January 26th & 27th – Sunday and Monday’s events

SUNDAY:

Sunday was a fun-filled day spent with Petoucheka and all the kids.  We had our peanut butter sandwiches for breakfast (along with cheese and ham and yogurt).  We had coffee and juice as well. 

We played with the kids, took photos, and experimented with new Kreyol words.  I was so impressed with Ben when he saw Petoucheka Sunday morning and told her “Ou Bel” (you’re beautiful) when she was all dressed up for church.  

Petoucheka and many of the other kids went to church on Sunday morning.  They all looked so very nice!  

When the kids came back from church, we had a lunch of goat, rice and beans, and mac-n-cheese (Haitian style) just for Heidi. How very sweet of them!  Despite the menu, Heidi wasn’t very hungry for lunch because she was so tired (and worn out from the heat as well) so she opted for a nap to let the crankiness dissipate!  It worked pretty well.

Heidi and Anita got into a friendly banter of who is the prettiest.  Anita would tell Heidi “Ou pi bel”  (you’re the prettiest) but Heidi would counter with “No, ou pi bel!” You get the picture!

Simon enjoyed talking with all the kids but what he really enjoyed was talking to Maffi (one of the women who took care of whatever we needed for a meal or for our room) and Mrs. Eveline.  “Mesi Maffi” and “Bon jou Mrs. Eveline” were his favorite phrases.

Dennis even has been using Kreyol more.  He told Yvrose “Mwen pale piti Kreyol” (I speak a little Kreyol) when we talked to her on Monday over the phone.  She was impressed.  He understands a lot more this trip – probably because the accent isn’t as foreign to him as it was before.

We had a skype date with Uncle Jason and Aunt Melissa.  Petoucheka got to see her cousin Wesley for the first time as well.  She even saw snow at their home in West Virginia.  She even sang for them.  It was fun! Ben, Simon, and Heidi got to join for the last part of the skype so they could say hi too.

We let two of the other family’s skype with the kids they are adopting as well.  It was heartwarming to see them smile when they saw their families.  They absolutely came to life!!  The families got to watch them open gifts that they had sent and hear them sing as well.  I had so much fun – let alone the kids and families.  I felt very privileged to be a part of helping that to happen.

Later that evening, Petoucheka got to skype with Grandpa and Grandma Rogers.  She loved seeing their dogs and talking with them.  She was so tired (even though she denied it) but she had a huge grin on her face afterwards!

We had a lot of fun handing out punching balloons for all the kids and helping them blow them up and tie them.  They LOVED them!!!  I tried to video it but it doesn’t do it justice.  It was a blast!  We had given Eveline popcorn as a gift and she had Melina make a huge amount that we all served in plastic cups for the punching balloon party!  It was the highlight of the day!!!  Ben, Simon, and Heidi even got their own balloons and had a lot of fun too.  Heidi and Petoucheka had a balloon fight (much like a pillow fight but in dresses and outside). Ben and Simon were so sweet because any time we heard a balloon pop, they went running in search of the person who lost it and gave them theirs until they could blow up another for themselves. It was so much fun!

That night, Petoucheka’s mom arrived from Jeremie so she could go to court with us on Monday.  It was nice to meet her.  She is a very pretty woman and I can see that Petoucheka has her mother’s eyes. I think she approved of us.  She seemed to like us. It was a little awkward but not like I thought it would be.  I kept thinking how hard it must have been for her to be there in that situation, but she only showed a little sadness at one point.  I think she is a very brave woman to do such a difficult thing for someone else’s best interest.  I couldn’t thank her enough. I had to ask Eveline to do that for me so I could be sure it was received the way it was intended (since I don’t trust my Kreyol enough to get such a delicate point across).

Eveline had bought a large vanilla nut cake with white and pink icing for Sunday night.  Apparently it was in honor of us visiting.  It was a big surprise – and we all enjoyed it.  Petoucheka’s mom joined us for the dessert.  Eveline is such a generous person and always thinking of others… Even though Petoucheka is not home with us yet, if she couldn’t stay with Mrs. Yvrose, I couldn’t think of a more WONDERFUL place for her to be!  I know she is safe, loved, corrected when needed, always clean and cared for, and being prepped for life in the US! We are so blessed by Eveline and the crèche!

Sunday night, everyone had a “Haitian bath”.  Whoooooooo!  Not warm.  But at least we didn’t smell as bad.  I skipped Heidi’s hair since it was braided and would have been a pain to rinse by cup.  I skipped mine too for similar reasons – and just braided it as well.  I really need a good warm shower!  That and the spiders are really the only downfalls to life in Haiti.  

MONDAY:

Monday was an early day because we were going to court.  I wrote a quick blog that morning just to work out some anxiety and get you all to send up a few extra prayers.  

Guess what… God pulled off the impossible that day!  Because as Philippians 4:13 say, “With God all things are possible!” Petoucheka was in school, but Ben, Simon, and Heidi went with us for the first court appearance.  The car was like a Haitian clown car.  We had Mr. Jean Jean and Mrs. Eveline up front. Then our lawyer, Petoucheka’s mother, Dennis and I shared the middle seat. The three kids sat in the back.  Keep in mind, this is an SUV similar to a Jeep.  I gave up on the trip back and just sat on Dennis’ lap.  It was hot and the kids complained a lot – but at least they did it quietly.  You would have thought we were roasting them with potatoes and carrots.

Court was quicker than I thought.  We were ushered into a small room with a standard desk across the width and a bench along the wall.  We were showed where to sit and we turned our passports over to the three men behind the desk.  They inspected them (and actually pronounced my name correctly) as well as peaked over top of them to match the pictures with both of us.  Then we both signed our names in two places on the ledger (that was completely handwritten in cursive).  It was then Petoucheka’s mom’s turn.  She sat where I was sitting and Dennis was told to remain there.  She had a long monolog from the man sitting behind the desk, whom we now know was the judge.  Apparently he was verifying that she understood what it meant to give up a child for adoption and that we would now be her new family.  She agreed and signed the ledger as well.  I think I held my breath and tried to think of every scripture promise I could think of during the monolog.  What a relief when she didn’t say “No way.  I have changed my mind and they can’t have her” as I had had nightmares of happening.  The judge asked if I could understand Kreyol and I said “piti Kreyol” so he proceeded to explain to me what had just happened…. But I was lost after the 2^nd word so Eveline bailed me out and translated for us.  Essentially, Petoucheka’s mother had agreed and he had signed off on the adoption decree to say that it could proceed!

We drove back to the crèche to print something and then headed off to the BIG court.  We left the kids at the crech for the second appointment.  I think they appreciated that.  They had their books, cameras, water, and Purelle. Petoucheka and the other kids were going to be home from school shortly thereafter anyhow so they had things to occupy themselves.

The second court was much more impressive and there were security officers all over the place.  Formal looking people with dresses, suits, and ties were everywhere.  I even saw a guy striding across the courtyard in a black judges robe.  Eveline apparently is well liked because court went very smoothly.  We were in and out in no time and it wasn’t until we were back at the crèche (after a few other stops to pick up Mr. Jean Jean, get gasoline, and make photocopies of our passports) that Dennis and I fully understood what had just happened there.

Per the court decree, signed by the judge – or rather by THE judge – as of Wednesday when Consulate signs to verify THE judge's signature, Petoucheka will formally be known as…. Petoucheka Rogers!  (Highlights below are mine) I cry just typing this now - 24 hours later!  

 Now we have an official spelling of Petouchka's name.  We have been given at least three different spellings of her name in the past. We have been told Petoucheca, Petoucheka, and Petouchka. On the official documents, the ones that THE judge is signing the spelling is Petouchka. Now we just need to remember to spell it correctly.

God is good! Bondye bon!!  No… as Heidi and Anita might say… Bondye pi bon!!!

 

Well that’s enough for now.  I will update again later. 

Shelby Rogers