tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42473704027135570142024-02-18T18:09:58.580-08:00These are the words I would say.Sean M. Kavanaghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330377686184945445noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247370402713557014.post-29690714545934704122014-05-04T13:17:00.001-07:002014-05-04T13:17:47.333-07:00Broken<p dir="ltr">Please pray for me. I don't like asking for prayer. I was going to write a status on facebook, but I realized I had more to say than I could fit in a status and frankly I would rather write it in here because I feel like a lot of people just wouldn't get it. I mean no disrespect by saying that. I just know that a lot of people would have written back "what's wrong?" I don't think I would doubt their sincerity. It's just not that easy to explain.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I feel broken. I haven't felt like this in quite a while. I know the Bible says do not be anxious, but I have a lot of anxiety right now. Its not like I feel too far away from God or anything like that. I don't doubt my salvation or the existence of a holy triune God. Just today yeah I feel a lot of past mistakes and procrastination and just sins in my life. It makes me feel so unworthy. Without God's grace I wouldn't even be able to write this.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I wasn't planning on writing this blog until very recently today. I just know that the power of prayer works. I feel really tired and worn down by my own flesh. I'm also way more nervous that I would like to admit about this new job. I know I have the skills, the personality, and the character to be successful at this job. I guess I am just afraid of the unknown. I know that I need to trust in God's sovereignty,  but just recently its been harder than usual to do so.</p>
<p dir="ltr">If you have the time, please pray that we may all feel the overwhelming joy and peace that can only be found in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Pray that we may be able to trust Him even with the smallest of things in our lives. I know all too well that things don't always work out the way I want them to so if you say a prayer for me just pray that I will be able to have strength in Him. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Thank you for reading this and I hope all is well.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Grace and Peace</p>
<p dir="ltr"><u>Sean</u></p>
Sean M. Kavanaghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330377686184945445noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247370402713557014.post-7785087856893354552014-04-30T15:31:00.001-07:002014-04-30T16:15:25.600-07:00Lessons in Patience Before I really start writing what I want to write, I want to say this. I have this feeling that someone is going to read this who is in a lot of pain. I am not sure who you are or what you are going through, but I want you to know that I am praying for you. No pressure, but if you want to connect, so that I can pray more feel free to connect to me Sean Kavanagh on facebook or through email kavanaghs3378@gmail.com . I just had to get that off my chest. <br />
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I don't know exactly where I want this post to go, but I know I need to write. Feel me? The 2 words that have been most relevant in my life lately are "Patience" and "Transition". It seems they kind of go hand in hand.These last 3 or 4 months have been awful at times and at other times I have felt too blessed. I left a serious relationship in January, well maybe not "I left", Let's just say it ended. That sucked, but I have learned to say "God is sovereign". That alone helps me calm down. I had a plan set and well things did not work out my way. I was so impatient with life. I wanted answers or something. I quit my job and lost the woman I was in love with. I have been job searching since and it is official I have a new job!<br />
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There are 3 areas in my life where I feel incredibly impatient. <br />
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1.) With Myself- I am by no means a perfectionist, but I get frustrated when I am not where I want to be. I need to remember that God has me he for a reason. I have issues. We all do. I want them to just go away, but that's just not logical. I must work at them and of course trust that God is more than big enough to squash those problems. I like to beat myself up way too much. I have goals and dreams though. I want to get there, but sometimes life stops you and makes you smell the roses. Sometimes it is like, I want everything to just happen overnight. I have big things coming, but I need patience. <br />
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2.) With This World- I hate this place sometimes and I just want to go to Heaven. Now don't get me wrong. I love life, but sometimes this place we live in sucks. I was just at an event recently that sounded great, but it was just full of vulgarity and debauchery. It was ugly. I am not trying to blame specific people or to sound judgmental. I just am sick of all the garbage sometimes. Whether it's violence, hate, sexual exploitation, extreme arrogance, racism, or whatever. This can make me seriously feel ill, but I know what I need to do. God has me on this earth for a reason. I need to make the most of it. I need to show other people what joy is.<br />
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3.) With God- This one is one of the most difficult, but it is actually quite ridiculous that anyone should get impatient with God. God's timing is perfect. Nuff said.<br />
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This transition for me has been frustrating, but I have seen much growth in myself and I have had the opportunity to meet a lot of new friends and connected with a lot of awesome people. I have been able to write more and present my poetry more. I look forward to whatever is next. <br /><br />If you have been feeling impatient lately, let's be patient together. Let's trust that things will work out how God wants them to work out, which is always the best way. <br />
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Grace and Peace<br />
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Sean<br />
<br />Sean M. Kavanaghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330377686184945445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247370402713557014.post-28681393201664135662014-04-23T13:26:00.001-07:002014-04-23T13:29:41.519-07:00Standing Still and Remaining SilentIt just feels like the right time for me to write a blog post. I hope this post encourages you. I have been dwelling on a Bible verse for weeks now. I have just been thinking about it almost daily and yet I didn't really understand why. Today I studied it more and truly sought wisdom and understanding. The verse is Exodus 14:14 "<sup class="versenum"></sup>The <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> will fight for you; you need only to be still."<br />
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Now before I go into what God has been revealing to me through that verse I want to get a little personal. Lately, I have been battling with sin and honestly I have been trying to do it all on my own. Sprititually, I don't think I am in a low point, but there are certain things that I just have not been giving to Him. Last night, I came home from a great night with friends. I laid outside with my dog on my picnic table and I just got lost looking at the stars. It was incredible. The sky was so clear and the stars looked amazing. I was thinking to myself, How can I try to act like God is not there? Like, I'll just block Him out for awhile. That is crazy. He is OMNIPRESENT. Later last night I felt horribly convicted to pray for a friend of mine who was struggling. While praying, God was also convicting me of my own sin. I felt a lot of growth, but it was painful. He made me realize that I have a lot to work on myself.<br />
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So back to that verse. As for context, this is Moses speaking. This is right before the Red Sea is about to be parted, but the Israelites don't know that. All they know is Pharaoh's army is on their tail and they look like dead meat. Here comes the murmuring and complaining. They were upset with Moses because they didn't have faith that God would get them out this time. The first part of Moses' response was in verse 13, but in 14 he says "The <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> will fight for you; you need only to be still." This is the NIV translation. In other translations it says "Be calm", "Be Silent", and "<span class="text Exod-14-14" id="en-AKJV-1904">ye shall hold your peace". </span><br />
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<span class="text Exod-14-14" id="en-AKJV-1904">This verse is all about trust. Now I don't know what it is like to be these people who see an army coming to destroy them from behind and a great body of water in front of them, which appears to be a sure dead end. I think there are still points to take from this though. My personal favorite translation was "Be silent". These Israelites were murmuring, gossiping and complaining a lot. Now, I see myself much like these Israelites, I sit here complaining. When life isn't going my way I start to grumble, but in that moment I lack trust. I need to shut up and let God fight for me. I think God is saying "Let me handle this", but we are like stubborn little kids first learning to tie our shoes. And if anyone tries to help we say "No! I got this", when all we can do is tie a bunch of knots that we can't even un-knot by ourselves and we end up creating an even bigger mess. The truth is we NEED God. God is willing to fight for us. He will protect us. Sometimes, I want to show everyone how tough I am, but God wants us to show our weaknesses! He is stregthened in our weakness! <br /><br />Last night while praying, I wanted to lead the way in all these battles. I wanted to fight for my friend. God reminded me that I alone can't. I must surrender myself to Him. I must be silent and trust. <br /><br />Thank you LORD! </span>Sean M. Kavanaghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330377686184945445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247370402713557014.post-9751503439641905462013-06-15T22:42:00.001-07:002013-06-15T22:42:24.833-07:00That night. So, it has been over a year since I have wrote on here! A lot has happened... graduating college, and landing a job and all sorts of other stuff along the way. The main part of this post will be a story. A very true story. I want to take everyone with me back to the night of Dec. 30th 2011. I have been meaning to write this all down, but for whatever reason it has not happened till now. Even though a year and a half has gone by, I remember this night more vividly than any other. I want to write it down because I know that as time goes on, I will start forgetting more and more details.<br />
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Here we go...<br /><br />The setting was TCX a conference for college students involved with Cru. In a hotel ballroom filled with almost two thousand people, the energy level was way up there. We were now less than 5 minutes away till the evening session started. I remember sitting on the left side of the ballroom, maybe the 15th row back in the first seat on the left. The Greater Twin Ports Cru claimed their seats. I was excited, but I was exhausted. I was tired of worrying about my mother. I was tired of crying every time I mentioned her situation. But alas, I was hoping that the speaker could bring words of encouragement. The countdown on the giant screen said less than 2 minutes to go. I get a text from my father that says "Call me right now". I make sure my program and my Bible were safe under my seat and then I walk at a fairly rushed pace towards the back doors. I had an awful feeling in my stomach, but I was hoping my dad just wanted to talk about something, you know, not important. I get out of the very noisy ballroom and into the lobby. I call my dad. This part is a bit blurry. All I remember him saying is "Mom's gone." I remember wanting to puke. I remember just pacing and occasionally bending over. I was trying my hardest not to hyperventilate. It took awhile, maybe 40 seconds for the tears to come. My father was trying to comfort me, but I wasn't listening. Never have I felt such a pain. He kept talking and I just kept pacing. The sobs started to come. My good friend Jacob came from behind me not knowing that I just got the news, but once he saw my face, he knew. I hung up. We sat down on some chairs. He just sat there with me. There was nothing to say. I just felt lost. It was such an empty feeling. I cried and he cried with me. I am not sure how much time passed, maybe 20 minutes, but I wanted to go back in. I went back in when the last song or second to last was playing before the emcee would come up. I immediately went over to the Cru staff, Luke, that I was good friends with. While the song was playing I stood next to him. I tapped him on the shoulder. I tried to say "She's gone" or "My mom just died", but I don't think anything came out. He knew what happened. We stood there with arms around each others' shoulders. Just crying. I tried to worship. I tried to sing, but I just cried. After the songs were over I went to sit down. The emcee came out and cracked a few jokes. I remember everyone laughing, but I couldn't engage. I felt like I was in a different dimension just watching everyone. The speaker came out. I grabbed my journal to take notes, but I still didn't know how to actually focus on what was really happening. I just looked around and saw all of the people laughing, joking, smiling, and I just could not join in. I picked up my Bible and I left the ballroom again. I am sure people were watching me as I left, but I didn't notice. I went back to those chairs. I just sat there. I tried to pray. I couldn't think. What was I supposed to think? Minutes later, Luke and Jacob come out of the ballroom and sit with me. They both did not say much and anything they did say never really soaked in. Luke said we should go over to this "prayer booth" It was a make-shift room made out of curtains. Luke knew some, maybe all of the people that were already inside of this booth. He introduced me right away. He told them that my mother had recently passed away. They (one man and two or three women who were Cru staff) looked at me with that "Aw, I'm sorry" face. Luke then had to go back out to the ballroom. It was Jacob and I and some strangers. They asked me questions about when she passed to which I responded "about 40 minutes ago". Their faces changed from that "aw, I'm sorry" face to the "Oh my! I don't know what to say" face. It was obvious they thought that my mom passed away a week or month ago. I am not sure how long we prayed, but I remember talking a lot and I think they did too. What I remember most vividly was the tears. These people just met me, but they felt my pain. All of us had tears running down our faces. I remember leaving that prayer session feeling a little better. At least I was able to talk about it. I went back into the ballroom to hear the very last song. I remember trying my hardest to just let God take control of this situation. At that moment, I felt God and He was near. After the song, I talked with friends, I cried some more, I remember feeling lost again. I wanted to tell them I was fine, but I was far from. I decided after the evening session was over, that I would stay the night and then I would go home. The next few hours consisted of me wandering around not really trying to be social. I was in a lobby with hundreds of people and I just stared at other people and watched their body language. I remember telling Jacob, that I wanted to gather the Greater Twin Ports Cru people together so I could tell them why I was leaving early the next morning. Jacob and others made sure that it would happen. There was a few hours where I just sat down by myself and thought. I may have spoken to a few people, but it was still very hard to focus and engage and to interact. At midnight, I started walking towards the conference room where the people were gathered. Before I got onto the escalator, I ran into Jonny and Danny, two friends that were with Cru that I knew from Ashland. I asked them what they were up to and I remember Jonny saying "We're coming with ya buddy." After we got off the escalator, I went over to the ledge looking down at the floor below. I wasn't sure I wanted to do this. I didn't really want to talk, but I gathered what few thoughts I had and I wiped the tears and went in. I wasn't sure how many would be in there, but it was crazy. Maybe 80 people were all sitting down. When I walked in everyone became silent. I am willing to bet that most everyone already knew what happened. I felt like sobbing again. I tried my best to hold it together, but I saw people already crying. In a very shaky voice I told everyone about my mother and her passing. They then prayed over me. It was wild to have so many people surrounding me literally in prayer. I remember hearing lots of sobbing. It was an amazing prayer session though. I felt God again. He was there. After we prayed, which probably took 15 minutes at least, many people gave me hugs and words of sympathy or encouragement. That night, I don't think I really slept at all. That night my world was forever changed. I can now talk about this story and be somehow encouraged. That night shaped me. It sucked, a lot, but I am stronger from it. God knows. I was blessed to have such amazing support. <br />I feel relieved. I have finally written this story down. If any more details come back, I may add them.<br /><br />SeanSean M. Kavanaghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330377686184945445noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247370402713557014.post-62664361144608356392012-05-07T16:22:00.000-07:002012-05-07T16:22:04.437-07:00HopeHello all,<br /><br />It has been quite some time since I have last wrote on here. For that I apologize. I actually said I was going to do this everyday. Yikes. I think by everyday I meant every 3 months. <br /><br />First off, I will fill you in on my life. After this Mayterm, I will be 22 credits away from graduating! I plan on taking 2 summer courses at UWM so that when I return to Ashland in September, it will be my last semester of college! If you didn't know this, I am not really one to just throw exclamation points wherever, but this is great new! It has been an incredibly long journey! Who knows what will happen next.<br />
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The reason I have to take summer classes has a lot to do with my mother passing. I didn't handle that whole grieving thing very well. This semester I had to withdraw from two classes, cutting my course load in half. Time is feeling more like time to me. I hope that makes sense. I used to count the days and weeks after she passed. Now, I don't. Don't think for a second that I forgot. She is constantly on my mind. This weekend is Mother's Day and my family will all be lighting sky lanterns and letting them float off in to the night sky. We will all be in different parts of the state, but together at the same time. My mother always liked these things and I think it is a great memorial. In case you have never seen one of these, here is a picture:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbnWHUGldan5I1sZlOQlUE5MpobT01Xsu3SPTUCpkDXEwzwku9bCj-SY9JOiBurDVs2l_cuyOfGVEpVtGoe2q81lt174sgaHzEy8tjbYUzb4QGMHm56SnPeN5Gni76CmSULXNLIETDIKs/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbnWHUGldan5I1sZlOQlUE5MpobT01Xsu3SPTUCpkDXEwzwku9bCj-SY9JOiBurDVs2l_cuyOfGVEpVtGoe2q81lt174sgaHzEy8tjbYUzb4QGMHm56SnPeN5Gni76CmSULXNLIETDIKs/s320/5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Now on to the INSPIRATIONAL part of my post. I put it in all caps so it would catch your eye. I bet it did. OK, I read some writings by Gareth Evans ( A Welsh-Canadian I met in Haiti) and he wrote about "hope". He says, "Hope is an attribute of the mind and is evidenced in confidence." True hope is given to us by God. The kind of hope that was talked about in the letters Paul wrote, was more than just "I hope it doesn't rain today." It was even more than believing. It is knowing. I have hope that one day I will be in heaven. Why? Because God has revealed this to me. Do feel hopeless? Read 1 John. Obi-wan Kenobi is not our only hope. Jesus is. Look to the cross.<br />
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Here is a link to Gareth's little article: http://www.garethevansministries.org/media/Hopeless.pdf<br />
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Let me know what you think of this post. The more feedback I get, the more I am encouraged to write more posts. <br /><br />Have a wonderful day!!<br /><br />Sean K.Sean M. Kavanaghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330377686184945445noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247370402713557014.post-31228071663413175222012-02-24T08:27:00.002-08:002012-02-24T11:25:25.987-08:00LettersThe following letters reflect my personal beliefs on faith. I wrote the first letter to my mother while in Haiti weeks before her surgery that never actually happened due to the metastasizing of the tumor. The second letter was her response. 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mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">Dear Mother, </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">This is a letter that I have been meaning to write for weeks if not months.<span style=""> </span>I must be honest in this letter.<span style=""> </span>I am tired of people sugarcoating situations such as this.<span style=""> </span>We all know you have a very serious condition.<span style=""> </span>I would love to say, “The surgery will go great!” The truth is I don’t know.<span style=""> </span>Optimism is fine, but I do not believe that thinking happy thoughts can change a situation.<span style=""> </span>Now, prayer, that is different because when one prays to God it involves faith, faith that He can.<span style=""> </span>The thing about faith is, it is received.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">When concerning your cancer, God has never given me that faith to say “I know you are going to live.”<span style=""> </span>Believe me, that is what I want, but I learn that what I want and what God has planned can be very different.<span style=""> </span>I know I hear the family and friends telling me “she is going to be ok”, but many of these people are terribly worried inside.<span style=""> </span>I am not going to lie and say I am not worried, but the truth is God has given a peace in me with this situation.<span style=""> </span>I continue to worry, but the more I look to God the more I hear him saying “It is in my hands”, which gives me assurance.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I want to let you know what matters most to me.<span style=""> </span>I think you already know that I am going to talk about God.<span style=""> </span>What matters most to me is your salvation.<span style=""> </span>In the Lutheran church I don’t believe that there is enough talk about what salvation is.<span style=""> </span>I am sure I have talked to you about this topic many times, but I pray that you understand why I talk about it so much. This is not easy to talk about, but whether your physical body lives or dies here on Earth, that is nothing compared to your spiritual body.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I am reading a book that talks about the moral law.<span style=""> </span>This moral law is that thing inside us that tells us what we ought to do.<span style=""> </span>It is more than just our conscience.<span style=""> </span>This is one of the many proofs of God.<span style=""> </span>If there is a child crying for help down the street, you will immediately think two thoughts.<span style=""> </span>“I should go help” or “That is too dangerous”.<span style=""> </span>If you do nothing you will most likely feel the guilt because of the moral law.<span style=""> </span>This cannot be explained through science.<span style=""> </span>Now we cannot possibly obey this moral law on a consistent basis, which means we disobey the power (AKA God) that created this moral law. We need forgiveness. We are saved by grace through faith, which will cause us to repent.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">More than anything I want you to be confident that you are safe with God here on Earth or in Heaven. This is not just about believing in a god.<span style=""> </span>This is about believing in God. Trusting in Him. Salvation can be received when God breaks you down and lets us understand that we are a fallen people.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: 0.5in;">Now, I trust that you are still reading this and maybe you have heard all this before, but if you have never truly asked for forgiveness, it is not too late. He loves you.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">The change in my life was and is real.<span style=""> </span>It is all because of Him, but I also feel I had the choice to surrender to him or not.<span style=""> </span>I pray if you haven’t already that you will let God take control. I am not talking about religion junk here, I am talking about an authentic, personal relationship.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">This sounds weird to say, but if you have not truly felt the Holy Spirit inside you, I want you to pray this prayer or a variant of it. Of course you do not have to and I don’t want you to if there is a feeling of obligation.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Dear Father,</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I love you God.<span style=""> </span>I trust that my life is in your hands.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I know I have lived a far from perfect life thus far.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I ask you for forgiveness of my sins with thanks to your son Jesus who died for me.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I am willing to give up what I have here on Earth to live an eternity with you.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">In your Son’s name,</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Amen</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">This letter was not an easy one to write to say the least.<span style=""> </span>You are my closest friend here on this Earth. 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mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Sean,</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">I love you more than you will ever know - that is at least until some<br />day when I hope you are blessed enough to have children of your own. <br />Then you will know the kind of intense, unconditional love I feel for<br />you. Who you are and what you have grown into gives me emotions that<br />are like explosions - I can't quite explain how grateful I am to God for<br />finding you and taking you in. I believe I have that connection with<br />God. I know our words sometimes differ and maybe it's a little<br />different, but I have given this to God. I am doing what I can - the<br />things that are in my power, but I I realize those things are very<br />small, but I'm sure still important. I find peace from reading the book<br />we bought together and learning how to pray better and more often. It<br />does give me peace. When you spoke to me about identifying the<br />connection with God as finding peace - not necessarily knowing if my<br />request would be the result of the prayers being answered, that really<br />made a connection for me. Although I'm scared - again something I don't<br />talk about, but honestly, I don't know how this all will turn out<br />either. Anyway, the thought that the surgery is getting closer, the<br />tests next week and the actual process of the surgery are scary, I know<br />I will have so much support from all those I love and love me, but I do<br />feel like I'll be held in God's hand and will be given the strength to<br />deal with what comes next. I don't know how, I just know I"m not<br />alone. I'm sort of shy to say I ask to be healed, it seems so self<br />centered, but I do with then thoughts that God knows my world and<br />understands my desires so it's not being pompous to ask to continue to<br />live here on earth for a while. I also know there are countless options<br />on the way my life can go - unimaginable scenarios really, so I trust God.<br />I heard something else about a week or so ago. Our God is an "in time"<br />God. We may not always get what we asked for when we asked for it or<br />the way we think it should have been given. But God will give us what<br />we need when the time is right. God will give us peace "in time". <br />Sometimes I want to just scream why can't it be now? or Just tell me!,<br />but then I usually feel a sort or breeze inside that calms and<br />re-centers and I wait until it's time.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">I have reached a point where I look for the positive, hope and pray for<br />the positive, but I've also learned that God usually surpasses any of my<br />wildest dreams in some way so I've also become more comfortable with<br />trusting that his knowledge is so superior, I just need to ask for help<br />- he knows whats the best way for that help to be presented.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Thank you for the prayer - It's a very good one and I will keep it with<br />my book to help me remember it (and to use it more often). My life has<br />been blessed. I have a personal relationship with God. I love how<br />deeply your caring for me runs. You are amazing. I know the next<br />couple of weeks are going to get more intense - I can feel myself<br />getting a little more stressed, but prayer, talking and being in touch<br />all help.<br />I love you</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Mom</span></p>Sean M. Kavanaghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330377686184945445noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247370402713557014.post-41560353764449034232012-02-05T12:04:00.000-08:002012-02-05T12:57:47.251-08:00Uh oh, he tries to write poems too?Here is a poem that I wrote while I was in Haiti with a few a recent adjustments. If you like thanks. If you think it is weak sauce. It's OK. I know I am not a master poet. I just like to convey my thoughts and emotions trough rhyming words.<br /><br />I'm at a lack of words for how much this hurts.<br />Keep trying so hard, but it only gets worse.<br />No time to think and barely time to blink.<br />Why's it this way? It's almost unbearable.<br />Give me some advice or throw it in a parable.<br />I won't sit back and I can't relax<br />It's time to face the facts.<br />Children are sick and dying<br />It's like we stopped trying.<br />Life's too short to watch from the outskirts.<br />Jump in and don't tell me how much it hurts.<br />You don't know about sleeping on cardboard<br />You're too busy complaining about junk you can't afford.<br />Believe me I care, even if I've never been there.<br />I want to help, but I've only got these two hands<br />Lord, show me what I can't do, you can.<br />Work in me then through me<br />Then, I'll be bearing fruit with big leaves.<br />This pain, it's not about me.<br />It's about you and your family.<br />Pain is pain and I know we'll all feel it, just never give up hope.<br />He's right here in our midst.<br /><br />Eh, I don't like this that much, but I think it accurately describes how I feel.Sean M. Kavanaghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330377686184945445noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247370402713557014.post-61059763417181908312012-02-04T18:56:00.000-08:002012-02-04T19:48:26.307-08:00My first blog post of 2012!So here we go. It has been darn near a a year since I have wrote up on here. I suspect these first few entries will be a bit awkward. Eventually my writing should start to flow. I hope to be able to share a bit of knowledge in each entry, but most of the times it will be raw feelings or things I have recently learned and wanted to tell the world.<br /><br />As most of you know, my mother passed away about 5 weeks ago. It is absurd for me to think it has actually been that long. What I will share is how I have been dealing with the pain. I am not ever trying to tell you that my pain is worse because you have your pain and I have mine. We all feel differently. My mother was battling cancer (I hate this word still) for about a year and 3 months. Saying she was tough would be an large understatement. She was incredibly courageous.<br /><br />Now here I am, a 24 year old college student that just lost not only a mother, but an amazing friend. I am still trying to understand this whole grief thing. I mean, it has been 5 weeks? Isn't that long enough? I wish. I still struggle with sleeping, my recurring dreams of her seem to haunt me and frankly there is just a pain inside of me that will not go away.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">A Grief Observed<br /></div>I just finished a book by CS Lewis called A Grief Observed. It is hardly a book. It is his personal journal entries that he wrote shortly after his wife passed away. It is a fantastic read, especially for someone who is dealing with or has dealt with grief. As I was finishing the book today at the local coffee shop, I took down mental notes on two specific ideas. The first of these ideas is "getting over" pain. Lewis used an analogy involving 2 separate people. One of them was recovering from the removal of their appendix due to appendicitis and the other was recovering from an amputated leg. He said, the person who had their appendix removed will feel pain immediately, but that pain will subside and eventually disappear and will hardly affect him. The man who had his leg amputated will now have a stump instead of a leg. It will be incredibly painful initially, but the pain may go away in his stump for a while, but will most likely come back. Also, this man's life will be changed forever. Everything will be different from walking, to putting on his clothes, and even sleeping. If I use this analogy to my life right now, my stump is starting to heal, but it will never be pain-free. I am not even ready for that fake leg yet as much as I want to be, but I am getting close. One thing I know for sure is that I will never have that leg again. It was a vital part of my life gone forever.<br /><br />The other idea Lewis talked about was how God will end relationships on Earth for a reason. I don't know why, but maybe it is because He has something else planned. He said "OK, that relationship must end, but I have something better for you now." I think this is what Lewis said kind of. I struggle with this idea, but I truly believe God has a master plan.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br />When one life ends another begins.<br /><div style="text-align: left;">I really got to see the circle of life, so to speak moving in these past couple months. My mother passed Dec 29, but my nephew was just born yesterday Feb 2. Life and death. Death and life. It is a reality.<br /></div></div><br />Lately I have really been trying to comprehend how fragile life on Earth is. So, tell your family and friends you love them. Don't let junk get in between a relationship that matters. Tell people you appreciate them and be sincere. Let go of regrets and move forward!<br /><br />-SeanSean M. Kavanaghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330377686184945445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247370402713557014.post-63381656993067165782011-05-11T14:22:00.000-07:002011-05-11T14:34:46.004-07:00Looking back<span style="font-family: arial;">I was just checking out my journals from my trip. Here are two quotes from my trip. 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mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal">"I love Haiti.<span style=""> </span>I don’t know what it is.<span style=""> </span>Haiti changes me instantly.<span style="">" <br /></span></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="">Day 22</span></p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> 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10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: arial;">"For some reason I have such a deep love for this country.<span style=""> </span>I cannot see myself abandoning Haiti. Ever."<br /><br />Haiti has changed my life. <br /><br /><br />"Now that I have seen, I am responsible. Faith without deeds is dead."<br /> <br /> Brooke Fraser- "Albertine"<br /></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><br /></span></p>Sean M. Kavanaghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330377686184945445noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247370402713557014.post-28826227803874196822011-04-09T10:03:00.000-07:002011-04-09T10:08:10.830-07:00Nadia<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:dontvertaligncellwithsp/> <w:dontbreakconstrainedforcedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> <w:word11kerningpairs/> 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mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">Warning: This post involves my own personal Christian beliefs.<span style=""> </span>You may not agree with the words you are about to read. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">This post is about a girl named Nadia, She lives in a ravine-like area with one house and multiple tents/huts in Port-au-Prince.<span style=""> </span>I visit this ravine about 4 times a week.<span style=""> </span>Every day they are outside playing.<span style=""> </span>When I am at the top of the ravine one of the kids is bound to see me before I get down there.<span style=""> </span>They start yelling Sean and come running. They longer call me blan like most Haitian children I pass. I feel welcome here. Nadia lives with parents, her 3 sisters and her 2 brothers. Nadia wears a necklace made with a bone that is wrapped with string and tape.<span style=""> </span>It is very unpleasant looking. The first time I asked her about it she told me that she was sick.<span style=""> </span>I immediately suspected that it was a voodoo necklace and sure enough it was.<span style=""> </span>I was told by one of the older ladies that she is having trouble eating (or at least that is what I got out of her little rant in Creole). </p> <p class="MsoNormal">I wanted to take it off her the first time I saw it.<span style=""> </span>Voodoo is scary stuff and I don’t want a child to be messing with it. A week later I went there on a mission.<span style=""> </span>I wanted to trade her my cross necklace that I have not taken off in close to two years for her voodoo one. This was quite the difficult task due to my lack of knowledge of the Haitian Creole language.<span style=""> </span>I tried my hardest.<span style=""> </span>Eventually they understood what I meant. Initially I went directly to<span style=""> </span>her and asked her. What she told me was quite shocking, but I have heard stories similar to this before.<span style=""> </span>She shook her head no and said “M’ap mouri”. Literally that means “I’m dying”, but the way she meant it was, “I’m going to die.” <span style=""> </span>She literally thinks that if she takes that necklace off, she will die.<span style=""> </span>15 minutes or so later, I had an opportunity to ask her mother if I could do it.<span style=""> </span>At first another lady who just wanted my necklace for herself said yes and that I should give mine first.<span style=""> </span>So I did, I gave the necklace to the her and told her she had to give it to Nadia, but she ended up just giving it back to me.<span style=""> </span>Nadia told me she liked mine and did not like hers, but she still could not.<span style=""> </span>Her mother just said “Li malad.” She is sick. The way she said it was like saying, duh! She is sick! She obviously needs this voodoo necklace!</p> <p class="MsoNormal">This family really believes that that chicken bone is going to heal her.<span style=""> </span>I know my cross necklace itself wouldn’t heal her either, but I was hoping for it to be a reminder of Jesus’ love. These superstitions are so engrained into their culture that they are telling little children they must wear this voodoo idol or they will die. There are real spirits involved in voodoo, but if they are not from God they can only be from Satan. <span style=""> </span>As of right now, she seems healthy, but<span style=""> </span>everyone in the community seems to think she is quite sick. The reason I am posting this is because Nadia and her family need our prayers.<span style=""> </span>Not just because she is sick, but pray for these people that God may work in their lives and he will shine light into the darkness. Below is a picture of her.<br /><span style=""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyCYFU-3SI92aVVxi5cS3Y7RCxubVVBY1jPS4_tGVHZ8a0KyLvZ04hVvKNMjPGoIXEmym_e5Hgi60RGmCK_IYJLnCxkWhSFBPUBNlgsBgHfsmhQb4yPGxvhTUGojzvbtBi8HydbjG4rWg/s1600/106_4554.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyCYFU-3SI92aVVxi5cS3Y7RCxubVVBY1jPS4_tGVHZ8a0KyLvZ04hVvKNMjPGoIXEmym_e5Hgi60RGmCK_IYJLnCxkWhSFBPUBNlgsBgHfsmhQb4yPGxvhTUGojzvbtBi8HydbjG4rWg/s320/106_4554.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593631404714240994" border="0" /></a></p>Sean M. Kavanaghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330377686184945445noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247370402713557014.post-70606437753888879612011-03-27T14:05:00.000-07:002011-03-27T14:07:30.567-07:00Thoughts<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:dontvertaligncellwithsp/> <w:dontbreakconstrainedforcedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> <w:word11kerningpairs/> 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mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">It’s not that we don’t know or we’re not shown the proof of poverty.<span style=""> </span>It’s not that we don’t have the tools to go to break this yoke of slavery. We quit because it’s not an easy fix and then forget that they are even there.<span style=""> </span>We forget to care.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">This is from a song by Jenny & Tyler. This is what I have been thinking about a lot lately.<br /></p>Sean M. Kavanaghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330377686184945445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247370402713557014.post-21751811676170224442011-03-21T10:35:00.000-07:002011-03-21T10:37:47.102-07:00Update<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:dontvertaligncellwithsp/> <w:dontbreakconstrainedforcedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> <w:word11kerningpairs/> 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mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">As I am writing this post I am inside my favorite Haitian family’s house.<span style=""> </span>I think my bedroom is bigger than this whole house. 11 people sleep here on 3 beds.<span style=""> </span>I am dripping sweat as I write this.<span style=""> </span>There is very little ventilation and no fans.<span style=""> </span>This is real. I am not writing this for you to say “poor people”; they do not want your pity.<span style=""> </span>I am writing this to open eyes.<span style=""> </span>Many of the people that read this may have seen or even lived in a 3<sup>rd</sup> world country, so you know what I am talking about, so maybe this will be a reminder.<span style=""> </span>We get caught up in the comfort of America.<span style=""> </span>We start complaining about the littlest things, things that these Haitians are not even able to complain about.<span style=""> </span>Keeping food on the table is enough of a struggle for them. Being in Haiti, I am constantly reminded how grateful I should be to be born in America and having a loving and supportive family.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;" align="center">Teaching</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I am teaching only one English class now because two was too much.<span style=""> </span>I teach with a Haitian.<span style=""> </span>We take turns teaching and I just help him out if he mispronounces something or needs help.<span style=""> </span>This class is about 8-12 people ages 18-35. Some of them are almost intermediate and some are complete beginners.<span style=""> </span>I teach from a book called English in a Changing World.<span style=""> </span>The book is from 1970 or something.<span style=""> </span>I often just improvise and make up my own lessons.<span style=""> </span>It is a blast.<span style=""> </span>We were supposed to have test last Friday, but there was a lot of traffic downtown due to the arrival of Jean-Bertrand Aristide. If you don’t know who that is, look it up.<span style=""> </span>He’s got an interesting story.<span style=""> </span>We did not have the test today because elections were yesterday. So far things seem tranquil but many people did not want to risk going out into the street.<span style=""> </span>Just in case. Things may still get wild. We will see.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;" align="center">My hangouts</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">When I am not in the house, or at the office, which is also where I teach, I usually have two main hang out spots. The first is in a ravine.<span style=""> </span>This ravine has one house and about 12 tents and shacks. I walked through many times without stopping, but one day some guys called me over.<span style=""> </span>The guys who live in the house hang outside of it every day with their friends.<span style=""> </span>At any given time there are usually 3 or 4, but sometimes 8 or 10. Three of them speak good English and the rest of them speak very broken English if any at all. These young men are 19-26 years old. They all think they are gangster and party pretty much every night.<span style=""> </span>Some of them have jobs, but may only work 2 days a week. In this same place, there are about 8 regular kids that live there.<span style=""> </span>They all know my name and I am learning theirs.<span style=""> </span>They are adorable children.<span style=""> </span>I at times find wifi there and I show the kids pictures on my facebook.<span style=""> </span>They are usually all on top of me, but I could care less.<span style=""> </span>I love the people in this ravine.<span style=""> </span>I want to help them.<span style=""> </span>They all ask me for money or food on a regular basis and I know that I could possibly feed the entire community for a day or two, but what about after?<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Before I talk about my second hang out, I want to talk a little but why I am overwhelmed here at times.<span style=""> </span>I have heard plenty of sermons where the pastor will talk about giving. 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mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">This brings me to one of my favorite analogies dealing with helping Haiti. I am not intelligent enough to come up with this, but I am not sure who did. Haiti is full of hurt. Many aid organizations and missions groups are coming here to help relieve the pain.<span style=""> </span>These organizations are putting band-aids on Haiti and just keep replacing them and applying more, but the wounds will not heal if the band-aids never come off.<span style=""> </span>While I was in church today I gained insight on what I may be called to do in Haiti, which is to create sustainability in Haiti possibly in the fields of youth ministry and agriculture. In order for any of this to be successful, we must remove the band-aids and let the wounds heal.<span style=""> </span>This not going to happen overnight, which means I may be involved in Haiti for quite some time.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">That second hangout I promised to talk about is about a 30 minute walk from my house.<span style=""> </span>It is my friend Ruth’s house.<span style=""> </span>Ruth is one of my best friends here and she is an amazing person.<span style=""> </span>She is excellent at speaking English so I go to her house to just chat.<span style=""> </span>When I am having a rough, I go over there and just play with the kids. After school there is almost always at least 8 kids from ages 3-9 playing in the street. These kids are incredibly goofy.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;" align="center">Trailblazing</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I am learning to relearn everything. Americans are caught up in the word success.<span style=""> </span>At first when I came here and had relaxed days, I thought I cannot tell people that I wasn’t doing anything, but I really was.<span style=""> </span>I am not going to come back to Wisconsin and tell you about how many houses I have built or bags of rice I distributed.<span style=""> </span>I will be able to tell you about connections I made with people and relationships I have built. .<span style=""> </span>I walk about 2 miles every day and often times just stop and talk with the people.<span style=""> </span>It is difficult most of the time because my Kreyol is horrible, but many people are patient with me. The organization I’m with right now is really just beginning to make an impact in Haiti.<span style=""> </span>What I am doing right now is blazing trails </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style=""> </span>This place is amazing. Something about Haiti sucks me in.<span style=""> </span>I have yet to figure what that something is.<span style=""> </span>There are some days here when I get discouraged and it is not easy to move forward, but I am blessed to be here.</p> I will add pictures very soon. Be on the look out.<br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /><span style=""></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style=""><br /></span></p>Sean M. Kavanaghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330377686184945445noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247370402713557014.post-39567461031725842542011-02-25T13:15:00.001-08:002011-02-25T13:36:25.506-08:00I'm at a lack of words for how much this hurts.<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:dontvertaligncellwithsp/> <w:dontbreakconstrainedforcedtables/> 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mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">I wake up at 5:40.<span style=""> </span>I am scheduled to meet Mr. Max at 6:15 about ½ mile way.<span style=""> </span>I brush my teeth, take a shower, get dressed, and get everything in my Nike bag.<span style=""> </span>I was running late, but little did I know that Mr. Max was way behind me.<span style=""> </span>I got to his office around 6:30 and Max arrived at 7:15.<span style=""> </span>He said it was very difficult to find a tap-tap.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">We leave immediately and meet with Pastor St. Cyr. This man speaks great English, but what I love about him most is his heart for Haiti.<span style=""> </span>He has the opportunity to move to the US and live there with his family, but he chooses to pastor a church in a tent city.<span style=""> </span>Now, I should be more specific here.<span style=""> </span>This tent city is THE tent city.<span style=""> </span>The largest one in Haiti with 55,000 people!<span style=""> </span>I met Pastor St. Cyr yesterday and asked to see his church.<span style=""> </span>He said whenever, so I asked about tomorrow, now here I am.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">This day the Pastor’s car was in the shop so he was renting a tap-tap.<span style=""> </span>This tap-tap was stripped inside was the worst rental I have ever seen.<span style=""> </span>The only way for me to get out of the front seat was to roll down the window and open it from the outside.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Entering the tent city was something else.<span style=""> </span>I don’t know how to describe this place.<span style=""> </span>My heart hurts just writing about it.<span style=""> </span>I told someone that being there made me want to cry and puke at the same time. 50,000 people who lost their homes, living in tents, with no place to go, this is heartbreaking.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HEGeqX0H2EP1Q0ufUb0m51MnX0GuCWhr2_VWN6q_FbclyrgK3SmclqOtcCJMLaEW6UkWmYFPpyktEchVn6ppoC-LQw3h4np3UDE_iMJVsmAWGGFXJVTISsfPeUW_WSis4nlYkhKN5Fc/s1600/103_3457.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HEGeqX0H2EP1Q0ufUb0m51MnX0GuCWhr2_VWN6q_FbclyrgK3SmclqOtcCJMLaEW6UkWmYFPpyktEchVn6ppoC-LQw3h4np3UDE_iMJVsmAWGGFXJVTISsfPeUW_WSis4nlYkhKN5Fc/s320/103_3457.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577741167687332338" border="0" /></a><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span></p>Sean M. 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mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:shapedefaults ext="edit" spidmax="1026"> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:shapelayout ext="edit"> <o:idmap ext="edit" data="1"> </o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">Ups and downs</p> <p class="MsoNormal">So, someone recently asked me if things are going smoothly here for me.<span style=""> </span>I hesitated on that one.<span style=""> </span>According to my plans, no, things are not going smoothly, but I have to roll with the punches here.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Jaumpas</p> <p class="MsoNormal">After about 2 weeks of trying to get a ride up to Baptiste, we finally get one!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ig_QXy4WmrpcA2RUEeTtpeDkIUsIwYEBdDg_GrlsclQE8Ny5_huvS0Xp4pPHy43Hrx8d0dbdWB59-9IRZfdJyEf8Cfqx8WPhndKoqoq3MhFO3eVnqRHCiIAafnueipPZToVCvxomgCg/s1600/100_3021.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ig_QXy4WmrpcA2RUEeTtpeDkIUsIwYEBdDg_GrlsclQE8Ny5_huvS0Xp4pPHy43Hrx8d0dbdWB59-9IRZfdJyEf8Cfqx8WPhndKoqoq3MhFO3eVnqRHCiIAafnueipPZToVCvxomgCg/s320/100_3021.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574710029445432178" border="0" /></a><span style=""> </span>On our way to Baptiste, the car breaks down.<span style=""> </span>Perfect.<span style=""> </span>We were about half way there.<span style=""> </span>So we start looking at the car and it takes less than 10 minutes before we have a crowd of 20 people surrounding us.<span style=""> </span>Renald our translator hopped on a bike to find a mechanic in the nearest town.<span style=""> </span>We were stuck for at least a few hours and our hope of reaching Baptiste was lost.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The great part was we got to take a tour of the area.<span style=""> </span>We were way out in the country and we went for a mile or so walk down to this very large lake.<span style=""> </span>It was magnificent.<span style=""> </span>The people in this area called Jaumpas were beautiful people.<span style=""> </span>I had a great time p<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Ch7xY03kHK2GCYCkC12O2si5YmDtRiZecZKXkXzri5CeTCtvLYqXUTWLK_MiksrpvXHwdSuhYc5uQQtGqFp7kTsX-ubvXqOO5FtAFVEAeYW0CHlZteVjmk65Jj1BbGXLsQNeUEwS1Vo/s1600/100_3037.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Ch7xY03kHK2GCYCkC12O2si5YmDtRiZecZKXkXzri5CeTCtvLYqXUTWLK_MiksrpvXHwdSuhYc5uQQtGqFp7kTsX-ubvXqOO5FtAFVEAeYW0CHlZteVjmk65Jj1BbGXLsQNeUEwS1Vo/s320/100_3037.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574711438163192018" border="0" /></a>laying with kids and talking to the few people who could speak English.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">At first I was very discouraged, but I honestly had a great day.<span style=""> </span>By the time the car was “fixed” we just went back home not wanting to risk it.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Teaching</p> <p class="MsoNormal">During the week I am teaching 2 different English classes.<span style=""> </span>Both classes are 2 days a week and 2 hours at a time.<span style=""> </span>I really don’t feel like I am the most qualified, but I try my hardest.<span style=""> </span>I can see they are learning and the majority of the students are very eager to learn.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The place I teach has also become Mercy League’s new office location.<span style=""> </span>I go to our office about 4 times a week and I would say it is about a ½ mile walk.<span style=""> </span>I love the walk though.<span style=""> </span>I am used to almost being hit by cars on a regular basis and everyone staring at me.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">There are two women on a street corner near the office who sell food and beverages who I talk to every time I see them.<span style=""> </span>They’re very relaxed and love that I am trying hard to speak their language.<span style=""> </span>They are very patient with me.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Baptiste</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Last weekend I finally made it to Baptiste!<span style=""> </span>We found a tap-tap driver who Shane knows to take us.<span style=""> </span>We took his tap-tap pickup truck all the way there.<span style=""> </span>It was a great ride.<span style=""> </span>Once we got to Baptiste we immediately met a man named Pastor Hilio.<span style=""> </span>He became our g<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN8ndoe9d5kU4XXXGi3xfQohChLu-oR7_LFI7zXuCYycQ4zFfVVA7LPAYAQ5qNnHZIVK5OJWrAwkVyKiYLd1UyqTIlwvo1Ws8wSQqkwA0_UptCvCSlqt_cd3wq_ZnN5kHGNrwZp1a0jj4/s1600/101_3150.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN8ndoe9d5kU4XXXGi3xfQohChLu-oR7_LFI7zXuCYycQ4zFfVVA7LPAYAQ5qNnHZIVK5OJWrAwkVyKiYLd1UyqTIlwvo1Ws8wSQqkwA0_UptCvCSlqt_cd3wq_ZnN5kHGNrwZp1a0jj4/s320/101_3150.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574716422002915362" border="0" /></a>uide in Baptiste.<span style=""> </span>The trip as a whole was excellent.<span style=""> </span>I love this town.<span style=""> </span>We came on a Friday and left Saturday afternoon.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">On Friday, I had a bit of trouble.<span style=""> </span>It was very hard to find the coffee and it turns out now I bought the wrong kind of coffee. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">This trip was a learning experience for me.<span style=""> </span>I did not exactly succeed in everything I did, but I tried hard.<span style=""> </span>Shane even gave me a compliment that I am courageous to just go to markets with a translator and hundreds of Haitians who do not speak any English and negotiate and buy coffee.<span style=""> </span>I don’t know how courageous I am, but I thanked him for the compliment.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">On Saturday morning we had a meeting with coffee farmers.<span style=""> </span>This went amazingly well.<span style=""> </span>I will try to describe to you what the meeting looked like.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The Meeting</p> <p class="MsoNormal">It was about 8:00AM and I am standing in front of Pastor Hilio’s house.<span style=""> </span>The grass was still a little wet from last night’s rain, but the sun was going to d<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijfvc2Smxk1w6E5fvPMRb1_Pytz4hg-eEnMkfHRR7J5cokoaNTZPmfmYA5zlzYNOKxjAYescO6CKA3EtDZSBP-N6vUSnwAtsiHYN6_-Br7jHiZpHMiASn-ihCz4TUjjG1A2Qwy-PGF13k/s1600/101_3183.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijfvc2Smxk1w6E5fvPMRb1_Pytz4hg-eEnMkfHRR7J5cokoaNTZPmfmYA5zlzYNOKxjAYescO6CKA3EtDZSBP-N6vUSnwAtsiHYN6_-Br7jHiZpHMiASn-ihCz4TUjjG1A2Qwy-PGF13k/s320/101_3183.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574713349078286930" border="0" /></a>ry it all up in a matter of time.<span style=""> </span>“It’s time” Jemmy, my translator tells me.<span style=""> </span>We walk back into Pastor Hilio’s yard where there are 2 wooden benches set up.<span style=""> </span>On these benches are about twelve men aging from 22 to 60 who were owners of coffee farms.<span style=""> </span>In front of these benches were four pink plastic lawn chairs.<span style=""> </span>Two of these chairs were directly in front of the benches and two of them were off to the side a bit.<span style=""> </span>The two chairs in the middle were for Jemmy and I.<span style=""> </span>The ones off to the side were for Pastor Hilio and our Chauffeur, Wilderson.<span style=""> </span>I sit down and immediately feel their gazes.<span style=""> </span>All eyes were on me.<span style=""> </span>We started the meeting with a prayer from Pastor Hilio.<span style=""> </span>I then introduced myself and why I was there.<span style=""> </span>I told them about the coffee project and about Mercy League.<span style=""> </span>Jemmy then translated what I said.<span style=""> </span>They then asked questions.<span style=""> </span>It felt like a fairly formal meeting. They seemed intrigued by my project and said they were willing to form a co-op. I know have connections.<span style=""> </span>After the meeting, I shook every farmers hand and thanked them.<span style=""> </span>This is the start of Kafe Rev<span style="">è</span>y, which is Revival Coffee in English.<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Troubles</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Yesterday I heard some horrible news via facebook.<span style=""> </span>My friend Caleb Acker was killed by an avalanche in Montana Monday.<span style=""> </span>I was not incredibly close to Caleb, but I would definitely call him a friend.<span style=""> </span>This news hit me hard.<span style=""> </span>I didn’t know what to do or say.<span style=""> </span>I skipped out of teaching my English class because my heart was hurting.<span style=""> </span>I felt pained.<span style=""> </span>My heart goes out to the Acker family and all his close friends.<span style=""> </span>I also heard from my mother yesterday that there is a surgery date.<span style=""> </span>On March 7<sup>th</sup>, my mother will be having an operation to remove a cancerous tumor on her pancreas.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I knew this day would come soon, but now I have a date.<span style=""> </span>This is makes it much more real.<span style=""> </span>I can’t help, but think about it.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">These two pieces of news really made me feel horrible, but later last night, the 3 Haitian guys came for our Bible study and we had a great discussion about fellowship.<span style=""> </span>I really feel like when we tell each other about our pains we go through them together if there is a tight fellowship.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I need to remember to keep taking it one day at a time.<span style=""> </span>I cannot keep worrying about the future when the present has enough troubles of its own.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Haiti.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I am taking Creole classes 2 days a week.<span style=""> </span>I cannot converse much with the locals, but I love to try. I am feeling very comfortable here.<span style=""> </span>I love the people.<span style=""> </span></p>Sean M. 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mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">Teaching English?</p> <p class="MsoNormal">This is crazy. This week I started teaching English.<span style=""> </span>I teach at the Institut Nouvelle Vision. Max, the director of the organization told me that if I help teach English, they will help me learn Haitian Creole.<span style=""> </span>Let me walk you through my first day.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">It is 3:45 pm and I am 15 minutes early.<span style=""> </span>I am told to follow the secretary into a classroom.<span style=""> </span>At least that is what I think she said.<span style=""> </span>There are only a handful of people that speak English at this place.<span style=""> </span>I have no clue how big my class will be.<span style=""> </span>I walk into the room and find 2 people.<span style=""> </span>Sitting on one side of the table was a boy around the age of 12, on the other side was man around 30.<span style=""> </span>Oh boy.<span style=""> </span>I sit down and try not to freak out.<span style=""> </span>A few minutes later the secretary comes in and gives me a marker and an eraser for the board.<span style=""> </span>Am I the teacher?<span style=""> </span>Is this my whole class?<span style=""> </span>I start opening my notebook and acted like I had notes to write.<span style=""> </span>I then stood up and started writing the alphabet.<span style=""> </span>I then had them repeat after me.<span style=""> </span>I said each letter.<span style=""> </span>I then wrote CAT on the board and BAT.<span style=""> </span>They repeated again.<span style=""> </span>The secretary came in one more time.<span style=""> </span>I asked for Max, but she doesn’t speak English.<span style=""> </span>She struggled to say “Max coming.”<span style=""> </span>I sat back down and tried to relax.<span style=""> </span>When Max comes, I can communicate with him.<span style=""> </span>Thank God.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Before Max got here, people started piling into the room.<span style=""> </span>Men and women, young and old.<span style=""> </span>An older gentleman comes in and introduces himself to me and says “I am the English teacher.” Hooray!!!</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Max comes in and all is well.<span style=""> </span>I now understand I am just an assistant teacher.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>I learn that these classes are 3 times a week for two hours at a time.<span style=""> </span>This class, the teacher stars with previous homework.<span style=""> </span>Then he asked me if I wanted to teach.<span style=""> </span>I tell the guy that I have no clue where to start.<span style=""> </span>He then tells me “Start anywhere you want.<span style=""> </span>They are beginners.”<span style=""> </span>I teach them adjectives.<span style=""> </span>Do they understand me at all?<span style=""> </span>I think so.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">This school is so unstructured it isn’t funny.<span style=""> </span>It is a mess.<span style=""> </span>The English teacher does not even speak English that well.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I went in the next day to use their internet and do some research on teaching English.<span style=""> </span>Then Max bought me a coke and a nice lunch at an extremely nice restaurant.<span style=""> </span>Max was just sucking me in.<span style=""> </span>I am now part of this school.<span style=""> </span>I taught again yesterday and I taught for an hour and a half straight.<span style=""> </span>I actually think I did pretty well.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The Coffee Project</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Today I am supposed to be in Baptiste, but the plans did not work.<span style=""> </span>What I will be doing up there is buying fruits and vegetables and coffee in bulk for cheap <span style=""> </span>and bringing them back to PAP to sell.<span style=""> </span>I will also be trying to contact the head of the coffee growers and talk to them about starting a co-op.<span style=""> </span>I have been talking to the head of a coffee company and he is willing to help us out and grind and roast coffee for us.<span style=""> </span>I think we are going to even export this stuff to the US, so if you are interested in some high quality coffee, keep checking out the blog.<span style=""> </span>I might be able to hook you up.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Things were going slow before, but I am starting to get a lot busier.<span style=""> </span>Other than teaching, I am doing coffee project stuff, discipleship with 8<sup>th</sup> graders at the local school, and Discipleship program Bible studies multiple times a week with Haitians.<span style=""> </span>When I am not doing this stuff, I am making connections with Haitians.<span style=""> </span>I have talked to business owners, lawyers, and directors of NGOs.<span style=""> </span>I was told by a wise man that it is all about connections in the Caribbean.<span style=""> </span>The more people you know, the smoother things go.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Thanks</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Thanks to all the thoughts and prayers.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>A special thanks to Salem Baptist, David Saetre, Stacie Furia, and Andy Goyke.<span style=""> </span>Music has also been helping me out along with books.<span style=""> </span>Thanks to John Piper, The Afters, Brandon Heath, This Beautiful Republic, Timothy Keller, Shawn McDonald, Lecrae, and Wes Pendleton.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Shout outs</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I want to give a shout out to Lighthouse Cru, Baynet, Salem Baptist Church, Grace Miner, Northland College, and my man Jacob Sorteberg.<span style=""> <br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style=""></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">So, this blog post is not 100% yet. I will take pictures to post on here. Check back in a couple of days.<br /></span></p>Sean M. Kavanaghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330377686184945445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247370402713557014.post-40503740447073429712011-01-20T08:10:00.000-08:002011-01-20T09:10:21.850-08:00Adventures in Haiti<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:dontvertaligncellwithsp/> <w:dontbreakconstrainedforcedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> <w:word11kerningpairs/> 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List 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="19" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="21" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="31" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">I <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">am</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">not</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">really</span></span> sure <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">where</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">to</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">begin</span></span>, but <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">here</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">goes</span></span>...<br /><br />On <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Monday</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Jemmy</span></span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">my</span></span> main man, and I <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">went</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">downtown</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">to</span></span> do a <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">few</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">things</span></span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">We</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">took</span></span> a <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">tap-tap</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">to</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Petionville</span></span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">then</span></span> a bus <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">to</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">downtown</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Port-au-Prince</span></span>.<br /><br />For <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">those</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">of</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">you</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">who</span></span> do <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">not</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">know</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">what</span></span> a <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">tap-tap</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">is</span></span>, I <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">will</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">explain</span></span>. A <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">tap-tap</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">is</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">like</span></span> a taxi. <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">Most</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">tap-taps</span></span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">see</span></span> are <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">small</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_43">pick</span>u<span class="blsp-spelling-error">p</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_45">trucks</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_46">like</span></span> a <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_47">Ford</span></span> Ranger. In <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_48">the</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_49">bed</span></span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_50">there</span></span> are 2 <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_51">benches</span></span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_52">One</span></span> on <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_53">each</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_54">side</span></span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_55">There</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_56">is</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_57">also</span></span> a <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_58">cover</span></span> for <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_59">the</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_60">bed</span></span> in case <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_61">of</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_62">rain</span></span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_63">Now</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_64">each</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_65">bench</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_66">is</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_67">supposed</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_68">to</span></span> fit six <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_69">Haitians</span></span>. Notice I <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_70">say</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_71">Haitians</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_72">here</span></span>. I <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_73">am</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_74">much</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_75">larger</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_76">than</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_77">the</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_78">average</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_79">person</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_80">here</span></span>. I have a love/<span class="blsp-spelling-error">hate</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error">relationship</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_83">with</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_84">tap-taps</span></span>. I love <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_85">that</span></span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_86">am</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_87">immersed</span></span> in <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_88">the</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_89">lifestyles</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_90">of</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_91">lower</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_92">to</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_93">middle-class</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_94">Haitians</span></span>, but <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_95">what</span></span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_96">hate</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_97">is</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_98">that</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_99">there</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_100">is</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_101">barely</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_102">room</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_103">to</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_104">breathe</span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_105">It</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_106">is</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_107">weird</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_108">to</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_109">be</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_110">so</span></span> close <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_111">to</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_112">everyone</span></span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_113">very</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_114">awkward</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_115">getting</span></span> in and out.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_116">So</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_117">we</span></span> arrive <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_118">downtown</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_119">right</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_120">by</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_121">the</span></span> palace. <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_122">It</span></span> looks <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_123">exactly</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_124">the</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_125">same</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_126">since</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_127">the</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_128">earthquake</span></span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_129">It</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_130">is</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_131">weird</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_132">to</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_133">see</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_134">their</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_135">white</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_136">house</span></span> in <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_137">ruins</span></span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_138">So</span></span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_139">am</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_140">following</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_141">Jemmy</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_142">around</span></span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_143">just</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_144">gawking</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_145">at</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_146">everything</span></span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_147">We</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_148">come</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_149">up</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_150">to</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_151">the</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_152">end</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_153">of</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_154">the</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_155">sidewalk</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_156">to</span></span> cross <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_157">the</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_158">road</span></span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_159">Jemmy</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_160">is</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_161">still</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_162">leading</span></span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_163">he</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_164">steps</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_165">over</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_166">the</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_167">curb</span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_168">then</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_169">follow</span></span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_170">What</span></span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_171">did</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_172">not</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_173">see</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_174">was</span></span> a <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_175">puddle</span></span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_176">Now</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_177">this</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_178">puddle</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_179">was</span></span> </span></span></span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_180">not</span></span> full <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_181">of</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_182">water</span></span>. I <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_183">am</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_184">not</span></span> sure <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_185">what</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_186">it</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_187">was</span></span> full <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_188">of</span></span>, but I <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_189">kid</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_190">you</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_191">not</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_192">it</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_193">was</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_194">the</span></span> exact <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_195">same</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_196">color</span></span> as <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_197">the</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_198">asphalt</span></span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_199">My</span></span> foot <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_200">is</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_201">soaked</span></span> in <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_202">this</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_203">grey</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_204">sludge</span></span>. I <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_205">cannot</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_206">think</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_207">of</span></span> a <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_208">time</span></span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_209">was</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_210">more</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_211">disgusted</span></span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_212">We</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_213">went</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_214">to</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_215">the</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_216">other</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_217">side</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_218">of</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_219">the</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_220">street</span></span> and I <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_221">used</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_222">my</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_223">bandana</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_224">to</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_225">wipe</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_226">my</span></span> foot. <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_227">My</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_228">sandal</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_229">reeked</span>. A <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_230">younger</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_231">Haitian</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_232">than</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_233">ran</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_234">over</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_235">to</span></span> me and <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_236">said</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_237">he</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_238">wanted</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_239">to</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_240">clean</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_241">my</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_242">sandal</span> for me. <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_243">He</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_244">took</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_245">my</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_246">sandal</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_247">went</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_248">to</span></span> a <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_249">faucet</span></span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_250">washed</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_251">it</span></span> for me and <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_252">then</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_253">started</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_254">to</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_255">wash</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_256">my</span></span> foot, but <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_257">that</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_258">was</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_259">too</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_260">weird</span> for me, <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_261">so</span></span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_262">told</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_263">him</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_264">to</span></span> stop. I <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_265">then</span></span> gave <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_266">him</span></span> 100 gourdes ($2.50), <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_267">which</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_268">made</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_269">his</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_270">day</span></span>.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_271">So</span></span>, I <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_272">picked</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_273">my</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_274">project</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_275">that</span></span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_276">want</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_277">to</span></span> do <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_278">while</span></span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_279">am</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_280">here</span></span>. I <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_281">will</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_282">be</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_283">working</span></span> in <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_284">the</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_285">town</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_286">of</span></span> Baptiste or <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_287">maybe</span></span> a <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_288">neighboring</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_289">town</span></span>. I <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_290">will</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_291">be</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_292">working</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_293">with</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_294">them</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_295">to</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_296">start</span></span> a <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_297">coffee</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_298">co-op</span></span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_299">This</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_300">would</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_301">help</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_302">with</span></span> jobs, <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_303">which</span></span> are <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_304">very</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_305">few</span></span> in <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_306">Haiti</span></span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_307">This</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_308">area</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_309">is</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_310">just</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_311">amazing</span></span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG6VbEtqjXODtZW77HB8phGcIXQNxEUJirJFClcaNn9pdgNG3dXZylbZ1RKD55g8ieKh9pEuPvxWIcDHaleGGNma4G-NxL6rMekhh5SQ3UKx1CBsnYH8fpLavMR6wB3m0Xhzi0b7wS0Pk/s1600/100_0023.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG6VbEtqjXODtZW77HB8phGcIXQNxEUJirJFClcaNn9pdgNG3dXZylbZ1RKD55g8ieKh9pEuPvxWIcDHaleGGNma4G-NxL6rMekhh5SQ3UKx1CBsnYH8fpLavMR6wB3m0Xhzi0b7wS0Pk/s320/100_0023.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564314800862655474" border="0" /></a><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="blsp-spelling-error"><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_312">The</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_313">thing</span></span> about <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_314">Haiti</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_315">from</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_316">what</span></span> I have <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_317">seen</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_318">is</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_319">that</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_320">things</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_321">move</span></span> a lot <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_322">slower</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_323">here</span></span>. I <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_324">need</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_325">to</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_326">work</span></span> on <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_327">my</span></span> patience <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_328">here</span></span>. I <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_329">want</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_330">to</span></span> go do <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_331">things</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_332">very</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_333">fast</span></span>, but <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_334">there</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_335">is</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_336">much</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_337">to</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_338">be</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_339">done</span></span>. I <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_340">am</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_341">still</span></span> in <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_342">the</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_343">Delmas</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_344">region</span></span>, but <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_345">hopefully</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_346">next</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_347">week</span></span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_348">will</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_349">spend</span></span> a couple <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_350">of</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_351">nights</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_352">near</span></span> Baptiste.<br /><br />I have <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_353">been</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_354">doing</span></span> a lot <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_355">of</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_356">things</span></span> for <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_357">Shane</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_358">this</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_359">week</span></span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_360">What</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_361">you</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_362">all</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_363">need</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_364">to</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_365">know</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_366">is</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_367">that</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_368">Mercy</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_369">League's</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_370">ministry</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_371">is</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_372">just</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_373">kind</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_374">of</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_375">starting</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_376">back</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_377">up</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_378">again</span></span>. As <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_379">of</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_380">now</span></span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_381">it</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_382">is</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_383">not</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_384">self-sustainable</span></span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_385">which</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_386">means</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_387">he</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_388">has</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_389">to</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_390">work</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_391">other</span></span> jobs <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_392">to</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_393">get</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_394">income</span></span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_395">This</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_396">means</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_397">he</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_398">is</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_399">not</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_400">always</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_401">doing</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_402">Mercy</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_403">League</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_404">stuff</span></span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_405">When</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_406">we</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_407">get</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_408">this</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_409">coffee</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_410">project</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_411">underway</span></span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_412">hopefully</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_413">this</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_414">weekend</span></span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_415">he</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_416">is</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_417">giving</span></span> me a lot <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_418">of</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_419">room</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_420">to</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_421">just</span></span> go and do.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_422">This</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_423">week</span></span> I have <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_424">been</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_425">with</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_426">Jemmy</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_427">looking</span></span> for an office <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_428">space</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_429">to</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_430">rent</span></span> in <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_431">this</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_432">area</span></span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_433">It</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_434">has</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_435">been</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_436">very</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_437">interesting</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_438">having</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_439">to</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_440">just</span></span> go <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_441">ask</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_442">random</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_443">people</span></span> if <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_444">they</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_445">know</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_446">of</span></span> a place <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_447">to</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_448">rent</span></span>.<br /><br />I <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_449">also</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_450">hurt</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_451">my</span></span> foot <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_452">the</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_453">other</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_454">day</span></span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_455">It</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_456">hurt</span></span> a <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_457">little</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_458">when</span></span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_459">was</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_460">walking</span></span>, but <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_461">now</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_462">hurts</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_463">all</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_464">the</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_465">time</span></span> in a <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_466">different</span></span> spot. I <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_467">couldn't</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_468">sleep</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_469">last</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_470">night</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_471">because</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_472">it</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_473">was</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_474">aching</span></span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_475">It</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_476">is</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_477">definitely</span></span> a <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_478">sprain</span></span> or <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_479">worse</span></span>, but <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_480">don't</span></span> tell <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_481">my</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_482">mother</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_483">that</span></span>.<br /><br />I <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_484">am</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_485">realizing</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_486">that</span></span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_487">am</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_488">only</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_489">one</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_490">week</span></span> in. I <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_491">feel</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_492">like</span></span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_493">should</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_494">be</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_495">accomplishing</span></span> more, but <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_496">there</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_497">is</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_498">still</span></span> a lot <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_499">of</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_500">time</span></span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_501">like</span></span> 3 <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_502">months</span></span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>Sean M. Kavanaghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330377686184945445noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247370402713557014.post-7577826470109770392011-01-16T14:19:00.000-08:002011-01-22T06:42:27.700-08:00I made it.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3DparfzWl9Pu1AJl0SW36vnyb_HNUkNsfd1Ko-QiHThD1ZDb_D-u8K-8JIRoVJm-jPU4B6h0A4dpQo4d3T9Bo2AIOeiH76aZUsYDgAJvS-kqM0l2WxXQgj4O2HoNqatM6GKiFiwm1Esc/s1600/100_2926.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3DparfzWl9Pu1AJl0SW36vnyb_HNUkNsfd1Ko-QiHThD1ZDb_D-u8K-8JIRoVJm-jPU4B6h0A4dpQo4d3T9Bo2AIOeiH76aZUsYDgAJvS-kqM0l2WxXQgj4O2HoNqatM6GKiFiwm1Esc/s320/100_2926.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562917008428093794" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Here I am in Port-au-Prince Haiti. It is good to be back. I absolutely love it here. I fell strangely comfortable here. Thanks again for the prayers.<br /><br />The flight was great and the airport was a little hectic, but I made it. I am now situated in my<br />room.<br /><br />It is always super hot here.<br /><br />I am at a loss for words right now. Haiti is an amazing place to live. It is hard sometimes to look at all the poverty, but I feel God moving here.<br /><br />So far, I have been kind of just getting situated right now. I have been spending a lot of time at a school that is called an American school. Everyone here speaks English. The kids are mostly wealthy Haitians with a small amount of missionary kids thrown into the mix.<br /><br />Yesterday was AMAZING. We went to Baptiste, which is a town near the Dominican Republic. It was so beautiful. Shane is looking to buy land up there to start a coffee co-op. I loved the people there. I might be working up there with this coffee stuff and churches.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyBQL7YuSgh5u7RqoD1rLd5Ck_CHMB816zAqMGhwcVvhGGs2v-aWAyNYGbWt3zn6p2j0AiuF7Av6Nob5vD5arPSv1Lnyd6Fy-BgynWAAK3aWhohpkaIGqIwqWS4J3hs1uQIu0PiA5inH0/s1600/100_0010.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyBQL7YuSgh5u7RqoD1rLd5Ck_CHMB816zAqMGhwcVvhGGs2v-aWAyNYGbWt3zn6p2j0AiuF7Av6Nob5vD5arPSv1Lnyd6Fy-BgynWAAK3aWhohpkaIGqIwqWS4J3hs1uQIu0PiA5inH0/s320/100_0010.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562916523322075346" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I have many stories to tell already, but I am in a bit of a rush. I just wanted everyone to know I am safe.<br />I will write more soon as to what my main project is for the next 3 or so months.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Here is a picture to prove that it is I, Sean Kavanagh. I am well. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Ofpar4ocEMhC7FuIqVClQ8knIjo0W5u3kAHIzDhD7wi_wbSsaQTJUwCKEaaiJjfvIsd_2byHHBOp0T73DApK0eray7d7FVCRDjtU6sWoFWguCbyDiyY6AzPc4jFbydQosmKkePNghyg/s1600/100_2924.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Ofpar4ocEMhC7FuIqVClQ8knIjo0W5u3kAHIzDhD7wi_wbSsaQTJUwCKEaaiJjfvIsd_2byHHBOp0T73DApK0eray7d7FVCRDjtU6sWoFWguCbyDiyY6AzPc4jFbydQosmKkePNghyg/s320/100_2924.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562917558061657714" border="0" /></a>Sean M. Kavanaghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330377686184945445noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247370402713557014.post-8625085951597284342011-01-10T19:57:00.000-08:002011-01-10T21:03:23.239-08:00Less than two days awayHere I am sitting in my living room. I love my house. I am so used to being able to go to my house whenever I want. In two days I will no longer have that luxury. I leave for Haiti Wednesday the 12<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">th</span> at 8:15 AM. <br /><br />Speaking of luxuries, this is not the only one I will be giving up, but I am ready this. I am not coming in to Haiti with a "superman" mentality. I am not going to try to change Haiti. Haitians are beautiful people and I come to learn from them try to help out anyway I can. I just talked to Shane <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Mattenley</span> who is in charge of my trip. The first week I am there I will meet my potential Haitian <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">partner that</span> I will be doing bi-weekly Bible studies <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">with</span> and choose which option I want to choose as far as my "job." The jobs that I know I have to choose from are working at an orphanage, working at a school, or working with a coffee company co-op. The first week I will be able to take a tour and see which job fits me best. Shane told me that on Saturday we are going to the Central <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Plateau</span> area, which is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">beautiful</span> country. We will go to meet the coffee farmers themselves. He said I may even ride a donkey. Sounds very interesting.<br /><br />It is only 10:30 pm, but I already know I am not going to sleep much tonight. I cannot deny that I am nervous, but check out that Romans 8:28-32. That is what keeps me moving. <br /><br />I want to give a big thank you to everyone who has been supporting me financially, through prayers, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">encouragement</span>, wisdom, or even for just thinking about me. We all know it is not about the money, but thanks to Salem Baptist Church in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Ashland</span>, WI, Faith Reformed Church in Cedar Grove, WI, countless friends and families, and of course <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">BAYNET</span>, the youth group I help out with in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Ashland</span>, for helping me reach my minimum goal plus some! I am so incredibly grateful and am blessed beyond belief. <br /><br />This will be my last blog post before I leave. The next one will be explaining my first few days in Haiti. I should have internet connection once a week or more feel free to email me at kavanaghs01@myemail.northland.edu or write me on here or facebook. <br /><br />See ya late USA<br /><br />I will be back in late April!<br /><br />Peace and Love<br /><br />SeanSean M. Kavanaghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330377686184945445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247370402713557014.post-84809957102936728412010-12-16T20:07:00.000-08:002010-12-16T20:30:14.049-08:00Inspiration from a 6 year old.<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">OK</span>, so, I am less than a month away. This is crazy. I am <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">incredibly</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">grateful</span> for all those who have <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">supported</span> me financially. I am getting close to the goal that was <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">originally</span> set. Things are going smoothly and I am a little nervous, but mostly excited. I am <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">officially</span> done with the fall semester here at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Northland</span>. I leave <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Ashland</span> this Saturday, go home for about 3 weeks, and then jump on a plane. <br /><br />I wanted to write this post to tell you guys a story. This may not seem all that significant to you, but to me it really shocked me and amazed me how the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">innocence</span> of a 6 year old girl can be seen as <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">philosophical</span> at times. <br /><br />So let me start with the background. I work at the after school program at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Ashland</span> elementary. I am a co-mentor for the kindergarten/1st grade class. I work 3 days a week and I love this job. The children at the after school program are often times at-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">risk</span> or misbehaved children, so the job can be very challenging. Today we only had 2 kindergarten girls because there was a Christmas program today and most parents picked up their children after the program. We asked the girls what they wanted to do. They said they want to go into the woods and look for the Yeti. So that is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">what</span> we did. It was a great way to spend an hour or so. We just hiked around and played in the snow. It was a great day for it too. <br /><br />On our way back, we just all sat down in the snow to take a break. My co-mentor told the children about me taking a trip. These girls focused their attention on me and were <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">waiting</span> for me to tell them more. I told them that I am going to Haiti. One girl said "I know already. You told us that. I already knew about the earthquake that happened a really long time ago." I was pretty pleased to hear how aware this girl was. I said, "I am going to be working with children just like you in Haiti." That same girl had her mind stuck on the earthquake. She then said "I am <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">surprised</span> people lived because <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">buildings</span> were crushed and buildings are stronger than people." I then <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">responded</span>, "Wow, there must be some very strong people in Haiti." To end this conversation. she said "Yeah! The girls must be really strong too!" <br /><br />I loved this conversation. It is true though that the people of Haiti are tough people. They need to stand firm even if the buildings are crumbling. <br /><br />This story may not hit you like it hit me or it might not mean anything to you, but I just wanted to share.Sean M. Kavanaghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330377686184945445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247370402713557014.post-6822682505527058602010-12-04T12:04:00.000-08:002010-12-05T13:02:17.075-08:00Good news!So, I just found out this week that I am going to be a full-time student for the winter 2011 semester. I have been trying to see how I can get <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">independent</span> study credits and how many I can get for the past month or so.<br /><br />I will be taking 12 total credits. The classes I will be taking are Soc. 490 "Ethnography of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Foreign</span> Aid & Ministry", Rel 490 "Explorations of Ministry and Missions", and Rel 492 "<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Pre</span>-ministry Internship." These are all classes made up specifically for my trip. I love how flexible professors are at <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Northland</span>.Sean M. Kavanaghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330377686184945445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247370402713557014.post-83787193964528927062010-11-28T21:24:00.000-08:002010-11-28T21:32:01.117-08:00One Year Aniversary<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUcm1_j4Lma9iFhRZXyuicl8RbxMCRIf2OR_j9Yc1_ImZriGlL-rYU4hT68ym_z9I-qI4aU1Sg3XBuXlTRTOzObutWsBu478h3OxaZBGDkBR5-C3CfNRLZWU-qbJgoj2IeyQmoqCOb3Ew/s1600/Haiti+097.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUcm1_j4Lma9iFhRZXyuicl8RbxMCRIf2OR_j9Yc1_ImZriGlL-rYU4hT68ym_z9I-qI4aU1Sg3XBuXlTRTOzObutWsBu478h3OxaZBGDkBR5-C3CfNRLZWU-qbJgoj2IeyQmoqCOb3Ew/s320/Haiti+097.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544838674668970578" border="0" /></a>Ok, so I just was reminded that the day I am arriving in Haiti will mark the one year aniversary of the earthquake. January 12. This makes me really nervous. Either PAP is going to be really peaceful or insane. YIKES.Sean M. Kavanaghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330377686184945445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247370402713557014.post-22640586128618286892010-11-27T22:19:00.000-08:002010-11-27T22:55:54.643-08:00This is real<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Eeeks</span>!! I just bought my tickets Thursday night. This is real now. I am going to be in Haiti for 105 days. <div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Being home was great. It was great to see my mother and all of my family for that matter. It is interesting how it is not very hard to deal <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">with</span> while I am at home, but the few days before and after can be a bit challenging for me. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The current question family members are asking me is a legit one, but I hate thinking about it. They ask, "What if something goes wrong with her operation?" I already have insurance on my tickets. If something happens, I am outta there. I will figure out a way to get home. She will most likely be having the tumor removal surgery February or March. I cannot worry about this stuff though. This does not mean I don't care. My mother is my best friend on this earth. What I mean is I cannot get caught up in what might happen. I am being called to go to Haiti.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>"God knows." That is what a Haitian told me in April. Such a simple statement, but yet so true. Things might happen, but I have spent too much of my life worrying. I have God. I trust in him. My favorite verse relates to this: Check it out Romans 8:31.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>So, I have only a short time left in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Ashland</span>. I will miss <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Northland</span>, but it won't be long before I am back. I am planning on returning for the May term and then hopefully working in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Ashland</span> for the summer. Then, of course I will return for fall semester 2011 as a full-time student. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Oh, one more thing. T<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">onight</span> I went to a concert. It was just a little acoustic guitar musician kind of concert. The <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">musician</span> was a guy that I kind of know, but I never knew him well. The concert was awesome! This guy is so super talented. I even had the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">opportunity</span> to talk to him afterwards and catch up. It was a great way to end my weekend here at home. Now all I have to do is get my church on tomorrow. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I am calling the guy I know in Haiti very soon. Then I will have more information on what I will be doing there. The more organized I am for this, the better I feel. </div><div>Hope everyone's Thanksgiving was great!! </div>Sean M. Kavanaghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330377686184945445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247370402713557014.post-62882525884460874142010-11-20T13:51:00.000-08:002010-11-20T15:23:28.967-08:00Here I am. Send me.Wow, it has been two months since I last wrote on here. That is a long time. I will try to write a lot more from now on. A lot has happened in the past 2 months. My mother has gone through 3 chemotherapy treatments, I am almost done with my Fall 2010 semester at <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Northland</span> College, and I am going on a 3 month missions trip in January. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">OOFDAH</span>!<br /><br />First things first, my mother is doing well. She is tired all the time, but that is what chemo will do. It drains her, but she still works half days 3-5 days a week. I think she is crazy for still working that much, but it doesn't really surprise me because she has always been a workaholic. It was hard seeing her without hair when I came home a month ago, but the chemo has been working and the tumor has shrunk considerably. I am going home in 3 days and I cannot wait to see her and the rest of my family. It is really weird how once I am within a week of going home, I start to get very stressed out. I want to go home, but I know it will be tough.<br /><br />This semester has been crazy. Classes are fairly tough, but most of that probably has to do with me being <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">distracted</span> constantly. I am 3 weeks away from finishing the semester off. My grades are not as good as they usually are, but I cannot do anything about the past. I need to buckle down now and finish this semester out strong.<br /><br />Once this semester is over with I am going home for my 3-week Christmas break. In <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">January</span>, I will be leaving for Haiti. I am partnering up with my friend Shane <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mattenley</span> and Mercy <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">League</span> International. I will be in the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Delmas</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">region</span> in PAP I believe. If you are wondering what that is about, you can check out his blog at <a href="http://mattenleys-in-haiti.blogspot.com/">http://mattenleys-in-haiti.blogspot.com/</a> I will be back on here soon with information as to what I will be doing down there. So far I know I will be doing two specific tasks. I will be working in a school for street kids and I will be helping out with a discipleship program Shane set up for young men. I will be there for 3 months. Jan 12<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span>-April 26<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span> are tentative dates. I should have my plane ticket bought sometime next week.<br />If you are interested in supporting me financially, you can write the check to me Sean <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">Kavanagh</span> and if you put Mercy League in the memo we can get you a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">receipt</span> so that your donation will be tax-deductible.<br /><br />The address to send it to would be<br />Sean <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">Kavanagh</span><br />6450 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sauk</span> Trail Road<br />Cedar Grove, WI 53013<br /><br />For any questions call (920) 946-2494<br />or by email: <a href="mailto:kavanaghs01@myemail.northland.edu">kavanaghs01@myemail.northland.edu</a><br /><br />I understand that you may not have the money to help, but I am just asking you to consider. Money aside, I feel prayer is necessary. Please pray for my <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">preparation</span> and when I am there.<br /><br />God is great people! It has been some chaotic weeks for me, but He has been with me every step of the way.<br /><br />I'll be back on here real quick.<br /><br />God Bless<br /><br />SeanSean M. Kavanaghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330377686184945445noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247370402713557014.post-44402140037588211062010-09-25T22:38:00.000-07:002010-09-25T22:45:07.316-07:00In the Beginning...So, I felt that starting a blog may be a good idea. Sometimes I just need to write. Who knows, maybe someone will actually read these.<br /><br />These last few weeks have been rough. My mother has stage III pancreatic cancer. It sucks. It is so hard for me to focus on school right now when my mom is in the state she is in. I mean she isn't dying. I don't think she will, but the odds are against her. She starts chemo next week. <br /><br />I came on here thinking I would be wirting 10 pages worth, but I am exhausted from just writing that. Next time I will have more. Soon I will post poetry on here as well.Sean M. Kavanaghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17330377686184945445noreply@blogger.com0