Not Much News

There hasn't been much change since my last post in December. My uncle and I enjoyed the new year celebrations together, visited friends in the south eastern part of Pennsylvania and I put him back on the plane to Texas.

Me in mid January in the guest bedroom I use for an office.

Since early January, I have been busy printing, signing and sending the close to 200 receipts that came in from HAFF donors over Christmas and the new year (thank you, everyone who gave!). I also had a February issue of HAFF Happenings to get to the printer in that time. And I had the HAFF mailing list to update for the mailing. Hopefully you will be seeing that issue in your mailboxes soon. If you don't, and would like to be on the mailing list, let me know. But you can also check the HAFF blog in the next week or so, as I plan to post the articles from the HAFF Happenings there as well.

I have also been working with the HAFF board member who is developing a new website for HAFF. He is making the site work and I will be adding the content. Thankfully, April Lambiotte, the new HAFF intern in Haiti, has been helping me copy content from the old website so I can edit and update it as necessary to prepare it for the new site.

I am still knitting -- I have completed a pair of socks for my uncle for Christmas, several more scarves and 4 pair of mittens.

I am still struggling with somewhat low energy, slow mental processes and the ability to keep up with the work for HAFF and life in general. Please keep praying for my full recovery and return to Haiti.

Changing Role and a White Christmas

Since my last post, I haven't had a lot to post about! I have not been getting any more blood tests since my last one in early April, which was still close enough to normal that the doctor released me to normal diet and activity. Since then, I have had a steady, but very slow time of improving in energy and concentration.

Thanks to Carla Wilson for this photo

At the end of March, Greg and Barb Van Schoyck retired from HAFF after 17 years of service. Their role as Co-Executive Directors has been partially filled by the Executive Team in Haiti. But their place as Stateside Administrators still needed to be filled. Teresa Nesman and I have taken on some of the tasks Greg and Barb were doing.

I have really struggled to keep up with the increased work of being Stateside Co-Administrator. Writing the HAFF newsletter with Teresa, maintaining the HAFF mailing list, communicating with people wanting information about HAFF and about donations has about taxed my store of critical and analytical thinking, usually with some tasks going undone for far too long. This blog and the HAFF blog are some of those tasks.  I will continue with this role, even when I am able to go back to Haiti.

I still hope to return to Haiti when I am better able to keep up with the work. If I can't keep up in the US with relatively few interruptions and distractions, there is no way to keep up in Haiti where interruptions and distractions are the rule of the day! As my energy and concentration continue to increase, the day of my return grows closer.

 In the times I have not been able to concentrate on work for HAFF, I have still been able to knit. The ladies still come on Wednesdays and for the fall, we switched to knitting scarves. We found lots of fun novelty yarns and patterns we shared and tried. Some of the scarves were sent to Native Americans in the Southwest US. Others were gifts for family and friends. We will now be shifting back to mittens! I will be sharing some of the patterns with Haitian ladies when I return to Haiti.

 I am always dreaming of a white Christmas! And always wishing for the snowy winters of my youth. Well, this year, if you count all 12 days of Christmas, I got my white Christmas. And it looks like State College will have the snowiest winter in years.


Counter clockwise from top left -- Uncle Richard and me with our Christmas tree; Our white Third Day of Christmas; More Snow on the Fifth Day of Christmas; What is on the ground now.

 My Uncle was able to come for almost 3 weeks this year. So we were able to celebrate our family traditions and a add a few more. As the New Year approaches, please pray with me for my return to Haiti and for the Prince of Peace to come in power to the hearts of people in Haiti and the US and around the world.

Good News!

In the midst of Pennsylvania's early, accelerated Spring, I just got some long awaited news today. My blood work is close enough to normal now that the doctor doesn't think he needs to monitor me anymore! I can slowly work my way back to normal activity and a normal diet now! Thanks be to God and to everyone who has kept me in prayer this past 8 months. Please continue to pray that my energy and concentration will return quickly, allowing me to return to Haiti.

In the meantime, I have been keeping busy singing in the choir and keeping up with HAFF business and activities via email and phone. I have also, when my concentration is not up to email and financial reports, been knitting mittens and sweaters and am on my second pair of socks! These are skills and patterns I plan to take back to Haiti with me and teach some of the ladies there. And it has allowed me to feel like I am doing something useful to others while I recover.

Thank you to those of you who prayed that I would be able to go to my Aunt's funeral. The weather held off and a friend graciously went with me to do the lion's share of the drivine. It was a wonderful service and time of remembrance with family.

Thanks to airports close to home and to the site in Alabama, I was also able to go to Zach Van Schoyck's wedding to Kayla Massey February 24th. It was a lovely wedding and such a joy to be with Zach and Greg and Barb and Gabi on Zach's wedding day. I am now looking forward to having more energy for Gabi's wedding in a few weeks in Georgia!



As I look forward to Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday, I am awed anew that the God of all creation should accept death at the hand of that creation so that He might bring that creation into reconciliation with Himself. As Isaiah 59:16 says, "his own arm worked salvation". May God bring you the joy of His salvation this Easter and always.

Christmas and Winter in Pennsylvania

Christmas has come and gone. I remained on my recovery plateau through the holidays. Lots of naps and good sleep at night got me through the slower paced, but still busy Christmas and New Year.

Uncle Richard arrived as planned and the next day we found and cut his choice of tree – a Southwest White Pine. It looked and smelled like what he remembered from his childhood, so that is what we got! Normally we would get it decorated the same day, but this year it took us several days to finish the job.

I was happy to find that I had the energy to bake one batch of oatmeal raisin cookies, a pumpkin pie and Grandma Conner's coffee rolls, also known as Christmas buns! Christmas morning isn't quite the same without Grandma's Christmas buns and coffee while opening presents.

A special treat for both Uncle Richard and me was a trip an hour south of State College to Orbisonia, PA to ride the East Broad Top narrow gauge steam Railroad. It was the farthest I had been from State College since I had arrived in July. It was also my first trip on the EBT and Uncle Richard's second trip. We were prepared to freeze in unheated, historic rail cars. But we were pleasantly surprised to find our car actually overheated with an original coal burning stove!

Uncle Richard was happy and I was sad that there was no snow while he was here. I was pleased to see a nice snowfall after the new year, even though it didn't stick around very long. The grass is still mostly green and bulbs are already starting to send up shoots as of this past week! And yesterday's 2.38 wet inches of snow are rapidly melting now.

HAFF has not been forgotten during all this activity. I finally got off my recovery plateau in mid January when my numbers all finally fell below November numbers. This allowed some improved energy and concentration and I was able to produce a list of 33 people to send to see the Des Moines, Iowa Eye Team in Pignon. For a number of years this team has graciously allowed us to recommend people who need cataract surgery and other treatment and exams which are beyond what we can do at HAFF. Even though I have not been back to HAFF since the end of June, I had a running list of people who needed to see the team which Becky retrieved for me and scanned and emailed to me. I typed up the list of the names and problems of the 33 people, and when the team indicated that they could see all 33, I wrote letters informing each person that they could see the team. Emailing the letters to the Wilsons in Haiti allowed them to print them out and distribute them for me. Thank the Lord for modern technology and for staff covering for me! The eye team arrived in Pignon last week and is leaving today. Now I just need to muster the energy and concentration to get to work on the financial report for the Haitian government!

One of the joys of being “stuck” in Pennsylvania all this time has been being involved in various Bible Studies and women's Circles at the church I was raised in here in town. I still have one friend from junior high school at church and many friends of our family friend Marie. Marie's friends have adopted me and included me in their activities. One of their service projects is providing vests and mittens for a local preschool for low income families. For three weeks one of the Marie's friends held a mitten knitting class (try saying that 3 times fast!) which I have attended. I am now working on my 4th pair of mittens! One of the other ladies, Kim, who came to learn to make mittens, knits socks and she came to my house yesterday to start to teach me how to knit socks! I have about 3 ½ inches of the cuff of my first sock completed so far! The collage at the left shows my first pair of mittens (for a 2 year old) and the start of my first pair of socks (for me). If the ladies in Haiti want to learn either project, I will be able to teach it when I go back, whenever that will be!

Last Friday my mother's sister, my Aunt Pat died peacefully, surrounded by family and friends reading Scripture and singing hymns. The memorial service is this Saturday about 2 hours east of State College at her home church. Kim, my sock knitting friend has graciously offered to go with me to the service. I don't trust my concentration for the two hour drive alone and I know I don't have the energy to drive there and back in the same day. I am hoping that the forecast snow for that day will not keep us from going. This is the only time I can remember wishing for no snow accumulation!

Advent in Pennsylvania

Advent is upon us with all the activities and stresses and anticipation and joy and sorrow. And I am still in Pennsylvania, enjoying being able to prepare for Christmas over the course of weeks rather than days!

I had another blood test Friday and got the results Monday. I have really plateaued close to normal with my blood work. Some numbers are down, some are up (for the first time), but none of them are substantially different than two weeks ago.

I jokingly asked the nurse who gave me the results, "and there is still nothing I can do to speed this up?" She said no, but then added that I was very fortunate and that I was doing very well. That was an encouragement, rather than just looking at the raw numbers and not seeing much progress for the last 4 to 6 weeks. I get another test Dec 16th.

I have been realizing that I am certainly better than I was in September. When I was preparing with the choir at church to sing the Rutter Requiem for September 11th, I was worried I wouldn't be able to stand up for the whole piece. Now, we are preparing the Rutter Gloria for Dec 18th and I am mostly concerned that I will be able to hit the high notes without screeching! And that I will be able to get my naps in during the weeks leading up to Christmas! So, that is progress. But I still need lots of sleep at night and I still really need my naps in the afternoon.

I am slowly getting the house decorated for Christmas -- witness the above photo of my Christmas touch by the computer. When my uncle arrives the 14th, we'll get a tree and put that up. And what a blessing to not only have the opportunity to attend the local Advent activities, but to participate with the choir in giving Glory to God for His indescribable gift of His Son given for our salvation.

The Haitian church is preparing for Christmas as well -- if I were there, I would be regularly hearing the various church choirs and small groups rehearsing Christmas music. The congregations have been singing Christmas hymns since at least Thanksgiving time, if not before! And the season will culminate in a Christmas day service with song and skits. New Years is the time for gift giving, special food (pumpkin soup!) and visiting as the community celebrates the start of the new year and the remembrance of their nation's declaration of independence from France. Keep Haiti in your prayers as prices go up drastically this time of year and many are still living in "temporary" housing almost 2 years after the earthquake. Pray also that the Christmas message of a Child being born to bring "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests" would take residence in the hearts and minds of those who do not yet worship our Savior, Christ the Lord.

Autumn in Pennsylvania

This is first time in many years that I have had the opportunity to enjoy the Fall season in the northeast! While the reason for my being in Pennsylvania does not make me happy, I have enjoyed the cool temperatures and changing leaves. And I have not missed the heat and humidity in Haiti! I have missed the people and the excitement of the start of a new school year and new season of visiting teams.

October 20th, I took advantage of a bright, sunny day and balmy temperatures to drive around State College a bit to see and photograph the Autumn colors. It was a glorious day and the sights and smells and sounds were balm to the soul. The photo is of the State College area taken that day from a mountain a short distance south of town.

Nine days later State College got snow! This is not the most flattering photo of myself I have ever posted, but it was taken October 29th after I walked around the corner to the neighbor's house during the snow fall. Even though the "snow" was more like slush, it was a taste of winter. And if you know me at all, you know I love winter and snow!


The next day after church, the snow was still persisting, though I had expected it to be gone. It lasted an amazingly long time. Then we were back to regular Fall weather. So, other than Penn State's winning season (so far), that has been the most excitement I've had in my life lately!

I have been getting blood tests every two weeks to monitor how my liver is recovering from the Hepatitis A that put me in the hospital back in July. The results have been good, in that the tests are closer to normal each time. But it is taking longer than I had hoped to fully recover. I just had another blood test this past Friday and though I made a little progress (very little), I still am not fully back to normal liver function. It is also taking longer than I had hoped to get my strength, energy and concentration back. I am better than a month ago, but still get tired too quickly and have very limited concentration.

I had hoped to get back to Haiti before Christmas, but now it looks like that will have to wait till after the new year. Thanks everyone who has been praying for me. Please keep my Haitian and American colleagues in prayer as well. Greg Van Schoyck is the only American staff member in Haiti right now -- his wife Barb is still in the US for a variety of reasons and the Wilsons are on Home Missionary Assignment.

Still in Pennsylvania

I am still in State College, two months into my recovery from Hepatitis A. My liver enzymes are still high and there is still no way to know when they will be back to normal. With the liver enzymes still high, my energy level is still low -- I do one load of laundry (up and down the basement stairs 3 to 4 times) and I am exhausted. Dr Bell, the infectious diseases doctor, said I could go back to Haiti as soon as I felt strong enough. Which I don't. So, I am making the best of things, enjoying the cooler weather and the flowers (see the photo) from my bushes that were planted in the Spring. I was originally scheduled to go back to Haiti 11 days ago. I have been staying in touch with HAFF in Haiti via email and phone and Skype calls all summer. I send down the weather report most mornings and I have a stack of applications from former students for HAFF's post-secondary scholarships to peruse. So, even though I can't do much, I am doing as much as I can, even from a distance. Thank the Lord for modern technology! And thank you all for your prayers for me and for HAFF.

Update

Wednesday I heard from my doctor about the blood tests I had done the week before. She said my liver enzyme levels were much improved in the 2 weeks since I left the hospital (I am now 3 weeks and 4 days out of the hospital). She said my tests in the hospital were truly impressive! The normal bilirubin count should be below 1. Before I left the hospital (the count went up while I was in the hospital) it was 8.8! Now it is down to 2.4 (I think) so I still have a ways to go. My other numbers have fallen considerably since I left the hospital, but again, have a ways to go. One of the numbers has kind of plateaued.

She said my energy will probably not improve much until the liver numbers are back to normal. And she said that there is no way to tell how soon that will be -- she said that Hepatitis A should be considered more like Mono and it could be another couple months before I was back to normal. She was talking about me still being here in State College in October or November. She also thought it was ok to ignore my gallstones as long as they are not bothering me. I also now have some numbers to go by to monitor my low fat diet, which I need to stay on till the liver numbers are better. That would be harder to monitor in Haiti!!!!! She said there was not anything I could do to speed up the recovery time -- just avoid fat and other things that adversely effect the liver like Tylenol and alcohol. She also said that even once the liver numbers are normal, it might take a while to get the yellow stain out of my skin -- and that the 2.4 bilirubin number is accounting for the continued yellow around my eyes (see the photo).

Dr Cherry also recommended I see a new doctor in their group -- he is in infectious diseases as well as internal medicine. She thought he would be better able to guide me through my recovery and maybe have better answers to my questions. He would also be able to let me know when and if I should get more blood work. I have an appointment with him August 30th. So that is where things stand at the moment.

Thanks for your prayers and encouraging communications.

Belated Update

It has been altogether too long since I have posted anything -- and that kind of makes it hard to post now! There is so much to condense.

Back in Haiti in May and June, the rains finally came, but they were too little too late. Please pray for the people to find a way to sustain themselves since there will not be much of a harvest this year. Most of my time in May and June was spent working with my Haitian and American colleagues to establish a mixed Haitian and American Executive Team (ET) to manage all the ministries at HAFF. I was able to attend 2 meetings of the ET before I returned to the US at the end of June. The rest of the ET continues to work well together as they meet at least twice a week on Monday and Friday afternoons. Please pray for us all that the Lord would bless us with oneness of heart and mind and mutual encouragement and support as He gives us the wisdom we need to grapple with the weighty issues of keeping HAFF focused on providing Christ centered education to the people of the Central Plateau.

In June, I once again had the fun of taking Amtrak's Auto Train from Sanford, FL to Lorton, VA. The savings in time (cuts 17 hours off the drive to PA from FL), wear and tear on my 18 year old car, my personal energy and the ability to work on things while still traveling make the cost of the trip well worth while.


Once back in Central Pennsylvania, I was just in time to go on a guided tour of Millbrook Marsh, a local wetlands. It is a special small gem preserved in the midst of the outskirts of State College. It was a wonderful afternoon of walking through 3 different types of wetlands, seeing northern wild flowers in bloom and enjoying the songs and flights of many kinds of birds.

Each July since 1967 my family has enjoyed the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts here in State College. This year was no exception. My cousin came from Orangeville the first day of the festival and we walked the sidewalk sale, checked out the beginning of the sand sculpture and had lunch together. That was my last day feeling fairly well. That Sunday I started to feel feverish and by Monday morning I had a fever of 102. The doctor thought it was malaria, so I started on chloroquine. By Wednesday I was yellow, so the doctor suggested I go to the ER. I was admitted and given about every test known to man. Finally about Friday, it was determined that I had Hepatitis A! Most likely I picked it up in Haiti. There is nothing to be done except ride it out. I was home from the hospital Monday July 25th.

I am feeling much better now, though I still tire very quickly and have a slight yellow tinge that comes and goes! I go back to the doctor Monday for blood tests to see how my liver is recovering. I hope to get some sort of recovery prognosis then. I have heard and read that Hep A can take from 6 weeks to 6 months for recovery! I am hoping for the shorter time period. So, until I have a better idea of when I'll be back to full strength, I don't know when I'll be able to get back to Haiti. Please pray for my fast and complete recovery. Also, please pray for the rest of the ET as they continue to work without me. Thank the Lord for email, cell phones and Skype (computer based phone service) that permits me to keep up on what the ET is doing and allows met to offer my two cents and vote on issues. Thank the Lord too for the wonderful neighbors and friends here in State College who have rallied around to take care of me while I've been sick. I have been in excellent hands. And thanks to all of you for your prayers and gifts and support.