raining again

kim and pete! congrats on the house! i can't wait to see it!

kevin, i really hope you figured something out for the bulletin - it'd be awful if you didn't have church just because of me. :) maybe you had scott proof it?

mom, i miss talking to you on my way to work every day. :)

i'm pretty sure i have bedbugs in my bed. or something. i have sizeable red bites on my feet and ankles. well, i guess it's better than my face. tonight, i'm wearing DEET to bed, just in case.

i love creole rice and beans.

we met two girls at the store who spoke really good english. we asked them why it was so good, and one girl shrugged and said, "i don't know, i guess i watch tv a lot." heh.

i lost my white visor, riding in the back of the pickup. someone just got some brand new headwear.

it still reminds me of india. only the beautiful people are darker. and now i think i need a haitian baby. i warned ryan that i'm not sure how i can come home without one. :) the best part? he would be completely amenable to that. (perfect guy, really.)

i'm obsessed with the people here. who are they? what do they do? where are they driving/walking? what are their dreams? do they want more than this? do they even know there's more out there?

they live in a place that seems, to me, devoid of hope. their government doesn't care and there aren't opportunities. but you know what gets me? they DO IT. they get out of bed every day, hop on a tap-tap, and spend the day shining shoes in the park or selling mangoes at a busy intersection, so that they can feed their kids.

whether or not they know there's more out there, they live the lives they have. they don't pout or quit trying.

they work hard for the nothing they have.

is there anything more inspiring than that?