Goodbyes

Unfortunately I have no pictures of the past few weeks because I left my camera at my friend's house and have not had a chance to retrieve it.
Regardless, it's been an action packed few weeks. I said a tearful goodbye to my students, the girls were much harder to say goodbye to then the boys. Although I love them all equally of course. Some of the students have been in my class for two years, that's a lot of bonding time and we've grown quite attached to each other. One student (a boy) said, "Ms. Gringhuis, two years is a long time. I'm going to miss you. I hope our teacher next year is not a boy". Another student said, "if our new teacher is rude I'm going to be rude right back". I told him to keep up his positive attitude:) I will miss their funny comments and stories.
Several of the teachers are still in denial that I'm leaving and wouldn't say goodbye, that's okay because I know I will see them in August before I leave for 'good'.
I have to admit that when I drove away from Lawrence Heights MS, I shed quite a few tears. LHMS is where I began my teaching career and I haven't taught anywhere else but there. I have poured a lot of myself into the students there and enjoyed much laughter and joy from them in return. The staff has truly been a family to me over the past six years. They have supported me through a lot and I will miss them.
As I type this, I am sitting at my parent's house. The move out of my place went amazingly smoothly. I had many friends help in Toronto and my family helped unload in Dundas. All my worldly possessions are now sitting in the basement awaiting my possible return.
I went to the lawyer's today and dropped off the keys! It's a done deal! No turning back now.
I am getting pretty excited about my trip to Sierra Leone. I leave on Thursday to spend three days in Ottawa, meeting my team and participating in cross-cultural training.
Please keep myself and my team in your prayers. I'll update as often as possible and I promise to include pictures.

Haitian Accomodations

When I lived in Haiti last time I lived in two different locations. I started at the school where I was working. My bedroom doubled as my office and I had NO privacy, there were always kids at the school, those who also lived there and those who did not, and they would often look into my room through the windows. When I finally got tired of that I purchased curtains and put them up, then they would stand outside my windows and ask my why I had closed the curtains:) I didn't have a car and therefore I spent A LOT of time at this location (school/home). Finally it became too much so I arranged to move out and live with a friend. Jenny was house sitting for a family who were on furlough in the USA. I stayed with her for approx. five months.
When I decided to return to Haiti, I didn't consider living with Jenny again because she already had a roommate and I thought it would be too crowded with the three of us. However, when I asked Jenny about possible places to rent in Haiti she mentioned that her roommate was getting married in the fall and I could possibly live with her again. When I visited Haiti the last time I visited Jenny in her new place and thought it was quite lovely. So I have taken her up on her offer, her roommate gets married in October so all three of us will be there for a short time but after October it will be only Jenny and I. I wish I had pictures for you at this point, but you'll just have to wait until I am there. I am thankful that the Lord had provided so graciously once again.

Thank you!

Last night I presented a brief overview of the work I will be doing in Haiti. I would like to thank everyone who came out to show their support. I feel very blessed to have so many family and friends who love me and who will uphold me in prayer in the years I am away.
I am very excited to begin my work in Haiti, working with the teachers and putting my faith into action in a place desperate for God's love and grace.