Tori's Stories

Its been a while since I’ve posted a blog, I’m sorry. What has happened in the last five months? Well, a lot. I’ll try to sum it up, but if there is anything you want me to go more in depth about let me know and if I can I will. To start with, the very end of May an orphanage that I spent a lot of time at when I wasn’t working gained an additional 16 very sick, malnourished, and desperate for love children after their orphanage was closed by the government. They came from very bad conditions—they were fed very little, infants where being eaten alive by rats, they had many different diseases/sicknesses, and were all very hungry and dehydrated. Horrible. I was able to be at the orphanage when the UN escorted these children to us. They came in unsure, scarred, hungry, lonely, and sick. They were not loved where they were before. I’ve cried many times for these kids. How could anyone treat anyone (let alone children) the way these kids where treated? How could any child not know wha...

Today I finally had a chance to go to the Wound Clinic here in Haiti and help with the redressing of wounds. I had been there once before but only did the pharmacy side of things (which was a good experience too, but not as good). I saw things I never thought I would see and helped give care to wounds bigger than I could describe. I saw some tendons, blood, burns, and absesses. I had to scrub the dead skin off a burn and pick out dried on something or other. It was disgusting! I can't wait to go back and learn more medical skills-hands on. Anyway, this got me thinking about the experiences I've had since I've been in Haiti. Some are ones I had before, but many are ones I would never have dreamed I would have had. Here's a list of everything I can think of (I'm sure I'm forgetting some). Nurse Pharmacist Nanny Mother Disciplinarian Seamstress Employee Employer Employee Hire-er (I don't know what this is called) Supervisor Friend Confidant Tour...

Broken, stretched, challenged, hungry for God, thirsty for his quenching love, loved, intimidated, strong, courageous, lost, overwhelmed, blessed, guilty, and open. These are just a few of the feelings I have had since moving to Haiti. Being here has opened me up to a whole new world of life—a new way of living. It has made the pictures come alive. The statistics I have read are no longer just numbers but faces, houses, hungry pesticide filled pot bellies. Rain used to be something I enjoyed. I loved sitting on a porch and watching, smelling, and hearing the rain come down. But now, each time that rain comes, I cannot help but think of the beautiful faces in Cite Soliel or the children that shout “Hey You” as we drive or walk by the tent city nearby. I cannot imagine what it would be like for your dirt floor to be turned to mud, to not be able to go to sleep because you have to stand up so your head stays above water, to not have protection at all from this rain. Yes, cisterns are...

Friday night, after I had to do the hardest thing at work since I’ve gotten to Haiti (tell someone not to come back on Monday—not fire him, he was there for training and just didn’t make the cut) I got a Facebook message saying my grandpa (who has been fighting cancer for a while and has been off chemo since January) was admitted to Hospice in the hospital because he was barely eating anything. I tried to act normal, eat dinner, and help out at a tent city tap tap wound clinic, but my mind was elsewhere. I keep picturing the last time I was home and saw my grandpa. I keep seeing the last time I saw him, the last time we sat and had a conversation, and the last time I hugged him. I then woke up Saturday morning to a Facebook status from my dad that said my seven month old nephew had to go to the ER in the middle of the night because he couldn’t breathe. Holy cow, I wanted to be with my family right then and there. After breakfast I called my mom and found out my nephew was okay he had ...

Today was day one of seamstress training. Something I've been excited for but extremely nervous for ever since I moved to Haiti. I've been excited to hire more people to give more Haitians jobs, but I was nervous to do the hiring and training part. I have never hired or trained anyone for a job--not to mention a job I only know very little about in a language I only know few words in. Really? God, what are you trying to teach me through this. My prayer has been a constant "Give me words, wisdom, guidence, strength, skills, and knowlege because I'm sure not equipped for this task." Well, the day came. I didn't want to get out of bed because it was almost one before I finally fell asleep. From the time my feet hit the floor in the morning I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off. I had to make sure there were enough working machines set up, I swept the floor, and got supplies out. I had to come over to the guest house to write down information ...

One thing I miss most about being in Haiti is not having any Christian radio stations. Pandora doesn't work in Haiti, Klove won't stream at all, WAFJ will only work for 5-10 minutes and its not even worth it, and I lost all the songs on my ipod and my computer crashed so I have no songs (and on top of that I left all my cds at home this past time on accident--so thankful for the team's ipods that play all evening long at the guest house). Anyway, as I was home I listened to Klove everytime I was in the car (unless I was playing a Creole CD) and I really really liked the song by Sidewalk Prophets song "I want to Live Like That". It is my life's prayer. Here it is. No actually, the words of the song will be in itallics and I will write my thoughts in regular print. Sometimes I think What will people say of me When I'm only just a memory When I'm home where my soul belongs I think all the time what people think of me. Not so much becuase I'm ...

The weeks and day coming up to my flight out of Haiti were emotionally filled. I did not want to leave. Yes, I was very excited to see friends and family, but I did not want to leave my home. The night before I left I got advice from a wise woman telling me to think of it as my mission has changed for the next 12 days. People in America need ministered to more than the people of Haiti. That is so true. The people of Haiti may lack material things and money, but American's lack joy, contentment, and letting God be their whole life and not just a part of it.I needed that advice. When teams come down and are sad to go home I tell them God has placed them where He wants them at this exact moment in their lives and they should take this experience and use it to help with the mission where they are placed. I didn't take my advice because I know God has placed me in Haiti and not in America. But could a 12 day trip to the states be part of His mission for my life? Of course it can. ...