Orphanages and Food Distribution

Slept through breakfast and devotions. Jet lag!

A small group left to go to CAD for Bible School. They do a different 30 minute lesson each week to four classes of different ages. Today they talked about Noah's Ark.

New friends at CAD

During this time, Dr Suarez did a clinic for the kids. He is the same doctor who came to our village.  I was speaking creole to a girl who had a gash under her eye and what looked like a thumbnail that had been smashed where even the blood wasn't washed off.  I got Frank, the translator, to ask her a few questions.  Apparently she got in a fight with another girl and the teacher punished her by smashing her thumb.  NOT ok.  Violence does not solve violence.  Doctor treated her and we stored that nugget of information.

To Victory Compassion for lunch.  Beforehand Pastor Rod shared with the group some amazing things about how he has gotten to be where he is.  He is such a cool guy!  Told us the story of Eve Rose (lady who runs an orphanage nearby).  When he met her, she lived in a small, one-room house with 17 kids.  Now, she has lots of kids and will take anyone.  She even has a school and doesn't make them pay (most schools here you HAVE to pay, even if the government supports them).  She lived in the US for 20 years and was a professor of nursing.  Now she lives in Haiti loving on kids, for next to nothing.

Eve Rose has seven (7) very small babies she cares for as well.

Back for lunch, 40 minute nap, out to a small village to deliver food and play with the kids.  It is where Jenelle (a woman who sometimes works for VC) lives and is very small. We distributed rice with extra nutrients and granola bars. Doctor did another clinic.

Back to CAD for Kidz Club.  The group that is here told the kids about the playground and that even though they can’t build it this week, it will come soon.  All the kids said goodbye to Nick (he has been here since August).  It was very sweet.

To VC for free time, final night for Nick but I got sick. Threw up three times.  Food poisoning?  Stress?  Bed at 6:30pm.

Here we go again!

Spent the day packing and left for the airport in Detroit for my 5:55pm flight.

I packed a lot of extra items and forgot Spirit's baggage limit was 40 pounds, not 50 pounds.  Baggage weighed 64 pounds.  Ugh.  I told the guy at the counter half my bag was to give away to the Haitians.  Still paid full price.

Arrived in Fort Lauderdale and took shuttle to hotel because I had to stay overnight.  While in the shuttle, Haiti called and I started talking to Laurel in a few creole phrases.  The driver said "What?! She knows creole?!" outloud... to himself.  When I got off the phone he told me he is Haitian and his dad still lives in PAP.  From what I could gather he likes nothing, I mean nothing about Haiti.

Got to hotel and he helped me with a short list I had made of words I wanted to know.  Another guy cleaning the lobby was so surprised too, he kept saying "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh. You speak creole."  I really don't, but I like that they understand.  They were the first people I have spoken to in the US in creole.

Comfy bed, but I hardly got any sleep.  Up early.  I was so tired, but was worried about missing my flight.  Got up during the night to set a second alarm, then a third, got up later to double check the alarms.

At the airport I got this weird craving for milk.  I never drink it in Haiti.  It's warm, ewwy.  I found a Dunkin Donuts and bought a chocolate milk - so good!

Boarded, took off from gate, back to gate so maintenance could look at an air conditioning problem.  All checked bags had to come off the plane for them to investigate the problem, then put them back on.  Almost 2 hours later we left.

Arrived into PAP easily.  I was practicing my creole phrase "I don't need your help" that the Haitian at the hotel taught me.  It worked to the six people who wanted to help me carry my bags for money.  Last time they asked me for $20 US for pushing a cart the length of a basketball court.  This isn't my first trip, boys!

Greeted by Pastor Rod, Laurel, and translator Whitler. Yay!  This is a dream team of people who could have picked me up.  I am overjoyed to be with them.Drove back toward their place in Font Parisian.  Saw Pastor Rod's son, Chris, at the gas station on the way.  He has committed to staying in Haiti all of next year.  Drove further to find Eve Rose (lady who runs an orphanage they work with) broken down on the side of the road in a taptap (taxi) full of medical supplies for a cholera clinic.  We picked her and the supplies up and went to Bill's to drop it off.

Laurel on the Taptap (taxi).

To Victory Compassion's compound (VC) with a warm greeting!  I was so excited to see Mary, the Hoffman family, Cassandra, Nick, and the team that is here from the US.

Macaroni and Cheese for lunch about 3pm.  Kidz Club at 4pm, then back to VC for dinner. Kidz Club is a program that VC does in different communities for an hour after school.  It's like story time with singing and a good message.  During dinner, I talked more with the team - they want to build a playground at an orphange, but it is stuck in a container in customs.  I know customs here and that thing isn't coming out for awhile thanks to the Haitian government.

Laurel and I spent lots of time catching up tonight.  We definitely see eye to eye on so much and understand each other.  It's great having an ally here where I feel she won't judge me on my hard days and to know we can keep in touch when she is home in Indiana.

Shower and bed.  I'm staying in Mary's trailer with her.

Cyber Monday Chickens and Trip Six

Looking for a unique gift for a hard to buy for person on your list?  Then donate $15 for a chicken for a Haitian family in someone's name!

For only $15 you can help provide protein to a family suffering from malnutrition.  I will personally take a picture of your chicken with the family to give to your loved one.

To help, send your check or money order to:
Haiti Relief
c/o Davison Free Methodist Church
502 Church Street
Davison, MI  48423

Make checks payable to Davison Free Methodist Church and be sure to put "Haiti Shelter" in the memo line or attach a note.

Our goal is 35 chickens!  Any help is appreciated!

The chickens will be delivered to families living in Village de Nouvelle Vie, the village (right outside of Port-au-Prince) in Haiti where I have been working over the past few months.  I leave for my 6th trip soon and will be there for 2.5 weeks.  Please send me a quick note if you are interested in helping so we have the right number before we leave.

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Trip 6 starts for me today with a flight to Fort Lauderdale tonight, followed by a morning flight to Port-au-Prince tomorrow. I will be spending the first few days with my friends from Victory Compassion.  I am looking forward to seeing their projects and spending more time with them this trip!

If you're just joining us, check out my Recap post which was posted before my last trip.  Please be patient the first few days I'm gone with my blog posts this time as I'm not exactly sure what the internet situation will be.

Thanks for your continued support and prayers!