My first time really-truly leaving home, my first time being away from my family for more than two weeks, my first blog, my first post on said blog....this is all a bit new, so please, have patience with me. :o)

I'm going to assume that, if you are bothering to read this, you know me.  Which means that you probably already know the big story about where I currently am, and what I'm doing here.  So this blog is to fill you in on the little stories, the daily little things that make up the big picture.

For instance, the fact that my bunny has a name now.  Bianca.  If you don't like it, don't worry- you're not alone.  I've heard a lot of different opinions about her name.  Bianca also has an real, honest-to-goodness rabbit-waterer now.  She has no clue how to use it, but it's there, hanging on her hutch. :o)

Or that that I'm really tempted to sneak out tonight and release the poor little mouse that is trapped under the tub.  He was spotted in the kitchen yesterday evening, and a rather wild mouse hunt ensued when he disappeared into the cabinets.  He was found, and quite vigorously pursued, but escaped into the cutout to the plumbing for the shower.  His escape route was promptly barricaded to prevent him re-entering the house, leaving him trapped in the space underneath the tub.  Now all I can think when I'm showering is of the poor little mouse that is starving, quite literally right below my feet.  But I'm not sure that my saving the mouse would be appreciated by anyone other than the mouse, so I've not ventured beyond being tempted.  At least, not yet. :o)

I've also learned a new appreciation for the power of a smile, and the ability of laughter to disband tension and frustration.  Trying to work with people with whom I don't share a language can be a bit frustrating at times, but I've learned that as long as I am willing to laugh at myself first, that frustration isn't given a chance to build up and cause grief.  And I often find myself surrounded by laughing Haitians, as I try out some new word or another, and, to their great amusement, butcher the pronunciation quite painfully sometimes.  They love to teach me new words and phrases, and I love to learn from them.

Please remember us in your prayers...we are given such an opportunity to shine the light of Christ into the people that come through the clinic; pray that we would take that opportunity and be a beacon of light in the community here.

-Kindra