Columbus Day Poem--The Things That Haven't Been Done Before

I found this poem when preparing some Columbus Day activities for my art classes. What an inspiring and convicting little rhyme!!

The Things That Haven't Been Done Before
by Edgar A. Guest

It is said that if you hold a stick in front of the foremost sheep in a flock that files down a trail in the mountains, he will jump it - and that every sheep thereafter will jump when he reaches the spot, even if the stick be removed. So are many people mere unthinking imitators, blind to facts and opportunities about them. The air was not part of the domain of humanity till the Wright brothers made themselves birdmen.

The things that haven't been done before,
Those are the things to try;
Columbus dreamed of an unknown shore
At the rim of the far-flung sky,
And his heart was bold and his faith was strong
As he ventured in dangers new,
And he paid no heed to the jeering throng
Or the fears of the doubting crew.
The many will follow the beaten track
With guideposts on the way,
They live and have lived for ages back
With a chart for every day.
Someone has told them it's safe to go
On the road he has traveled o'er,
And all that they ever strive to know
Are the things that were known before.
A few strike out, without map or chart,
Where never a man has been,
From the beaten paths they draw apart
To see what no man has seen.
There are deeds they hunger alone to do;
Though battered and bruised and sore,
They blaze the path for the many, who
Do nothing not done before.
The things that haven't been done before
Are the tasks worth while to-day;
Are you one of the flock that follows, or
Are you one that shall lead the way?
Are you one of the timid souls that quail
At the jeers of a doubting crew,
Or dare you, whether you win or fail,
Strike out for a goal that's new?

Edgerton Family Update

Each day here is so full……full of God’s mercy and goodness.

We thank Him for safety and especially for His presence each moment…..

whether we have felt alone or fulfilled,

whether we are dealing with loss and sadness

or celebrating…...

Routine

This summer the kids and I enjoyed reuniting with friends and neighbors; getting settled back into Haiti, Port au Prince and our little neighborhood; Kyle and Megan attended a day camp in the mountains one week; and made the final preparations for attending school. Now both Kyle in fourth grade and Megan in second grade are having a wonderful year at QCS. We praise the Lord for His faithfulness. After school on Mondays they play soccer, and on Tuesdays and Thursdays they are learning Taekwondo.

I am teaching elementary art and helping in a few classrooms in the afternoons at Kyle and Megan’s school (QCS) this year. A couple mornings a week I am working with a kindergarten class at a Haitian school on our street. Those kids are just precious, and their teacher is sweet as can be. The Spanish Bible study began meeting around the time school started, and since the quake our times together have been sweeter than ever.

Spokane Training Center

Todd just returned from two weeks of PT6 turbine engine training in Spokane, WA. MAF Haiti has always had piston engine planes (Cessna 206, 207), but we are now leasing a Cessna Caravan (turbine engine) from Samaritan’s Purse. The first week of training was spent learning about the systems of the engine, and the second week included some more hands-on maintenance training. They got to visit the Moody Aviation Spokane campus (pictured here: hangar with the flags representing countries where former students are serving), and right before coming back to Haiti he and the guys toured Quest Aircraft’s factory in Sandpoint, ID and saw the new Kodiaks in production. Pretty birds. Todd is pictured here with the very first Kodiak that is airworthy (serial #1), and then #45 was on the production line.

Week 2

During the first week of Todd’s absence, everything went fine….nothing broke. We enjoyed a wonderful day at the beach on Saturday with several families from our neighborhood and school. The next morning when we got up to leave for church, one of my tires was completely flat. Our neighbor came and changed that. Before Monday, my watch and one earring broke, the other front tire went flat, and several other things broke and went wrong. It was almost as if trouble just all waited until that second week to break loose. A different neighbor pumped that tire up since I did not have another spare.

Both of the front tires were completely used up, so as soon as the kids were off to school Monday, I went up the street to the tire place. They were out of the size I needed….as were the next FIVE places I tried before it was time to go to the neighborhood school. Thursday, it seemed that things began to turn around a bit. Instead of the Spanish Bible study, I went searching for tires…..and found some!!! As I waited for the guys to put them on, a couple of young men sewed my sandal that was coming apart, and another guy got me fixed up with brand new wipers!! I was certainly glad to have them the next day during a sudden wind/rain storm.

Microburst

Since Megan’s birthday was Saturday, I took cake and icecream to school for her class on Friday afternoon. We sang, blew out candles, ate, took pictures, prayed for Megan to be blessed in the coming year and left for the weekend.

The sky looked a little dark as we packed everything into the car and got everybody together. Megan’s neighbor friend Abby went to ask her mom if she could come to our house, and in that short time a strong wind began to blow. She reached our car right as the first big drops hit the car.

We crept along the “back road” toward home but quickly decided to turn around and try the main way when the branches of a tall tree cracked off and fell right in our path. It was also littered with branches and dirt/rocks. The merchants from the market at the end of our street ran for cover or stood stunned as umbrellas and tarps shredded.

Thankfully the storm was short-lived, and the only damage we sustained was the damaged rack of solar panels on the roof hitting our water tank and cracking one panel. Our neighbors and co-workers, the Williams, lost their car when a huge branch crushed it. Of course there were leaves and branches everywhere, but it was NOTHING compared to the five who lost their lives and the damage sustained by some in the tent cities who literally lost everything…..again. Yet, when we drove to the airport to pick up Todd the very next day most of the tents we saw already had their tarps or other covering lashed back on snugly.

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Please continue to pray for the many who are STILL trying to survive in little tents or tarps.

Our friends in Pignon (where we studied Creole), JeanJean & Kristie Mompremier wrote a couple weeks ago asking for prayer as they shared the gospel with several local witch doctors. The meeting went well, and the main one they were meeting with is now coming to their informal Sunday meetings. Pray that he would soon make Christ lord of his life and allow peace and joy to replace fear and emptiness.