While protests broke out calling for President Preval to quit, we were in Terrain Acra focusing on honing student skills. One new ability the students have now is how to capture motion as seen in the fraying tarp in this photo by Joseph Ricardine�s (13 y/o). This photo taken by Perrier Anchelo, 14 y/o, shows the clinic and the closely monitored "Child Friendly Zones" where all classes take place including our workshops. Home at Terrain Acra, by Freyiste Woody, 14 y/o. CFS: Child Friendly Space by Derline Berzile, 9 y/o. From our 15-Word Exercise: "Fear", another work by Freyiste Woody, 14 y/o. Follow EPHAS to Fonds Parisien tomorrow for the last leg of their trip. Use the map below. Here is a link that might be useful: dynamic Haiti map

here's another one in a more positive light, if only because they MAKE it positive. God bless them! "Who wants to share what they wished for?" Lam asks. Every arm in the roomful of children flies up. Support Director Gary Lam points to Andrew, a cherubic six-year-old boy with curly brown hair. "Swimming with the dolphins!" Andrew calls out, beaming. Several dozen other campers bounce up and down, eager to share similar experiences. "Meeting Mickey," cries Jordan. "I got a shopping spree in a toy store!" says Kendall. After each wish is revealed, moans of envy echo around the room. "What other good things have happened because you have cancer?" An older boy across the circle, about eleven years old, raises his hand. "Being sick has brought my family closer together. We spend way more time now doing fun stuff." "If I never went to Children's Hospital," a nine-year-old girl, wearing a pink bandana to cover her bald head, says next, "I never woulda met my best friend!" She squeezes the hand of the pig-tailed girl in a matching bandana, seated next to her. "I have a new appreciation for life," says Jake, a counselor and former camper, now in his early twenties. "I've crammed more experiences into the last five years than most people have in their lifetime." Jake is not only the guitar-playing comedian all the campers worship. He's also survived the same battle they are currently fighting. Lam nods appreciatively. "What would you say is the best thing about cancer?" Every hand flies up into the air again and Matthew, a mischievous ten-year-old with shaggy blond hair, is chosen. He smirks, and announces proudly, "The best part is getting to look Cancer in the face and say Ha Ha. Beat You!'" Everyone laughs. Seven-year-old Ella, who has been waving her arm frantically for the past few minutes, can't contain herself a moment longer. "The best part about cancer is getting to come to camp!" she squeals, before clamping a hand over her mouth sheepishly. Ella is referring to Camp Goodtimes - a pediatric oncology camp nestled in the University of British Columbia Research Forest in Maple Ridge, British Columbia. It could easily rival Disneyland for the title of "Happiest Place on Earth." My first encounter with Camp Goodtimes came four years ago after reading a story in Chicken Soup for the Volunteer's Soul, which inspired me to go see the magic for myself. I've been changed ever since. The feather-light little girl snuggled on my lap shifts her weight slightly and jars my attention back to the room. Dani has been listening intently to the discussion going on around her without actively participating. It's hard to believe this sweet girl is the same sad, sick-looking child who stormed into my cabin on the first day, furious with the world, and anything but a happy camper. "The sickest kid in camp," a fellow volunteer had warned me. "So let's not let it stop her from having the time of her life." Dani had barely spoken a word the first few days but was silently soaking it all in, and soon began thriving. Gary Lam circles the room, handing each child a small square of paper and instructing them to write down or draw a picture of something that brings a smile to their face. Dani furrows her eyebrows and sucks on the end of her marker; then she flops on her tummy and swaps the marker for a pink crayon, and begins printing letters carefully. "Do you need help thinking of something?" I whisper nervously. The poor kid has been through so much in the past year, battling treatments and brain surgeries. What could she possibly have to smile about? She shakes her head at me impatiently, as I'm obviously interrupting her thoughts. I glance around the circle at Andrew, Ella, Matthew, and all the other new members of my extended camp family. It's going to be heartbreaking to say goodbye in a matter of days. As magical as these precious weeks of summer are, the frustrating part is leaving this enchanted forest behind and returning to reality, where well-meaning friends just don't realize that the cure rate for childhood cancer is actually quite high and that many of the campers will survive and return as counselors. "You must have had the most depressing time with all those dying kids." I reflect on the summer's activities. Kayaking through the early morning mist. Baking cookies in our pajamas. Water fights of epic proportions. Breaking into spontaneous song and dance whenever the desire struck. "Now it's time to share our smiles with the rest of the world," Gary informs the kids. My campers follow me down a gravel path to the lake, holding hands and clutching strings with dozens of balloons dancing in the breeze and bonking our heads with rubbery thuds. We kneel on the creaky dock and begin the countdown: "3Â..2Â..1!" Dozens of balloons with paper messages attached dancing in the breeze and bonking our heads we release the balloons - and our optimistic thoughts - up into the sky and out into the universe, watching as they slowly float up, up and away. "Blow!" Gary yells. We huff and puff and watch the colorful spheres as they finally disappear from sight. As I survey the young crowd craning their necks for a final glimpse, I marvel at Gary's ability to take a bunch of sick kids and turn a discussion of childhood cancer into such a positive experience. No one was thinking of the hard times. No one was wondering who would be back next summer and who wouldn't. Dani glances up at me and grins. Just moments earlier, before she had carefully folded her paper in half, sealing her message inside, she'd quickly flashed the paper open to give me a peek. In bold pink writing, her message simply said: "I Smile Because I'm Alive."

A month and a half later ... I'm feeling more complacent about the driving situation. And find that I drive less than earlier (apart from the gas-cost issue!). I've been working on my substantial garden, recently ... but have pretty well run out of space, with quite a few seeds let over - but the corn's sort of spotty, so unless some of the laggards come up pretty soon, I'll be putting more corn seeds into those blank spots. And no potatoes planted, either: no room. Planning on some major travelling this summer - to Mom's family's reunion at my retired brother's farm near Regina, capital of Saskatchewan, north of ND-Montana border, with possibly visiting with some KT people en route. Plus travel to a reunion of former Korea missionaries at Methodist Conference centre at Lake Junaluska, NC, at the end of July, with a visit with my niece and family in nw GA ... and possibly a visit with a KT person or two (visited Pooh Bear, near Chattanooga, three years ago). Plus ... daughter, who recently bought home near Phoenix, tells me that I'm to visit her for 80th birthday, next Jan. Who knows ... maybe I'll stay on till spring?? I've been looking for someone who'd share two houses with me - here in Ontario in winter ... and in FL or AZ in summer ... but it seems that folks willing to agree to such an arrangement are about as scarce as ... hen's teeth (as Dad used to say). Just some more musings as I make my way through the interesting experience called "retirement" (or something). ple joyful

I did this rather fast. My thought was he's graduating on to a big boy bed, but I personally would not want to over do this stage as you will need to add/eliminate in a handful of years vs. change it completely. The, "planets" in the corner are from Party City (11.00) and are named BLAST OFF PLANET LANTERNS. I would buy two sets and make them a pinch closer together than what I captured from their site using a fine clear like fishing line and if the ceiling is white a clear or white thumb tack. Vary the heights and as I recall the largest is 16" in diameter so if you purchase 2 sets you can use another couple to make it nice in the corner of the room where maybe a bean bag and a storage area with things he might want to play with are beneath them. Either way I think hanging them in the room is very fun and colorful and plays well with the comforter even if there is not room to add a piece with some storage as shown and a bean bag below in the corner. A child size bean bag is easy to find and little kids love them. I do like the stripe black out curtains... you may thing they are busy? As for sheets... I'd just do a solid using a color from the comforter as more stars or galaxy type things would be too much. The decal on the wall above the bed is very nice for his graduating to the big bed. You can pick your colors and it's from Etsy. I was leaning toward yellow things due to the gray walls. I jotted down the name of the maker if you are interested. The little rocket next to the bed is a lava lamp...no, not a lot of light, but not sure how he is with the dark and one can easily sleep with it on and so thought of that...there are other ones with shades with a motif similar to space out there though. I'm not sure if there is a ceiling light in the room? All in all, I think with the planets at varying heights and a pinch closer together and maybe 7 of them (?) depending on the size of the room... either way, putting them a pinch closer together varying heights you might want another 2 if you like them and the corner can accommodate or maybe a large single 16" in a different spot. I didn't select a rug for under the bed as I didn't know if you needed such. Just some thoughts for you to consider and all very reasonably done too. Apologies it's not to scale, but it was for you to see them all together. Talk later and if you hate something, that's ok... just say what you might prefer... Best, Porter