Week Three Beginnings..

Week three is slooooow. We’re just organizing a messy, disorganized, stuffed to the max clinic.
I’ve been sick, so quiet is probably a good thing! But I’ve had time to go down to the beach, play with Mattias, get to know Sarah better, and meet and hang out with Bethany… even watch a movie! So it is nice -I do like being busy though!-

Bob’s son is flying in tomorrow and it’s his first time to the Dominican Republic, so Dr. Bob is going to be taking him around and showing him the different ministries and doing the whole historical tour in the capital.

I have a new roommate. She’s actually going to be a full-time SCORE missionary, and is looking for an apartment, but right now is living with me Her name is Bethany and she was an intern either last year or the year before. She first did the GAP program in Costa Rica so she knows Spanish. I’m not sure how old she is; I’m pretty sure she’s around my age though. She’s from Buffalo, New York. She’s a really sweet girl. Mom reminded me of my past roommates and how dear they are to me!!

One of the Haiti teams got kicked out of where they were so they had to find a new place. Tim said that where they are right now they’re having to pay like $750/day just to work there! Craziness… Next week the logistics and stuff will have to be worked out before they go again. Bob’s not sure where they’re going to go yet. Pray for wisdom for them. Pray for the health of the team out there… one guy had to fly home because of having a seizure – they brought him back to SCORE that day and Bob wanted me to help him assess him. We think he’s going to be okay, but he (the guy) was pretty upset.

Rachel’s leading out two teams in Port-au-Prince. They’re passing out food, water, etc. Pray that the Lord keeps that team SaFe!! And pray for Rachel. She’s been here a week longer than I and has been in Haiti every week… going going going going. She was sick as well before she left again. I pray she’s better now!!

Jesse’s here; he’s on the medical team in Haiti right now – the ones that had to find a new place. He’s going to be staying for two weeks, so I’ll get to see him Thursday when he gets back. Been thinking a lot about their team – since it was small to begin with and then the two guys left… and all the crazy stuff happening. He says he’s having a great time out there though – “fun and rewarding” were his words

I’ve been getting to know Sarah Liborio a lot more in the past few days. As you know, Mattias is my buddy But his mom’s testimony of losing her husband, being called to missions, and actually being HERE! is amazing and so encouraging to me! I love her. Can’t wait to spend more time with her! Pray for her as her anniversary is Valentine’s Day (Sunday).

I must get back to work. Love to you all!!
~elizabeth

PS) Ellie, it was great to chat with you, girl

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A Haitian Praying for His Country

This was “Caleb Noir” (as we dubbed him) posing for Caleb the American (“Caleb Blanc”). The Haitian told Caleb that this was him looking up and praying for help because his country is dead and needs to be reborn.

SATURDAY AGAIN!!

I can’t believe I’ve been here two weeks already. 14 days… 70 more to go. I love it here. I’m all rested again, and ready to begin again! Today my friend, Jesse Leicht, arrives. I’m sooo excited to see him. I know I’ve said that 10 million times, but I’m pretty stoked about his coming…

Last night I went to JUMBO to get a few things… Erica Jude and I went together. I got some gatorade (they didn’t have any Powerade…) oreo cookies (or something like them), CHEESE!, granola bars, some mixed nuts…

I got back in change some Dominican money. YaY the first DR money I have now!

Guess I’ll be starting a new photo album on facebook tomorrow. Not quite sure what I’ll be doing this new week, but we shall see! Every day is an adventure. I love the way the Judes say, “Living the Great Adventure!”

The other day at the village Daward came by to see us. It was so fun, knowing that I’ve made a friend, here in a “foreign country.” He’s busy right now with baseball, so he can’t translate for SCORE. But we were in his home village so he came by to say hey. He said he wants me to come meet his family and go to their church sometime. Hopefully I’ll be able to.

I went to the mercado modelo yesterday with Union. I didn’t get many still pics, but I did do a lot of filming while the students shopped around. I taped this one guy who spoke excellent English – I asked him to tell me where we were. I can’t wait to edit my video clips and make something with them! David (the translator) came by while we were standing on the steps and said hey. He had one of the dentists pull out his molar during the Thursday clinic and wasn’t feeling too good for the rest of the day :p

Speaking of David, he spent a couple nights at SCORE this week because he was translating for us so many days (he lives in Santo Domingo, an hour bus ride away). One of the nights we were talking about my learning Spanish. He said I need to start working on it now. I said, “Tomorrow!” haha. He made me go get my cards and start right THEN. So, I had my own personal tutoring session. I learned a lot. He didn’t laugh at my pronunciation. Tehe. He said to put them all on one piece of paper and my brain wont think it’s such a huge list and read through it 3 times all throughout the day. I’m working on that. My favorite and most used phrase is… (guess)

TENGO HAMBRE!

Haha.

I also use Sientate, Diga AHHH, and cansada a lot.

I’m starting to pick up a lot more. Hopefully after three months I’ll know a lot

Rachel Turner, my roommate is back.  Last night she was working on her project for the SCORE website.  She was showing me some tips and stuff about editing, what’s a good photograph, etc.  I really enjoy talking with her!  She’s a very neat person – a Christian, standing the gap (I keep quoting other people ) and doing stuff that I would LOVE doing… photojournalism.  Like I said in my last post, check out the SCORE site for her writings, pics, and stuff about Haiti.  She’s leaving again tonight to lead out a big project to Port-au-Prince and they’re going to be giving out food and stuff at an orphanage.  I don’t have any pictures of her, but again, read her stuff!

Well, this is a long post, I shall post again when I know what’s gonna be going on this weekend, and next week! God bless you all!

Here’s the link to the weeks’ picture album: (I might add a few more tonight, but probably not. Enjoy!)
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=8586&id=100000300686991&l=cdfb9c5cb3

Love to you all!

Living the great adventure!
~Elizabeth Busshaus

A Photojournalist’s View of Haiti

Rachel Turner is my roommate here at SCORE. Most of the time she’s been in Haiti, but I get her back for a few nights now Check out this link for her most recent writings about Haiti… http://scoreinternational.org/blog/grieving-with-hope/

COOL!

I can update my blog via email now!! YaY! and even include pictures! I’ll be able to update it a lot more easily now

a couple pics

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Sorry I haven’t Been Updating Here!!

It’s been a CRAZY busy week!!! I went out with the Medical teams every day and that was great. I was at a nurse’s station too, so I got to use my training – kind of anyways. I enjoyed that a lot. Tuesday night was CRAZY and so Wednesday was a rather rough day for me… I ended up sleeping a lot of it – I needed a break and Tim and Evelyn saw fit for me to take it during the midst of the morning medical clinic. Though who know me know that I don’t like to miss anything, but i knew they were right so i headed out to a cool, shady spot outside. The bus driver (who knows no English) came and tapped me on the shoulder about 20 minutes later when he saw me falling over, asleep. I went to the bus and woke up after lunch… After that I was better, but still pretty worn out. When we got back to SCORE, DOCTOR (the leader of the Union University team – we called her Doc Tor) ordered me a couple cups of juice, a hot shower, and a nap (I had been COLD all day….). Thursday morning, bright and early, I woke up HAPPY again. I was back to my usual continuous singing (“I will lift my eyes…”) and my brain was ready for all the duties I have.

It was busy again, loooooooooooots of laundry, always cleaning up after people, and answering questions, but I was ready again I thrive on being busy. I don’t thrive on being the #1 person responsible though, so I was glad that Megan and Ryan were only gone for one night!

Today is Friday – not quite sure what’s going on actually. My teams that I’ve been with are leaving today (NOOOO ) and more teams are coming in eventually. and JESSE’S COMING TOMORROW!!! YaY!! I asked Ryan very humbly if it would be possible to spend more time with THAT medical team this coming week, and he said he’d check the scheduling and that it would probably work out. I hope so! Even if it doesn’t though.. I’m so ready to see someone that knows me!

A little girl who came with a volleyball team and is the younger sister of Sarah, Sadrach’s wife, and I got to be friends last night. She’s very sweet. BUT, I have come to a conclusion, after my talk with her: i’m SO sick of people saying, “YOU’RE TWENTY-ONE??? NOOOO!! I was SURE you were 14!” Seriously…

Hope everything is going well for y’all in the States. It was great to be able to SKYPE my girls Wednesday night!! I’ve missed them all, so I was so happy to see them! Love to you all!

I’m really tired

I’m beat today – even though it was so slow. Also feeling a bit low in spirit … please pray that GOD’S work be done here, not mine, or Tim’s, or Bob’s, or Ginny’s, or any of the groups!!

Prayer Request

Today was a slow day… not many people were here at SCORE and I stayed behind to clean up… answer any questions any one who was here had… After a while there was no one here except.  I had to stay in the middle area though in case any of the groups got back.  Rachael was editing stuff on the computer and Jacob was using my computer and I was reading my John Piper book (SO GOOD!!!) on the couch.  Then the group from West Virginia came back and all the kids came over to my seat and we were all talking.  Jacob made the remark that all the kids liked me.  I liked that.  I enjoy being with them.  I hope that somehow I can be able to point them more to Christ.  That’s my goal in everything I do!  This is my prayer request.

D-Day Plus + 6

Annie, Aileene and Myself... we were a team today. YaY!

Today was a busy day, because I was actually kinda doing a nurse’s job instead of being a gofer.  It was good though and because Ailene and I got to hang out so long, we became fast friends.  I have a feeling we will be friends for a long time!!  I am hoping to go to her church some Sunday while I’m here.  She asked me if I would and I asked if I could, and apparently that’s a huge possiblity and everyone was happy I asked  We shall see!!

A lot of the translators didn’t come today because we had a lot less people.  It was nice because it was smaller… I felt like more efficient work got done (not that the bigger groups did any less, but there was a lot of joking around… idk..).  Anyways, we only had Ailene and Alex (of course, he always comes) and then Daward.  And Nate and Erica were there today as well.

I went to this man’s house today that apparently usually had high blood pressure.  He was sick but his blood pressure wasn’t really high today.  I got to take him back some medicine and talked with him a little… neither of us understanding a word the other said, but he was so appreciative and I enjoyed “talking” to him.  :)

There was this precious baby boy that I had to hold to weigh him in.  He was touching my stethoscope and looking at it… then suddenly he feel asleep!!  It was so cute!

Ailene, myself and the baby

I got to spend a lot of time with some girls this week.  They were all between 12 and 14 and very sweet girls.  They want me to keep in touch with them after they leave.  I felt kinda like they were a bit like my campers while they were here.  :)

the girls and I

Well, that’ll be all for now!! God bless you all!

~elizabeth