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During our college years at a well-known university 20-some years ago, we had the honor and privilege of hearing a guest speaker debate one time that has forever made an impression on us. He was not a professor of our universtiy - he wouldn't be allowed to teach what he tried to share there. But he sure did put some of our professors to shame.
A Christian group on campus invited this man to come and speak on Creationism one evening. It was an open meeting that was advertised throughout campus by the host group. A large number of professors showed up and they were hot under their collar. Dr. Henry Morris, renowned creationist who wrote volumes of science in defense of creationism (earth being created in six twenty four hour days) while exposing the loop holes in the evolutionary theory. The university faculty who showed up for a "show-down" were up in arms, for if what Dr. Morris shared was indeed true, then everything they've based their livelihood on was a lie. Needless to say, the air was hot and tension was high.
Up to the podium walks Dr. Henry Morris. I think the evolutionary prof's were expecting to see a fire-breathing dragon. We weren't sure what to expect either. We were just young, zealous Christians then, not even sure what the big deal was about. We didn't even know about Dr. Morris until that night. Imagine the surprise of all when we caught our first glimpses of Dr. Morris - a man in his sixties with white hair who possessed a calm, gentle spirit as he shared truth. The faculty, our very own professors, couldn't stand it. Many of them stood up in their seats interupting him, some shouting, some pointing accusing fingers, red-faced. Sometimes many stood all at once, a whole row of the biology department, chemistry department, etc. interupting one another as they shouted accusations. We sat with a small group of Christians, mouths gaping at the unprofessional folks who we were paying big money to to educate us.
What made the most lasting and deep impression was Dr. Morris' response to each of them as he diligently answered each of their accustaions/questions. He never interupted. His voice was ALWAYS calm and gentle. He was not put off by their outrageous, insulting behavior. We must admit, our blood pressure was near to boiling. We came to hear the man speak and were embarrassed at the rude behavior of these so-called professionals who kept interupting. However, what we walked away with that evening were not only scientific answers refuting evolution, but also a deep awe and respect for a very learned man who exhibited Christian character unlike any one we have ever met. Even when he was not treated with honor, he treated others with honor.
Regretfully, we chose to spend our remaining educational years being taught by some of the same folks who threw mud at truth and a great man instead of being mentored by this honorable gentleman.
For more about the legacy of Dr. Henry Morris see http://www.visionforum.com/hottopics/blogs/dwp/ Dear Lord, may we have the same demeanor as Dr. Morris when mud is being slung our way. May we speak truth firmly, yet gently, trusting in You the whole way. Amen
04:16 - 2006-Feb-28 - {0} -
Some people have asked me "Why do you spend so much time and money training your children in agriculture?" It's a fair question. You might wonder why it's so important to us. I'll endeavor to explain myself.
1. In my opinion, the US economy is going to fail at some point.
I believe that we cannot continue as we are as a nation, spending more than we take in, taxing our citizens ad infinitum, allowing Hollywood to influence our young people and the young people of the world with grossly immoral and unrealistic images of maturity.
Whether it is in 5 years, 20 years, or 50 years, our economy must at some point experience undeniable restructuring. The result, in a worse-case-scenario, will be to further enslave the citizenry in jobs and living conditions which make them dependent on the state. When that happens, food choices will be limited or at the extreme, only available to certain people.
I want my children and grandchildren to know something about producing their own food. I'm not certain if this knowledge will be enough to help them survive, but I'm certain that if they don't have this basic understanding, they'll be trapped into taking whatever culture is available at that time.
2. Using God's creation as intended causes us to be more dependent on Him.
For example. Genesis 9:3 "Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything." Following the flood, God gave to man ALL plants and animals for food. God's intent was that man should interact with Him and His Creation to accept His provision.
In a world where much of children's entertainment (see Bambi) is all about animals taking on human qualities, it behooves parents to teach children that God's GIFT to man are the animals. Man was given God's creation to use, not to worship. Most people do not want to really think about the fact that our food requires death of one of God's creation. However, a proper understanding of this fact should result in worship and thanksgiving to the Creator, and a humbling of man's character.
3. Agriculture provides an excellent platform for Homeschooling.
Business planning, law, mathematics, biology, astronomy, climatology, anatomy, pathology, medicine, marketing, economics, history, agronomy, chemistry, are all topics which are available to the homeschooling farmer. This is critical.
Abraham Lincoln said it best at the 1859 Wisconsin State Fair:
This leads to the further reflection, that no other human occupation opens so wide a field for the profitable and agreeable combination of labor with cultivated thought, as agriculture. I know of nothing so pleasant to the mind, as the discovery of anything which is at once new and valuable -- nothing which so lightens and sweetens toil, as the hopeful pursuit of such discovery. And how vast, and how varied a field is agriculture, for such discovery. The mind, already trained to thought, in the country school, or higher school, cannot fail to find there an exhaustless source of profitable enjoyment. Every blade of grass is a study; and to produce two, where there was but one, is both a profit and a pleasure. And not grass alone; but soils, seeds, and seasons -- hedges, ditches, and fences, draining, droughts, and irrigation -- plowing, hoeing, and harrowing -- reaping, mowing, and threshing -- saving crops, pests of crops, diseases of crops, and what will prevent or cure them -- implements, utensils, and machines, their relative merits, and [how] to improve them -- hogs, horses, and cattle -- sheep, goats, and poultry -- trees, shrubs, fruits, plants, and flowers -- the thousand things of which these are specimens -- each a world of study within itself.
4. It's a wonderful life - Who could argue with that?
Farmer John
11:46 - 2006-Feb-24 - {3} -
By the time everyone in the US reaches adulthood, chances are, they know how to purchase and operate a car, kick a soccer ball and play Nintendo. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the production of one's own food. Years ago, common knowledge typically included an understanding of food production. Vegetables, herbs, fruits and grains were routinely produced, processed and stored in households. Alas, "the good life" has reached most of us now, and the knowledge, experience, and I argue, the freedom associated with self-provision is not part of it.
For most of us today, our food comes to us from the farmer through an ever-growing complex of handlers, processors, transporters, distributors, wholesalers, and retailers. The result, often touted by food industry proponents is the cheapest and safest food supply in the world. Is it really so? Let's take a look.
Cheap food, really!
Without question, the average US consumer spends relatively little on food. Including the 2 meals most of us eat outside of our homes daily, about 10-12% of income is spent on food purchases. No other country can come close. Our on-farm production technology using chemical pesticides, bioengineered seeds, and huge, economies-of-scale-meeting equipment has driven the raw cost of production down to an amazing level. Keep in mind, however, that as consumers pay less for food, farmers, whose prices are set at the market, are taking in less for their products. Those "savings" we all enjoy relative to the rest of the world come at a price to farmers in the form of lower commodity prices. As the profit margin available to farmers thins, the food production industry consolidates. Hence, we have huge conglomerates responsible for significant aspects of our food system. More on that later.
Safe?
Who do you trust? Remember the recent recall of 24.7 million pounds of poultry, the largest recall in history? According to the Food Safety Inspection Service, voluntary recalls of meat products in 2002 are more than 4 times the number reported in 1996 http://www.fsis.usda.gov A widely used commercial pesticide, chlorpyrifos, is being removed from the household pest market due to its effect on children, but it is still widely used in food production. Mancozeb is a fungicide labeled for use on nearly every vegetable and grain crop grown in the US. The use of mancozeb and other fungicides to protect crops from disease is one of the reasons our food is so "cheap." Take a look at the protective equipment required for the application of this product to the food we eat daily: Self contained breathing apparatus,
chemical splash goggles, chemical resistant gloves and chemical resistant apron. Does this really seem OK?
A food system like ours requires consumers to put a lot of trust in "the system" to deliver products clean and free of contamination. You don't have to go far to find growing occurrence of problems related to pesticide exposure. The long-term affects of these products are not required to be known prior to registration by EPA. But we are starting to see the results of long-term exposure now after 50 years of usage in US food production. If everything is just fine with our current food production system, why are organic foods the fasting growing segment in the grocery industry?
I hope I've piqued your interest in this topic. It is time for Americans to take a critical look at our current food system, and to consider becoming producers of food rather than simply consumers.
Good Farmer John
08:46 - 2006-Feb-22 - {0} -
Old tractors never dieÂ…
Every farm needs a tractor and mine has one. I inherited a 1958 John Deere Model 620 tractor from my dad. Actually, my grandfather bought the tractor and a plow new in 1958 for $4600. He used it for plowing, planting and harvesting the 320 acres of cropland he farmed. He only had one other tractor, a very small Case model VAC. In those days, in east central Minnesota, the 45 horsepower general-purpose 620 was one of the largest tractors in the area.
When my grandpa retired from farming in 1973, my dad bought the tractor for $2350. The 620 fit in the center of our tractor lineup. It was just the right size for many tasks on our farm. With it’s mounted John Deere 227 corn picker, we harvested over 200 acres of corn every year. We also used it for chopping haylage for the cattle, grinding feed, and disking and harrowing the fields. Dad liked using it to pull the 4 row corn planter every spring. He found that he could hear and “feel” the planter better than being locked inside an air-conditioned cab.
For nearly 30 years, it has been in active, if not daily use on my parentÂ’s farm. Other than a 1980 engine rebuild, some new tires and a seat cushion, the tractor is all original. About 3 years ago, my dad had a small fire and, recently I installed new intake and exhaust manifolds.
I did some plowing at our place right after picking the tractor up. My wife laughed at the smile on my face as the engine came under load, increasing the throatiness of the “putt-putt-putt” coming from the 2-cylinder engine. This is not a parade tractor. Working the tractor as it was meant to be worked brought back so many memories to me. As the engine temperature rose to normal operating range, the sound, the feel and even the smell were reminiscent of the first time dad let me drive it alone, 25 years ago.
The point of all this nostalgia is to note that IÂ’m using my GrandpaÂ’s tractor. ItÂ’s 47 years old, and while IÂ’m not farming 320 acres, the tractor is fully functional, contributing to the output of my farm. This significance grows when you think about what farming will look like 45 years from now. Will there be grandchildren of todayÂ’s farmers involved in food production using todayÂ’s modern tractors? TodayÂ’s tractors are so large, will there be general-purpose uses for them 45 years from now? Is my generation the last that will be able to effectively use their grandfatherÂ’s farm equipment for food production?
Old tractors never die, so hopefully the 620 will still be running then, and I wonÂ’t need to worry. Until then, donÂ’t forget to support local, small-scale agriculture by shopping a farmerÂ’s market. Plant a garden of your own and learn all you can about food production, even on a small backyard plot. You never know, you may just start a legacy you can pass down to your grandkids.
Good Farmer John
02:00 - 2006-Feb-20 - {2} -
Contrary to popular belief, one can indeed teach an old dog new tricks. Our daughters are demonstrating this concept quite clearly as evidenced by the picture (and a bit of explanation from them). This old dog is is being taught to plow the ground, of course. The older daughter is holding the reins (aka jump rope) while the younger daughter is lifting and lowering the "plow blades" (a.k.a the handle to the wagon) while assisting the beast with the pulling of the plow (for the beast was not strong enough to pull the whole plow cantraption thing-a-ma-bob). Going against conventional (mocern) wisdom and coming up with innovative, low-cost approaches to farming will be keys to our survival on the farm. Good Farmer John is considering this new approach to plowing and possibly marketing the idea to other farmers... then again, maybe not. The farmer's wife :)
09:40 - 2006-Feb-15 - {1} -
I just took a look at a couple of big bellies and big bags. I love to see those huge swollen bellies this time of the year - on goats, that is. Just two more weeks or so and two of our does will have their kids. Their bags are starting to become swollen with milk starting to come in. Our family really likes to see those udders grow for that means just one thing - FRESH MILK SUPPLY!!! We usually try to time the mating of the does so we are able to have fresh milk year round. This year our schedule has changed a bit with the upcoming move to Minnesota. We decided to downsize our herd to three of our best does and one buck. We figured that would be easier to move cross country when moving time came. We have been without fresh milk now since November and are craving it. We are unable to obtain any raw goat's milk where we live. It is illegal to sell it in Indiana. That hasn't stopped friends of ours from allowing consumers to obtain raw milk from them. They sell cow shares to those who wish to have raw milk. The state has tried to shut them down, but the protest of the part owners of the cows was very loud and persistant, so they let them do their thing. Our girls are allergic to cow's milk or we would buy from them (yes, they are even allergic to raw cow's milk for those who are curious). For a time one of our daughters was unable to consume pasteurized goat cheese. Only raw goat dairy products agreed with her for a while. For the past few months we have had to be satisfied with purchasing raw goat cheese and goat yogurt from the co-op. I can't seem to find any that will guarentee they don't use any antibiotics, so we are excited in more ways than one to be able to consume our own goat's milk and goat's milk products again soon. Our goats have never had any antibiotics. They have never had mastitus. They just don't get sick. We have plenty of pasture for them to graze on, plus they receive many minerals via kelp. Our first goats were sickly when we purchased them years ago. Their coats were rough, one had a very thin coat and was nearly bald in spots and that was in the middle of winter. It took a good year to get them to the point that they were healthy. Now their coats are thick and shiny. My oldest daughter told me she wants to learn about goat midwifery this year. We have studied it some. We never have had to intervene yet, atleast in a major way. If we're blesseed enough to witness a birth, we just wipe the birth sack off of the nose of the kids to make sure they can breath. Last year we had our first set of triplets that we were able to witness! What a joy that was! We have even had a few families over the years who happened to be visiting when goats gave birth, so they have had the excitement of being able to witness the miracle of birth. These animals always seem to know what they need to do to have their kids - lie down, then stand up, then lie down, then stand up, then turn around, etc. I taught childbirth education classes for years and the women who had their babies naturally and easily always seemed to know what they needed and what they needed to do. Years ago, the girls and I were able to witness one of our cats giving birth. She purred through the whole experience while we pet her. Amazing. When all of the kittens had been born, my three year old (at the time) concluded in awe, "Creation....it's a miracle!" We are certainly looking forward to witnessing some more miracles with our goats in a couple of weeks! Blessings, Lisa for the Mesko's lisa@lighthousefarm.com
05:29 - 2006-Feb-14 - {4} -
At left, our guests, shortly after their arrival and just prior to Yolanda's first surgery.
Above, our guests a few days before their return to Haiti.
Last summer we had the honor of hosting a Haitian mother and her daughter for 9 weeks so the daughter could have life-saving open heart surgery in the States. We have had folks ask us how we have time for minstry while running a homestead. Actually, a homestead is a wonderful place for ministry. Our little farm proved to be a perfect place for our Haitian guests to recuperate. Instead of having to fit into an on-the-go lifestyle which is typical of America, they were able to rest and recup or join in on farm duties if they chose when they were feeling better. We ate every family meal together, not in the car on the way to something and they were able to participate in family devotions with our limited Creole interpretations.
Yes, ministry is wonderful to do on the farm. My husband and I were counseling a very troubled couple with a marriage on the rocks and in the middle of it all, our children burst in to inform us one of our cats was having kittens and they couldn't find them. What a relief this proved to be as we all hunted for those kittens and tried to save their lives. It happens to provide a bit of perspective. What a great place our farm proved to be for a young man who needed accountability. He stayed with us and helped my husband build a chicken coop learning that a mind focused on a worthy task rarely gets into trouble. 
Aw, but I digress, this post describes some of the lessons we learned together last summer while hosting these blessed folks. If you would like to read of more details of the story, you may go to www.yolandahope.blogspot.com 
(As we left the hospital after her 2nd surgery, we bid the hospital farewell, "Orevwa, lopital!")
First of all, I must clarify that I do not believe hosting a family in this fashion is for everyone. We regularly practice hospitality. We did not begin to practice it with this family. It would not have been pleasant for our guests to have been our guinea pigs.
We also had to have the hearts of our children. I believe it is of the utmost importance and priority for us to have our own homes in order first. We will not be a blessing to others at all if our own home is not in order. My husband and I have taught our children of the importance of being a blessing to the Lord. As we live in such a way that is pleasing and honoring to the Lord, we will also be a blessing to others. If we were not living in a way that is pleasing to the Lord, we would be a bad example and a burden to others. Our children are respectful of their parents. If they weren't, we would not be a blessing and we would have no business teaching others to be disrespectful through our example. As a family, we strive to be a blessing, not a burden.
I must also add, there is no way we would have agreed to do this if it weren't for my husband's heart and vision for his family and for his provision. For a long time, he has had the heart for his family to practice hospitality for those who have no place to go, so we have done just that, but never for this long or for someone from a foreign country. If this was something I wanted to do and he didn't, we wouldn't have done it for we would not have been a blessing nor would we have brought honor to the Lord if our marriage had not reflected oneness and unity.
Having said that, I will endeavor to write about some of the things our family has learned as we have hosted a family from a third world country.
The Lord provides and makes a way: A missionary couple in Haiti asked Mrs. Joseph to do some seamstress work for them. This is how they met 4 year old Yolanda and learned about her problems. They, in turn, put the Joseph's in contact with another missionary who contacted the Timmy Foundation and St. Vincent's hospital to make an appeal for help. Mr. Joseph died one month before they arrived to the U.S. The doctor who had to sign for Yolanda's medical release was kidnapped and held for ransom. Two of the host families the Timmy Foundation lined up canceled due to family emergencies. We were asked to host and agreed. Yolanda and her mother arrive to our house after many obstacles and the rest is history.
Our earnings from the Farmer's Market provided for Mrs. Joseph to pay tips for carrying her luggage in Haiti when she returned. My Beloved John told her he can carry her luggage while she's in Indiana, but can't carry it for her in Haiti. The only way he can help her is to pay for someone else to carry it. We also knew Mrs. Joseph was very concerned about flying back to Haiti with a lay-over in Miami without an English/Creole-speaking escort. It seemed impossible for the Lord to provide with so many people canceling their missions trips due the the unsafety in Haiti. But the Lord did provide using the same person that traveled here with them. Mrs. Joseph was overjoyed.
Humility: We learned to communicate in Creole in the most simplest form when they first arrived using one word sentences and lots of gesturing and charades. We gradually progressed to 2-3 word sentences until we moved into the second month of their stay when we graduated to very slow and deliberate sentences which were pleasant and less taxing on the brain. This reminded us of our daughters as babes learning to talk. We were thrilled with their first words. When communicating with our guests, we had regressed to mere babes in learning to speak with them. There were many times we had so much more on our heart to communicate, but had to be content with what we were capable of speaking or acting out which was quite humbling.
Manners: After setting the table, our girls would faithfully ask our guests before every meal if our guest would like, "Dlo, let, ji" [water, milk or juice]. Our 5 year old taught Yolanda how to respond in English when someone shakes your hand, "Pleased to meet you!" We all learned basic manners of "please", "thank you" and "you're welcome" in Creole. It wasn't long before our little Haitian guest began to reflect our desire to show good manners and joined in.
Beloved songs in a different language: Our oldest daughter and I translated "Jesus loves me" into Creole and taught it to our guests which we sang together frequently. We would also play hymns on the piano and sing them in English while the mother would sing it in Creole. Americans and Haitians worshipping together in different languages, but with similar hearts that adore Jesus. The songs have as much meaning and depth in Creole as they do in English for they came from a heart that belongs to the Savior.
We're really not that different: We asked Mrs. Joseph if she would like to go to a ballet (a Christian ballet company was in town and performing in a church in Indianapolis). She answered in the affirmative, then she pointed to her hair as if to say, "Is this OK?" I answered in the affirmative. She appeared relieved. Then another tiny panicked motion to her dress, "Is this OK to wear?" Again, I answered in the affirmative. My husband chuckled with me later as he noticed that Yolette displayed a common response among women: Is my attire appropriate for the occasion?
We were eating lunch one day when I noticed my 5 year old's glass was entirely too close to the edge of the table for my comfort. I scooted the glass to the top corner of her plate and did a little teaching while Mrs. Joseph chuckled and nodded her head in agreement as if to say, "I would have done the same thing!"
Soon after their arrival we were surprised to learn that when Yolanda says something in Creole that sounds like, "Mommie, pee-pee", in English it means exactly what it sounds like.
Creative ways to encourage deep-breathing after surgery in order to get rid of fluid in the lungs naturally: Blowing bubbles was a very common activity our girls did with Yolanda. They helped her both in the hospital and once she returned to our home. Our girls knew that it was important for Yolanda to huff and puff that fluid off the lungs. They even resorted to using our trumpet vine flowers to blow huge bubbles. Our 9 year old had the creative idea of blowing dandelion fuzzies. This proved to be a fun activity as the girls blew dandelion fuzzies on each other during the season we had them.  Sharing, serving, exercising love and mercy and practicing hospitality: Prior to our guests arrival, we had been reading John Bunyon's classic, "The Pilgrim's Progress" and compared our farm house to the Palace Beautiful which was run by a family who served the King's pilgrims with good food, good lodging, good company and good conversations. They are a wonderful example of living hospitality. Mrs. Joseph and Yolanda were pilgrims on the grand journey of life who needed to make a stop in Indiana on their journey. The Lord brought them to our farm. We had the honor of hosting them and showing them hospitality just like Discretion and her daughters of the Palace Beautiful.
The verse the Lord laid on our hearts as we prayed about our decision to host this family were Isaiah 58:7 "...divide your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into the house." The Lord also reminded us of the many passages in the Bible which tell us of our Father's heart for the poor, orphaned, widowed and oppressed. As the Lord reminded us of this, He imparted confirmation and encouragement to us as we considered hosting a recently widowed woman and her daughter (who would die if she did not have this surgery) who were from the poorest country in the western hemisphere, a third world nation at war with itself.
The joy of witnessing a miracle: Yolanda could not walk before her surgery. She had to be carried everywhere for her heart was compromised so. No herb could save her, only surgery could repair the holes in her heart. Open heart surgery is not perfomred in Haiti for the electricity is not stable enough. The American pediatrician who evaluated her in Haiti didn't think she had much longer to live. Had she not come, she would have died. The transformation that took place after surgery was amazing. We watched her as she gradually gained more and more strength in her legs to walk more and more steadily until she began to run. And, boy oh boy, did she run! She ran almost ALL of the time and ALWAYS with a great amount of enthusiasm, pumping her arms with such gusto and a smile engulfing her face! And we would shake our heads in amazement and gratitude along with her mother and give thanks to the Lord for saving this little girl's life.
Linguistics: As a family we have an interest in languages. We've studied some Greek, Latin, Russian and Spanish and find it fascinating as we discover the links between the languages and the differences. Being exposed to Creole (which is a combination of French and Africans and sounds like really bad French) has added to our fascination of languages. Many times our 5 year old was found saying, "I really enjoy hearing Yolanda and her mother talk to each other in Creole." Since Creole doesn't have any verb tenses, learning the language was a matter of pronunciation and memorization.
Not all little girls should wear sparkly, slick-bottomed shoes on hard-wood floors: Our little guest loved the beautiful sparkly shoes our 5 year old gave her. She eagerly placed them on with assistance. Then she stood eager to hear the clip-clop of the shoes as she walked on our hard-wood flooring. She began to put one foot on front of the other and all of the sudden the scene from the movie, Bambi, came alive right before our eyes, when Bambi tried ice-skating for the first time and his limbs spread out in all directions. Little Yolanda's feet slid and slipped as she struggled to stay upright while somehow moving forward. Eventually her little hind quarters met the floor. She went down smiling and laughing along with her mother and the rest of us as we joined her in her amusement. It didn't take long for her to decide rubber-soled shoes were best to use in the house, that is if she wasn't bare-footed. She saved her sparkly, slick-bottomed shoes for outdoor work with the barn animals (where there is a little more traction).
Glimpse's of a mother's heart: Not long after Yolanda's first surgery, Mrs. Joseph asked, "Le returne Ayite?" It took me 5 minutes to figure out what she was asking. One dictionary translated "le" as an hour, so it took me a while to realize "le" also meant "when" as in when will they return to Haiti. I asked her, "Madanm Joseph make fanme [Mrs. Joseph miss family]?" To which she gave a very hardy affirmative.
Mrs. Joseph traveled to a foreign country (where she did not know the language or the customs or the plumbing) one month after her husband died. She left her 3 older children in Haiti with her brother and his wife. She did this because she knew her daughter would have died had she not. She knew there was no medication or herb that could bring healing to her daughter. Only a surgery could repair the hole in her heart and she was fading very quickly. Usually these kids don't live that long. Yolanda was growing weaker and weaker. What a walk of faith for her this must have been and yet she was determined to see that her daughter would live.
It doesn't take a college-educated person to recognize the gender-neutrality trend in our nation: Mrs. Joseph has an 8th grade education. She made the comment to me that women in America wear pants and don't like to wear dresses. We interacted with an individual one time that had stylish short hair, long eyelashes, a smooth complexion and a voice that was neither high nor low. Once this person left our presence, she looked at me and asked if that was a woman or a man. I told her it was a man (I hope) for I saw chest hair at the base of his neck. She shook her head in unbelief and amazement.
 The true definition of a talented seamstress: I thought I was a decent seamstress, then I met Mrs. Joseph. I am thankful my daughters and I were able to watch her and learn from her. I gave her some fabric and in the course of an afternoon, she designed, cut out and HAND-sewed an adorable dress for Yolanda. I was speechless. No pattern, no machine, no 4 year college degree in fashion design, just pure, raw, know- how, talent, creativity, determination. Now THAT is a seamstress.
Perseverance: We agreed to host this family for 4-6 weeks. We had no idea they would need to be here longer. There were days that were long and tiring, yet the Lord gave us strength to get through and sometimes He would even provide an inspiring second wind. When one of us was tired, another would pick up and contribute to some inspiration. There were days our brains were strained to the point of fatigue with trying to learn the language, yet the Lord would faithfully stretch us and we would learn more. There were days we missed having just our family, so we would cherish our times of bedtime reading with just our family all the more.
We use similar toilet facilities in certain circumstances: We were at a nature park on a picnic with our church family when our guests asked for a toilet. There was no bathroom around. I pointed to the woods. A smile appeared on the mom's face and she nodded with familiarity. This is what they do in Haiti.
Curious about the toileting habits of Haitians in the city, I later asked her for clarification, once I knew the language better, "Haitians use the bathroom outside in the street?" Yes. "While people are watching?" Some people do, she doesn't.
Many opportunities to communicate Biblical truths in Creole: As an example, one afternoon, I sat my daughters down with the Bible opened to Proverbs to teach them more about what a Godly woman looks like in answer to a question they had. We read one of our favorite passages which we had been reading daily for over one month before we learned about our guests' arrival. We compared the Proverbs 31 woman with the woman described in Proverbs 7:5-27. A woman who keeps her home, is skilled and hard-working, whose husband trusts in her and praises her, whose children praise her versus a woman who is boisterous, rebellious, whose feet do not remain at home, who is manipulative, dresses as a harlot and who is the death of a man. Just as we were finishing up, Mrs. Joseph walked in. I quickly translated in my mind the Creole words I knew which I could use to describe to her what we were talking about. I simplified it and told her I was teaching my daughters the difference between a Christian woman and one who is not. Her eyes piqued with interest, so I further explained that a Godly woman is one who focuses on home and family while working hard while an ungodly woman is out on the streets crying, "Look at me! Look at me!" She gave an affirmative nod and told me in Creole, "Exactly!"
A child's whine in Creole means the exact same thing it does in English: No mistake could be made that the interpretation of the whine meant exactly the same as if does for an American child. And we did not need to refer to our Creole dictionary to arrive to that conclusion.
Unselfishness: Gabrielle (9) said she learned to work diligently and cheerfully with her increased workload especially after observing Mrs. Joseph as she worked. Mrs. Joseph helped clean up the table after eating and at times swept the floor and she always did it with a pleasant look on her face and sometimes while singing worship songs. Gabrielle also said it was a "growing up experience" for her. Mrs. Joseph asked her to look after Yolanda while she took afternoon naps. Gabrielle learned a bit about babysitting and the responsibilities that go with it. Our girls chose to give up using their bikes, tree house and other things for they knew Yolanda was not supposed to do any of those things for 6 weeks after surgery and they did not want to be a source of temptation for their guest. Sarah (5) enjoyed teaching Yolanda some English which she was speaking more and more of as well as her mother. They both grew from this experience. We were pleased with both of our girls and their capacities and capabilities as we shared our family and home for 9 weeks.
We have the same Creator: Rich, middle class or poor, healthy or sick, black, brown or white, city or urban dweller, seamstress or farmer, from a 3rd world country or the U.S., English-speaking or Creole-speaking, widowed, orphaned or not, we all come from Adam and we have the same Creator. And in our case, we worship the same Creator. What a privilege and honor it was to have fellowshipped with a fellow believer, one of the King's pilgrim's from Haiti, from April 30 to July 7. Our family will never be the same. To God be the glory.
Grateful for the opportunity to serve on our homestead, Mrs. Lisa Mesko for the Mesko family www.lighthousefarm.com
12:20 - 2006-Feb-2 - {2} -
During our college years at a well-known university 20-some years ago, we had the honor and privilege of hearing a guest speaker debate one time that has forever made an impression on us. He was not a professor of our universtiy - he wouldn't be allowed to teach what he tried to share there. But he sure did put some of our professors to shame.
A Christian group on campus invited this man to come and speak on Creationism one evening. It was an open meeting that was advertised throughout campus by the host group. A large number of professors showed up and they were hot under their collar. Dr. Henry Morris, renowned creationist who wrote volumes of science in defense of creationism (earth being created in six twenty four hour days) while exposing the loop holes in the evolutionary theory. The university faculty who showed up for a "show-down" were up in arms, for if what Dr. Morris shared was indeed true, then everything they've based their livelihood on was a lie. Needless to say, the air was hot and tension was high.
Up to the podium walks Dr. Henry Morris. I think the evolutionary prof's were expecting to see a fire-breathing dragon. We weren't sure what to expect either. We were just young, zealous Christians then, not even sure what the big deal was about. We didn't even know about Dr. Morris until that night. Imagine the surprise of all when we caught our first glimpses of Dr. Morris - a man in his sixties with white hair who possessed a calm, gentle spirit as he shared truth. The faculty, our very own professors, couldn't stand it. Many of them stood up in their seats interupting him, some shouting, some pointing accusing fingers, red-faced. Sometimes many stood all at once, a whole row of the biology department, chemistry department, etc. interupting one another as they shouted accusations. We sat with a small group of Christians, mouths gaping at the unprofessional folks who we were paying big money to to educate us.
What made the most lasting and deep impression was Dr. Morris' response to each of them as he diligently answered each of their accustaions/questions. He never interupted. His voice was ALWAYS calm and gentle. He was not put off by their outrageous, insulting behavior. We must admit, our blood pressure was near to boiling. We came to hear the man speak and were embarrassed at the rude behavior of these so-called professionals who kept interupting. However, what we walked away with that evening were not only scientific answers refuting evolution, but also a deep awe and respect for a very learned man who exhibited Christian character unlike any one we have ever met. Even when he was not treated with honor, he treated others with honor.
Regretfully, we chose to spend our remaining educational years being taught by some of the same folks who threw mud at truth and a great man instead of being mentored by this honorable gentleman.
For more about the legacy of Dr. Henry Morris see http://www.visionforum.com/hottopics/blogs/dwp/ Dear Lord, may we have the same demeanor as Dr. Morris when mud is being slung our way. May we speak truth firmly, yet gently, trusting in You the whole way. Amen
04:16 - 2006-Feb-28 -
Some people have asked me "Why do you spend so much time and money training your children in agriculture?" It's a fair question. You might wonder why it's so important to us. I'll endeavor to explain myself.
1. In my opinion, the US economy is going to fail at some point.
I believe that we cannot continue as we are as a nation, spending more than we take in, taxing our citizens ad infinitum, allowing Hollywood to influence our young people and the young people of the world with grossly immoral and unrealistic images of maturity.
Whether it is in 5 years, 20 years, or 50 years, our economy must at some point experience undeniable restructuring. The result, in a worse-case-scenario, will be to further enslave the citizenry in jobs and living conditions which make them dependent on the state. When that happens, food choices will be limited or at the extreme, only available to certain people.
I want my children and grandchildren to know something about producing their own food. I'm not certain if this knowledge will be enough to help them survive, but I'm certain that if they don't have this basic understanding, they'll be trapped into taking whatever culture is available at that time.
2. Using God's creation as intended causes us to be more dependent on Him.
For example. Genesis 9:3 "Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything." Following the flood, God gave to man ALL plants and animals for food. God's intent was that man should interact with Him and His Creation to accept His provision.
In a world where much of children's entertainment (see Bambi) is all about animals taking on human qualities, it behooves parents to teach children that God's GIFT to man are the animals. Man was given God's creation to use, not to worship. Most people do not want to really think about the fact that our food requires death of one of God's creation. However, a proper understanding of this fact should result in worship and thanksgiving to the Creator, and a humbling of man's character.
3. Agriculture provides an excellent platform for Homeschooling.
Business planning, law, mathematics, biology, astronomy, climatology, anatomy, pathology, medicine, marketing, economics, history, agronomy, chemistry, are all topics which are available to the homeschooling farmer. This is critical.
Abraham Lincoln said it best at the 1859 Wisconsin State Fair:
This leads to the further reflection, that no other human occupation opens so wide a field for the profitable and agreeable combination of labor with cultivated thought, as agriculture. I know of nothing so pleasant to the mind, as the discovery of anything which is at once new and valuable -- nothing which so lightens and sweetens toil, as the hopeful pursuit of such discovery. And how vast, and how varied a field is agriculture, for such discovery. The mind, already trained to thought, in the country school, or higher school, cannot fail to find there an exhaustless source of profitable enjoyment. Every blade of grass is a study; and to produce two, where there was but one, is both a profit and a pleasure. And not grass alone; but soils, seeds, and seasons -- hedges, ditches, and fences, draining, droughts, and irrigation -- plowing, hoeing, and harrowing -- reaping, mowing, and threshing -- saving crops, pests of crops, diseases of crops, and what will prevent or cure them -- implements, utensils, and machines, their relative merits, and [how] to improve them -- hogs, horses, and cattle -- sheep, goats, and poultry -- trees, shrubs, fruits, plants, and flowers -- the thousand things of which these are specimens -- each a world of study within itself.
4. It's a wonderful life - Who could argue with that?
Farmer John
11:46 - 2006-Feb-24 -
Argue?
Not I, said the pig!! I agree ... we need to teach our children and grandchildren that the world is not as most see it. I remember some book, one time, talking about dividing the US into two sections ... one was in California and it was agriculturally based ... the other was the majority of the US and it was factory / machine based. And California had guarded borders as to not allow the others to come in. I remember that, often.
Wonderful!
What a wonderful post! This is what I would love to raise my children with. Thanks so much for sharing.
felipsha - 01:18 - 2006-Feb-24
I agree wholeheartedly!
This is why we live the lifestyle we do!
Plus I can count planting the garden as a school day!ROTFL!
matsmom97 - 07:32 - 2006-Feb-24
By the time everyone in the US reaches adulthood, chances are, they know how to purchase and operate a car, kick a soccer ball and play Nintendo. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the production of one's own food. Years ago, common knowledge typically included an understanding of food production. Vegetables, herbs, fruits and grains were routinely produced, processed and stored in households. Alas, "the good life" has reached most of us now, and the knowledge, experience, and I argue, the freedom associated with self-provision is not part of it.
For most of us today, our food comes to us from the farmer through an ever-growing complex of handlers, processors, transporters, distributors, wholesalers, and retailers. The result, often touted by food industry proponents is the cheapest and safest food supply in the world. Is it really so? Let's take a look.
Cheap food, really!
Without question, the average US consumer spends relatively little on food. Including the 2 meals most of us eat outside of our homes daily, about 10-12% of income is spent on food purchases. No other country can come close. Our on-farm production technology using chemical pesticides, bioengineered seeds, and huge, economies-of-scale-meeting equipment has driven the raw cost of production down to an amazing level. Keep in mind, however, that as consumers pay less for food, farmers, whose prices are set at the market, are taking in less for their products. Those "savings" we all enjoy relative to the rest of the world come at a price to farmers in the form of lower commodity prices. As the profit margin available to farmers thins, the food production industry consolidates. Hence, we have huge conglomerates responsible for significant aspects of our food system. More on that later.
Safe?
Who do you trust? Remember the recent recall of 24.7 million pounds of poultry, the largest recall in history? According to the Food Safety Inspection Service, voluntary recalls of meat products in 2002 are more than 4 times the number reported in 1996 http://www.fsis.usda.gov A widely used commercial pesticide, chlorpyrifos, is being removed from the household pest market due to its effect on children, but it is still widely used in food production. Mancozeb is a fungicide labeled for use on nearly every vegetable and grain crop grown in the US. The use of mancozeb and other fungicides to protect crops from disease is one of the reasons our food is so "cheap." Take a look at the protective equipment required for the application of this product to the food we eat daily: Self contained breathing apparatus,
chemical splash goggles, chemical resistant gloves and chemical resistant apron. Does this really seem OK?
A food system like ours requires consumers to put a lot of trust in "the system" to deliver products clean and free of contamination. You don't have to go far to find growing occurrence of problems related to pesticide exposure. The long-term affects of these products are not required to be known prior to registration by EPA. But we are starting to see the results of long-term exposure now after 50 years of usage in US food production. If everything is just fine with our current food production system, why are organic foods the fasting growing segment in the grocery industry?
I hope I've piqued your interest in this topic. It is time for Americans to take a critical look at our current food system, and to consider becoming producers of food rather than simply consumers.
Good Farmer John
08:46 - 2006-Feb-22 -
Old tractors never dieÂ…
Every farm needs a tractor and mine has one. I inherited a 1958 John Deere Model 620 tractor from my dad. Actually, my grandfather bought the tractor and a plow new in 1958 for $4600. He used it for plowing, planting and harvesting the 320 acres of cropland he farmed. He only had one other tractor, a very small Case model VAC. In those days, in east central Minnesota, the 45 horsepower general-purpose 620 was one of the largest tractors in the area.
When my grandpa retired from farming in 1973, my dad bought the tractor for $2350. The 620 fit in the center of our tractor lineup. It was just the right size for many tasks on our farm. With it’s mounted John Deere 227 corn picker, we harvested over 200 acres of corn every year. We also used it for chopping haylage for the cattle, grinding feed, and disking and harrowing the fields. Dad liked using it to pull the 4 row corn planter every spring. He found that he could hear and “feel” the planter better than being locked inside an air-conditioned cab.
For nearly 30 years, it has been in active, if not daily use on my parentÂ’s farm. Other than a 1980 engine rebuild, some new tires and a seat cushion, the tractor is all original. About 3 years ago, my dad had a small fire and, recently I installed new intake and exhaust manifolds.
I did some plowing at our place right after picking the tractor up. My wife laughed at the smile on my face as the engine came under load, increasing the throatiness of the “putt-putt-putt” coming from the 2-cylinder engine. This is not a parade tractor. Working the tractor as it was meant to be worked brought back so many memories to me. As the engine temperature rose to normal operating range, the sound, the feel and even the smell were reminiscent of the first time dad let me drive it alone, 25 years ago.
The point of all this nostalgia is to note that IÂ’m using my GrandpaÂ’s tractor. ItÂ’s 47 years old, and while IÂ’m not farming 320 acres, the tractor is fully functional, contributing to the output of my farm. This significance grows when you think about what farming will look like 45 years from now. Will there be grandchildren of todayÂ’s farmers involved in food production using todayÂ’s modern tractors? TodayÂ’s tractors are so large, will there be general-purpose uses for them 45 years from now? Is my generation the last that will be able to effectively use their grandfatherÂ’s farm equipment for food production?
Old tractors never die, so hopefully the 620 will still be running then, and I wonÂ’t need to worry. Until then, donÂ’t forget to support local, small-scale agriculture by shopping a farmerÂ’s market. Plant a garden of your own and learn all you can about food production, even on a small backyard plot. You never know, you may just start a legacy you can pass down to your grandkids.
Good Farmer John
02:00 - 2006-Feb-20 -
Right On
I really appreciated this posting. My grandpa was a farmer and even though it seemed to skip a generation it is something that I feel an urge to do. While I don't have any land now I do have a small garden and have been supporting local farmers since I was old enough to buy my own produce. Thanks!
John Deere
I learned to drive on a John Deere ... my uncle had several tractors and the John Deere was the most popular for work around the farm. I hope, some day, to get a tractor here and hope it is a John Deere!
Contrary to popular belief, one can indeed teach an old dog new tricks. Our daughters are demonstrating this concept quite clearly as evidenced by the picture (and a bit of explanation from them). This old dog is is being taught to plow the ground, of course. The older daughter is holding the reins (aka jump rope) while the younger daughter is lifting and lowering the "plow blades" (a.k.a the handle to the wagon) while assisting the beast with the pulling of the plow (for the beast was not strong enough to pull the whole plow cantraption thing-a-ma-bob). Going against conventional (mocern) wisdom and coming up with innovative, low-cost approaches to farming will be keys to our survival on the farm. Good Farmer John is considering this new approach to plowing and possibly marketing the idea to other farmers... then again, maybe not. The farmer's wife :)
09:40 - 2006-Feb-15 -
Hmmn..
my new lab puppy is growing fast enough to make me think I could put him in harness. Charming post!
Greenberry - 05:57 - 2006-Feb-15
I just took a look at a couple of big bellies and big bags. I love to see those huge swollen bellies this time of the year - on goats, that is. Just two more weeks or so and two of our does will have their kids. Their bags are starting to become swollen with milk starting to come in. Our family really likes to see those udders grow for that means just one thing - FRESH MILK SUPPLY!!! We usually try to time the mating of the does so we are able to have fresh milk year round. This year our schedule has changed a bit with the upcoming move to Minnesota. We decided to downsize our herd to three of our best does and one buck. We figured that would be easier to move cross country when moving time came. We have been without fresh milk now since November and are craving it. We are unable to obtain any raw goat's milk where we live. It is illegal to sell it in Indiana. That hasn't stopped friends of ours from allowing consumers to obtain raw milk from them. They sell cow shares to those who wish to have raw milk. The state has tried to shut them down, but the protest of the part owners of the cows was very loud and persistant, so they let them do their thing. Our girls are allergic to cow's milk or we would buy from them (yes, they are even allergic to raw cow's milk for those who are curious). For a time one of our daughters was unable to consume pasteurized goat cheese. Only raw goat dairy products agreed with her for a while. For the past few months we have had to be satisfied with purchasing raw goat cheese and goat yogurt from the co-op. I can't seem to find any that will guarentee they don't use any antibiotics, so we are excited in more ways than one to be able to consume our own goat's milk and goat's milk products again soon. Our goats have never had any antibiotics. They have never had mastitus. They just don't get sick. We have plenty of pasture for them to graze on, plus they receive many minerals via kelp. Our first goats were sickly when we purchased them years ago. Their coats were rough, one had a very thin coat and was nearly bald in spots and that was in the middle of winter. It took a good year to get them to the point that they were healthy. Now their coats are thick and shiny. My oldest daughter told me she wants to learn about goat midwifery this year. We have studied it some. We never have had to intervene yet, atleast in a major way. If we're blesseed enough to witness a birth, we just wipe the birth sack off of the nose of the kids to make sure they can breath. Last year we had our first set of triplets that we were able to witness! What a joy that was! We have even had a few families over the years who happened to be visiting when goats gave birth, so they have had the excitement of being able to witness the miracle of birth. These animals always seem to know what they need to do to have their kids - lie down, then stand up, then lie down, then stand up, then turn around, etc. I taught childbirth education classes for years and the women who had their babies naturally and easily always seemed to know what they needed and what they needed to do. Years ago, the girls and I were able to witness one of our cats giving birth. She purred through the whole experience while we pet her. Amazing. When all of the kittens had been born, my three year old (at the time) concluded in awe, "Creation....it's a miracle!" We are certainly looking forward to witnessing some more miracles with our goats in a couple of weeks! Blessings, Lisa for the Mesko's lisa@lighthousefarm.com
05:29 - 2006-Feb-14 -
OK
I do envy your fresh supply of goats milk, but am thankful that here in PA raw milk (at least cows) is legal and I am able to get some. Someday...goats and maybe we will get to witness the birth too! :).
kayinpa - 06:12 - 2006-Feb-14
How wonderful
to get sickly goats back to good health and to have such a wonderful herd of animals. I hope your herd grows once you get settled into balmy Minnesota!!
Kayinpa
How wonderful it is legal to buy raw milk in PA! I hope you are able to get some goats, too, someday.
Lighthouse - 10:13 - 2006-Feb-15
spinninggrandma
Thank you for your comments - we joke that it is just too warm down here in Indiana!
Lighthouse - 10:14 - 2006-Feb-15
At left, our guests, shortly after their arrival and just prior to Yolanda's first surgery.
Above, our guests a few days before their return to Haiti.
Last summer we had the honor of hosting a Haitian mother and her daughter for 9 weeks so the daughter could have life-saving open heart surgery in the States. We have had folks ask us how we have time for minstry while running a homestead. Actually, a homestead is a wonderful place for ministry. Our little farm proved to be a perfect place for our Haitian guests to recuperate. Instead of having to fit into an on-the-go lifestyle which is typical of America, they were able to rest and recup or join in on farm duties if they chose when they were feeling better. We ate every family meal together, not in the car on the way to something and they were able to participate in family devotions with our limited Creole interpretations.
Yes, ministry is wonderful to do on the farm. My husband and I were counseling a very troubled couple with a marriage on the rocks and in the middle of it all, our children burst in to inform us one of our cats was having kittens and they couldn't find them. What a relief this proved to be as we all hunted for those kittens and tried to save their lives. It happens to provide a bit of perspective. What a great place our farm proved to be for a young man who needed accountability. He stayed with us and helped my husband build a chicken coop learning that a mind focused on a worthy task rarely gets into trouble.
Aw, but I digress, this post describes some of the lessons we learned together last summer while hosting these blessed folks. If you would like to read of more details of the story, you may go to www.yolandahope.blogspot.com
(As we left the hospital after her 2nd surgery, we bid the hospital farewell, "Orevwa, lopital!")
First of all, I must clarify that I do not believe hosting a family in this fashion is for everyone. We regularly practice hospitality. We did not begin to practice it with this family. It would not have been pleasant for our guests to have been our guinea pigs.
We also had to have the hearts of our children. I believe it is of the utmost importance and priority for us to have our own homes in order first. We will not be a blessing to others at all if our own home is not in order. My husband and I have taught our children of the importance of being a blessing to the Lord. As we live in such a way that is pleasing and honoring to the Lord, we will also be a blessing to others. If we were not living in a way that is pleasing to the Lord, we would be a bad example and a burden to others. Our children are respectful of their parents. If they weren't, we would not be a blessing and we would have no business teaching others to be disrespectful through our example. As a family, we strive to be a blessing, not a burden.
I must also add, there is no way we would have agreed to do this if it weren't for my husband's heart and vision for his family and for his provision. For a long time, he has had the heart for his family to practice hospitality for those who have no place to go, so we have done just that, but never for this long or for someone from a foreign country. If this was something I wanted to do and he didn't, we wouldn't have done it for we would not have been a blessing nor would we have brought honor to the Lord if our marriage had not reflected oneness and unity.
Having said that, I will endeavor to write about some of the things our family has learned as we have hosted a family from a third world country.
The Lord provides and makes a way: A missionary couple in Haiti asked Mrs. Joseph to do some seamstress work for them. This is how they met 4 year old Yolanda and learned about her problems. They, in turn, put the Joseph's in contact with another missionary who contacted the Timmy Foundation and St. Vincent's hospital to make an appeal for help. Mr. Joseph died one month before they arrived to the U.S. The doctor who had to sign for Yolanda's medical release was kidnapped and held for ransom. Two of the host families the Timmy Foundation lined up canceled due to family emergencies. We were asked to host and agreed. Yolanda and her mother arrive to our house after many obstacles and the rest is history.
Our earnings from the Farmer's Market provided for Mrs. Joseph to pay tips for carrying her luggage in Haiti when she returned. My Beloved John told her he can carry her luggage while she's in Indiana, but can't carry it for her in Haiti. The only way he can help her is to pay for someone else to carry it. We also knew Mrs. Joseph was very concerned about flying back to Haiti with a lay-over in Miami without an English/Creole-speaking escort. It seemed impossible for the Lord to provide with so many people canceling their missions trips due the the unsafety in Haiti. But the Lord did provide using the same person that traveled here with them. Mrs. Joseph was overjoyed.
Humility: We learned to communicate in Creole in the most simplest form when they first arrived using one word sentences and lots of gesturing and charades. We gradually progressed to 2-3 word sentences until we moved into the second month of their stay when we graduated to very slow and deliberate sentences which were pleasant and less taxing on the brain. This reminded us of our daughters as babes learning to talk. We were thrilled with their first words. When communicating with our guests, we had regressed to mere babes in learning to speak with them. There were many times we had so much more on our heart to communicate, but had to be content with what we were capable of speaking or acting out which was quite humbling.
Manners: After setting the table, our girls would faithfully ask our guests before every meal if our guest would like, "Dlo, let, ji" [water, milk or juice]. Our 5 year old taught Yolanda how to respond in English when someone shakes your hand, "Pleased to meet you!" We all learned basic manners of "please", "thank you" and "you're welcome" in Creole. It wasn't long before our little Haitian guest began to reflect our desire to show good manners and joined in.
Beloved songs in a different language: Our oldest daughter and I translated "Jesus loves me" into Creole and taught it to our guests which we sang together frequently. We would also play hymns on the piano and sing them in English while the mother would sing it in Creole. Americans and Haitians worshipping together in different languages, but with similar hearts that adore Jesus. The songs have as much meaning and depth in Creole as they do in English for they came from a heart that belongs to the Savior.
We're really not that different: We asked Mrs. Joseph if she would like to go to a ballet (a Christian ballet company was in town and performing in a church in Indianapolis). She answered in the affirmative, then she pointed to her hair as if to say, "Is this OK?" I answered in the affirmative. She appeared relieved. Then another tiny panicked motion to her dress, "Is this OK to wear?" Again, I answered in the affirmative. My husband chuckled with me later as he noticed that Yolette displayed a common response among women: Is my attire appropriate for the occasion?
We were eating lunch one day when I noticed my 5 year old's glass was entirely too close to the edge of the table for my comfort. I scooted the glass to the top corner of her plate and did a little teaching while Mrs. Joseph chuckled and nodded her head in agreement as if to say, "I would have done the same thing!"
Soon after their arrival we were surprised to learn that when Yolanda says something in Creole that sounds like, "Mommie, pee-pee", in English it means exactly what it sounds like.
Creative ways to encourage deep-breathing after surgery in order to get rid of fluid in the lungs naturally: Blowing bubbles was a very common activity our girls did with Yolanda. They helped her both in the hospital and once she returned to our home. Our girls knew that it was important for Yolanda to huff and puff that fluid off the lungs. They even resorted to using our trumpet vine flowers to blow huge bubbles. Our 9 year old had the creative idea of blowing dandelion fuzzies. This proved to be a fun activity as the girls blew dandelion fuzzies on each other during the season we had them. Sharing, serving, exercising love and mercy and practicing hospitality: Prior to our guests arrival, we had been reading John Bunyon's classic, "The Pilgrim's Progress" and compared our farm house to the Palace Beautiful which was run by a family who served the King's pilgrims with good food, good lodging, good company and good conversations. They are a wonderful example of living hospitality. Mrs. Joseph and Yolanda were pilgrims on the grand journey of life who needed to make a stop in Indiana on their journey. The Lord brought them to our farm. We had the honor of hosting them and showing them hospitality just like Discretion and her daughters of the Palace Beautiful.
The verse the Lord laid on our hearts as we prayed about our decision to host this family were Isaiah 58:7 "...divide your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into the house." The Lord also reminded us of the many passages in the Bible which tell us of our Father's heart for the poor, orphaned, widowed and oppressed. As the Lord reminded us of this, He imparted confirmation and encouragement to us as we considered hosting a recently widowed woman and her daughter (who would die if she did not have this surgery) who were from the poorest country in the western hemisphere, a third world nation at war with itself.
The joy of witnessing a miracle: Yolanda could not walk before her surgery. She had to be carried everywhere for her heart was compromised so. No herb could save her, only surgery could repair the holes in her heart. Open heart surgery is not perfomred in Haiti for the electricity is not stable enough. The American pediatrician who evaluated her in Haiti didn't think she had much longer to live. Had she not come, she would have died. The transformation that took place after surgery was amazing. We watched her as she gradually gained more and more strength in her legs to walk more and more steadily until she began to run. And, boy oh boy, did she run! She ran almost ALL of the time and ALWAYS with a great amount of enthusiasm, pumping her arms with such gusto and a smile engulfing her face! And we would shake our heads in amazement and gratitude along with her mother and give thanks to the Lord for saving this little girl's life.
Linguistics: As a family we have an interest in languages. We've studied some Greek, Latin, Russian and Spanish and find it fascinating as we discover the links between the languages and the differences. Being exposed to Creole (which is a combination of French and Africans and sounds like really bad French) has added to our fascination of languages. Many times our 5 year old was found saying, "I really enjoy hearing Yolanda and her mother talk to each other in Creole." Since Creole doesn't have any verb tenses, learning the language was a matter of pronunciation and memorization.
Not all little girls should wear sparkly, slick-bottomed shoes on hard-wood floors: Our little guest loved the beautiful sparkly shoes our 5 year old gave her. She eagerly placed them on with assistance. Then she stood eager to hear the clip-clop of the shoes as she walked on our hard-wood flooring. She began to put one foot on front of the other and all of the sudden the scene from the movie, Bambi, came alive right before our eyes, when Bambi tried ice-skating for the first time and his limbs spread out in all directions. Little Yolanda's feet slid and slipped as she struggled to stay upright while somehow moving forward. Eventually her little hind quarters met the floor. She went down smiling and laughing along with her mother and the rest of us as we joined her in her amusement. It didn't take long for her to decide rubber-soled shoes were best to use in the house, that is if she wasn't bare-footed. She saved her sparkly, slick-bottomed shoes for outdoor work with the barn animals (where there is a little more traction).
Glimpse's of a mother's heart: Not long after Yolanda's first surgery, Mrs. Joseph asked, "Le returne Ayite?" It took me 5 minutes to figure out what she was asking. One dictionary translated "le" as an hour, so it took me a while to realize "le" also meant "when" as in when will they return to Haiti. I asked her, "Madanm Joseph make fanme [Mrs. Joseph miss family]?" To which she gave a very hardy affirmative.
Mrs. Joseph traveled to a foreign country (where she did not know the language or the customs or the plumbing) one month after her husband died. She left her 3 older children in Haiti with her brother and his wife. She did this because she knew her daughter would have died had she not. She knew there was no medication or herb that could bring healing to her daughter. Only a surgery could repair the hole in her heart and she was fading very quickly. Usually these kids don't live that long. Yolanda was growing weaker and weaker. What a walk of faith for her this must have been and yet she was determined to see that her daughter would live.
It doesn't take a college-educated person to recognize the gender-neutrality trend in our nation: Mrs. Joseph has an 8th grade education. She made the comment to me that women in America wear pants and don't like to wear dresses. We interacted with an individual one time that had stylish short hair, long eyelashes, a smooth complexion and a voice that was neither high nor low. Once this person left our presence, she looked at me and asked if that was a woman or a man. I told her it was a man (I hope) for I saw chest hair at the base of his neck. She shook her head in unbelief and amazement.
The true definition of a talented seamstress: I thought I was a decent seamstress, then I met Mrs. Joseph. I am thankful my daughters and I were able to watch her and learn from her. I gave her some fabric and in the course of an afternoon, she designed, cut out and HAND-sewed an adorable dress for Yolanda. I was speechless. No pattern, no machine, no 4 year college degree in fashion design, just pure, raw, know- how, talent, creativity, determination. Now THAT is a seamstress.
Perseverance: We agreed to host this family for 4-6 weeks. We had no idea they would need to be here longer. There were days that were long and tiring, yet the Lord gave us strength to get through and sometimes He would even provide an inspiring second wind. When one of us was tired, another would pick up and contribute to some inspiration. There were days our brains were strained to the point of fatigue with trying to learn the language, yet the Lord would faithfully stretch us and we would learn more. There were days we missed having just our family, so we would cherish our times of bedtime reading with just our family all the more.
We use similar toilet facilities in certain circumstances: We were at a nature park on a picnic with our church family when our guests asked for a toilet. There was no bathroom around. I pointed to the woods. A smile appeared on the mom's face and she nodded with familiarity. This is what they do in Haiti.
Curious about the toileting habits of Haitians in the city, I later asked her for clarification, once I knew the language better, "Haitians use the bathroom outside in the street?" Yes. "While people are watching?" Some people do, she doesn't.
Many opportunities to communicate Biblical truths in Creole: As an example, one afternoon, I sat my daughters down with the Bible opened to Proverbs to teach them more about what a Godly woman looks like in answer to a question they had. We read one of our favorite passages which we had been reading daily for over one month before we learned about our guests' arrival. We compared the Proverbs 31 woman with the woman described in Proverbs 7:5-27. A woman who keeps her home, is skilled and hard-working, whose husband trusts in her and praises her, whose children praise her versus a woman who is boisterous, rebellious, whose feet do not remain at home, who is manipulative, dresses as a harlot and who is the death of a man. Just as we were finishing up, Mrs. Joseph walked in. I quickly translated in my mind the Creole words I knew which I could use to describe to her what we were talking about. I simplified it and told her I was teaching my daughters the difference between a Christian woman and one who is not. Her eyes piqued with interest, so I further explained that a Godly woman is one who focuses on home and family while working hard while an ungodly woman is out on the streets crying, "Look at me! Look at me!" She gave an affirmative nod and told me in Creole, "Exactly!"
A child's whine in Creole means the exact same thing it does in English: No mistake could be made that the interpretation of the whine meant exactly the same as if does for an American child. And we did not need to refer to our Creole dictionary to arrive to that conclusion.
Unselfishness: Gabrielle (9) said she learned to work diligently and cheerfully with her increased workload especially after observing Mrs. Joseph as she worked. Mrs. Joseph helped clean up the table after eating and at times swept the floor and she always did it with a pleasant look on her face and sometimes while singing worship songs. Gabrielle also said it was a "growing up experience" for her. Mrs. Joseph asked her to look after Yolanda while she took afternoon naps. Gabrielle learned a bit about babysitting and the responsibilities that go with it. Our girls chose to give up using their bikes, tree house and other things for they knew Yolanda was not supposed to do any of those things for 6 weeks after surgery and they did not want to be a source of temptation for their guest. Sarah (5) enjoyed teaching Yolanda some English which she was speaking more and more of as well as her mother. They both grew from this experience. We were pleased with both of our girls and their capacities and capabilities as we shared our family and home for 9 weeks.
We have the same Creator: Rich, middle class or poor, healthy or sick, black, brown or white, city or urban dweller, seamstress or farmer, from a 3rd world country or the U.S., English-speaking or Creole-speaking, widowed, orphaned or not, we all come from Adam and we have the same Creator. And in our case, we worship the same Creator. What a privilege and honor it was to have fellowshipped with a fellow believer, one of the King's pilgrim's from Haiti, from April 30 to July 7. Our family will never be the same. To God be the glory.
Grateful for the opportunity to serve on our homestead, Mrs. Lisa Mesko for the Mesko family www.lighthousefarm.com
12:20 - 2006-Feb-2 -
You have blessed me
I have so much enjoyed reading about this family you had in your home. May the Lord bless you and your family beyond measure for shining His Light so brightly to them.
Love in Jesus,
Christi
Thank you
We sure did have fun hosting them. Not a week goes by that we don't talk about them and pray for them.
Lighthouse - 01:49 - 2006-Mar-21
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Sharing our thoughts, events, ups and downs, as we restore a once profitable farm to its former greatness as a Christian agrarian family.
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- Blood suckers in Minnesota :(
- Miss Bacon and Rocky Mountain Oysters
- Sheep without a shepherd
- Haying with my man!
- Mink solutions, anyone?
- Goat meets pig...
- I Smell a Skunk...
- URGENT!! Please forward!!!!
- Did Adam Smell Like That?
- Minnesota!!!!!
- Problem solved - God is good
- The Rat Trap and One Happy Girl
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- Farm Restoration - The Beginning
- An Honorable Gentleman Has Died
- Why teach our children about agriculture?
- Cheap, Safe Food???
- New NAIS links worth reading
- Old Tractors Never Die
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- Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks
- Big Bellies and Big Bags
- Hosting Haitians on the Homestead
- Minnesota, Here We Come (after we sell our house) and "the Chip"
- And God saw that it was good
- Greetings
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