Well...

We are praying for A LOT rain in the desert!  This week our water table has been too low, so we haven't been able to pump water out of our normal well.  We, thankfully, have a new well, but it hasn't been working.  It became my task to be forceful enough to make sure that the company who installed the pump came out to fix it.  I called on Wednesday.  They came out today.  Three guys pulled up in a big truck and got right to work.  They had done this a million times before.  I took notes.

I stood in the hot sun and watched as they wired the pump started it up and was hopeful that the water would come.  It did.  But only a little bit.  After an hour of watching some water come out of a pipe, we went up the hill to see if the water was working up there.  It wasn't.  The one-horse power pump wasn't able to get the water from 300 feet below the surface to a football field uphill.  Sad day!

We walked back to the well feeling discouraged and came upon a surprise.  The pipe that was under the cement was pumping water through a crack in the cement and had proceeded to flood the area around the well.  There was our water pressure!  Now, to dig up that pipe!  A heavy wrench did the trick for a while, but a pickax decided to show up to finish.  The men found the first gash in the pipe, fixed it and turned the pump back on--more flooding.  Two dime sized holes and a ten foot pipe later, we turned the pump back on to find that, yes, we will have water again.  Not all the way up to the top house, but at least to most of Canaan!  Praise the Lord!

Well...oh well....oh well...makes for a long day in the sun which means a sunburned and tired Cassie.  Praise the Lord for even the struggles we go through....for they will make us stronger!

Character Trait Development

In the program that we are using at the school, we have Biblical Character Traits that we are teaching the students.  With each trait, there is a definition and a memory verse that the students are supposed to memorize throughout the week.  We have looked at being forgiving, respectful, truthful, diligent, and this week we are learning how to be kind.

To help instill this into the students' lives and hearts, I was asked to develop daily devotionals for the teachers to use in their classrooms before the day gets too busy.  It's so important to seek the Lord in the morning.  So, each week I look at a character trait, its definition, and the memory verse and pull Bible characters or passages that would relate to that particular character trait.  It's been a challenge, but I have enjoyed it!  I have found that a lot of the time, I am writing to remind myself that I need to have this character trait in my life.  Praise God for the ways that He continues to work!

Brother Amos is pictured here giving one of the opening devotionals.  He is so great to listen to.  When he really wants to get a point across, he says it in English, then in Creole, then in English again.  He really gets into making sure these kids learn their character traits and are putting them into practice!  It's a great thing!  :)

I am so glad that these blessed children of the King are learning about Him and learning about how to be more like Him and shine His light here!  Pray for them as they keep learning about Him.  Pray for their teachers as they train up this new generation.  Pray for us here as we seek to serve and glorify the Lord!

An Adventure to Remember!

On Friday, I had the opportunity to go on an adventure.  I took public transportation from Montrouis (where I live one hour north of PAP) to Carrefour (which is a "suburb" south of PAP) and that means that I had to take several taptaps.  Don't worry, I wasn't alone!  I had some of our clinic staff from Canaan the whole way!  Here is my unforgettable experience.

After being dropped off in Montrouis, we hopped into a taptap and waited for it to be filled up with people.  A taptap can be a variety of things.  It can be a pickup truck with benches built in and a top over the bed, a bus type thing, or a MACK truck with people standing or sitting in the back.  All of these versions of a taptap are really bright and colorful.  Some of them are more comfortable than others.  This first taptap was what I have named "Always Room for One More".  It didn't matter how many people were in/on this taptap truck, there was always room for one more.  We only drove about 30 minutes in this full taptap and hopped out to catch the next ride.

The next ride was a bus.  We hopped in and I proceeded to take my bag off, but hit a man in the face in the process.  This was a school bus and we sat three to a seat which was interesting.  There was standing room only and we were ready to roll.  At the front of the bus a lady stood up and started talking over everyone.  She held up goods to sell and promoted them.  She actually made a lot of sales on th 45 minute drive.  I called this bus "The Commercial".

We got out of the bus at the bus station and walked a little ways to find a taptap to take to another station.  We found a taptap that let us ride in the cab of the truck!  So nice!  We crept along through traffic and person after person kept coming up to the taptap asking for change.  The driver counted out the change carefully each time as he was rolling along (always keeping one eye on the road somehow).  The person getting the change walked along with the taptap--sometimes ran--to get their correct change.  This will always be remembered as "The Rolling Bank"

I took one more bus to get to Carrefour that day, but the whole adventure was a lot of fun!  I enjoyed the experience and look forward to more taptaps, buses, and adventures!

A Very Busy Week and Fantastic Weekend!

Last week was so busy, dear friends!  Being a principal is HARD WORK.  Besides that, I am just too nice!  Here are a couple of things that happened:

On Monday, kid after kid was brought to me or came to me saying, "Miss Cassie, I am sick."  Some were sent to the clinic, others looked sick enough to be sent home.  Later that day, most of them were running around happy as can be.  I was taken.  The next day, instead of sending people home to rest or even sending them to the clinic, I put a little foam mat on the floor of the office and said that they could rest there.  One student laid on the mat for about 5 minutes and then went back to class.  Another student slept for an hour and went back to class smiling away.  I was not taken again.  

Stress levels get high during detention!  I had between 8 and 15 kids in "detention"/after school homework time every day.  That is intense.  There are kids that have to be there and kids that want to be there.  Who do you help first?  Who do you get set up?  Who has to wait to get your attention?  Why is that kid out of his desk again?  Why has that student only done one problem in an hour?  How do you answer all the kids when you hear "Miss Cassie"  "Miss Cassie"  "Miss Cassie"  "Miss Cassie" coming from so many kids that you love so dearly?  It's so hard to get the kids to settle down.  It's even harder to figure out how long they should be staying.  10-11 hour days can no longer be an option for me or for Amber who has been so kind to help me out.  Praying that this week detention would be less frequently attended and that homework would go quickly for the kids.  

After a long week, a welcome break on Saturday afternoon.  A blessing!  We have some visitors at Canaan who decided to treat us to the afternoon at the beach followed by an amazing dinner.  We even got STEAK! It's been a long time!  I read a book in the sun and went for a swim and didn't think about all the work that had to be done.  I really needed this break, friends.  I was thanking God for the time of rest...even though I had to be talked into going.  

Today, after church, I spent time writing devotionals for the school.  I find that time to be so relaxing, even if it does take a long time.  I get to spend good time in God's Word.  After relaxing (and working--but only a little) and refreshing weekend, I think I am ready to do this again.  As I typed that, I literally took a deep breath.  

Keep praying for me friends!  Pray I would have wisdom to lead, teach, and discipline these children of God. Pray that I would continue to be a light!  And pray that God would continue to lead and guide me as I seek His will in my life!

A New Day--Seeking His Face!

Good Morning Friends!

This morning, again, I ask you to pray for me. I am feeling a little alone and discouraged this morning. Right now, I am spending some time listening to wonderful worship music and praying that my attitude would change. I need to be filled up with the joy of the Lord and with His Spirit to make it through the next couple of weeks. I know He is my Strength, Joy, and Peace.

My time over the weekend was wonderful and I felt the presence of the Lord in a really amazing way. I am in need of seeking that presence again today—we all are! Friends, I encourage you to truly seek the Lord today. (As I am encouraging you, I am also encouraging myself.) He is so good and wants to spend time with us! How amazing!

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the Light of His Glory and Grace.” Amen!

A Colorful Week!

Good Friday Morning Everyone!

It's been a colorful week! This week, we did not have typical school, instead the teachers had training. So, I went to A.C.E. Training and had to learn a variety of different things from policies and procedures to the definition and practice of Wisdom. Some things I liked more than others. In the midst of this, I ended up with a small bout of bronchitis, still had a bum foot from a bad fall a week ago, and am needing to prepare myself for being principal starting on Monday. I am praying that all this ends by then!

A couple of fun things about this week: Amber got to take the training with me! We didn't think we would make it after the first day, but WE MADE IT! Graduation will be today! Yay! Also, we got to make bulletin boards (not the typical ones where you tack your pictures and reminders) for a group project. I may not be the best at art stuff, but I enjoyed cutting out letters and creating a fun bulletin board. This is the almost finished project!

Now, I am ready for graduation and a weekend before I hit the ground running again next week! I know the next few weeks are going to be REALLY BUSY, so please be praying for me that I would completely heal, that I wouldn't forget that I am serving the Lord and have to be filled with His Spirit before I can pour it out, and that God would continue to use me and guide me.

I am still trying to figure out where God is leading me next, so be praying for that still too! I know that He will make the way clear. Like the bulletin board says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart...” The rest of that verse says, “and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV)

Comings and Goings and Prayers

Hello dear friends and family!

There are many things happening at Canaan this week and many things that have already happened.  We are busy with training for the school--so there is no school this week.  Old staff returned from some time home yesterday.  Our principal is leaving us today for three weeks.  She has been such a blessing to me and things will be very different without her here.  Be praying, because as she is away I will be taking on the principal role.  I am overwhelmed just thinking about it, but I know, God will take care of everything and I don't need to worry.  

Friends, pray that I would be ready for this and that God will continue to use me!  Pray that I have enough patience and strength to do everything that needs to be done.  I will keep you posted on how everything is going as often as I can!  

Pointing to Jesus...because He is my strength and my song!