WORLD CUP 2014!!!

Four years of waiting finally over!!  Although some of you may not even have known the World Cup was happening until you started hearing about someone named Tim Howard who could save the world, in Haiti we anticipate it with great excitement.  Haitian soccer fans can—as a general rule—be divided into two camps: Brazil fans and Argentina fans.  Or on the other side of the coin: anti-Argentina fans and anti-Brazil fans.  Obviously—that is, if you were following the World Cup—it was quite an interesting year for both sides.

I had a blast cheering for the US…their game against Belgium was hands down the most exciting match I saw.  I can’t wait to see them in 2018.  (Consequently—although the probability is slim to none—imagine if the USA won the World Cup <IN RUSSIA>, of all places...ha!) 

This year belonged to Samuel, however, as Germany rose unflinchingly and unstoppably (and a little ruthlessly) to finally claim another long-awaited World Cup victory. 

 Yes, I am knitting while I stand on the wall trying to see over the heads of the guys in front of me.

I have to say: congratulations to Klose.

I had no particularly strong loyalty to either team in the final--and I almost always feel sorry for the losers--but I can celebrate Germany's win.

…..Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand now another four years to go…

Chikungunya….its not just a virus, it’s a phenomenon!

Seriously.  I have never seen a virus like this that seems to sweep up everybody in a domino effect.  One friend told me it’s the talk of public transportation in Port-au-Prince:

Slightly dramatized dialogue:

A: Did you have the fever?

B: Yeah!  I’m still sick, but I’m making an effort.  You?

A: Yeah!

Everyone else on the bus in unison: Me too! And my entire family!

<sharing about symptoms follows>

It would be hard to estimate exactly, but a high percentage of our community has had it.

And once you get it….

….we now are all experiencing what can best be described as lingering, arthritic-like joint pain, especially in the hands/wrists and the feet/ankles…and this still weeks or months after recovering from the initial fever!  This is a problem, since its pretty hard not to use your hands and feet.  It’s the worst when your joints have stiffened after sleeping at night or sitting for a while.  Others have joint pain in their knees.  Some people have had the fever and its symptoms return multiple times.  We have varying estimations as to how long this can go on—anywhere from 6 months to 5 years! 

Six. Months. To. Five. Years?

Oh help.

Of course, I find myself less inclined to complain when I read about the Ebola virus in West Africa.

You can read more about chikungunya here.

Please continue to pray for the health of our staff and community.  Although we try to see the humor in it, it really can be debilitating and discouraging.  Please pray as well for God’s protection over those who have not yet contracted the virus.