You know you're in Haiti...

...when you have been terrified by, chased around the house for 30 minutes, and then killed TWO ginormous tarantulas on the same day. (and one of them was pregnant. with a MILLION baby tarantulas)

...when you have four different visitors come to the door before 8 am

...when you find massive amounts of mold growing on things you NEVER thought mold could grow on (Sheets. Pots and pans. Glass jars. Baby dolls. Pens.)

...when you attend an ordination service, and it ends up being over 2.5 hours long (see theSeminary blog for more on this)

...when 3 of the last 5 meals have been rice

...when the sweltering evening drives you the freezer, searching for something mildly similar to ice cream, and you find nothing but 13 trays of ice and two rock-hard cuts of pork that Sharon blessed you with 5 months ago but you won't eat because you are still saving them for something still unknown but very special...and then you realize that you won't find ice cream in the freezer for another 11 months. ouch.

...when the community gives you an emaciated kitten as a welcome home present (for those of you who have been following the blog long enough to remember the feasted fate of Bundy, YES...we're on that track again)

...when three month old babies (yep, that's Jil's daughter, Wedensis!) come to visit you in 110 degree whether wearing three layers and wrapped in a blanket. (Lily helped strip her down, and then wouldn't let her go!)

...when your entire house and belongings have SUCH a thick layer of dirt and dead bugs that it looks like it's been abandoned for 3 years

...when you start to plan supper, and realize that you have access to all of the ingredients for ZERO recipes in the cookbook

...when all the newly finished houses (YES, all done! all dry! no mud! BEAUTIFUL!) are thick with new paint: in hot pink, neon green, brilliant blue, or Big Bird yellow.

...and finally, when our night watchman and good friend James comes to work early so he can see if we are now truly "as fat as everyone says you are! YOU ARE!" and then proceeds to pat our midsections and compliment us greatly.

It is GOOD to be home!

Emmaus' new director, Bryan, comes tomorrow, followed by staff meetings Wednesday, new student orientation Thursday, student retreat Friday and staff retreat and the reopening of Evangelical English classes on Saturday. Thank you for praying us through this transition!