finally! Tastey Haitian White Rice

This week Arold made some yummy white rice, bean sauce, and chicken in sauce. It was delicious! The thing is that he always makes way more bean sauce than rice, so we have to make more rice or it goes bad. This week was no different. Last night I was looking for something Arold could pack in his lunch, and all I could find was bean sauce--which is not so appetizing on it's own. So I started a pot of rice, but the peanut gallery was not very supportive. I have been making "Haitian" rice for a few years now, but no matter how closely I follow the directions my husband gives me it is too sticky/wet or it doesn't taste right (code for it doesn't have enough salt). I don't think he was very optimistic about his lunch for today.

I carefully measured the water and rice. I made sure to add more salt than I thought was necessary. When it was time to put a little oil in the boiling water, I decided to use coconut oil instead of canola oil because I thought it would be healthier and maybe taste a little better. Probably most importantly, I was very careful about my lid placement while the rice was boiling. (Arold always leaves it a little bit cracked, letting some air out, as it simmers.) When my rice was finished I tasted it and was pretty proud of myself. I had made some pretty tasty white rice. Arold was still skeptical and didn't taste it before going to bed.

Well, all my hard word paid off! This morning Arold pronounced my rice was better than his. Finally, I have mastered making Haitian white rice!!!!

So here's my estimated recipe for Tastey Haitian White Rice

1. Start boiling a little less than 3 cups of water
2. Add some salt, then add a little more than you think is necessary
3. Add 2-3 teaspoons of coconut oil (maybe more)
   Optional: a handful of finely chopped leeks OR two dashes of onion powder, some garlic powder
4. When the water is boiling, add about 1 and 3/4 cups rice--stir so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan
5. Bring the water back to boiling uncovered
6. Once it's boiling again, stir to be sure the rice is not sticking to the bottom. Then turn down the heat to a fast simmer and cover the pot (for not so sticky rice, leave the lid slightly cracked
7. Make sure the pot doesn't boil over or dry out (adjust lid to avoid both problems)
8. I occasionally stir/fluff the rice while it's cooking, but I know others avoid that.
9. When the rice is the desired tenderness, remove the lid to cook out all extra water.
10. Enjoy with some bean sauce or other delicious dish/sauce.

alive, but laying low

Hi friends. It's been a while, huh?

Just wanted to let you know that we made it to Indiana safely. We are adjusting and getting settled at my parents' house. I'm having fun introducing American life to Arold. For example, we stopped at McDonald's yesterday and he ate his first Big Mac. As we left he said, "Now I know where it is and I can come by myself." I guess he has plans to eat more Big Macs.

I find myself in this strange place of wanting to show my husband everything on the list of stuff he needs to see/experience and knowing that I don't need to overwhelm him because we have plenty of time for him to experience American life.

Every day is a new adventure, and at the same time it feels like we are in a holding pattern. I have been hired by Goshen Community Schools (thank you Lord!), but I don't start until August. Arold is still applying to jobs, so any routine we have right now is only temporary. And then there's this funny feeling of our days having no purpose. We wake, we eat, we play with Isaac, we sleep, and then we start all over again. It's a strange thing to go from very full and purposeful days to this time of waiting.

Please keep praying for us as we transition to life in the U.S. So far we seem to be doing pretty well, but it's a process and it will take time. Pray that Arold will be hired for a job that he will enjoy. And pray that God will give some purpose to our days.

Fun Saturday afternoon!

Yesterday we took a couple of my crochet students and Ashley (who's helping out at Rivers of Hope orphanage this month) to Apparent Project. We also made a few other surprise stops, Epi-d'or and Place Boyer park. It was an awesome day. Isaac did a great job riding in the car and shopping. He even got to eat a piece of my crepe at Epi-d'or and drink some water from the bottle and a straw (probably the highlight of his day). I thoroughly enjoyed this special day with some of my very favorite students. Another gift from God, for sure!

ready for a day in the hot city

Rosias and Monley adore Isaac, and the feelings are mutual.

my hubby and a view of the beautiful park

this nice guard/police man let us take a picture with him at the park.

The park we visited was Place Boyer in Petion-Ville. It was just re-opened last week after months and months of work. It was a tent city when I arrived in Sept 2010. The tents were gone by the end of 2011, but the park looked rather blah. Last summer when I was pregnant with Isaac, they put tin all around the park while they were working on it. Everytime we went shopping at the "Haitian Wal-mart" I asked Arold what he thought they were doing in there. (He loves it when I ask him to speculate so much that he's stopped responding to these questions at this point in our marriage. If you hear me talking to myself, it's his fault.) The park was finally reopened this month, and it is AWESOME! I know some people will criticize the government for spending money on a park when there are people still living in tents, but I think having a safe and beautiful place for people to just hang out does a lot for boosting the morale.

Sunday Drive

Last Sunday wasn't Mother's Day in Haiti, but it was a great day anyway. We went on a drive in the late afternoon. We went to the look out point, Boutillier, for some acra (pictured below). We were pleasantly surprised to find live music and lots of canvas gazebos and umbrellas set up to protect diners from the setting sun. It was really nice to sit and enjoy the beautiful view of Port au Prince, the wonderful weather, and the live music. Arold even recognized an actor from a Haitian movie among the other diners!

After the lookout point, we ended up turning into Thomassin 25 and driving on a newly paved road that leads up into Fermathe. Arold took me on this road once a few months ago, so I knew that we would come out around Fermathe 45 area. Once we got up on the mountain a little more we could see the look out point (all those towers toward the right on that mountain ridge below) where we had just been. I love living in the mountains! 

We ended up taking a turn to see where the paved road would take us. We started going back down the mountain and realized that we would end up in Petion-Ville if we kept going. I thought it was a great day for an adventure, so we kept going. At a certain point the paved road just stopped. We were going to turn around, but another car went on the unpaved part so we followed. We ended up driving down through Montagne Noir and into Petion-Ville. When we got to Place St. Pierre there were tons and tons of people in the park that used to be a tent city. It was so nice to see people using the park after month and months of it being closed due to renovations.  Below you can see the difference in the road. The unpaved part was really bumpy.

Change is hard

I wanted to keep things lighthearted on my blog for our last few weeks with MTM, sharing pictures and fun stories from students, but my heart is heavy today and I just can't do it. Change has never been easy for me. As an adult it's a little easier because I've seen how God has walked with me through big changes in the past, but I still don't like it.

Yesterday was the 4 week mark. We have four short weeks to say goodbye to the people we love and pack up our lives here. I don't know which of those things I like less--the packing or saying goodbye. We want to finish well, but I think both of us would like to ignore the suitcases that taunt us from their place in the corner and pretend our lives are not about to turn upside down.

Please pray for us over the next few weeks. Pray that we'll say proper goodbyes and find closure as we prepare to leave our home and Arold's family. Pray that Arold and I will draw closer during this time, that God would strengthen our marriage as we face this challenging and stressful transition. We are confident God is moving us to the States, but that does not exempt us from the culture shock that is sure to rock our little family. Pray also that God would provide jobs for both of us.

Tout Bagay Anfom

Arold's visa interview was on Valentine's Day. We got to the Embassy quite early, but there was still a really, really large group of people waiting to get in before 7am. Seriously, it was twice the number of people we've ever seen at the Embassy before! I was a little nervous about getting in there in a decent amount of time, but having a baby is like a free pass to the front of the line in Haiti. We didn't have to wait in line and were some of the first people inside. Awesome!

The interview was scheduled for 7am, but we knew from experience that we would initially only be called to the window to give them our papers and then have to wait a while for the actual interview. I thought we would have to go into the little room for our interview, but when the time came we just stepped up to the window. Our interviewer was really nice. She asked some very basic questions (where did you meet, do you have kids, what kind of a job does your wife have, where did you get married). They were so easy we thought it was a trick! Then she said,

"Tout bagay anfom. Congratulations! 

Your visa will be ready in about a week."

We are so happy that the next time we travel it will be as a family. Praise the Lord! Thank you, Jesus!

*the title "Tout Bagay Anfom" is a Creole saying that means "It's all good."

The Sorta Update

So much to say and so little time to write! I hope this weekend to get caught up on some posts I want to write, but I make no guarantees. Here's the quick version to tide you over until more pictures and stories can be shared.

• We went to Fonds Parisien on Tuesday to visit some friends who work out there. The town is on a big lake that sits on the DR border. It was dry and dusty out there, and definitely warmer than the mountain. But it was really fun to explore a new part of Haiti with my husband (and one of his brothers too). 
• Yesterday was Ash Wednesday, which means lots of Haitians were celebrating Kanaval (translated Carnival, means extended Mardi Gras celebration) over the weekend and Monday and Tuesday. It was pretty quiet in our neighborhood, so that was nice. It was also really nice to have three days off of work! (Mon-Wed were all national holidays)
• Arold's final visa interview was today, so we woke up at 4:30 to head to the US Embassy. It was the busiest I had ever seen the embassy, but we were one of the first interviews (scheduled for 7am, actual interview around 8am). The interview was so easy we thought it was a trick, but he was approved after a very short conversation with the nicest lady we've talked to yet. We were in our car by 8:30 and on our way to celebrate. His visa will be ready in about a week. PRAISE THE LORD!!!
• After the Embassy I made my husband take me to Handal Maison, the Haitian Wal-mart. It wasn't open yet, so we stopped for some juice at a nice cafe. Then we went shopping (only bought teething gel, so disappointing).
• After that we took a tour of the Historic Sugar Cane Park. It was pretty cool and will hopefully have it's own post some day soon. Isaac was impressed, and Mom and Dad learned a lot about Haiti's history.

my favorite men

I love these two more than I can say.

3 years

It's been three years since Haiti was rocked by an earthquake.

My husband was at his electrician's school far down in the city when the earthquake hit, and walked home through the chaos. It took him 3 or 4 hours. He sometimes talks about what it was like that day, but mostly he holds me tight and says he never, ever wants to experience an earthquake again.

santa's helpers

I just couldn't resist. 

Christmas & Coffee

Christmas:

The plan was that all three of us would go to the States for three weeks during the holidays this year. However, the delays with Arold's visa mean that he's stuck in Haiti for at least another month. After much deliberation and tears (on my part), we've decided that Isaac and I will spend Christmas in Indiana without Arold. I'm really, really bummed about that part. I was looking forward to having my husband experience Christmas with my family. Christmas really isn't a big deal here (to my horror). Since his family doesn't have any traditions for this season, he just doesn't get my Christmas cheer.

So, I'm beyond excited that Isaac gets to meet his grandma and grandpa, Uncle Jason, and my entire extended family. But I'm also really bummed that we won't be spending our first Christmas as a family together. And I won't be in Haiti for our anniversary either because it's extra expensive to travel between Dec. 20th and Dec. 31st. But my husband assures me we will have lots of time to celebrate before school starts on Jan. 7th.

Coffee:
I'm bringing Haitian coffee with me. You can purchase a 10oz bag of delicious Haitian coffee for just $6. Pick up in Mishawaka and Goshen on Sunday Dec. 23rd. Or I can mail it to you on Dec. 20th, but I don't know what shipping will cost right now. Cash, check or PayPal. Leave a comment telling me how many bags you want, or e-mail me britneyLsmith (at) gmail (dot) com.

Male Bonding

Isaac recently enjoyed watching a soccer game with his dad.

Actually, he just really likes "watching" TV on his dad's phone. The screen flashes and it makes cool noises. What could be better than that?

Yippeeeeeee!!!!!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow! We are definitely celebrating in the Charles house today.

We finally heard from the Embassy regarding the first round of paperwork we dropped of on October 15th. Our petition to file for a visa was approved, and we can begin working on the actual visa application. (It's a long and complicated process. I totally get why people go the States without the proper paperwork!)

We are incredibly thankful for God's faithfulness to our family. Now we are trusting that we can complete the paperwork and return it to the Embassy as soon as possible. I would say as soon as humanly possible, but the truth is if we want to be in the States for Christmas (and we do!) it will take a miracle. We would need to have approval for Arold's visa and the paperwork in hand exactly one month from today to be home for Christmas. That, my friends, will take a miracle.

But God has brought us this far, we are trusting that he will continue to give us favor in this visa process. Please pray with us that we'll be able to get the visa in time to travel for Christmas.

Computer Classes

A big part of our ministry in Gramothe is the after school computer program. Last year I taught three classes that included about 45 students. This year Arold is the primary teacher (I'll help when I go back to teaching in
January), and he has 80 students split up into 5 different groups. He also created a curriculum and book for the students with the basics in it. We are excited to be able to expose so many students to the computer and hope they'll be able to use these skills to get jobs after graduation.

singing in the rain

Well, I don't know that they were singing as they walked down the mountain during Hurricane Sandy's rains, but its fun to imagine, right?

 I found these pictures that my hubby took last week. I'm really glad I wasn't with them!

little friends

These are some of Arold's littlest friends at school. He visits them on their playground several times a week. Aren't they cute?

Family Picture

Thanks Deb for the picture!

snuggles

Isaac and  Daddy like to snuggle at night before bed.

Wednesday Chapels

the principal addresses the students at the first chapel of the '12-'13 school year

Every Wednesday the elementary school students in Gramothe start the day with chapel. Arold and Judner, the 6th grade teacher, alternate leading chapel. Typically a few students from a class are chosen to help lead the singing time while Arold plays the piano and Judner plays the drums. After that each class recites their memory verse for the week, and then there is a short devotion from Arold or Judner.It's a great time of age appropriate worship and Bible teaching for our younger students.

Life Update

There are a lot of things I would like to write about, but the combination of time, energy and fingers that feel okay to type is rare these days. Here's a quick look at our life lately.

• We made the trip to the US Embassy this week--twice. Wednesday we submitted Isaac's paperwork to be recognized as a US citizen, and Thursday we had our "interview" for that paperwork to be approved. The interview was basically me swearing that everything in the paperwork was true and that I am married to Arold. The consular officer was very  nice.
• While at the Embassy on Thursday, we submitted the first round of paperwork for Arold's visa. It has been very frustrating to try to connect with a person at the Consulate about that, so I am extremely grateful the Consular officer was able to direct us to someone helpful on Thursday. We ended up staying at the Embassy for about 3 hours on Thursday morning, but felt it was worth it since we got the ball rolling with the visa. We have an appointment with an immigration officer on Monday afternoon to hopefully start the next round of paperwork for the visa.
• Arold started a youth choir in Gramothe. He's at repetition (practice) as I type this. The youth are really excited about having a choir, and nearly all 32 members of the youth group were present at the first practice. I think the plan is that they will sing in church once a month. I can't wait to hear them when I go back to church.
• Speaking of church, I haven't been to Gramothe since Sept. 16th for church. And I don't remember when I was there before that. I really miss seeing my friends in the village and being in church, but the ride down to the riverbed and across it are not really an option for me right now. I still have to be careful about how and where I sit, so going to Gramothe is going to have to wait until I'm all the way healed.
• I miss being at school with my students, but I love snuggling with my baby anytime I want.
• Did I tell you that Arold also started a Sunday school class for the worship team? I kind of volunteered him for it, and he wasn't exactly thrilled about that. BUT in my defense, we had talked about how the musicians needed some solid Bible time in their lives and that having a Sunday school class for them would be ideal. In addition to the Sunday morning class, Arold is also planning to have Wednesday afternoon practice with them to work on their musical skills. They are all self taught for the most part and could use a little more practice/instruction. I'm hopeful that the sound will be much improved when I go back to church. 
• School seems to be going well so far this year. There were 450+ students in school last week, which is impressive when I think back to my first year here. In the fall of 2010 there were only a handful of kids who came to school the first week and we weren't up to 400 until about a month into the school year. I'm glad to see this cultural shift. Education is important!