Count Your Many Blessings

3/14
Last night felt just like my first night in Argentina-hot, sweaty, dogs barking until the wee hours, roosters crowing, but somehow you eventually fall asleep.
We got up and came to church. The people are so strong. I just wanted to cry I was overwhelmed with the spirit they have. So many members! We met Margerie who has AMAZING English. The church just hired her as an interpreter/translator. She told us the members are strong. They are still paying tithing and fast offerings and fulfilling their callings. The church is helping the members who lost homes rebuild temporary structures if they have property. Members with homes have taken other families in with them. Every 2 weeks the church sends more food supplies to them. They are all taken care of! Isn't the church great?!
Sad story-back in December one of the bishop's here had his 3 year old son kidnapped. A lady walked into primary and took him. They later received a ransom note for 150,000 g (about $4,000). But then the earthquake happened. They found the lady who took the boy, but they have no idea where the boy is.
On the way to church we drove through one of the thousands of tent camps. I don't think I've ever experienced such a thick stench. It's amazing to me that people can survive these conditions. But the Haitians know how to survive. They are fighters. I guess the government has given the people in tents an ultimatum that they have to be gone by the end of the month. They aren't helping them relocate, just telling them to leave. Don't they think if they had somewhere to go, they would have left already?
I'm so impressed with the members (I'm sitting in church right now). They are truly a family here. And such quality people. They are hard working, compassionate people. You can just feel so much love from them.
At the end of relief society, a sister shared a quick testimony of how blessed she feels. Her home was broken in the earthquake and her little boy was inside doing his homework. Right where he was was where it was broken. But he was fine.
They had testimony meeting today. Before they began, the counselor reminded everyone that a testimony should be about what God has given you. There was never a break in someone sharing their testimony. The closing hymn was "Count Your Many Blessings." Imagine seeing a huge congregation of Haitians 2 months post-earthquake singing that song.