The day after thanksgiving!

Hi everyone! I hope you are enjoying your day after thanksgiving and that you have a wonderful weekend to come. Last night we did end up going to Damion and Felicia's house (our deaf pastor down here and his wife) Mr and Mrs Jones (Felicia's parents), Pat and Jean (Mrs. Jones brother and sister in law, and Damions mom all gathered together at the Campbells to celebrate thanksgiving. It was A wonderful opportuinity to fellowship and enjoy the relationships that are being made. It was such a blessing from above to get to go there after all the confusion and uneasiness about bringing the germs. Having some place to go helped pass the holiday for us much easier. So much was learned too as we sat down to eat a different kind of thanksgiving meal. We did have a HUGE turkey, sweet potatoes, salad, cranberries, then there was the add ins of rice and beans, and choco (i don't know if thats the proper spelling) but they compared it to a squash, and it looked like a green potatoe? I was not bold enough to take any because they were cut in half (like half a potatoe) and if I didn't like it I didn't want to offend them and I didn't want to waste food. Keri tried it and said she liked it! I think it really helped out Felicia our coming too, because she has been kept in the house these past 2 weeks with her new baby and she is such a social butterfly that its hard for her not to be around people. I love you and have a great weekend. Be blessed and be a blessing. -Erin-

Happy Thanksgiving

Hello Everyone! I pray that you are all having a most Wonderful day and I pray that you get to spend it with those you love. Today I started out really struggling. I had the mind set that its going to be a bad day, I won't get to be with all my friends and family, I will still be eating chicken and rice. And satan was right there pushing as I had problem after problem this morning. Another one of my hangers fell out my second story window (i hang my towels up on the windows on a hanger to dry and if I'm not careful when i pull the towel off the hanger falls out the window, I know have a pile of hangers started under my window) and I can't get it because its in the back tall grasses were all the tics live and I don't care to find any more on me or in my apt. Then as I was using my comb it broke, I had gotten some emails that were meant to be encouraging but because of my attitude they seemed to only help me feel more sorry for myself. and then the big one. I had been looking forward to making my cousin Nancy's famous pumpkin bars all week for today and i made them last night but because it got so late I was going to make the frosting in the morning so i woke up early to make it. as i was making it i knew something wasn't right because all i had down to put in the frosting was cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and baking soda. i knew i needed powdered sugar but because it was not on my list did not get any yesterday at the store. so i checked with my neighbors and the cooks in the kitchen no one had any. At this point I was frustrated and feeling very sorry for myself. Then as i cried out to God He took it all. He comforted me in His word. I got in on not only one but 2 thanksgiving church services (that just happened to fall in my break between therapy and teaching.) so i got in on a Indiana thanksgiving service and a Illinois (because of the time change!) I did find powdered sugar in the food preparation room and was able to borrow enough to finish my pumpkin bars (and from the taste test i did mmm....) Therapy went so good and so did teaching. Its amazing how no matter what way you set you attitude that's the way your day will go. I'm sorry to say that I wasted time this morning having such a bad one. I do miss you all, very very very much but God is faithful and is my comfort in the lowest of times. I have a box (well 2 actually) a box i put my fears in (fears given to GOD) so once i had them over i can't take them out and it mentally helps me not to worry about it. Then i have my joys and blessing box and i love putting in multiple entries to that box daily.
Things I am Thankful for:
Father/Son and Holy Ghost who never leave my side
ALL my family/friends/love/support back home
The kids here at CCCD
The opportunities here
The relationships I am making
The growth God is helping me through in life.
My health/happiness
I could go on and on but I need to keep going. We still don't know what we are doing for supper. The plattners and I where planning to have a dinner together, then we were invited to the deaf pastor and his wife's house. Felicia grew up in the states to get a good education and Damion went to collage in the states and they still celebrate some American holidays like thanksgiving. But then the boys (drew and truitt) got sick and since Felicia just had a baby a few weeks ago we had to cancel so we would not bring any more germs into the house. Then we started getting (and are still at 3:22 thanksgiving day) mixed messages Mr. Jones is insisting we still come and Mrs. Jones is saying that's to bad it didn't work out but she understands and agrees its not wise to bring the sick boys? SO we have put off all our cooking, but have cancelled our dinner here so worst case scenario Keri and I were thinking pizza delivery sounded really good! Thanks for letting me share. I love you and Hey let me know what you are thankful for on this great holiday! Be blessed and be a blessing -Erin-

Open Day

Hey Everyone! Today was a beautiful sunny day with NO RAIN! praise the Lord. It has been a good week. The big event for the week was open day for the vocational students on Thursday. All the students in the heart programs from around the area got together here at CCCD KP and it was a day to see what others have made and do demonstrations. Some of the different groups were sewing (as you can see by the beautiful peach bathroom set!), Towel folding, food preparation, woodworking, computers, cosmetology, and many more. It was a day full of music fun and food. There was a steel drum band (instead of a school marching band they play the steel drums), and a dj who kept games and music going most of the day. The picture of the head board is one that our boys here at cccd kp made. the furniture that comes out of that shop is just beautiful! Today we finally got kirk and Keri (and boys) out of the great mouse house and into their apt. We spent a good part of the day cleaning and scrubbing mold off walls. It has been about a month since we arrived and in that time I have already had to call on Richard twice to come and unlock doors for me! Once the bathroom door got locked and all the knobs on all the doors have keys you can't just push a paper clip in there and pop the lock. so he had to come and get the lock open for me, then last night I locked myself out of my apt! so again he had to come and let me in! With the wet weather and humidity smells are EVERYWHERE! I also learned I have to Lysol my shoes after they have been in the rain or the next time I go to put them on they will be growing mold. Also the picture of the the lady applying the makeup (the one in grey with the burgundy hair) is my roommate Kadene Harvey. She is very sweet and I have learned lots about hair living with her. One day she will have long curly red hair, and the next short strait black hair, Its amazing all they do with wigs and weaving and braiding. Its been a long day so I'm off to relax. Sorry this is a very random blog entry lots to share and right now I to tired to put lots of thought into it. Have a great weekend. I love you all. Be blessed and be a blessing -Erin

The newest member of C.C.C.D

I would like to introduce Caleb Don-Mark Campbell. He is the newest arrival here at C.C.C.D. He was born to Damion and Felicia (the pastor and his wife) They run JDV (Jamaica Deaf Village) Caleb was born last Wednesday so a little over a week ago. I know a lot of you know Damion and Felicia and so I wanted to pass along this picture so you could meet little caleb too! Please keep little caleb in your prayers because the first 6 months are a big risk time for babies. Caleb is the first boy baby at JDV after 6 girls! Be blessed and be a blessing. Erin

Rodents!

I don't know what the deal is but with in the last week it seems like we have been seeing mice and rats EVERYWHERE! I was sitting up with Keri and the boys the other night and as we were talking all of a sudden Keri screams and pulls her feet up on the couch. I hadn't seen it so didn't know what she was doing until she explained that she had just seen a mouse. She held onto the boys and I went to find a broom to try and chase it out the door. well once I got the broom the mouse was long gone and after searching under couches and pillows and other big piles on the floor we could not find it. I talked to Kirk the next morning and he told me he had seen a another one that morning but had not told Keri, and then that night as I was about to shut off my light and go to bed I just happened to glance out my window and there was a HUGE rat bottom and tail pushed right up against my window. Yuck! I didn't want to take the chance that it would still be there in the morning when I wanted to open my windows ( I only open them during the day because at night I have to keep them closed so the bugs don't come in) so I quickly flipped open the bottom slats of my window to push the rat off my ledge. Then last night as I was talking to Ryan and Nicole (my brother and sister in law) there were two mice playing on the office floor not really caring that I was sitting there watching them! Hopefully when all this rain stops they will want to go back outside and play! I do need to make a correction from the last blog entry. Little truitt plattner is doing better (PRAISE GOD) he DID NOT have a virus the Dr. thought the water might be affecting him so they had to switch to bottled water or boiling the tap water. Also a prayer request as we are settling into our routines here the jobs just keep coming and in missions training we are told again and again do not over load yourself or you will burn out very quickly. Please pray that we can approach this in a positive and wise way so when we do have to start telling people I'm sorry we just can't take on any more right now that they will not be offended and that feelings will not be hurt. Thank you! I love you! and wish you all a most Wonderful week. be blessed and be a blessing. -Erin

Another Rainy Week

Hi Everyone, I hope that you are all having a most fabulous week in our Lord. The rain is still here, but it seems like the sun shine stays out a little longer everyday so there is hope of non rainy days. This week has been trial and error working with the HH (hard of hearing) kids on speech and language therapy. I have been very encouraged because for the most part they are all trying. I thought it would take at least a month if not longer for them to be comfortable enough with me to use their deaf voices but God has been working and they are opening up to me! I do have a few who are very shy and embarrassed of their deaf voices, then i have a few who like to play the bad boy card and act like they are to good for speech therapy. True Patience that is something I am always learning. Felicia (the pastors wife) from JDV (Jamaican deaf village) had her baby this week. Caleb Don-Mark Campbell. The first boy baby born to JDV. Everyone is very excited. The plattners and I have been helping watch the girls while mother and baby stay in the hospital for the week. This coming week. Kirk, Mr. Jones and Myself are going to Kingston to check on our paper work process and down here it is a hit or miss (positive or negative) out come depending on who you get to work with. If you cold please start praying and preparing our hearts and the hearts of those we will be working with so that everything can run as smoothly as possible that would be great. Also little Truitt Plattner was taken to the Dr. today because he was not keeping anything in. The Dr. said it is only a virus and he seems to be acting fine, but if you could keep him in your prayers that would be great. I don't think i have yet put any pictures of my blessings (the kids) on yet so i will try to get some on. Have a great weekend. Keep looking up and smiling HUGE because GOD is always in complete control and i love you. be blessed and be a blessing. - Erin-

A New Experience

Hello Everyone!

I pray that you are having a wonderful weekend! So today Mr. Jones dropped of FRESH chickens, vegtables and eggs for the plattners and I so tonight Miss. Angela was a blessing and came and showed Keri and I how to cut up a chicken. It was a new experience and something I will definitely have to continue to work on. Every time I would get a piece cut off Miss Angela would look at me and sign WRONG! She knew where all the right places to cut were and I was sure struggling finding those places! The only knives we had were cheap ones too so that didn't help the situation any. BUT now I have at least a months worth of chicken in my freezer, and this is something that I'm sure Keri and I will get to do over and over and over again. We where not prepared this time as Keri and I were just planning on figuring it out by following book instructions. Miss. Angela stopped by and helped us, she asked for vinegar (we didn't have any), and then starts hacking away at this chicken and parts and fluids (sorry if that's to descriptive) where flying EVERYWHERE! lots of disinfecting will have to be done. OK its getting late so I need to go. I love you. Be blessed and be a blessing.-Erin-