surprise renovation!

My kitchen space before (I had a dorm style fridge in the open spot..the guys worked so quickly that I didn't get a good before pic!). 

You know those TV shows where a crew of people pull up to your house, kick you out of the house, and renovate your home while you are gone?  I never really thought that was more than just a dream until this last week. A new family has moved to campus and they were able to design and install a kitchen in their appartment. Not only did they do this in their space though they also talked with me about building a kitchen in my appartment. If you have ever been to Haiti you know that nothing works quickly. "Haiti time" is a phrase for a reason. Well some of my dear friends were on campus and heard about the kitchen idea and literally ran with it. One day it was a possibility and the next I had a refrigerator and gas stove in the middle of my house. On Friday they locked me out of my house and literally worked all day without stopping. They installed a new outlet, ran water to install a kitchen sink (that has a fancy sprayer and two sides!), installed the gas stove, built a shelf, and built a beautiful counter in ONE day. In one day my appartment was transformed into a home. I no longer need to wash dishes in my bathroom sink!  I now am able to cook and bake and entertain in my home. And the refrigerator is HUGE!  It has been so much fun getting to organize and set up the space. I have also spent a lot of time just sitting and admiring it too:) So thankful to have people that worked so hard to serve me. That desired to create a space for me that is literally so beautiful and like a retreat from life. To say that I am spoiled is a complete understatement.

The finished kitchen!!  

Washing dishes has never been SO much fun!!  

First party in my new kitchen!  

sweet moments

Recently I watched as my kiddos pretended to pile on a "moto" to head off to market.  With pretend money in their pockets they promised to return with rice, cookies, and of course candy.  I could sit and just listen to them laugh and giggle all day.  It's sweet moments like these that fuel my soul.  It's moments like this that make all the hard and heavy of living in Haiti seem 100% worth it.  These kiddos have captured my heart and I feel honored and privileged to get to live life with them.

new clinic!

The pharmacy!  The new pharmacy is huge and has so much storage!

When I moved to Haiti in 2011 there was talk of the new health center.  Over the last few years lots of work has been done to prepare for the big move and opening of our new clinic space.  Last week I had the privilege of watching as so many people joined together to make this move possible.  Literally every person on campus jumped in to help pack up the old clinic space and prepare the new space for patients.  This move had me feeling like I was on an emotional roller coaster.  Part of me was so very excited and ready to have the bigger clinic space.  Part of me was also mourning the loss of a space where so many memories were made.  The old clinic wasn't fancy and didn't have luxuries like running water, tile floors, or fancy equipment.  That space though was where I watched my Haitain grandmother dance in the hall as she laughed and greeted each of us.  That space was where the dream of starting a malnutrition program was formed and where it truly all began with the first group of children.  It was in that space that a mother was surrounded in prayer by our church leaders as she mourned the loss of her daughter.  As I watched box after box of equipment and supplies get loaded into the truck I couldn't help but be thankful for the years spent working in that clinic space.  A visiting team and our summer interns jumped right in to love and support me throughout the move.  They were patient with me as they moved heavy things over and over (and I do mean multiple times..) until we found the perfect spot for them in the new health center.  They worked long hours sorting through and carrying box after box of supplies.  And oh did we have supplies and equipment to go through!  We were blessed to receive lots of new exam tables, desks, chairs, IV poles, and the list is literally endless.  Without the help of so many people the clinic would still be filled with just boxes!  The new clinic space has already had a long list of patients come through to receive medical care.  New memories are being made and as we slowly but surely get adjusted and settled this space is becoming our new "home."  I am truly thankful for each person who helped to make this move possible.  So many people donated time, money, and resources to make this possible.  Even the littlest details have been taken care of and for that I am beyond thankful.  

Triage room- patients get their blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, weight, and blood sugar (as needed) taken.  

Physician room- the rooms now have actual walls so the patients are able to speak with the physicians and have privacy!

This is a space for patients to receive IV fluids and for patients who are unable to sit while waiting to be seen.  On Friday the running water in the sink was used to bathe an infant who had a crazy high fever--feeling thankful to have the resources needed to provide excellent care. 

The vaccine and malnutrition (temporarily) room!  This room is located at the opposite end of the health center because this area is always filled with lots of unhappy babies/children=)

The warehouse on campus used to store the medications and supplies for the clinic- now we have SO much storage in the new health center so everything has been moved out of the warehouse!  Already this has been a huge blessing to have the supplies readily available in the health center!

Thanks to interns and team members the health center supplies and shelving were all moved out of the warehouse!  The shelving was too tall to fit into the truck so the interns got creative!  This move would not have been possible without all our interns!

more snapshots!

I might be slightly partial but I'm convinced that listening to Saina find her "voice" is just the sweetest sound ever.  She now smiles, coo's, and even makes a little laughing noise.  Baby girl is growing up much too quickly already!

For some reason I'm finding it much easier to write about some of the smaller moments of my everyday life and to share the stories with pictures.  I hope you enjoy getting a look into some of these sweet moments with my friends!  These pictures are taken from my instagram (smalleybrooke)--feel free to follow along there for more updates and stories!

We cheered and gave thanks to the Lord when sweet Rose learned to walk just a few weeks ago.  For two weeks this little lady wouldn't sit still but rather thought she was one of the "big" kids.  Her first fall was a big one and required a trip on a moto with her grandma to the hospital.  I prayed and prayed that her leg wasn't broken but deep down I knew it was.  They returned the next day with confirmation that the leg was indeed broken and a fancy cast.  A big heavy cast won't keep this spirited girl down though.  She still wanted to come along for our morning walk and visit with other friends.  Oh and of course stopping to get some cookies was a must too.  

Daniella was pretty proud to show me the chalk drawing she made of ME this afternoon!  Always fun watching my kiddos create, even when that means seeing what they think I look like=)

I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to serve with Amy, Ashley, and Sommer this month.  I love when nursing students get to come and serve in our clinic!  Each of them not only worked hard in the clinic but really jumped right into life with my kiddos in the village.  The children are going to be very disappointed when they realize they won't be  visiting every afternoon!   

If I'm not already holding him this is my view whenever I look down.  Oh this boy is just full of spunk!  He is literally all boy and isn't interested in anything unless he can tie it up, kick it, or pee on it.  He claimed my heart back when he didn't feel the need to wipe off my kisses.  Davidson has me wrapped right around all of his ten fingers and toes and I'm 100% ok with that.  I feel so blessed to have been given a spot in this little guys life.  

I'm just going to be honest, malnutrition sucks.  And yet right in the middle of the hard of it all is when I get to watch as a family starts to heal.  When the children go from barely surviving to thriving.  When the children that used to come into the clinic with no energy to smile or laugh all of a sudden have the energy to play and tickle each other.  There was so much laughter between these four siblings today.  The story for this family isn't "easy" and it's actually still really messy.  And yet, I'm filled with so much hope because today I watched as the kids played, laughed, and shared suckers with each other.  

May newsletter!

 The May newsletter has finally been mailed!  Click on the link below for the web version of the newsletter.  Let me know (brookes_00@yahoo.com) if you would like to feel extra special and receive a copy in the mail!

 http://www.ministryupdates.org/smalley

And just in case you want to see more photos- click on the links below!  

(you do NOT need a Facebook account to see the pictures!)
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10153027170810831.1073741829.529825830&type=1&l=6237ec42d1

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151772100740831.1073741825.529825830&type=1&l=d2a7345c72

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151398640175831.535019.529825830&type=1&l=9bd9939164

You can also follow me on instagram: smalleybrooke for more photo updates and stories!

lovekenda

In February I admitted one of the smallest little girls into the malnutrition program.  I remember when I first met her mom at a mobile clinic up in the mountain.  As soon as I saw her daughter I knew she was severely malnourished. I talked with her mom and asked her a lot of questions.  I didn’t spend a lot of time sugar coating my words with this momma because I wanted her to realize just how sick her daughter truly was.  I explained to her how I would be able to help her daughter but also told her that she would have to choose to come and receive the help.  And that ultimately she needed to grasp on to the hands of the Lord because her daughter was so very sick.  The day her mother came to clinic to have her admitted into program felt like a victory to me.  I felt that I could celebrate because Lovekenda's mom made the sacrifice to actually come and follow through with what had been offered.  Her mother quickly hugged me and said that she had not been able to sleep since we first met.  She said she had spent many nights thinking over the things we had talked about.  It was all I could do to hold myself together as I went through the admission process with Lovekenda and her momma.  I had a really hard time getting her length on the board we use to measure the children because her hips were so boney which made her body just roll to the side.  I was encouraged at the fact that this sweet girl still had enough energy to scream as I tried to weigh her but the sight of her naked body on the scale was enough to take my breath away.  The Lord blessed me with visiting team members who offered to pray over this mother and her daughter before they left the clinic.  As the prayer ended Lovekenda’s mother started praying too.  She prayed a blessing over each person in the room and she asked the Lord to bless those who made this work possible.  She thanked the Lord for bringing her to our clinic and for her daughter.  Because of how the malnutrition appointments fall I knew I wouldn’t see this mother and child for three weeks.  Oh was it a long three weeks!  Right on schedule this sweet momma came walking into our clinic with Lovekenda in her arms.  I instantly thanked the Lord and then lifted the blanket that was covering her head.  She gained exactly 2.99 pounds in three weeks!!  Even though Lovekenda still had a long ways to go I chose to spend that morning rejoicing with her momma.  Rejoicing and celebrating the work that the Lord had done and was still doing in this little girls body.  On Monday Lovekenda graduated from the malnutrition program.  Her momma was proud to tell me all the things her daughter is now able to do.  And told me that others can't believe just how big she now is and how well she is doing.  So thankful that there is a community of people supporting the malnutrition program and health clinic at NVM both financially and through prayer.  Love watching the little ones grow as they progress through the malnutrition program!  

snapshots

These are some "snapshots" that were originally posted on instagram (smalleybrooke).  I hope you enjoy getting a look into some of the sweet moments of my days=)

During the last few months of my friends pregnancy her daughter Kris was extra needy and cuddly
with me.  For months I prayed about the upcoming delivery and transition for this feet family.  Kris has had
my heart for a long time and watching her struggle wasn't easy.  Just hours after my friend delivered this
sweet new little one Kris practically pulled me into their home.  It has  been such a blessing to watch as Kris has fallen completely head over heals with her baby sister.  Love watching the Lord work in the lives of my friends!

This picture was taken on our Labor/Agriculture holiday which meant no school for the kiddos and
no clinic for me!  Wearing a uniform to school day after day must be boring for Rose because this day she
 chose to let her inner spunk shine by wearing her "fancy" dress!  The tackier the better when you are five!

Love the sticky kisses that come with mango season!  Rosemene didn't waste one bite of her mango!

A fun evening outside with Rose!  You really can't go wrong with
bubbles, a slide, and side walk chalk!

Learned a new version of tic-tac-toe with the children.  Needless to say I go treat quite a few times.  

Daniella and Rosemelie decided to come for a visit.  It's amazing how my cozy little home can become
 wild and crazy with these two!  Not quite sure when they got old enough to come and visit me all on their
 own but I have a feeling this won't be the last time!  Oh and I'll confess- I stood right where I hugged and
 kissed them on the road until I couldn't see them anymore- I'm not ready for my kids to grow up.

The 1st of May is Labor/Agriculture day in Haiti!  The preschool and kindergarten classes were busy
planting different plants for several weeks.  The plants went home with the students just recently…I have
a feeling quite a few of them will have a short life if they are watered like the one on the left=)

Moise!

When Moise and his momma came to our clinic June 5, 2014 I don't think his mom had any clue of what all would really happen. Leslee was instantly struck by how kind his mother was and went to work trying to find a hospital/surgeon through the Haiti expat community to help repair Moise's cleft lip and pallet. In the end it was a Mercy Ships connection which led us to a surgeon that would be coming to Haiti. Oh what a privilege it has been to watch this little guy grow over the last ten months.  Getting to watch Moise develop a personality and watch as a community of health care providers from around the world joined together to care for him has been amazing.  Little Moise and his momma didn't just impact the staff in our clinic but rather the people at each appointment fell in love with him too.

field trip!

 I have been promising the kids for months now that we would take another "field trip" to campus to play on the playground.  These trips take a whole lot of patience because well, trying to keep twenty or so kids together on the road and entertained on the playground can be slightly challenging!  The children reminded me the other day that I once again promised to bring them to play during their spring break from school.  They let me know that school was almost ready to start again so we really needed to go this week.  I told them that the next morning I would come and get them all extra early.  As soon as I walked into the village the kids went crazy and ran off to bathe and get dressed.  Getting twenty kids bathed, dressed (some in fancy church outfits because this is a BIG deal!), and with something on their feet is no easy task.  Thankfully the kids all worked together and before long we were on the road!  It almost felt like we were headed off to camp because they sang songs and danced the entire way to campus.  Everyone who passed us on the road just laughed and waved.  The kids spent over two hours running up and down the slides and having a great time.  Snacks were a highlight for some of them too.  We made sure to head back to the village before some of the younger ones got too tired because they are getting too big to be carried.  All in all it was a morning filled with lots of laughter, fun, and adventure!

Going up the slide is just as much fun as going down it=)

Just how many kiddos can go down a curly slide together...

snapshots from the last week!

 When the rice and sauce are almost finished being cooked it isn't unusual to see kiddos (or animals) just waiting outside of the kitchen in hopes of getting a portion.  Davidson is a professional at knowing where the food is!  He knows that Natacha will always give him a spoon full of rice or some beans that have been cooked.

 Rainy season has officially started!  It has been raining every night which can make for muddy walks to the village!  Between the mud, thorns, and rocks my sandals never last very long here=)

Sweet moment of watching women work together to care for one of the mommas in the village who just had a baby.  This momma normally sells charcoal every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday in order to provide for her family.  The other women are now taking her donkey loaded with charcoal to the market for her so she can remain in the home with the baby.  Love watching the village of women surround and support this momma! 

it's a GIRL!

For months all of my little friends and I have been guessing the gender of Natacha's unborn baby.  Some of the kiddos voted girl, others boy, and some even guessed one of each!  A few of my little friends were even kind enough to say that the boy baby was to be gifted to me and the girl baby would live with Natacha=)  After what felt like year of feeling that baby kick and watching Natacha's belly grow so so very big, Monday morning she delivered a healthy GIRL in her home in Chambrun.  Her other children were all asleep in the home when she had the baby--wouldn't that be a surprise to wake up to!  The children were quick to come and find me on campus just hours after she was born to tell me the big news.  Getting to meet this sweet little one is a moment I hope to never forget.  As I sat next to Natacha on her bed the children gathered around.  They were so curious and knew that while I had the baby they had a better shot at getting to touch her!  We spent a lot of time admiring her fingers, toes, hair, and of course her precious little face.  At just a few hours old this baby girl was already so very loved by a whole community of people.  As I walked home I couldn't help but be both excited and worried for my friend.  While I walked I prayed that Natacha's body would heal and that her recovery would be quick because she has four other children to provide and care for.  I prayed that the baby would be healthy and honestly that she would be one that would make it.  That this baby would be a champ at breastfeeding and that she would bring joy to her family.  There are so many unknowns for this sweet little girl (having a name would be at the top of the list right now..) and yet I know that the Lord has a plan for her life.  I feel so privileged to have been able to watch her momma's belly grow over the last few months and to now have another little one to love on.  

Getting a group picture in a dark room, under a mosquito net, with a group
of kiddos, and all while dripping puddles of sweat..was a slight challenge.
Better pictures to come when this little one is old enough to leave the house=)

pure joy

"Joy is a mystery because it can happen anywhere, anytime, even under the most 

unpromising circumstances, even in the midst of suffering with tears in its eyes." ~Buechner 

Today was one of those days where I watched as the Lord answered one of the prayers I have been praying for over 2 1/2 years.  A prayer that I have prayed since I met sweet little Rose in 2012.  Rose has always been a child that wasn't quick to laugh, smile, or honestly show any emotion at all.  She has a long story that is full of brokenness and yet I have always prayed that she would desire to laugh and play.  Lately watching her little personality grow and develop is like watching the Lord work a miracle right before your eyes.  Today when I walked into her home she instantly perked up and was ready to be held.  It didn't take long before I realized that this was one of those special days with Rose.  Today wouldn't be the day that Rose fell asleep in my arms or simply remained quiet like normal.  No, today was the day when this little lady would want to play.  And she would smile and laugh.  Rose buried her little head into my shoulder and the next thing I knew she peeked up with the biggest grin on her face.  At one point she took her pudgy little hands and started covering her eyes, only to quickly remove her hands with the biggest grin hiding under them.  This sweet little girl was playing peek-a-boo!  I don't think I stopped smiling during the two hours I sat and played with this little one.  In my morning devotions I read through Psalm 139 and as I walked home I thought back to verses 17-18 "How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.  They cannot be numbered!  I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand!.."  Rose is not just precious to me but to her heavenly father as well and that brings such comfort to my soul.  Today I'm thankful that the Lord gave me a glimpse into what He is doing in the heart of sweet Rose.