Proverbs a la Ellie 1-30

I was reading Proverbs this morning after Abe left and before the babes woke up. As I drank up such tidbits of wisdom as "When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, But he who restrains his lips is wise" and "Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in your power to do it" and "Do not devise harm against your neighbor, while he lives in security beside you"...

I started to think of a few of the wise things I have learned while living with the Haitians so far...

1~Sometimes the water you draw from the well will have bugs in it. And tad poles.
2~Always be kind to your children when they make mistakes or get hurt while playing too roughly. It will set a stark contrast and set an example of kindness to mothers around you.
3~Even the old gramma lady begging in the street needs to eat.
4~"One week" in Haiti really means one month. Or two. Or three.
5~Let go of your schedule and plans. They will never come to fruition if you are counting on them.
6~ALWAYS carry a little medical kit around...with a lot disinfectant.
7~The man who smiles happily at you at the job site's gate behind his shotgun every day is a person. He has problems. Possibly big ones. Pray for him. His daughter may be dying because there is not enough of her type of blood in the bank. His girlfriend might be pregnant again with no way to supplement their meager income. Just smiling back is not enough. Pray.
8~A bundle of six carrots can be bought for less than 500 gdes. sigh. Just remember to talk down the skin tax!
9~If you are driving a vehicle, it WILL break down at some point during your day.
10~If you have a driver, he will be late. Very late. But he will smile and say "Bonjour" like nothing was wrong...
11~A paper towel makes an acceptable coffee filter, but clean it out after use or you will find pretty pink fluffy mold in it the next morning.
12~The little boy that is ALWAYS standing at the same street corner in the same clothes might not get any other gourdes except the few you hand his way.
13~Just assume that everyone you meet is hungry and would like to eat. Act accordingly.
14~Not everyone has water flowing from their kitchen spout. If you do, be very very grateful.
15~The yummy looking little packets of juice powder at the market have aspartame in them and are NASTY!
16~ Mosquito bites will, eventually, stop itching.
17~ALWAYS have at least two extra servings of dinner prepared each night, because chances are Abe will bring four extra men with him for dinner after finding out they have no food at home for the night.
18~Adding some water and extra seasoning to supper stretches it quite nicely when four extra empty tummies turns out to be five. Or six.
19~Trash can be turned into the most interesting toys. And household items.
20~The flour and pancake mix you buy at the market will probably have four generations of bugs at various stages of growing and decomposing in it.
21~A piece of mail is reason for much jumping, squealing, yelling and dancing.
22~Never be surprised at a stranger telling you exactly what they think about your parenting skills. It will happen. And it won't be pretty.
23~Hand stitching is tedious and boring, but the smiles after you complete the project make it so worth it!
24~If there is only one liter of drinking water left for the evening, it will be spilled.
25~You will be so lonely sometimes you will start talking about your day and troubles and happy moments to the maid across the way- and she will smile and say "yes,yes" even though she has no blessed idea what you are saying.
26~A husband who works seven days a week, for 12+ hours a day will be tired. His wife having a hot meal ready and a sweet tempered mouth is essential to his well being. If you have a particular trying day, be sure to unload to the maid before he comes home. Always smile while unloading so she doesn't think you are possessed.
27~If you buy something that needs to be refrigerated you will be without power for the next three to seven days in a row.
28~One can get over the gag reflex that follows the inevitable whiff of a nearby sewer. Sometimes it will catch you by surprise so always have an empty cup or trash bag close by just in case.
29~Aprons are just as useful now as a century ago. Have many.
30~Whining about a circumstance without making an effort to change it is like leaving chicken raw in the pot because you do not want to light the fire. Sure, the matches here sometimes explode when struck, the fire building can be messy and painful, and the chicken may take FOREVER to fully cook. The pot might overturn and spoil, or the wind might blow out the fire forcing you start at the beginning again, but you must start. Strike the match. Keep at it. Make a difference.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Existing is not enough. You. Must. Pray. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~