random yesterday

Another busy Thursday - eating breakfast before Morning Prayer, celebrating the Eucharist, then off to school for the last day of regular classes.  Was happy to note on the way there that the Justin Bieber billboard advertising an acne product (#thingsthatmakeyoushakeyourhead) has FINALLY been replaced. 

a "Dance for Life" billboard is a definite improvement

Traffic was terrible, so my ride was late and so then was I.  On the last day of class.  Aaargh... Thank the Lord for cell phones - at least these days you can call the office so no one sits there and waits, wasting precious minutes when work could be done or Facebook checked in the computer room. Or, as I think happened, they could hang around the breakfast table just a little longer, no doubt commiserating over upcoming papers and exams.

Just as in the US, there is always some idiot who can't wait his turn and needs to pass.  On a busy two-way street at rush hour, no less. 

Taught two classes, celebrated the Eucharist with the seminarians and preached a mini-homily, wondering when I developed the nerve to do that without notes.  Ate with them and taught two more. 

We began our final English class by writing fortune cookie fortunes, putting them in a bag, and taking one of the others. "You will get a doctorate in theology and teach at the seminary."  "You will be bishop." "You will be very happy." "You will be wise."  "You will be a good teacher."  "You will work at [the church where you grew up]."  Wish I had had a bag of real fortune cookies for examples, but I did bring in one that I've kept handy:  "You have so much to be thankful for."  No, it's not an example of the future with "will," which we were practicing, but it's from a real cookie. 

And besides, it's true.

I'm so aware of that today.

We wrapped up the year by practicing Eucharistic Prayer A, which they'll be recording for me as a small portion of their exam.  And we did it with the gestures, too. I loved seeing them do that.  Someday I want to be there when each of them celebrates the Eucharist for real. 

I still can't believe classes are over.  Yes, I have a review session next week and an exam to give the week after, but no more classes.  I had forgotten how much I love teaching, and I'm sorry to have finished.  Never, ever enough class time. Only a teacher, right?  Although I do remember crying all the way home from the last day of first grade because I wouldn't have school all summer and I wouldn't have my beloved first grade teacher anymore.  ... What do you mean I'm a geek?

Seriously, though, I would love to have had more hours for the English classes, at least.  One short class a week is simply not sufficient, especially when you have beginning through advanced students in the same group.  But I've enjoyed the time I've had with them, whatever it is, and I give thanks for the blessing it's been. 

After classes ended for the day at 5PM, I headed back home with the other sister who teaches there Thursday afternoons. 

cutting through a side street to avoid some of the traffic

 

a very tidy vendor

It always makes me happy to see construction underway.

Of course, if you leave your backhoe sitting for too long, someone is going to make use of it to display their merchandise.

tired merchants leaning on the bucket of the backhoe at the end of a long day

motorcycle taxi stand at a major intersection by a supermarket

the vesper light...
end of the day sunlight giving one last charge to the new solar street lamps

Home again to supper (bouillie de banane and bread with peanut butter - comfort food, just right for the end of a long day)  and dishes.  Recorded Eucharistic Prayer A so the students could practice at home before recording it for me themselves. 

No power, so we had Compline outside on the porch - and this time not by flashlight.  It's definitely summer now.

Listened to another side of a novel on cassette tape while getting ready for bed.  Yes, cassettes. Books on tape are often free these days because no one wants them, so I still listen to cassettes.  I wonder if my niece would know what one was if I were to show her... Even my seminarians looked at me in great amusement when I said they could give me a cassette tape if they didn't have access to an mp3 player.  I was informed that at least one phone in the room could do that now.

Oh. Right.

Have I ever mentioned that I first regularly used a cell phone in Haiti in 2009?  People were a little shocked to have to show an American how to save a phone number and put in the name.  Explaining that (at that point) sisters in MA did not have individual cell phones was unconvincing.

Finally, just before the end of the tape, by the light of my trusty kerosene lamp and solar flashlight, I headed to bed.

And then I woke up in the middle of the night: lo and behold, there was power.  Sent the recording, checked my email, and started writing what was going to be a very short blog post.  Really.

I think it's time to head back to bed. 

Happy Friday, everyone.

day of rest

It's been a good day.  Monday is our sabbath in the sense of its being our day of rest. 

another nesting mourning dove in a palm tree in our yard

I spent much of it on the porch as usual, praying, painting in my journal, and watching a new nest with another dove.  At least I think it's a different one even though it's in the same spot - she looks smaller, and she's redone the nest.  Much fluffier looking than the last one, but still invisible from the ground.  Have I mentioned how I love being at eye level with this branch? 

There was also a tiny vervain hummingbird for a short time, but for the most part, the birds also seem to be too hot to be active.  I do understand!  My first glass of water had ice in it, but by the time the afternoon rolled around, we were fresh out.  It doesn't last long, even in the freezer, when there's no power.  (Ah, but tonight we have power! At least for the moment. Bet they turn it off very soon.)



paints and cool water - just the thing for a day off in this heat
 

Church geek that I am, I enjoyed having the time to read part of an older issue of a journal called Worship.

We also had some generator power early in the day and power tonight, so I got my plane tickets for my family time late this summer.  Then I found out a good friend from high school who lives out of town will actually be visiting at the same time I will.  Life is good.

baby mourning doves

We've had a dove nesting in one of the palm trees by the house.  I've been watching her from the second floor porch for some time.  Last Saturday I peered over as usual - and lo and behold, two little ones! 

 

Mama feeding both babies at once. How does she do that?



 

The resolution isn't great here, but you can still see mama feeding her babies. 

 

Look, Mom, I can flap my wings!

Two days later, they've grown significantly.

 

It's been such fun watching them.   The palm tree branch on which they're living is right at eye level from the porch.  Makes me happy.

weather report

I think it's getting to be summer already. 

 

 

extremely active? I hope not...

Hurricane season likely to be ’extremely active,’ say meteorologists

You know, this isn't really the headline I'd have preferred to see right now, especially after reading about all those tornadoes back in the US.  They've already reminded me of the power of storms. 

Haiti simply cannot manage a hurricane.  A few hours of heavy rain is enough to cause major flooding.  I've been fortunate: so far the worst I've personally had to deal with due to the rain this season is, thanks to road conditions, spending an hour and forty-five minutes getting home from the seminary where I teach.  Others, however, have dealt with flash floods and mudslides; someone always seems to get swept away while crossing a river.  Then there are those who somehow seem to have resigned themselves to getting flooded out regularly. Sweep out the mud and start over.  I can't imagine.

And I'd rather not imagine a hurricane here this year.  OK, any year, but certainly not right now.

So, please, while you are praying for those affected by the storms in the Midwest, throw in a few prayers that hurricanes stay out to sea this year.  

Fete Sainte Trinite 2013

Trinity Sunday is the patronal festival of the Episcopal cathedral here in Port-au-Prince. 

a local group (business?) put up a banner for the occasion over the street in front of the cathedral 

 

Thanks be to God, we arrived quite early.  As we gathered in the parking area in the rear before the service, I was told, "You're the bishop's chaplain today."  I found him over by his car.  "Only if you want to," he said. "I can find someone else."  Mostly this involves carrying things and standing next to him with the crosier while he preaches.  Not difficult, except that when you are dripping in the heat and it's started to roll down your face, you can't fan yourself.   It did, however, mean that I could make a good recording of the sermon for the bishop.  You'd be amazed at how clear a recording can be even when your mp3 player is hidden in your habit pocket.



getting lined up for the procession

 

the bishop censing the altar

We definitely need a larger worship space in the new cathedral.  There are always a few people who have to sit outside, but for big feast days, the overflow fills every possible spot surrounding the worship space.  Including the stairs.

definitely not enough seating at the temporary cathedral, but the stairway up to the office makes a useful addition to it for some parishioners

As always, I very much appreciated the music.  Along with the parish choir, the parents' choir, and Trinity Choir (gospel group), the music school's chamber orchestra played and the Petits Chanteurs sang.  Hymns and even liturgical responses are sung in parts here, and not just by the choir, so when you have an extra-large congregation, it's quite something.

chamber group from the Orchestre Philharmonique Sainte Trinite

 

Trinity Choir - the young adult gospel group

Wish I could share the best photos with you, but they all have recognizable faces, most with young people.  You'll just have to imagine them.

the dean thanking people at the end of the service

Bonne fete.

Fete Ste Trinite

Tomorrow - no, wait, today, as I'm up much too late - is the Fete Sainte Trinite, Trinity Sunday, the patronal festival of the cathedral here in Port-au-Prince.  I went back to see what I'd written about it in 2009, as I remember being awestruck.  Nothing. Just too much and too little time with internet access, I guess.  Sounds familiar.

What I did find, however, was a couple of photos in a Facebook album begun back then.  I'm sharing them with you to ask you to pray for and rejoice with the cathedral congregation on this feast day.  We no longer have that beautiful cathedral, but we have the church - that is, the people.  And someday there will be a cathedral with space for all to worship. 

Meanwhile, let's hope it doesn't rain tomorrow morning!  The Eucharist starts at 9AM; it might finish up two or three hours later.  That's a long time to sit in the rain, even under a tree. And even on a regular Sunday, there are people outside.  Nice problem to have - not enough seating is not usually on many parish lists of problems! Still, I vote for sun.

Here are the old photos. Enjoy.

before the service - the bishop, the sanctuary (side view), and, just past the altar, the Orchestre Philharmonique Sainte Trinite

"Bring offerings and come into his courts" - and dance them up the center aisle to make even the giving of the gifts a thing of beauty