Random Thoughts

Here's some random thoughts going through our minds right now:

-We are still evacuating kids and having earthquakes every night - when will the dreams slow down??

-I finally counted: 1 earthquake and 9 aftershocks over 4.0 while we were there, countless more under 4.0

-The smell of fresh garlic cooking chokes me up

-Emotions are still up and down like crazy - Garn and I don't know when to hug each other and when to get mad at each other

-I'm trying to start putting a presentation together, but I get lost in memories and wishing I was still there helping

-It was so much easier to be there, with no showers, concerns about supplies, frequent aftershocks and crazy busy with evacuations, than it is to be home

-I still think it's weird that we talk casually about things like being on TV, the Canadian embassy, hanging out with military, earthquakes, evacuations... how did this become part of our normal life? At the same time, it really seems like it was no big deal - we were just doing what we had to do

-The world seems empty here - too quiet without the sounds of kids playing and crying, too grey with clouds and snow - no palm trees and bright colours of kids outfits and painted buildings, no smells in the air of cook fires and garlic (or dirty diapers and sewage) or that indescribable "lush" smell of a humid tropical country, no thrill of excitement for new information of flights booked for kids to go home, no sick kids coming in needing our medical care and love

-I'm used to treating more adults than children - I will always be amazed at how fast the little ones responded to treatment - our little preemie looked almost like a different kid after only 24 hrs in our care

-I know I have a presentation to make, and a house to clean before I go back to a long stretch of shifts tomorrow, but I find myself wandering aimlessly around the house, always gravitating back to the computer - any news? any new comments? did anything happen with the kids back in Haiti? I can't stay away from the computer for more than a half hour, it seems

My favourite story:

I have to say, there is one moment that still really sticks in my mind. On our first evacuation, we took out 37 kids - they were bound for Holland and Luxembourg. Our bus drove through the streets with military escort in front and behind. Armed military guarded the doors. We drove through streets with destruction and death all around us. Amongst all this, the children sang. They sang praises! As we drove, the terrible condition of the roads caused the soldier guarding the back door to sway back and forth. The kids were so into their singing that they believed the soldier was dancing to their songs.

Is it any wonder that Jesus asks us to have faith like a child?