Haitian Baroque

Can anyone say 'cheese'? Merry Christmas from Port-au-Prince! Wishing you all a warm, happy holiday where anything is possible - especially photos like this one. Peace on earth and goodwill towards man(kind). Thank you Jesus.

Election Results

Last night the election results were released. It was quiet here at our base just outside Port Au Prince. But inside the city it was different. Demonstrations abound. Today we are on lock down at our base because of the demonstrations. The cholera centers are the only projects we are running today. Much of our Haitian staff were unable to make it to work because the public transport workers are not working due to the protesting. The Haitian staff that did come into work today are glued to the radio.

We have some close friends here in Haiti (Ben and Alexis Depp) who have been following the elections and helped document and monitor the elections. They by far have the most info on the story behind the elections here in Haiti. Check out their post written by a journalist friend of theirs on the elections, it is unreal but true. Prayers needed. The link, (Click Here) On the Goat Path

Lavi byen viv (Life well lived)

This past month has been overwhelming. Death is never easy to process. Cholera death and my grandfather's death. There are many doorways of death... undignified death on wooden beds soaked in diarrhea in Haiti or sterile death on comfortable, movable hospital beds in North Carolina. Death is scary because we fear that we have not lived life on earth well. Every person dies, but not every person lives. My grandfather lived life well.

Robert Denver Miller, my grandfather, is one of my heroes. He is a pillar of our family. He left this earth on November 20th, a day after his 89th birthday. My husband and I were able this past month to return home from Haiti to honor the life of my grandfather. I have only good memories of my grandfather. I love this photograph with my grandfather because he and I were playing on the computer together, which happens to be one of his favorite hobbies. He was gentile, intelligent and good at everything he touched. The fruits of his life are apparent: from raising a family,testing mustard gasses during WWII, lover of nature, building parts of the Blue Ridge Parkway, to being a volunteer firefighter. His legacy lives deep in my family. He served others with his skills. In fact, I feel that he has inspired me and others in my family to be doing the very things we are doing currently. A life well lived on earth and now in heaven. Granddad, thank you for teaching me how to live, you are loved.