Grace found this stick for me before we left and it sure came in handy going up the mountain!

Here is the whole group ready to hit the trail!

Seeing the boys do it regularly, the missionary girls decided to take a mother/daughter weekend hike! I thought this would be a good time to go with Trinity and Grace, so we got packed and ready! We all drove to Zanglais and stayed the first night at a guesthouse. We took our time that evening deciding what was going on our backs and what was going on the mules (hey, we are girls, so you can’t expect us to carry everything up the mountain!) After a good nights rest, we were ready to attack the trails and set up camp by nightfall on top of a mountain! We were all excited! Three pack mules carried supplies (felt a little sorry for them with all our stuff!) and they were led by Haitian guides.

Did you know that every mule is marked on their back with the form of a cross? We found that quite interesting!

Some of the bushes we went through were not so friendly!

Climbing up the mountain didn’t come without sweat or pain, but our excitement motivated us to keep going! There were areas of the trail that were tougher than others. There were some very thorny bushes and occasionally some sharp branches. One time my hat took the hit but my head was spared! (the same branch hit my friend in the head on the way down!) The views on the way up were magnificent! We took a few breaks to rest and drink our water and just look. We encountered some Haitians along the path, usually they were walking with their goats or cows.

Enjoying the views whenever we stopped.

The first group of hikers to reach the top!

The views at the top were breathtaking! When we reached our destination in 2 -1/2 hours, there was more mountains around us plus the ocean on the one side. It was gorgeous! If it is this beautiful on the earth, what will heaven be like?

On top of the world!

As soon as we arrived the younger girls wanted to go see the spring close by and maybe take a swim in it. But the spring was only a foot deep and the girls just played in it. There were two girls who decided they would wash their hair but NOT Grace. She said she was content the way she was!

We had three tents, two were used by all us girls, and one was for the Haitian guides. It was a bit colder than we were used to, so the jackets, blankets and sleeping bags that reached the top were wonderful! As was the fellowship, laughter and memories made!

Our little camp!

A group of happy campers!  ….even with only peanut butter and jelly sandwiches!

The beauty of God’s creation keeps amazing us!

Here is our friend Courtney expressing her feelings for all of us!

A curious child adds to the tension of this dilapidated mountain school photo.

We have resumed visiting sponsored schools in remote locations so we can report updates or changes to the sponsors. Several of the schools will be entering our sponsorship program and we gather all the information for the new sponsor. We have taken day trips that involved some climbing to reach the schools and overnight trips that involved difficult mountain driving and hiking to accomplish reaching some of these schools.

One thing we always find at the end of the road…thankfulness! Thankful that we remembered them by visiting and thankful for the support they receive.

Grant doesn’t mind getting out and going along whenever possible!

There is only one way to reach this school…up!

Interviewing a school director and learning about the needs of his school. (thankful to be sitting!)

Hope returns to this mountaintop school with the possibility of a school sponsor!

After two and a half hours of mountain driving, and the “road” we were fighting to stay on had turned into only a path, we came to this remote MEBSH church and school, previously built and supported by a missionary who has since left Haiti. The building was in pretty good condition although the classrooms weren’t finished and the desks were few. The families could not pay tuition and the teachers were still working with the hope that someday they would get paid. Now they will be blessed with a school sponsor! The school founder was so happy to have us visit that he invited us to his home for lunch and to say thanks. That was another hike over very slippery rocks…

We came upon a village market day. They had to move everything for the truck to get through!

Not many vehicles go through here…everything stopped until we pushed through.

These guys thought it would be a good idea for the next guy to pay them to pass through!

With lack of books, lessons for the most part are memorization by loud group participation!

As is usually the case, many more desks are needed in remote schools.

Although the desks are few, these students are just thankful for a school to attend.

Getting treated with a few little gifts brings lots of smiles!

Love this shot…the founder of the school invited us for lunch at his house…it required another hike!

In rural schools, kids walk up to two hours to school one way.

It is all about the kids and Haiti’s future!

Thanks to each school sponsor for the many children, families and teachers you affect in that community!

Even in a poverty-stricken nation “the least of these” are greatly loved by God!

Pastor Jean-Claude Mesy (our language instructor) was profoundly affected by his sponsor. She loved him so much she listed him as her adopted son from Haiti in her obituary!

Last week we had the opportunity to promote Child Sponsorship in a new way. A video team came to capture some of the aspects of what is being accomplished by MEBSH in southern Haiti. We were thankful they had enough time to take some footage of schools, kids being kids, and adults who’s lives were dramatically affected by having their education sponsored.

Personal testimonies are powerful! These new videos, once completed, will be available online or presented to church groups on an ongoing basis so the need for Child Sponsorship will be presented even more effectively.

Kids relating how their lives are changed by education tells a compelling story.

Adline Cameus gives a powerful testimony of a little girl who only knew love from her sponsor, and then went on to be the director of a child sponsorship agency, HCH (Help a Child in Haiti), which ACWR partners with.

For those interested, Adline Cameus will be traveling to the U.S. and giving her testimony at the Western Region World Relief Informational Meeting in Roanoke, Illinois on Saturday, March 14th at 7:30 p.m. We encourage anyone to attend that can make it! We love working with Adline and are so inspired by her love for the children of Haiti.

Grant, Trinity & Grace were so excited to have Evan around again! We climbed the hill next to Zanglais Beach and this is the view to the east from the top.

Four whole weeks, but where does it go? Evan was here for an entire month, but Monday he went back to Ohio since his school started that day! It was so hard to let him go. We packed in some short hiking and beach day trips while he was here and made some more family memories in the process! He is getting really good at navigating back to the States by himself, but we are already looking forward to his return the end of April! We miss you son (& brother)! We love you so much! Go with God!

Hiking with Grant and other friends on the flanks of Mt. Makaya.

Taking gifts to our cook’s family on Christmas Day!

We had a great afternoon climbing up a series of waterfalls and then jumping down each one on the way back! Dad wouldn’t let us take a camera so this is a view of the river at the bottom near the car!

We hit three beaches in four weeks!

Taking time for a work team of friends from Ohio, the Ron Palitto team!

Merry Christmas from the Walders! Mike & Susie, Evan, Grant, Trinity & Grace

A special thanks to everyone from our home church who sent all the Christmas gifts! We had such fun opening the boxes, bags and stockings! God bless you.

We have been blessed with two groups of visitors in one month!

Over Thanksgiving we were happy to have visiting Jason, Gwen & Noah Riggenbach, long-time, close friends from our home church in Smithville, Ohio. We were so thankful that our “guest room” (Grant’s room) was ready just in time for their arrival…the beds we had shipped in July arrived the week before they did!

The Riggenbach’s got to meet our banana lady!

We enjoyed a Thanksgiving dinner with over 120 other missionaries who were all far from their families.

The Riggenbach’s got into the annual missionary Thanksgiving photo too! (I spy them left rear!)

We had great weather and many good times as we showed them all around the area and some of what we do here. They were such good sports and Gwen even agreed to cross a river on foot…twice! Our Thanksgiving season was blessed by their support and encouraging words. That wasn’t all they brought us…their suitcases were stuffed with some requested items as well as extra goodies! They got to meet their sponsored child Nathanael, his family, his home…and also attend his church on Sunday morning!

We did a lot of touring on the Ranger together!

Visiting needy families and sharing food and prayer with them was a special time.

One hike took us across a riverbed. Some took their shoes off, some did not!

We only had six short days together to catch up!

Another meal together…this time on the beach at Port Salut!

An enjoyable shopping spree at the Domestic Center!

Meeting Nathanael, their sponsored child (seated at right) was a highlight of the trip!

Now we have so many good memories…thanks for your encouraging visit!

The second group of visitors arrived here last week with Evan! We were excited to see our son again! We warmly welcomed our dear friend Joe Smith and the four third-year nursing students from Malone University in Canton, Ohio, that came with Evan for some international nursing experience…Natalie, Margeau, Grace and Corrina. We squeezed in two beach days and lots of fun between all the valuable Haitian clinical experiences they received.

Trying coconut and sugarcane for the first time! Left to right: Sugarcane vendor, Evan, Joe, Grant, Wilson (tree climber), Natalie, Margeau, Corrina & Grace.

Joe stayed with us (the girls at the guest house) and was ready to try many new experiences!

The team assisted the Simon Clinic nursing staff four mornings and had a great time!

Natalie, hard at work giving blood pressure checks at the community clinic the team held for three days!

The team served many from the Bambou MEBSH church…with the assistance of translators of course!

Joe was a real hit with the kids!

Natalie meeting her family’s sponsored child, Jenny, for the first time!

We can never underestimate how sharing love and hope with one child can change their life!

Sharing a pillowcase dress with one thrilled little girl!

Stopping to visit some families while hiking!

They guys were so excited to show Joe Rainbow Beach!

They squeezed in one more hiking trip on the last day!

Trinity has loved Haiti since the day we arrived. We weren’t surprised by that, but she didn’t get to visit even once before we moved here (same for Grant and Grace)! We are very encouraged by her attitude and the ways she has adapted to the culture and language while having to leave school, family and friends, and switch to home schooling and being at home a good part of each day! The girl has learned a lot about self-motivation in a short time [understatement!].

A neighborhood girl came asking for a sponsor and ended up getting that, as well as English and Bible training with Trinity!

Trinity loves the Haitian people, the young group, Bible study, sharing the gospel, the ocean, and making new friends. She points out the beauties around us…trees, sunsets, butterflies, etc. She has remained athletic, playing basketball and volleyball every week with the missionaries, and hiking is another highlight she enjoys. She also enjoys tutoring other children and helping teach English.

Attending the Friday Bible study together.

A great shot of Haitians sharing God’s Word together!

Getting to see and hold Haitian babies is really awesome!

Nearly every Saturday, Trinity enjoys interacting with the Haitians in a small group setting at the nearby American University of the Caribbean’s conversation club. For two hours each one that comes is encouraged to speak to improve their English, and usually we try to steer the conversations to spiritual topics and the Bible. There have been many opportunities to share the gospel. Often we are put on the hot seat when they start asking questions. This has really encouraged Trinity in her walk with the Lord to lean on the Holy Spirit for words to speak.

In addition to the girl in the first photo, Trinity met another friend at the conversation club that also comes to our house once a week for English/Bible study.

The English conversation club is one of Trinity’s favorite parts of the week.

Trinity and Bri sharing a Bible study with a new friend, Kenfleur.

Trinity loves drawing, painting and card making. She suggested (and will help produce) the Christmas craft for Grace’s 3rd grade class. She really enjoys the beauty of the many things in Haiti that are so different from what she was familiar with in Ohio.

Visiting local widows with some American visitors!

Trinity enjoys visiting several local orphanages.

The Domestic Center is always a favorite stop for the girls!

We are standing on a slight hill here (so Trinity looks very tall and Grant looks very short!)

One of Trinity’s favorite nearby hiking spots!

One of Trinity’s favorite beaches is in Port Salut.

Another photo she took of the beach at Port Salut.

Trinity is able to look at things from different angles to discover beauty!

It has been a while since we have compiled interesting things that happen to us here. You never know what a new day will bring in Haiti. We love a little surprise, a new way of looking at things!

Of all the things there are to like about Haiti, on the other hand there is one thing I don’t like…I can’t find the Big Dipper when I look up at night. I don’t know why that makes any difference, but it was just always there every time I looked, and now…it is not. Just a good reminder to me that I am just passing through and this life is certainly temporary!

News! Madam Yadley, our cook, is expecting her third child in March! It will be interesting to have a baby around the house again. We are actually more excited then she is! (It was a surprise for her.) We certainly have that to look forward to…

How do you make doughnuts in Haiti without a doughnut press? Madam Yadley has figured it out!

The doughnuts turn out great!! And we never get tired of rice with vegetable sauce either!

One minute you are the only ones on the beach…the next minute you have 10-15 visitors who are content to join you all afternoon…so much for a good rest!

How can you resist buying a hat from this guy? By the way, that’s a hat between his legs too…

We sat down in church one morning and we all looked up and immediately thought the same thing…why is there a beach ball hanging here? Do they think it is fancy? Did someone lose it? Will we ever know!?

Mike remembers changing his Illinois plates for Ohio plates, but he never dreamed he would have this…

Like it or not, we attract a little attention every time we show up at the stores downtown!

About every two weeks we travel downtown for groceries. It is always an adventure! Driving downtown with all the pedestrians, motorcycles, and unorganized chaos is a sight to see! You have to have eyes around your head to keep track of the motorcycles weaving in and out. This week I drove downtown for the first time! That was a big step! We are always thankful when we can find a spot to park with plenty of space to get in and out.

Heading downtown where motorcycles outnumber cars probably 10 to 1!

No one ever stops except for one major intersection where there is a traffic light!

Our minds are prepared for the next scene: the street kids. Usually, the first one that reaches us asks us if he can wash our car to make some money. As we begin to cross the road to the other side, we must always be alert to the possibility of getting hit by a motorcycle. As we approach the store more street kids recognize us (it’s not too hard!) and start asking us for Corn Flakes because they know we usually buy several boxes for them to share. Sometimes the “street mom” steps into the picture too and lets her requests be known before we actually get into the store. Next, the ladies sitting by the door selling fresh vegetables beckon and wave for us to come buy something!

Here is one of the food markets we usually shop in on the main street of Les Cayes.

Vendors are always calling to you on the streets! In many places they are all selling the same things. These ladies are parked right by the store entrance and do not want to be photographed!

Ah! We have made it inside! We grab a basket or two and start looking for some things that we need. Sometimes we have a choice between two brands, but often there is only one available, such is the case with butter, cream cheese, sour cream, yogurt, and sausage. I am always especially excited when there is cream cheese and sour cream since they don’t always have those! The stores downtown are small and narrow so we climb ladders to reach some items high up on the shelves. The “frozen section” consists of two or three chest freezers that you open to see what is available. We have to visit two or three stores to find the things on our list! Last week we were looking for plastic forks and spoons and one store sold only forks while the next sold only spoons! We have discovered if there is no price on something you cannot buy it. Why do they even put it on the shelf?

When you are finished shopping, one of the workers will announce all the prices to the cashier and after paying, another employee will box up and carry all your purchases to your car! That is when the street boys and other beggars will mob us again! We are ready to hand them the Corn Flakes cereal and sometimes we buy packages of crackers to hand out. Some come up to us that don’t have an arm or hobble on only one leg and we try to be prepared with small coins (5 gourdes) on our pocket to pass out.

The stores have fairly narrow aisles and items are stocked way up on the walls!

What each store carries is fairly predictable and fairly pricey too!

Uhhm…not a huge selection in the frozen section today!

There is one larger (but more expensive) store between our home and downtown that we affectionately call “Walmart.” The aisles are wider there and they have registers similar to the States. There are more choices there in some things and they have more items in general. That store always has a guard at the front with a long-barreled rifle that we had to get used to. This is a very common sight at gas stations and banks.

Buying meat is another story. That requires a separate stop. There is a store near the outside market where chicken legs are sold in a 22 or 40 lb. boxes, whatever they have available at that time. Fresh beef is brought to our home by the pound and it gets cut it up and most of it is grinded into ground beef. It is my least favorite thing to do! Small amounts of beef can be purchased in the store but it is much more expensive.

When any one of us travel downtown we often ask other missionaries what we can pick up for them. This is such a help and keeps unnecessary trips to a minimum. There are times that I can hop a ride with someone too. All in all, it is always interesting to go shopping here and you have to be prepared to substitute or go without when something isn’t available!

The street boys stand in the doorway and wait for their corn flakes!

This is one pretty happy kid with what he received (I would ask for cookies, personally)!

Always watch where you step! Some streets are better than others…after it rains it is always worse!