StephenByxbe.com

Today started out a little better. I woke up with much less of a headache but had to pee so bad I could barely move. I am able to get up and move around now so that helps a lot.  I had to take it farely easy today as to not get worn out.. but that was ok. I thought it would be a day to catch up.. HA.. I dont think catch up exist anymore. Today we got up and got going. Started the day by heading to the gas station so we could get the generator crankin’. We realized that the medical team that uses the clinic here needed the power (this med team is not part of HOM) but we didnt know they were using it. This explains some of the solar power issues. Anyways, we got the fuel and filled everything up then shipped the guys off to Pastor Leon’s house to fix the mosquito screens. I stayed at the compound with the ladies and we started painting the school. I did not get much painting done because I was constantly needed to do something else or solve some sort of problem… but that is what I am here for. I worked with Nadege a lot today on some administration stuff & budgeting.  Finally got a shower this afternoon… since yesterday I was physically unable and the day before I said I would take one on monday – 3 days without a shower :/
Had a great meeting with the team tonight. Did devotion and talked about the trip and Haiti and really dug deep on some topics. Not too much happened today that was crazy or exciting.
Keep in touch and keep reading.
Always with love,
Stephen

We have not had substantial internet now for almost 3 days so I am getting backed up a little, But if I make them short and upload them all at once it will just give you some good catching up on my life.
Once again… Monday… the start of a another beautiful day. I woke up with a slight headache that I thought was from the haitians burning plastic like it was going out of style. I took some meds and contuined on with the day. I ate a TON of food at breakfast – bananas, a mango, cereal, coffee and more. After breakfast we had the two guys on the team look at the generator and solar system. We came up with some ideas and started to run a test (long story short – after we left, someone went and turn the solar power on instead of letting it charge).
Anyways, we headed to Cite Soleil to do some sanding and block work. Our translator was late so that put us standing around doing nothing for a little while. By now my head was beginning to hurt really bad. I drank a lot of water and kept working and I also ate some food to try and help. After that I start to feel nausious. I stopped working and sat in the truck with our driver and took a nap. Around 11:30am we called it quits at Cite Soleil. We walked the team through the street market and the returned to Blanchard for lunch. Now – I am about to die. I get off the truck and I drop everything. I head straight for my bed. I took more meds and crashed. My head hurt so bad I could barely sleep. After about 2 hrs I had a bad fever and my stomach was very upset. I began making my way to the bathroom – holding onto the walls and everything I could just to make it there. After the restroom, I could barely open my eyes. I decided to head towards the hopsital/clinic. Pierre’s wife saw me coming and started having a creole conversation with me (which I could barely talk) so I just kept saying not good, not good. She then helped carry my to the DR where I just crashed on the floor in the corner.
From there, I was so out of it, I dont really know what went on.  Despite the amount of water I consumed and have always consumed, I was incredibly dehydrated and I also had some sort of stomach bug. They hooked me up to an IV and gave me 1 liter of fluids. I left the clinic around 5pm and crawled right back into bed.
The DR’s came by and visited me last night to see how I was doing (and to scope out our new bathrooms). I think they are secretly planning something.

-Stephen

well this seems like two blogs coming out really close but I want to stay on track and not get behind, and I know a lot of you are dying to know what we are up to Today is Sunday.. which means church day!!! or at least one of their church days. The service this morning was great.. led by Pastor Luc. We took a dictionary with us and looked things up occasionally.. but for the most part we were lost. We were much more attentive this week since we had actually had sleep.  After church we had to clean up some more and then go to the airport to get the team. Our tap tap driver was running late, so we were worried that the team was going to think we forgot about them but we got there just in time. We told all the teams to hold up a green peice of paper at the gate and we would find them – and this worked PERFECT! We walked right up and found them and got their stuff on the truck. So for all of you future teams.. remember your green paper!!!
After the airport we came back to the wonderful Blanchard compound and got the new team settled in, gave them the tour, introduced them to Pastor Luc and then took a nap. There is nothing like a good sunday afternoon nap after the nap we all gathered on the roof (my nap was actually on the roof) and relaxed some more and ate dinner on the roof.
This new team that has arrived is very nice and very relaxed. They are really our style (no offence med team). Also, med team, the heat has broken and we have been cold for the past few nights. We just had to come down off of the roof because we were too cold. Sorry… yall came a week too early!!
Tonight while we were on the roof we heard some of the haitian kids singing a song we wrote about haiti. We taught it to them last night during our music session, so it was fun to hear it already catching on.
Today was a great day to reset… to think about the past week… and to look forward and see what an awesome time the next year is going to be.
Time for bed,
Bonswa
Stephen