We told the groom this was a traditional American wedding pose.  

The wedding party 

Pretty good for our garage, eh? 

Apparently the dancing was traditional from their province. After the bride and groom danced other couples would dance around a mat. (supposedly like a rooster chasing a hen). At one point the party would pull up a chair for the girl to sit in. If the guy wanted her to get up and dance again he had to put money into the hat for the bride and groom. (this is a shot of Nay...shocking, I know) 

Candid Wedding Shots

Below are just a few candid wedding shots from one of our midwives' wedding held at the clinic. The garage was beautifully transformed once again into a banquet hall with tropical boquets and various materials. Yes, I WILL post the formal pic of me and Dr. L (or else I face serious blackmail)

The bride taking some last minute sips of Coke as we wait for the minister to arrive... 

Held

Two months is too little.
They let him go.
They had no sudden healing.
To think that providence would
Take a child from his mother while she prays
Is appalling.

Who told us we'd be rescued?
What has changed and why should we be saved from nightmares?
We're asking why this happens
To us who have died to live?
It's unfair.

Chorus: This is what it means to be held.
How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive.
This is what it is to be loved.
And to know that the promise was
When everything fell we'd be held.

This hand is bitterness.
We want to taste it, let the hatred know our sorrow.
The wise hands opens slowly to lilies of the valley and tomorrow.

If hope is born of suffering. If this is only the beginning.
Can we not wait for one hour watching for our Savior?


Held - Natalie Grant

Yesssssssssssss!

Some donations from Jan and the med supply company. We had lots of fun going through it all. Such GREAT stuff! 

Just Call Me June Cleaver

Will I miss this? This is a shot of me waxing the floor of my appartment late at night with a coconut husk. I get teased about the dress and pearls during domestic duties 

Quick Update

No, I haven't died of black lung or some crazy airborne fungus. I hope to get an update out soon. I'm just on here trying a new format. It's bugging me that my photo hosting is reducing my header picture so it looks so small. If anyone has some space and would like to host just that photo...let me know.

New Years Eve

IT'S NEW YEARS!!!! After being sick this week I wasn't excited about pealing off my couch to go to the clinic and out on the street. But, after sitting on the rug and hearing the noise I figured this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. This may be my last big New Years street party in this country with these friends. So, I went out in the neighborhood and made the most of it. It was soooooo wild and noisy. You'd be amazed what happens when people can get huge fireworks so cheaply. The ghetto is the best place for the party. 

New Year's Eve was just one big street party. Everyone is so crowded in and everyone had a party, so they all kind of meshed into one.

If you can't beat 'em join 'em. If you've seen the earlier post on these noisemakers, check them out below. Here the father/daugher combo joins in (she was definately the only girl). Mr. SK says these models are actually safter than last year...yeah lighting fluid in a tube does not bring the word "safe" to mind. 

Not forgetting my Detroit roots, Sarah and I pose with the local gang members (just kidding, mom) It was funny to watch how people stayed in distinct groups. 

There's nothing like watching the drunk guys light the street on fire and then dance in it. We hear someone yell, "look that guys flip flops are on fire"