamie and Jenny at Canasta Caliente:) It's a great game, you should all play.

Stay tuned for more updates...and we love to hear updates from home!