From Cooking to Singing

That was going to be a great day!  I woke up early, excited for what the day was going to bring.  I had my normal cup of very sweet coffee and started out walking with Efraim.  He was bringing me to the church so I could practice singing for the wedding later that day.  We talked about what it means to be a klutz while we were walking.  I explained that I often fell down, so people called me a "klutz" in the states.  He said there was no such thing as a klutz in Haiti.  

We arrived just after 7am and I joined Almando who was teaching English in one of the classrooms.  The Lord's prayer was written on the board as well as definitions of difficult words.  It was a great time of remembering The Lord's Prayer for what it says--really looking at it.  After the lesson was finished and the homework was given, he pulled out his guitar and we practiced.  We sang "How Great is Our God" and tacked on a chorus of "How Great Thou Art" (A La Ou Gran).  We only were able to run it once before heading back home.  He had to go work and I had to learn to cook.  

I peeled vegetables with a knife and cut my thumb often at first-- don't worry there was no blood...I still have a lot to learn.  I washed the beef with oranges and put the terrific spices on with my bare hands.  The bones in the meat were sharp and I had to be careful not to cut myself.  The smell of garlic and onions filled the air and I knew this was going to be a great meal--like all of them are!

After what seemed like forever, the meal was finished.  Jose and Samia explained to me that this meal takes a lot of work--after we had worked all morning to prepare it.  We ate and enjoyed before getting ready for the wedding.  I put on the dressiest dress I had and walked out to the car for the short ride to the church.  If I had known I would be walking back later, I would have grabbed my flip-flops.  

The wedding was beautiful.  Everyone looked beautiful--dressed to the 9's--and the songs the choir and the other soloist sang were perfect.  When the attendants walked down the aisle they stood in front of chairs as did the bride and groom so they wouldn't have to stand the entire time--a very good idea.  It sounded like they wrote their own vows and people were always surrounding them to take pictures through the whole ceremony.  Hardly anyone was sitting down--except the bridal party and the little kids who fell asleep.  There were reactions of laughter and "awwwww" when Lamour kissed his beautiful bride.  It was a happy day!

After the wedding, there was a time for greeting and taking pictures with the couple.  They looked so lovely together.  I walked in my heels on uneven and rocky uphill roads away from the church--my feet still have not forgiven me.  I breathed in the hot air and sighed.  It is good to be among friends who love the Lord dearly in the place He has called me to.  To God be the glory!  Forever and ever!  Amen!