Because we have no showers or running water we have one large blue 50 gallon drum filled with cold water in the bathroom. As one prepares for the Haitian Bucket Bath (similar to the Liberian Bucket Bath), you first must prepare your mind for cold mountain rain water to be splashed across one’s fleshly elements. Like any good Haitian Bucket Bath there is a 3 step process. First you pour water from the big blue drum into a five gallon bucket using a plastic pitcher-like container. Next you grab a red plastic solo cup, fill it with water from the five gallon bucket and (this is a crucial step) you take the red solo cup and proceed to pour it, splash it, fling it at and on all the necessary body parts (front and back) for proper cleaning (accuracy is a must). As the cold mountain water suddenly shocks the senses of your fleshly elements there is a great benefit in making loud cries in a somewhat sissified voice of “OHHHH or WHOAH or YIKES!!” These loud incoherent sissified cries help in the shock to one’s system. You have just completed the rinse cycle.
Second one takes hold of their favorite soap of choice and washcloth in hand (washcloth is optional) and proceeds to scrub all over the essential core areas for preferred cleanliness. You have just completed the wash cycle. Next you repeat the rinse cycle.
And lastly you take your overused unclean towel to dry off or run through the Haitian mountains to drip dry. For as the saying goes, “When in Haiti bathe like a Haitian!”
The teaching times by the grace of God have seemingly been well received by our Haitian brothers and sisters. We have now as many as 60 some Haitians present. The main theme for the week of teaching has been “Finding Christ in the Old Testament.” By all accounts we are all extremely exhausted as our day starts at 6:30 AM and ends around 7:00 PM finishing with further studying and refining our teaching, blog writing and an occasional text or phone call home when we’re blessed enough to find Wi-Fi reception. Sleep has been hard to come by because of dogs barking, an occasional rooster crowing, hard floors to sleep on, some snoring and tiny mouse bladders. But by the grace and mercy of God there is much to rejoice over. Tomorrow will be our last day of teaching and then on Sunday the three teachers will be preaching both Word and Gospel at three different church locations. And a happy belated Thanksgiving to all.
Love you all and keep on keeping on in prayer!!
Pastor G.
