TRUST AND FAITH - The first test

The first Midland team has returned from Haiti with news of Johane. It was not what I had hoped to hear though. She looked good. They got to spend time with Johane and her sister Johana. Johane had a fever, was tired and was limping. She wasn't quite her sweet energetic self. The following morning defined the issue. She had a severely infected knee that had formed a boil. It was red, hot painful and swollen. One of the Doctors opened and drained it to get the pus out. They put her on antibiotics so that it would clear the infection.
I am worried since she had a severe infection when she first came to me in February.
Needless to say, I am concerned and will recheck her when I go on the August trip.
God used this information and time of worry to speak to me as the tears were rolling down my face.

The conversation went something like this:
Lord, I should have been on that trip.
Why Cynthia? You didn't need to be there because........ I was.

She could have gotten a severe septic infection and died!
Yes....I know...that's why I sent the team to her when I did.

But Lord, I love that little girl, what if something happens to her? Maybe I should have kept her in Michigan.
I love her more, it was time for her to return to her family in Haiti, she is mine, and IF something happens to her, she will come home to live with me.

Lord...are you telling me I need to trust that you'll take care of her...even in Haiti?
Yes, Cynthia, even in Haiti. Haven't I done just that for 9 years? Don't I do that for you when you're there?

Yes Lord, you do. I need to trust that you'll take care of her when I'm there and even when I'm not, don't I? Lord, I will try. Please accept this prayer.
Lord God, take care of my Johane, even in Haiti. Lord, I place her in your divine, capable hands, in Jesus's name. Amen.

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us--whatever we ask---we know that we have what we asked of him. 1 John 5: vs. 14-15

God is faithful. God Bless your week. Please keep Johane and her family in your prayers
Cynthia

A Dream Quickly Fading

I've been asked what it's like to be "single" again. I will admit that the sweet questioning sound of Mama....is definately missed.
All in all, the whole visit doesn't seem quite real. It wasn't easy...mind you.....but it had so many joys attached to it. Learning a new language, learning to communicate, establishing a pattern, relieving natural curiousity without incurring harm. So many new things for her to do and see and taste and try.
She had so many first experiences that we were a part of. Taking Johane to the zoo was a treat. Watching her face as she saw a live tiger and a giraffe were priceless. Seeing her ride a bicycle was wonderful. She enjoyed almost every thing she did.
We got the Joy of watching her see herself in a mirror with two brown eyes. I still get tears thinking of her reaction. We saw her face light up every time she saw Dr. Houser. He was her Hero.
We witnessed her bravery as she went away from her country with a stranger and fly to America and a strange place called Michigan. We saw her first experience with an escalator, an elevator and a people mover. It was enchanting. I watched her splash water all over herself because the electric eye on the sink wouldn't shut off because her hands were still there. Seeing her nearly leap out of her skin when the electric eye flushed the toilet was priceless. Reassuring her that in America these things were normal.
Watching her face as she encountered SNOW for the first time was entertaining...she was so surprised that it was 'fret" cold. Seeing the beauty on her face as she held a Monarch butterfly on her finger and said "My baby.....look, it's black, like me" (and beautiful like you too sweetheart).
Seeing her light up when she saw the Godly men in her life at church. Their smiles and hers as they encountered each other. The smile on her face as she teased them into playing basketball. Her growing strength as she mastered the ball and finally the hoop. Her dribbling the ball under her leg to show her sister in haiti after returning home.

Was it real? Was it a dream? Maybe it was both....a little bit of walking with God on earth as He showered us with the Joy of his creation seen through the eye of a small Haitian girl. To be so blessed beyond measure is priceless beyond words....so please don't pinch me, I'm not sure I want to wake up fully. May you be blessed by your memories and your time through the looking glass of my little Haitian princess Johane. God bless you all. Thank-you to each of you who shared in this adventure. I am hoping that she will be able to visit us once or twice a year in the future. God willing. Please keep her and her family in your prayers. Haiti is a hard land, and they need the Lord to watch over their household.
May The Lord Bless and Keep You Always. Cynthia

Double Your Pleasure

I got to have the time of my life. On Friday we took a trip into the mountains to the Baptist mission. Papa Joel brought both girls to me to stay the night and spend the day with me. I never laughed so much. The girls are no longer the same size. Johana is wearing size 4-6T and my Johane is wearing size 12. Johane is now taller as well. Seeing the twins together was a delight. They had hand clap games they did. They played well in the pool. They had childrens rhymes they said. It was wonderful to have them both. They giggled and played and laughed. I taught them how to swim under water. We played motor-boat, motor boat go so slow...etc in the pool. They played chuckie-chuckie-chuckie...a rhyme in creole. They got on well with all of that. We did puzzles. Played Barbies. Johane showed Johana her albums and pictures.
Johana whipped Matt at dominos twice. Very competitive. He did something wrong and got cussed out in creole also. That little woman runs a very tight domino game. They slept well and were a delight to have. Johane taking her contact out was a bit of a shock to the family. (tee-hee). Johana said she was glad to have her twin sister back...but that she spoke funny now and she didn't understand her so well, most of the time.
Both twins are very good eaters, but Johana gets car-sick very, very easily and so food does not stay put, long enough to do her any good.
Johane had a good time in the mountains. Johana did not (poor thing). We went to a little zoo. Ate lunch at the cafe. The pizza was Pah-Bon (Not good). Johane wanted American pizza and this kind tasted more like parmesean or artifical mozzarella. Johanas car-sickness stuck with her all day. Neither twin ate what they ordered. Johanna tossed-her-cookies in the zip-lock barf bag we brought along both up and down the mountain and later that evening. Poor baby. She was whipped out.
It was late when we got through for the evening so I kept them a second night. Johane enjoyed it. Johana did not. She was weak and dehydrated and not looking forward to the car ride to the orphanage or in the tap-tap for the way home. She layed around for a good part of the morning until Mama and Papa picked her up. I got a weak hug and kiss from Johana...a big kiss and long hug from Johane.
I found out that it cost them a small fortune to come to see me. ($8.00 American dollars each x 4 people). I told them that I'd say goodbye now. They were going to bring Johane again to say good-bye to me and I told them to save their money...don't waste it on me.
As they drove off in the tap-tap with their luggage full of fun things for the family, again I felt good that God used us all in this special adventure of His. I hope you have had fun shaing this special time with us all. It has been a real adventure for my family. Johane has been a blessing to us, to Messiah, to HDI, and to so many people through the sharing of our hearts and our goods.
Thank-you to everyone who sent clothes and games, toys and spent time with Johane. You have been a blessing to both her and to me. Her experiences will last a life time. As they say:..visa...$XXX.00, plane ticket...$XXX.00, baby sitter...XXX.00, sharing your life with a little Haitian princess...PRICELESS.

Hebrews13:10 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Some things are indeed Priceless.
Thank-you and God Bless you always.
Cynthia Kreil and Johane Dort

The Trip Home

We headed to Detroit Monday the 19th and stayed at a hotel near the airport. Johane got to see the phanes flying overhead. She liked that. We also got to spend some one-on-one time in the pool. She really enjoyed that. She has learned to hold her breath under water. Can't quite float or swim yet but she is learning.
We wore us all out swimming, so we slept really well. That 4:30 AM wakeup call was still hard on us. "Mama it's not morning yet". She said her good-byes to a tear-filled Papa Dennis and off we went to the line.

She's a trooper now for shoes off, shoes on, march through the line. Lets wait around for them to call our plane. We met up with two team members in Detroit. The flight was uneventful with only a few "Are we there yet?"s. I never should have let her see Schreck II.
We had some lunch in Miami and met up with two more members of the team. So there we were a total of 6 en route to Port-au-Prince.

She was so happy to be home. It this Haiti? Yes Johane...it's Haiti. We're here now! Look it's a tap-tap. Look Mama no buckles! Look it's fresco!! (Snow-cones). Yeaaa...it's haiti. Look at that man. Look at that girl. Look a market. Sit down Johane. Look a tap-tap. And it would start again.

We saw her Papa as we were coming down the hill to the Orhanage. Look! It's Papa! If she could have climbed out the window I think she would have. She was so happy to see him. He was very pleased with the way she looked. "Fat and Happy" or at least well fed and smiling. He loved her contact.

Papa was so pleased with the way she looked that He offered to let me keep her and raise her as my own in America. I thanked him for the honor and the compliment but made it very clear that she belongs with her family and her twin. It is such a blessing to have a family like hers...I would not consider breaking her heart by taking her from them. A loving family is a precious, priceless gift. He seemed pleased with my answer, but asked if she could come and visit sometime. I said, "we'd see what we could do".

He asked if I would buy English language lessons for her since her school doesn't offer them. I said that we could check into that too. Speaking English well, opens many doors for someone in Haiti.
So now I need to figure out who might want to contribute towards English lessons. They say its about $380.00 per year. (American) I guess thats cheaper than a visa and plane ticket, though I think we might find some who might want to help with that too. I'm hoping to be able to bring her back once a year for 4-6 weeks in the summer to have her eye re-evaluated, practice her english and have some fun with all of her friends.

She went off with Papa, waved a sweet good-bye and walked up the street towards the tap-taps. She was grinning from ear-to -ear. She was so happy to be home. It was a bitter-sweet moment. I was so happy for her, sad for me, and yet happy to be used to fullfill the journey.
God is good. ALL the time. Cynthia

Singing the Blues

It seems that we're all feeling "the blues" this week. Dennis and I are more tired than normal. Things are harder to remember and find. We seem to be a little more emotional about issues. Johane is showing signs of stress. She's hollering out in her sleep again. She holds me very, very tight every morning and every night before bed. She has never been a clinger, but I think she's filling up before going home. She has spontaneously told me that "I love you". Her little ti bo's (kisses) are now on the mouth instead of the cheek.

She's spending some special time with Deb this weekend, getting filled up with her love. Deb and I shared a few tears talking about Johanes return to Haiti. Deb has the priveledge of going to see her in June. That is helping her with her sadness.

Tomorrow is her last Sunday at Church. She'll have the chance to say good-by to all of her friends. Tomorrow we'll pack up most of her things...at least those we can fit into our cases.
On Monday we'll say some last good-byes to special friends and then head down to Detroit and stay overnight for a bright and early flight in the AM on tuesday.

Keep us in your prayers. We need all the help we can get to complete this journey.
Thank-you for sharing with us with your prayers, your heart, your time and your love.
We are well aware that we have never been alone on this journey but have been held in the palm of the Lord's hand. We also know that we have been held there by the prayers of the saints...you.
May God Bless you. Cynthia and Johane

May 13, 2008

Seven days and counting
Johane is getting excited and so are we. Please continue to pray that God will prepare the way to return her to her family.
She is asking if certain things can go to Haiti with her. Her beloved basketball from Russ will be deflated and reinflated when we get to Haiti. The bicycle will have to stay in america. Her dolls, jump ropes and books will go along. We will do our best to send as much as we can.
Can't you just picture American airlines with an "OU HAUL" attached to the back? (OU is creole for you)
I can...and it starts a fit of giggles every time I do. It is a week of sorting and getting things together. It is also a time of making choices. Its tough to be nine.
Her english has sky-rocketed this past month. It's getting quite good. If you speak to her in creole...she will answer in english. We have to remind her to speak creole to her family on the phone. (silly goose). She gets frustrated that they don't seem to understand her.
She floored us all by stating very clearly this sunday, "I AM coming back.....I AM COMING BACK TO AMERICA...my papa Joel says so."
She's a determined little thing...she probably will.
She came to visit me at work and took off my stethescope and placed it around her neck and declared...."me, Doktor Dort...how are you today?" God bless her dreams and ambitions.
The travel warnings are still quite severe, the embassy employees have a dark to dawn curfew, but things are better than they were in April. We will continue to pray and monitor the situation.
Please pray for our safe travel and a peaceful reintegration for Johane and her family.
God bless your week. Cynthia and Johane

More Journey's of Johane

The Response of God's People
Thank-you to everyone who remembered to send a birthday card or note of encouragement to Johane. She has been thrilled with the mail. Two classes from Holy Cross Lutheran school sent her home made cards and blessed her socks off.
Please feel free to continue to drop her a note of encouragement. It means so much to her to find mail in the mailbox with her name on it. There is NO Mail system in haiti that has any reliability. She will not be able to send me letters or receive mail from me once she returns home except through mission trips.

A Busy Week
It's been a busy week for her. She got to attend 3rd grade with a friend, attend lessons, ate lunch at school and rode home on an American school bus.
She got to play a steel drum and a harp. Thank-you to Norine.
She spent the weekend up north near MIO and got to ride a four wheeler, fish from a canoe and learn how to play pool.
She marched in a parade, and threw candy to children. She attended another Loons game and filled up on popcorn. She got to play at Chuck e cheese with friends.

A Bike of My Own
Thank the Lord for garage sales. I was able to find a child's bike and helmet for less than $15.00. She has had a wonderful time riding up and down the street. She is so proud of herself. She couldn't ride a bike before she came to America. She can now. She knows that this is her bike for in America and that it cannot be shipped to Haiti. She seems very content with that. What a blessing she is.

A Lost Tooth
Her right lower canine has been loose for over two months. It finally got loose enough for her to pull out. She took her pink dental gloves along with her when she went out of town with Deb, just in case.
She felt it was loose enough so went into the bathroom and just gave it a good pull. Happy days..it was out!
In Haiti...you throw the tooth on your roof and the rats come and take it away and you get a brand new tooth in your mouth. In America...you put it under your pillow or in the bookcase headboard (if you are skittish) and in the morning the tooth is gone and surprise!!! There in it's place is a $5.00 bill! (But only if you happen to be with Deb).

Prayers are needed
Please ask God to prepare the way for our return to Haiti on May 20th. We hope to return Johane to her family. I will be caring for the children in the orphanage, school and families of the workers. I will be leading a small parents team, so please pray for our safety and God's will to be done.
Johane is aware of the trip. She isn't showing the excitement of the first go-around, but that is understandable since we had to postpone because of the unrest and rioting. I remind her that we have to pray that God will make it safe and OK for us to return this time. So please pray with us that she may return safely to her family. Thank-you for your prayers on our behalf. God bless your week. Cynthia

An American Birthday

They say that Time flies when you're having fun. This has been true for Johane this weekend. She has lost track of time.
Tuesday, we had a mini-party with Joyce and Rebecca.
Thursday and Friday she found a stack of cards in the mailbox with HER name on them. "Mail for ME!" Mail for my birfday (She can't do th's so well).
Friday she had cake with Heather and the children, and cake and ice cream with Mama and Papa Dennis. She called home, but only got papa so she couldn't wish Johana a Happy Birthday. Friday night she stayed with Denise for a sleep-over with the children.
She had so much fun that she stayed another night.
Sunday, she had cupcakes and a mini-party at sunday school. She got a wonderful Homemade card with pictures of all the children and staff. The church body sang Happy Birthday to her at the 11:00 o'clock service.
We topped the week off with an awesome party at the Gymnastics center with some of our favorite people. Her cake was a princess castle made by Deb and it was beautiful. Then we called home to talk with her family. She talked to them repeatedly in English..then was frustrated that they didn't understand her.
I reminded her to speak creole to them. She laughed and talked English with a friend on the phone( You speak english?) and then laughed at herself for speaking English by mistake to her family. The friend said she'd tell Johana Happy Birthday from Johane.
She had a wonderful time all weekend. Thank-you to everyone who blessed the daylights out of this little girl.
Please keep her (us) in your prayers as we hope to try to return her to Haiti the end of May. Please pray that God would clear the path for us to return safely. May God bless your week as you have blessed hers. Thank-you so much. Cynthia

Happy Birthday Johane

Friday April 25th was a happy day for Johane. We greated her with "Happy Birthday". She wanted to have her hair done in curls and have a bow in her hair. Then off to Heathers where all the children greeted her with "Happy birthday Johane". She was so pleased.

The day before she had received about 7 cards in the mail! Today she had about ten. "Look at this! Mine! For Johane!" She was so excited and pleased to get mail. "My birf-day"
One card was musical and started singing "Daay---0, me say day---O, day light come and me wanna go home." She loved it! We got to hear that about ten times more, so we sang along. Most of the messages she could read since they were in creole. She again told us that you don't get mail in haiti.
We got her from Heathers and had pizza for dinner. Lit the candles on the cake and sang Happy Bithday in English and in French (Joyeux Anniversar). She enjoyed blowing them out. We ate our cake and ice cream and she opened her gifts. She loved the battery operated shreck toothbrush from Elizabeth.
We gave her a flower arrrangement...(Randi's had fun putting that together), a couple of summer outfits and a Barbie doll.
We called home to haiti...but papa was out and about town. We were able to speak to him, but none of the other family. She particularily wanted to talk with her sister Johanna.

Then she was off to spend the night at Denise O'keefes. They had so much fun together that instead of returning her on saturday..she spent the whole day and opted to stay one more night. I know she misses the craziness of a big family with multiple age children.

I told a friend..."its too bad that she is sooooo dependent on me and can't be separated from me for even a minute". We both laughed at that. What a blessing that she is so adaptable. She misses home so much. She is speaking more english and mimeing things that happen in haiti. Sometimes her mother sells things from a basket on her head and makes change. I almost split a gut watching her mimic that one. She even gave me change back.
Her formal party is sunday, tomorrow. I can hardly wait to see her face. Stay tuned for another exciting adventure.
Thank-you ALL for your cards for her. They were a blessing and one I am very sure that she will NEVER forget. Thank-you...thank-you. Cynthia and Johane Dort.

Another NEW adventure

"Mama, come, come, Look at this!! "
Johane had never seen a sprinkler system. We had to go outside to see it. It squirted water right out of the ground into the air, and onto the grass. Parts of it moved and one section of it just disappeared into the ground and stopped. She was puzzled.

In a culture where one of her jobs is to walk to a water source, fill a bucket and return it to the house for the family to use, this scene was too much to comprehend,
The question came..."Me touch it?" Yes you can touch it...its cold. I cupped my hand over the sprinkler head to wash the silt off the top, thinking that if she saw the plastic head it would be less of a mystery. She loved seeing the splash. She had to repeat my action several times spritzing her hands and lower legs. She was so engrosed in that one sprinkler head, she completely forgot that there were more than one working at a time until another one came along and plastered her right in the tush. Boy, can that girl move when she needs to! (grin) We both laughed at the adventure of it all.

Prayers from God's people

Johane and I have a possible window of opportunity to return to Haiti on May 20th. She would be returned to her family. I would escourt some adoptive parents to visit with their children. I would also serve the medical needs of the orphanage, school and nannies. I may be the only medical provider on this trip.I do not have clarity about this trip yet.

Please put this to earnest prayer for us. I will not go without God's blessing. Please pray for clarity, peace and God's guidance in this matter. Thank-you. Cynthia

Where are God's People???

This has been a hard few days for Johane. She's talking in her sleep more. She thrashes around at night more. I'm not sure what battle she is fighting but she wakes up all sweaty in the morning. She still smiles as sweet as ever when engaged but has many pensive moments. Yesterday was the 19th of April and she was supposed to be united with her family in Haiti.
It has been her habit to tear off the calendar page every morning and show me the count down. She has avoided the calendar--------like the plague in the last 3 days. The last time she tore off a page she lifted a few pages and showed me the 19th, looked sad, said "No Go" and walked away.
I have asked for prayer and mail for her. Our address is known to many of you. For our newest friends Messiah has offered to allow mail to come through them. I hope the prayers are plentiful. The mail has been two....only two people have sent her a note so far. Perhaps others are waiting to send a birthday card. That is wonderful, but this week I was praying and hopeful that she would feel Jesus's love poured out upon her.
She needs to be loved. She needs to feel the Love of God's people. Please take a moment to send a little note, a card, a piece of paper with a heart on it....anything to let this little lady feel God's love poured out upon her. I can't imagine being in her situation...and being eight again. May God bless your week...may YOU bless hers. Cynthia

Having a Heart for Johane and her Journey

The Chaos in Haiti is calming. There has been looting in the city and burning vehicles in the street. The lost missionary has been found safely. The April mission trip to return Johane to Haiti has been cancelled. There has been relative calm since Sunday the 13th. Praise God for that. The stories are fewer now. School is resuming in Haiti.
I will change our ticket this week. Johane understands that we are not going home on the 19th as planned. She says that she is OK but the stress is showing in other ways. This is hard on her. She has been away from her family since February12th. Her countdown was only 10 days away from going home when it came to a grinding halt. Please pray for my little refugee and me.
She had a wonderful highlight on Saturday. She rode a horse for the first time ever. She had been counting down the days until that occured also. She rode a lovely gentle horse named Molly. She also brought her friend with her. After riding the horse we all went to Chucky Cheese. She loved both experiences and the girls had a great time..
She has never received mail of any kind. On Thursday she got the first letter in her entire life from a friend of mine telling her that Jesus loves her. She was so thrilled. I believe that she could use a few more to encorage her right now. Please consider sending her a little note. Please make it very short and simple if in English or use the following phrases in her native language:

In creole:
Jezi amou ou------Jesus loves you
M'amou ou----------I love you
m'priye pou ou-----I pray for you
m'priye pou ou fanmi----------I pray for your family
Bondye amou ou e t'elman f 'e mwen - ----------God loves you and so do I

Her address is
Johane Dort
In c/o Messiah Lutheran Church
1550 South Poseyville Road
Midland, Mi 48640

Her Birthday is April 25th. She will be 9 years old. This is the first time she will not be celebrating with her twin sister. Happy Bithday is ( b'on f'et)

Please pass this along to anyone who might be willing to bless this little one. This is a tough time for her and she needs to feel the love of Jesus through his people. Thanks Cynthia Kreil

Speaking the Truth in Love

How do you tell an 8 year old that all the plans that have been made are no longer true?
How do you tell her that she is NOT going home in nine days, that her country is unsafe right now, that there are people burning cars in the streets.
Very carefully...and with much prayer.
I started with..."something in haiti is not good". Your family is OK. There are angry people doing bad things. Schools are closed. The markets and banks are closed. The Embassy is closed. I HAD her attention now.
I brought up the news story on the computer and did the slide show for her, telling her where the things were happening. Her response was in english..."OH my goodness! Oh my Gosh! Look at that!...Oh My Goodness" (No garde La!) All in English. She knew the places we were seeing. She knew it was her country.
I told her that travel in haiti was NOT safe right now. Schools were closed. People were staying in their houses to be safe. She would be staying with me for a while longer until the embassy said it was safe to travel again.
We prayed for her family, her country and for safety and peace. We prayed for God to help her return to her family soon.
She wanted to know that her family was safe. We phoned her sister, and her Godmother. Her papas phone must be affected, because we couldn't get a ring through to him.

She wanted to make sure that she could still ride the horse on saturday, and that she could have a "fet" (birthday) in America. I assured her that she could.
She held onto to me very tight for a while and buried her little face into my neck and we just rocked for awhile. I told her that I would take her back later, maybe May or June. She said that she was OK.
She slept alright last night, but she's been testing the rules a bit tonight and is a little irritable. I guess I would be irritable too if I was going to spend my birthday away from my twin for the first time in my life. Her birthday is April 25th. She will be 9 years old.
I can't imagine what is going through her little mind. She never cried. I can't say the same about me. I let her see my tears.
We never anticipated this turn in her journey, but we put our trust in the designer of this roller coaster ride a long time ago. I guess we'll just fasten our seat belts again and see where this all leads. Praise the Lord in all things...at all times. Blessed Be the Name of the Lord! Cynthia

The World Turned Upside Down

Thank the Lord that He is in control, not man.
If you have seen the news lately you will know that Haiti is in turmoil at the present time. There is looting and rioting in the streets. The American Embassy has been shut down and people have died. There have been multiple arrests. You do not want to be arrested in Haiti. The orphanage and the clinic is OK so far. PLEASE pray for haiti. In a place where children die every hour from hunger, the rising food prices are driving people to acts of violence to survive.
Johane cannot return home at this time. The road from the airport is unsafe, the streets are barricaded with burning tires and debris and the mission trip for April has been cancelled. I haven't told her yet, but I will need to tell her soon. I will also have to tell her family, but I suspect that they will know and understand. The places in the news stories are places I know and have been to. Port-au-prince, petitionville. That is where Johane's family lives and the orphanage, school and clinic are located.
Pray for safety for the orphans, the staff, the students, the nannys and the families that we serve. May God watch over and protect Johane's family as well.
Lord Jesus, rain down your love and power in this dark time. Restore peace. Provide food. Restore sanity and safety. We ask this In Jesus's Holy Name. Amen
Cynthia

Approaching the Checkered Flag

It's funny how fast this time is moving. We are trying to fit in so many last things.
The weather cooperated today so we went to Plymouth park, a wonderful wooden playground. She loved it and ran and climbed all over. She pretended to drive the truck and I sat in the back and played tap-tap with her. For you non-haitian travelers that is an open backed taxi-truck. When you want to get off you tap on the side and it alerts the driver to stop the vehicle, then you get off and pay him.
We went to the tridge and crossed over it. We climbed the hill and got a picture with the statue of the family. She was amazed at how big the woman was. The children were normal sized compared to her.
We played on the jungle gym climb and slide area. She loved that. She dumped her jacket. Michigan was no longer (fret) Cold. She was sweating.
We saw a man catch a large fish which he then released. That was very exciting. They also showed us their catch for the day which included a couple of catfish. She imitated the whiskers for the rest of the afternoon.
I explained what spring was and showed her my crocuses blooming. She was impressed by that. We got pictures everywhere we could think of. I'm glad that she knows that Michigan is not cold and snowy all the time.
We've started sorting out clothing into piles. Things that are too warm for Haiti, or too big or in too poor condition to go. Things that could fit her little sister or brother. Toys that would travel well. It's hard and exciting too.
She has one more big event coming up that she is absolutely thrilled about. She gets to go and ride a horse on Saturday. She is so excited about this. She points it out on the calendar several times each day and mimics the riding gait. She has never riden before so this is very special to her.
Less than 11 days and she will be back in Haiti. She is very happy about returning home. She is very happy about being there for her birthday which is April 25th. She is not happy with the idea that I am leaving haiti on the 26th to return home (without her). She gives me "that look" when I mention it. She has been very huggy with me lately. I know she is feeling the separation coming. Thank God that she has such a loving family to return home to. What a blessing that is to me knowing that she is being restored to the loving arms of her family. Will I cry? Of couse I will...but I will cherish this adventure for the rest of my life.

Time in the Fast and Slow lane

Tomorrow we will have two weeks until we return to Haiti. Johane is getting very excited about going home. She's also been more posessive of me and my time. I get more kisses and snuggles.
Poor Dennis...she smiles and practices waving at him and says "bye,bye Papa" with a big grin on her face. This amazes me since they are the best of buddies. They still watch TV together and she loves to go with him for rides in the car. I suppose that a little lady who can walk away from her family with a wave and a good-bye can easily do so with a pseudo-papa of less than 3 months. Then again maybe practicing makes it a little easier.
She's excited about packing and has seen me getting some things together. She was very worried that we would miss getting something for her little brother ChristonLee. She is much happier since I did a bit of "boy "shopping.
She's been to a Selah concert and to a Loons baseball game now. She is looking forward to riding a horse on the 12th of April with the two chaplains from covenant. The rumor is that then we might go to Chucky Cheese's for lunch. I'm sure she would enjoy that.
She is very excited about being home for her "fet" (Birthday) on April 25th. I will still be in haiti. I would love to attend, if invited. That would be a lovely goodbye.
I think she knows that she is staying in haiti and that I am not. She makes a pouty face whenever we talk about it so I hope that means that she "gets" it.
The time has passed both too fast and at times too slow. What an exciting adventure it has been. I think I'll just keep on enjoying it until the ride comes to a full and complete stop. Fasten your seat belts, we're on the last few laps! God Bless, Cynthia

ZIPPITY ZOO DA

The Detroit Zoo through the eyes of an eight year old haitian child is an awesome sight.
We saw Lions, and Tigers and Bears.....(oh my) and then some. We got to play prairie dog and pop up in the tunnel. Watching a baby polar bear swin over the top of you is very exciting and cute. We were thrilled to see him jump in and swim but even more so when we watched him from under the water.
Gorillas eating snow was very funny. The Mama and baby zebra were adorable, frisky and playful. The giraffes were huge (and stinky) and beautiful. The Kangaroos were very lazy, resting on their sides in the sun. The Rhinos were active enough to be interesting. The butterflies were plentiful, but wouldn't come and sit on your hand.
A canan is a canadian goose. We saw a bunch of those. They apparently have those in haiti.
We got lost coming home. Our two hour trip took 3 1/2 hours. Lots of beautiful lakes in Michigan. Most of them were still frozen over. Still the day was sunny and the roads were clear.
We finished the evening with a Selah concert. Beautiful music. Although very tired, she did well.
We are down to less than three weeks until our return to haiti. Johane is very excited about returning home. She is less excited about ME returning to the US after returning her home.
We are starting to pack things up and do our "last things". That is why we went to the zoo on Saturday. It was a now or never time. I am so glad we did. What a special memory for this special lady.
We got to call Haiti and talk with the family on Sunday. Johane was talking with papa, mama, Johana and family. She kept forgetting and speaking english to them. Each time she did I laughed and repeated what she said... then she caught herself and corrected her own usage of english. It was so funny.
Keep us in your prayers as we play out the last chapters of this God story. God is still in control and we're enjoying the ride. God bless. Cynthia and Johane

Easter In Michigan

I'm not sure what she thought. Good Friday was a little bit of a shock to her at times.
Mr. Bill (her buddy) was dressed as a Roman soldier. He and another man took Jesus and whipped him at church. She wasn't sure what to think. We talked about Mr. Bill being an actor that day. There aren't a lot of words about Easter in the creole book. Johane couldn't tell me much about the celebration of good friday and Easter in Haiti.

She loved dressing up for Easter morning. White gloves, socks, tights, shoes ,slip, dress, purse, and headband. Everyone thought that she was beautiful. AND she was. She enjoyed Easter breakfast, sunday school and church. She liked her easter basket, but didn't "get" what that was all about. Still every child understands candy and presents....so she did fine.

She had never colored eggs before. Eggs in haiti are maroon (brown) so you don't need to color them, so these white ones in egg dye were pretty funny to her. She was amazed when we cracked a couple open later. Her question was, "you eat these?" ( Ou mange La?) Yes you eat them. That was pretty cool so she ate a few. But the look on her face when we cracked them open...was priceless. I don't know what she expected, but a hard boiled egg wasn't it. She started laughing and had to crack one herself just to see.

She's getting a bit homesick now. We talk about family a lot. She is counting the days down. It's the time for last things to be planned and carried out. Only about 3 weeks left and she will be back in Haiti. Hard to believe it has gone by this fast.

She saw some Deer out walking last night and told Dennis we have those in haiti. We were surprised but OK...until we looked up the word in the creole book. There is no word for deer. The word she used to describe what she was seeing... and that they had in haiti...was goat. I decided that I didn't really need to explain.
So if I show her the movie Bambi....is Bambi a goat? Baaaad thought.
Happy Easter, Cynthia and Johane

Untapped Talent

Johane has an untapped talent. She loves to cook. She grilled hamburgers on the grill with Papa Dennis last week. She was so excited because we were going to make cookies again tonight. She has oatmeal cookies with raisins down pat. And she is so proud of herself when they are all done.
She is getting a little homesick. She had to look through the visualize haiti book again today. We had to read the Tap-tap book about Sasifi in haiti. We also had to pull out all the haiti pictures so she could point out all the people she knows. She told me about her family. One set of twins is a boy-girl set.
She showed Papa Dennis on the calendar that one month from tomorrow she goes back to Haiti.....then waved at him and said bye-bye Papa. I wonder who will be crying that morning?
Her contact is doing well and her skills are improving daily. Her eye is also handling it well. We got the final report from Anderson Eye, they found a detached retina on the Ultrasound scan as well as the scarring and the cataract. The return of vision with all this would be too unlikely to consider repair, and the risk to the other eye too high.
As we look forward to Holy Week we sing along with Johane..."Open the eyes of my heart Lord....I want to see YOU." God Bless,
Cynthia and Johane

Palm Sunday

Johane is in bed asleep. She was completely exhausted by a very full weekend. She watched a movie on Friday. Saturday she was up and out very early for a full day of special olympics basketball tournaments. Crafts, dancing, exercise and running around bullock creek school kept her wired and sweaty.
She barely rallied for Church at 9:30 on Sunday but managed to wave her palm branches with the best of them. After church she walked a little. We spent the afternoon watching TV and doing quiet activities. She grilled hamburgers with Papa Dennis for Dinner. She didn't eat all that much. Too tired I suspect. She talked to her papa in Haiti for a few minutes. She seemed to need a little cuddling tonight. After watching Schreck II we threw her in the tub, washed her up and she was out like a light.
Her understanding of english is sky-rocketing. Her speach is also taking off. If she doesn't get it she says "I don't know". So you know she is trying and not just letting it pass.
We get to see Dr. Houser this week. Johane's contact skills are improving daily. I am very proud of her. I only cheated once. She was too tired and failed 5 times in a row.....kept saying "almost", "almost" I couldn't take it any more. I popped it in for her. She was getting too frustrated.
Easter is only a week away. She returns to haiti in 4 weeks. That time will go by fast.
Thank-you for your continued prayers. They are a blessing to us.
Blessed Holy Week!
Cynthia and Johane Dort

Busy Day

We had a busy day at the Sears photography department. This little lady has more poses than Elvis has moves.
She was thrilled with all the photos...but "complained" about sit up, lay down, roll over, stand up, sit here. At least thats the gist of her complaint.
We met with Sister Anne and the crew at Covenant. Johane had a great time. She certainly enjoyed the attention and goodies. This is the first time that she got "full" with treats.
We spent a few hours at Bronners in Frankenmuth. This was a visual delight for her. More pas touche (don't touch) than I would like, but everything was just too exciting. She got a picture taken with the Easter Bunny. She wanted to climb into all the displays. She used her little "kodak" (camera) to snap a few pictures of her own. She chose a few things to bring home including a small musical santa that plays on and on and on.
She got three pictures of the quiche I made for dinner. Ought to be an awesome photo albulm (tee-hee).
She is getting very comfortable with us now and we've had to correct some behaviors, such as snapping your fingers for something instead of saying "please pass the butter" and faking a temper tantrum when you aren't getting your way. She's catching on pretty fast tho, although she did threaten that she'd go and play with Deb since I wouldn't stop making dinner and go play basketball.
She found where I hid the remotes...again. Her english is sky-rocketing this week. Its amazing how she slips in an english phrase when you least expect it.
Her contact skills are improving daily. She does it mostly all herself now.
Keep us in your prayers. We still need them.
Things are pretty intense because she isn't afraid to challenge the rules anymore. Prayers for an extra measure of patience for both of us would be greatly appreciated.God Bless your week,
Cynthia and Johane

More of Johane's Journey

Johane got to talk with her family today. It was a lot of... we...bien...we...bon..followed by CONTACT..., some explaination and again....we..... contact.
How does an eight year old explain a contact to her parents an ocean away?
I can't even begin to imagine.
She is very happy with it. She managed putting it in all by herself today and came upstairs to show off what she had accomplished. she showed it off to everyone atchurch today. When I told her that I was going to take her for some pictures tomorrow, she made a modeling move and posed for me. She definately gets the idea. She wants deux (two) photos so her mother can have one.
We are starting to think about what kind of things to send back with her. Her birthday is April 25th. She tells me that at least once or twice a day. She is very excited about that. I showed her some gifts I had for her and Johanna, her twin. She reassigned the gifts to other siblings. She is very good at sharing.
She enjoyed swimming with Deb on Saturday again. NO FEAR...no skill either. So the little lady has to be watched carefully.
Her family is disappointed that she isn't having the surgery. They were also hoping for a miracle. Weren't we all?
I can't wait until they see her with her contact in. This little lady feels good about herself. Isn't that enough of a miracle for us? She looks towards the camera, not away, she poses and cheese-cakes for the photographer. That is all new. We have the miracle God intended all along.

"My ways are higher than your ways"., says The Lord.

Thank you Lord for knowing what was needed and supplying that need. Forgive us our selfish disappointments and wishes. Give us a heart like your heart and Let us rejoice in your gifts. In Jesus's name. Amen

Brown-Eyed Girl

I'm trying not to cry (again) as I write this. My little haitian princess is sleeping the blissful sleep of a happy child while tears are rolling down my face. We finally heard the final decision from the specialists...Johane is NOT a surgical candidate. The risk--benefit ratio is not favorable for any surgery. Her sight will not be restored by conventional methods. She will be returned to haiti with her blind eye and no improvement in her vision. There are very good reasons for this, but that doesn't stop the hurt. The desire of my heart was to see the miracle of sight for this little girl. That will not be happening in the way I had hoped. So I cry tears of grief tonight for a lost dream. The problem is mine.
Don't be misled...I love and trust God just as much as before AND I wouldn't trade away this journey for anything! I am very aware that the journey isn't over, we've just gone down a slope and are making a slow incline up another hill. (Roller coaster analogy) The next hill will probably be a doozie.
As you may have noticed, Johane is sleeping very well tonight. Her dream has been fullfilled. She had TWO brown eyes tonight for 4 full hours. She has a picture of herself with two brown eyes, taken at Dr. Housers office. She diligently practiced with another contact until she could put it in and take it out all by herself. NO small feat for an 8 year old with NO depth perception. She had to do this multiple times and was just getting frustrated past endurance, when she succeeded for the 3rd time. NOW lets use the brown (maroon) one. She quivered with excitement, bit her lip and carefully practiced the skill she had been working on. SUCCESS !
The MIRROR! Garde! Garde! (Look! Look!) Her smile lit up the room. They took her picture and showed it to her on the computer. Then put the before and after side by side. NO! LA! (No , not that one...the new one!) Preeety (pretty), Mwen. (Me)
She wore it for the full 4 hours. She is so happy. She knows she is returning to her family in haiti on April 19th. She will be traveling with people that she loves and trusts. She will be there for her 9th birthday (with her twin). AND SHE IS HAPPY.
God fullfilled the wishes and dreams of an 8 year old Haitian child without surgery. He has touched hearts all across the country with the story of a little half blind little girl. He has increased the awareness of the needs of His children in Haiti. He has taught us all about dirt cookies. He may have purposes for this little lady's visit that I haven't even dreamed of. And He has blessed my home and life with an 8 year olds example of sharing all that you have.
GOD IS GOOD...ALL THE TIME. So why was I crying?
Tears of Joy maybe to be blessed enough to share in the adventure of a lifetime. Her smile and the twinkle in her eye, the loving care of her brown contact was enough to dry any tears. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
Make sure you're buckled up tight...the next hill ought to be a fun one.
Cynthia

sharing - another kleenex alert!

Johane is an incredible child. It amazes me that even though she is getting gifts from multiple sources, she is still thinking about her siblings. She got a couple of pairs of flip-flops and sandles. They were a size or two too small. She tried them on, and said "pou Johanna" for two pair,and "pou Chrislove" for another. Chrislove is another little sister. She does the same thing with all of her clothing. My neice sent some lovely shirts, and coloring books. She went through them and made two equal piles. En (one) for mwen (me) and en pou Johanna (one for Johanna-her twin sister). She never hesitates to do this. All of the clothing was her size, but she was sorting them out for both.
Praise God for the heart of this little one.


On my coffee table is a book called Visualize Haiti by Alecia Settle @2007
ISBN: 978-0-9797143-0-6 ISBN:0-9797143-0-3
Its an amazing book about haiti, its people, places, wonders and successes.
I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to begin to understand WHY haiti can touch your heart so completely.
On page 66-67 is a picture of a woman making dirt pies. They are made from salt, contaminated water, flour and parasite infected dirt. They are baked in the sun until they form a cookie. They are then sold to the poorest of the poor. The people who eat them, get very little nutrition and an added dose of worm eggs.
When Johane saw them she nodded and said manje la. (You eat these) I asked her if she had ever eaten these, she made a yucky face and said no. Then proceeded to tell me the names of several people who do eat these, some whom she knows quite well.
The caption at the bottom of the page says "Every Hour one Haitian child dies of starvation"
It was explained to the author of the picture that the reason people eat these are so
"they won't die hungry".
Johane finds this book fascinating. It speaks to her heart and soul and I believe is at the root of her generous spirit. How can you hoard things to yourself when your neighbor, sister, cousin or aunt is hungry.

The man asked Jesus,"and who is my neighbor?" The answer was basically...the one who needs us. I see the spirit of Jesus in the generousity of an 8 year old Haitian face.
If you want to know concrete ways for you to help some of these children consider the following blogs:
www.threeangelshaiti.blogspot.com
www.threeangelshaiti.org
Through this group you could sponsor a childs schooling, provide milk for an orphan, medical care for a child,a family or whatever God is leading you to do.
TACA or three angels christian academy is a school, Halos is the medical clinic where I first met Johane, three angels children relief is an orphanage for orphans and children whose parent give them up to provide a better life for them. (so their children don't have to eat dirt cookies until they die) Some of these children were found in dumpsters, some living on the street, some with lash scars on their backs, many at under two years of age.
Who Is your neighbor? You alone can answer that my friend. I already have.
God bless your week.
Cynthia

Worship in the Waiting

We've been awaiting the call back from Anderson eye to find out if they will attempt the cataract and corneal replacement surgery. I haven't heard anything back yet. They had said thursday or Friday so I will call on Monday.
We praise God for all that He has done, for all that He will do. We will worship and praise Him in the Waiting.
Johane got to spend the night with her Gran Deb. She is having a great time. The little moppet had no problem packing her valise (suitcase) saying goodby and waving me off.
I had no problem going to bed before 9 pm and sleeping all night, knowing that she was being lovingly cared for.
Johane is an amazing child. She is so adaptable, loving, open and interested in everything. She occassionally picks up the phone to call home but when she gets the error message she is philosophical about it. She seems to be content knowing that she will be able to talk to mama and papa every saturday.
We are truly blessed within this adventure. What a ride!
Johanes Gran

Johane's Journey Phase II

Johane says:
Today I went with mama Cintia to see the Doktor specialist. I saw two doktors. One was a woman and the other a nice brown man who spoke with an accent. Mama Cintia said he was from In dia. He was very kind and smiled nice. He spoke some french to me and was very gentle. He took an ultrasound of my left eye. He said it was bon (good).
Then He had a serious conversation with mama Cintia. He said that I must protect my eye carefully so it does not get hurt. He said he would talk with other specialist doktors to see if they will fix my eye or not. It was a very long day and I got very very tired.

Cynthia says:
We went to Anderson eye to see the specialist today. Johane did very well. We saw the pediatrict specialist first. She was very dry and not too encouraging. She ordered the ultrasound that Dr.Houser recommended. It was done by Dr. Ramasami. He was a very kind, softly spoken gentleman who exhibited a kind interest in my little haitian princess.
He also said that he would review her case with the other specialists and together they would decide if she was a surgical candidate or not.
There is no tumor behind the cataract and no torn retina or other damage seen.
The doctor said that he would call later this week and tell us what the next step,
if any should be.
SO...keep this little lady in your prayers. Its not over until its over.

Johane made bonbons (cookies) with Joyce and me tonight. I'm not sure who was prouder of her, Joyce, me or Johane. She was very diligent about the whole process. Very hard worker. I am impressed.

How many adults does it take to prevent a haitian child from pulling the fire alarm at your place of work? ONLY ONE if you react loudly, quickly and ernestly enough.
What is with this kid and alarms?

God bless you all. Keep praying! Cynthia

Haa low? Haa low?

Haa low? Haa low?
Johane has tried numerous times to use the telephone and call her family in haiti. Since she doesn't know the international code, I am spared the challenge of hiding all the phones. She seemed very thoughtful today and kept asking me "something" . I tried very hard to figure it out. We even wrote it out so I could look it up.
I believe she wanted to talk with her family. I ran it past papa Gran (Dennis) and he responded with, you know, that isn't an unreasonable request at all. Lets try it.

I don't know what it cost...but some things are priceless. Like hearing her fathers voice saying Haa low? haa low? Johane? Kouman ou ye? (How are you?) Then they talked for a bit. Wi, M'wen kontan (yes, I'm happy).

A little later, the phone rang again...a florida call? Hello? In a heavily accented voice I realized that it was a haitian family member (Mom or sissy or both). Let me get Johane pou ou (for you).

My little haitian princess was happy as a clam. After she hung up she climbed into my lap for a little snuggle time. I think she really misses her family. I know that she usually sleeps with her twin in a family bed. How brave and daring of her to be in America.
Thank you Lord for this brave little girl and her willingness to be in a land, not her own. Bless and keep her Lord, and give her the desires of her heart.
Thank-you Jesus. Amen

Friday, February 22, 2008

This morning she touched my arm to get my attention, put her little hand on my arm, and very seriously said " Eske ou alle travay au demain?" It took a repetition of the phrase, but suddenly I understood. I answered in creole.
No sweetie, I don't have to go to work tomorrow. I can spend the time with you. The smile and hug was priceless.

I sing in the morning to wake her up (to the tune of Frere Jacques): Jo o hane, Jo o hane, Dorme ou ? dorme ou ? sonne la ma tina, sonne la ma tina, din din dong, din din dong.
She wakes up grinning like crazy, so I guess I'll keep on singing.

Our appointment with the pediatric opthalmologist is Monday at 8:30 in Saginaw. This is a very important appointment. This specialist will determine IF she is a candidate for any surgery. They may order some tests yet, to see if the optic nerve connection is viable (alive) or not. Please lift this little girl before Gods throne. I believe that God still provides miracles today. It is my hearts desire that He would grant healing to this little girls eye.

Please join me in this prayer.
Dear God in heaven, we lift Johane Dort to you in prayer. You, Oh Lord, are our maker and our redeemer. You have made the lame to walk and the blind to see. If you are willing you can restore sight to this little girls left eye. Lord you told the man with leprosy that you were willing to heal him. (Mark 1:41). Lord we ask you to heal this child of yours in any way you choose. Lord we do not need a miracle to trust or believe you. We do believe, with or without it. We do ask for your healing touch on this little girl and the restoration of her sight. And we ask it in Jesus's name. Please grant us the desires of our heart. We praise and thank you Lord. Amen

New Experiences in the world of games with Johane

Have you ever played GO FISH in creole? I have. Trust me, it's a new experience. My little haitian princess is very competitive and was quite pleased to beat me twice. You should have seen us set up the ground rules.

Cintia...eske ou genyen E (elephant)
No Johane m pas genyen elephant
Alle pwason--go fish
ach...
Johane..eske ou genyen la cheval ? (horse)
wi, m'genyen la cheval.
encore
Johane..eske ou genyen la vulture?
Hee.hee.hee no Cintia m'pas genyen la vulture
GOFISH...hee hee hee

I thought one game might be enough, silly me.
Encore??
Why not? It was a hoot.

Tuesday, February 19th, 2008

I did it! I finaly won one with my little haitian princess. I wore her out for a change! That makes the score: Johane 20....Gran 1
It's 7:30 AM and she's still snoring. I am dressed and showered and ready for another day of adventure.
We're trialing the day care for her today. I need to return to work on Wednesday--tomorrow.
I was afraid that she might have trouble leaving me. When we first visited someone to play she didn't leave the car until she was sure that I was coming too.
Not so today...Bye-bye! Did I mention that obviously I am b-o-r-i-n-g? Seriously tho, since she comes from such a large family (8 children) and haiti, she is used to chaos, noise and stimulation.
She discovered the car alarm. What is with this child and alarms?
She was thrilled when she hit the lock button and it beeped. I had accidently scared her with that a couple of times. So she did it repeatedly. Then she saw the rouge (red button.
beep, beep,beep, beep. Hey isn't that cool? It beeps all by itself.
Grand-parenting:
I want to take a moment and ask God to bless all the grandparents caring for their grandchildren. What an awesome thing you are doing. I will only have this little princess for a few short months but am feeling the effects of being with a bright inquisitive mind. God bless you for stepping into the role of parent for your grandchildren. May God give you every thing you need to run the race and accomplish your task.
Prayer needs:
I was asked "How can we pray for you?" The desires of my heart are a miracle for this little lady, enough energy to walk this journey with her, and the gift of tongue: particularly the language of haitian-creole. I am learning it faster than I thought possible. It's amazing how much repitition helps
Grans friends:
She loved going and meeting all my friends at church and at my work. Everyone was so very kind. She now knows where I will be going on Wed, Thur, Fri. I have been telling her all week that I have to go back to work. She had looked worried at first, but hasn't been the least bit worried since she visited Heathers house of children. I think this is going to provide her with the stimulation and consistancy that she needs.

OK, YES !!
She has a ready sense of humor. She was writing another note ...in creole...for me this time. She was giggling like crazy as she was writing it. She finished it and then said Clear as day 'OK...YES!!" Dennis and I almost fell over laughing. Dennis said "Did she just say what I thought she said?" Oh yes she did. It was awesome! Even tho I couldn't read the whole note, we were obviously laughing appropriately.

Her trial at daycare just stretched into an afternoon of playtime. She was having such a good time. I think she will probably make the transition of me going back to work OK. (duh) The big question is...will I ? Thank-you for your prayers. Johanes Gran.

Saturday, February 16

Machines!
Goot Morning! Gran invited me to sit in her big bed this morning and we looked at a book with beautiful dolls. She read me a story and we had a nice breakfast.
We mostly stayed at home today watching TV, playing puzzles, and singing.
My Grans daughter Elizabeth played playdough with me while gran took a shower.
I discovered the most amazing ma chines in Grans house!
There is a ma chine that washes the dishes. First I wash them with 6 pumps of soap and a cloth then Gran takes them away from me...rinses them off and puts them into a big
ma chine. When it is full..she puts a tablet in it and pushes a button and it makes swishy noises. Later the dishes are clean. It is amazing. We always wash the dishes with a cloth at home. But we don't have so many dishes as my gran has.

You can get water from a big white machine. Its funny, and it doesn't make sense. The sink is on one side of the room and the machine is on the other side.
I asked my gran if I could eat the glass (ice) that fell into the car when we were driving. She said no that it wasn't clean and that she could get me glass (ice) to eat at home. She is always telling me later for things. It is good that I am so patient. She got a glass and took it to the BIG white ma chine. She pushed a button and ice pieces flew out of the machine into the glass.
She changed the button and Dlo (water) came out. I drank it all. Then I got some more. Many pieces of ice flew on the floor. My gran picked them up. Oops, when I got water it squirted all over my hand and down the front of the ma chine and onto the floor. Gran cleaned it up. I filled many things with ice and water that day. I drank A LOT of water so I could have more and use the ma chine again. What a good game. Gran says she is OLD and boring and called a friend to see if I could play there tomorrow. Poor Gran.

FIRE ALARM IN THE HOUSE
I found switches all over the house. It is wonderful! You push the switch and it always works. Not like in haiti! In haiti it only works when the government turns on the power. In america it just always seems to work! It is fun. On-off-on-off-on-off Just like a game!

I found a new switch that I hadn't tried yet. Whoa---ah!!! A fire appeared in the wall box! Just like that! I turned it off and on and off and on and off and on...many times. Then suddenly a loud squeal started in the ceiling! What was that? Gran and Papa Gran looked a little annoyed but not scared like I felt. Elizabeth called downstairs to see if everything was OK. Gran said It's OK.
Then Gran and papa Gran opened doors on each side of the house. The air smelled funny--not nice. Why did they open the doors? Didn't they know that it was so fre (cold) outside. The siren sound finally went away again. Oh good now I could do the switch again. NOPE...I guess not. Gran said no.
After Gran shut the doors she told me PAS TOUCHE (Don't touch) This time she did not add... si vous pleaz (if you please) . She wasn't angry....just very very tired today. I don't know why
She told me that I was her silly bunny and that she loved me. Then she said bath and bed for me. She was complaining to papa gran something about being OLD and boring. I wonder what that was all about!
Grans house. It is a fun place to be. Bon Nuit! (Good night) Johane Dort

Kleenex warning - you're going to need them!!!

Cynthia says: I am going to try to present Johanes journey from an 8 year old point of view if I can. This will reflect what I preceive as my little princess takes these big steps.

Johane's day: Friday was a busy day for me. So many things to do! We went to the market (walgreens) and to the store for christians (pathway). I saw a movie there with a caterpillar that spoke in english. It was cute but I wonder what the man and caterpillar were saying. My Gran Cynthia bought me some musik. It had one of my favorite songs on it. Open the eyes of my heart. My Gran played it for me. It is so quiet in Michigan, not at all like haiti. In haiti there is lots of loud sounds always! I turned the musik up louder. Gran turned it down and left the little box on the table...so I turned it back up again. Gran and I did this several times. It was almost like a game. I played with the puzzles and noticed that the musik got quiter again then I looked and saw Gran slip something into her pocket. I think it might have been the black box, because I couldn't find it after that to turn the musik back up.
I had Mamba (peanut butter) for lunch.
It was an exciting day. I was going to go and vi si taa Olivia and play. I am also going to see the American doctor to see if my eye can be fixed. I am very excited about this. I have been hoping and praying to God to heal my eye. My papa and mama have prayed so long for this. Gran laughed because I told her I was ex cit taa to see Doktor.
I had fun with Olivia. It was nice to be with someone who was also a child and could play. She lent me some puzzles. I had trouble with them at first but am learning how to do them. I think that there must be a system to them but I haven't learned that yet....but I am getting closer to figuring it out.
Then it was time to see the doktor! Ex cit taa!! Oh I am so excited. He was so nice to me when I came to visit. And Sissy (Carsen) will be there to talk with me in creole. Everyone was so nice to me. I tried so hard to do everything they asked of me. So many big machines, bright lights, medicines in the eyes. I was as brave as I could be. Sissy helped so much. She explained everything to me. Dr. Houser spoke so kind to me. I wasn't afraid of him at all. This was an important visit. I knew it. Will you be able to help me? Can you fix my eye? I want to look like my twin Johanna. No-one teases or stares at her.
I saw the most funny thing! The Docktor sat me down and a pretty woman came and took out part of her eye! It was amazement! Then she put it back in! Whoa---ah! I pushed back in my chair I was so surprised. Then she did it again!
She had Sissy tell me that she wanted to do that to me! To Me? Yes to me! It felt odd to me.
Then I saw the most wonderful thing! In the mirror was Johane Dort, me, with TWO BROWN EYES ! I AM PRETTY. Its true. Look at me. Just like my sister. The circle was not quite right tho. It was still white. Sissy told me that Dr. Houser would fix it so that the circle would be black like my other eye. Could I learn to wear this funny eye hat (called a con-tac).? Wee! I could, please! I asked Sissy "would my left eye look like my right eye then"? Sissy says wee, just like your right eye. Realy and truly? Yes. I was so happy that I was bouncing in the chair. I will have brown eyes with a black (noir) circle. Thank-you Jesus! Merci Doktor, merci Sissy, Merci Doktors helpers.
My contacts will come pita (later). I was soo happy! So happy. Then Doktors helpers gave me a Kadoo (present). It had two pretty dolls in it made of cloth. They were so pretty. I know that I will have fun sharing them with my sisters. Merci everyone, Merci. Ti bo (kiss on the cheek) for ou and ou and ou (you).
Sissy and Gran took some pictures then I had to give up my contact, but I felt pretty!

Gran and Doctor had a very serious conversation. Gran looked a little sad but said that God might still deliver a miracle yet. I will need more testing. I might have surgery, I might not. The testing will tell if the way is clear for my eye to work.
Don't they know that miracles have already happened. I am in America, I am living with my American Gran in a mansion, she loves me, and today for the first time in my life I saw myself with two brown eyes. I have never seen out of that eye that I can remember. I may never, but TODAY I had brown eyes and I was pretty. Thank you Jesus. I am a happy girl.

Bonjou My name is Johane Dort I am 8 years old and live in Petion-ville near
Port-au-Prince Haiti There are 8 children in my family. My mother and father have been together always. I have a baby sister that was born in November 2007.
My birthday is April 25th, 1999 and I share that date with my twin sister, Johanna. I look like my daddy. My twin sister Johanna looks more like my mommy.
There are two sets of twins in my family. My family loves me very much. We are christian. My favorite prayer is The lords prayer. I say it at night before bed and at meals. I love to sing. My favorite songs are My Jesus my savior, and open the eyes of my heart Lord. I sing those two in English. I speak creole, I read french. I am in the fourth grade in haiti. I wear a uniform to school.
Johanna and I were both small but healthy at birth. I developed an eye infection at about 5-6 months of age, I was treated with medicine but the infection caused my eye to turn blanc (white). I can't see out of it at all. People say I'm pretty, but they always look at my eye. I don't remember ever having normal eyes like my twin sister.
I love to help. I know how to sweep and wash dishes. I like to help my mother. She is very busy in our home caring for us. I like to color and my favorite color is (vert) green.
My father says that I am a very good eater. I like meat and rice and fruits. I will have a second helping if invited to. I like some vegetables too.

Johane's Second Day
I awoke to the sound of my daughter Elizabeth getting ready for work. It was 7:30 AM. The light was on in Johanes bedroom. I thought. Gee thats odd. Not too odd tho if you happen to be an 8 year old haitian child who has just learned how to manipulate switches that work. Those of us who have been to haiti know that electricity is never a constant. When I went in to peek at her she was lying on her stomach daydreaming and my slight sound brought her bolt upright and grinning. Good morning Johane.
"Goot morning" Bam! She was UP and ready to go.
Waffles, eggs and pineapple for breakfast. Tidied her hair and cleaned up and off we went.

How many pumps of soap does it take to wash an 8 year old haitian childs hands? Ah... About 5 or so pumps,.......every stinkin time. (grin) No wonder her poor little hands are so dry. Do haitians get OCD?

She got her haitian Barbie today, (Nikki) in the beautiful batik orange gown I made. She looked at the bathing suit, beach bag, blanket, frisbee etc. But what she really liked was the sunglasses and visor. Imagine a bright orange gown with orange, yellow and shimmery pink organdy at the bottom. Be sure to include in your mental picture, the yellow visor and sunglasses.
We went to meet with Dr. Houser so she would not be afraid when we had her "real" appt. She liked him and gave him a hug right away. We took a picture. Her "real appointment" is Friday Feb 15th at 2:00 PM. Carsen is going to bless us as a translater for her. Please keep her in your prayers and ask for a blessing for Dr. Houser.
We went to vis -it-taa Lyn da and Jennifer. She had a valentine cookie and then we went to the GRAND Market. (the mall). We ate japanese food. Chicken teriyaki with white rice. Hmmm good.
We got her some outfits. Like all litttle girls she wanted the jeans with the sequined belt.
We found some tops on sale. Picked up some PJs and play dough. She found some hair clips bright and shiny and gave me "the imploring look". I caved in.
She wanted sun glasses also.
How could I tell her that Michigan doesn't have sun in the winter? Her fairy Godmother failed her...I told her "no" to the glasses. Her little face fell, but she bravely accepted her fate and my failure. I tried to explain that I had a pair of glasses at home for her. I'm not sure She got it.
We clowned around a little to lift her spirits then headed home.
We found cupcakes and a present on the doorstep! No more sad faces! I didn't know that haitians could fly! She flew to the door to see what the ka doo (present) was.
We got inside with Miss Happy and I gave her the glasses I had for her. She threw her litttle arms around me and wore them all night. I convinced her that she should take them off for bed.
We had to put the clips in her hair. So I placed three in the front and she admired herself in the mirror. I showed her how to remove them from the card. 5 minutes later I was blinded from the flash and sparkle of 10 hair clips sparkling atop my little princess"s head.
She is an absolute delight! Man am I tired!
Love to you all. Johanes Grandma Cynthia

What did Johane say when we had finshed bathing dressing and having breakfast?
Vis itaa Lyn da?
I told her no..that you had run away with that delightfully impressive and pursuavive gentleman from last night who wanted a ride in the car at 2:30 AM (?)
She's enjoying Libs Barbies and she is grinning from ear to ear. She loved her Bitty Baby. She was especially enthralled with the open-close eyes. She loves the american toilets that flush.
She broke my heart and almost had me in tears as she started singing in English along with my CD....open the eyes of my heart Lord, I want to see you. Especially meaningful in a half blind child.
I've had a talk with her about the evils of smoking and she's promised to quit. (Bad pollution in port-au-prince and she has a smokers cough in the AM that hasn't cleared yet). We'll turn it around for her.
She wasn't sure about the tub but is making the transition well enough. I think we washed off a half ton of haitian soil. Whoah...I had to scrub out Libs tub before Lib got home., she would have killed me, she is such a neat-nick.
Her size 10 Jeans fit pretty well, a tad big in the waist. The 7-8 jogging suit fits, 2 skirts we bought did not fit at all. She had liked them. Some shirts fit, some don't. It really varies.
And that little woman can really swing a broom. She helped me sweep the kitchen floor, but like a haitian. I kept thinking that with that swing of hers I should start her into golf. We had a little trouble with the dustpan concept.
She loved the snow but would prefer that it not be soo cold. She covered her face with her hands whenever we went out.
She was originally afraid of the cats but pas grif, (no claws) reasured her. She did comment that they are grand. I guess theyre just not that big in haiti. I would be tempted to agree. She was impressed that "ou chat parle ou." ( My cat talks to me.) I didn't tell her that they only speak with me when they chose to tho.
She liked oatmeal with cerise. She smiles at me when I speak french instead of creole and (rarely) will venture to correct me. But "the look" gives me the message and if I correct myself she will tell me "wee". She met Pastor John and Madame Phyllis.
Was busy all day But still said that she was fa ti gue. Loved the ride in the PT cruiser. She loved the church and we stopped in to see Hope and say Hi to the kids.
She shared her candy with Elizabeth. (my daughter). Spit her pear peels on the floor so I pealed them for her. She is a funny bunny.
Needs some skin care. Eczema-real bad in spots.
Very charming young lady. I am blessed.
Cynthia