Things I Learned in Haiti

Here are some things I learned in Haiti...some serious, some not so much:

~Termites leave dust behind, that's how you know they're there.
~Plantains are good with brown sugar on top.
~You can see if pants will fit without trying them on by wrapping the waist band around your neck.
~If you are baking mac & cheese and don't have bread crumbs for the top, corn flakes will work.
~Pretend sneezing is hilarious to a baby!
~Hit a cabinet door before you open it to make the critters scatter.
~Gastrolyte is your friend if you're dehydrated.
~Cold showers aren't as bad as they sound.
~Bed bugs really do exist.
~Love at first sight exists too.
~I'm not the only one in the world who loves Seventh Heaven.
~You can fry toast in a pan if your toaster is broken.
~Adding vanilla to powdered milk makes it taste sooo much better!
~You can make french toast with cloves instead of cinnamon if you have to.
~Being the minority is a truly unique experience.
~There is MUCH love in the world.
~Your heart can be broken and healed at the same time.
~I am blessed to have a family.

:)
Emily

Video Slideshow

I have put together a slideshow (complete with music!) of my time in Haiti. I tried to email it to everyone but it didn't work (it said it was too big) so I had to remove the kids' real names and post it on here. If you are dying to know their real names I'll be happy to share them with you, just leave your email address in the comments section or email me! Hope you enjoy. It makes me cry every time I watch it!
Love, Emily

Coming back up...

I can't believe I've already been back from Haiti for a week! The first few days I was home felt like a heavy blanket was covering me. I felt so down and so moved by what I had seen in Haiti. It's not an easy place to live, but it's not easy to leave either. I didn't realize how hard and fast I would fall for those children. I didn't realize how it would forever change the way I saw everything. Being in Haiti made me feel so small - how on Earth can I possibly make a difference in the world when it's so BIG and I'm so SMALL? I haven't yet figured out what the lesson is that I'm supposed to get there. But I do know that Haiti's people are no longer a nameless, faceless entity - Haiti's people are alive and breathing and a permanent fixture in my heart. I have been changed as a result of this trip and I believe there are more changes in store. Even after you leave Haiti, God continues to work on your heart as a result.

I miss holding "my" babies and my greatest hope and prayer is that soon, their forever families will know the love and joy that holding them brings.
Emily