Haiti 2014: Day 3

Thursday we did have to get up early, even if we didn't want breakfast. (Shocker! Who wouldn't want breakfast?!) It was our first day of the Ladies Conference! We left right after we ate and took a bumpy, two hour drive to Valley of Hope Church. A bumpy ride, yes, and dusty. But such a beautiful ride. I sat in the back of the fifteen passenger van and watched the swarms of people as they bought breakfast on their way to work or school, or sat selling fruits and vegetables, or just watched, pointed and laughed at the "blan"(white people) passing by. I liked to wave to them and see their faces light up as they waved back. Some were shy and would giggle. Some would wave energetically. I didn't like to wave to the guys because it would often send the wrong message. Sometimes, though, they'd see me wave and get super happy and wave back or send kissy faces. One girl jabbed the guy she was with for waving at us. haha! This was the city. The city with hilly roads, some paved, some not. The city with shops of all sorts lining the street: barber shops, electronic shops, clothing shops. Any and everything! Then we get out of the city and and into the country. There are fields with sugarcane, beans, or leaks growing. A farmer tills the ground. A woman in heels walks the rough road to work or school in the city. A girl pumps water as a woman fills a bucket. Kids playing in a stream. Women washing clothes in the river. Laundry laid all over the branches of the trees to dry in the hot sunshine. This is Haitian life.

The random school bus is most likely not bringing children to school (or not only bringing children to school) but is used as a very large tap tap. A tap tap is a very common form of transportation and is usually an old pickup truck with seats in the back and a roof that people pile into to get from place to place for a small amount of money. Most of the time they are even hanging out the back. There are also people who drive motorcycles and rent a backseat to anyone who dares. They are faster and can weave in and out of traffic better than the trucks can, therefore they are a little pricier.

It was a very hot day and the breeze was trying so hard to get inside but was failing miserably. But it was so good to be able to worship with those beautiful Haitian sisters in Christ! It was funny, though, to see them nod off every once in a while. You can't blame them! Some of them had walked as much as six hours just to come to the conference! They were tired and hot! We had to drink so much water!

Chief Barbara! That is what Pastor Maxeau called her. : )

I got to hold babies. I love Haitian babies. Maybe God will give me one someday.

I was trying to get her to smile...

After the teaching was all over for the day, we fed them lunch: chicken, rice, and veggies thanks to the hard working women in the back who prepared it while we taught! We got some, too. It was delicious!

I love how the women will hold onto the men's arm as they cross the street.

HUG Girls: This is my Desire

This is the HUG girls singing to us.

Singing school children, Haiti

This is the School Children singing to us.

Haiti 2014: Day 2

On the second day, we didn't have to get up very early unless we wanted breakfast, which is always served at 7 sharp. And I wanted breakfast. So I got up early. Like 5:30 early. The power is almost never on, so we use the generator. Well that morning the battery that the generator powers went dead and they couldn't turn the generator back on until 6 because it is so loud it disturbs the neighbors. That should be the least of my troubles though. There are so many so close to where we were staying that are lying on the hard earth. They never have power. And they don't have a bed to sleep in. I do. And I should be so grateful. But often times, I don't even think about it. I don't even thank the God who gave me the warm bed. I just sleep in it and wish a certain dip wasn't there or that it were a little softer.
Mornings are a great time to read the Bible and write in my journal. Apparently I did a lot of that while I was in Haiti. Apparently I should write a book.

The view of the mountains is only given to the daring few. I must have been one of them.

After breakfast (and a cold shower, which felt really good), this man named Ronald came to sell us the things he made. It got very hot very fast sitting in that sun.

Me, Rose, and Dixie.

Then we headed out to go feed the children at a school.

Gloria, Marie, Ginette (our translator and Haitian friend), Barbara, Elisabeth, Tarnisha, Jenny, Rose, me, Mom, Dixie

The children sitting at their desks. They love their pictures taken!

Serving the food.

Photo by Elisabeth

Ok. So I just want to make an observation: Haitians are BEAUTIFUL!

Photo by Elisabeth

Photo by Elisabeth

Photo by Elisabeth

The children sang for us and it was so sweet I wanted to give them all hugs. So I started with one. And then they all wanted a hug. Before I knew it they were all over me, kissing me, hugging me, and stroking me. They loved my hair. I love it too, so I didn't want them to pull it all out like I thought they might.... haha!

The high-schoolers were a little more shy.  But very sweet.

It is hard to capture their smiles. It is counter-cultural to smile for a picture. So I caught them unaware.

Everywhere we went, we saw the Haitians carrying stuff on their heads. I wanted to try. I think I'd probably make a mess.

This little guy was about a foot long.

After feeding the kids at the school, we went to Pastor Timothy's orphanage. He gets almost no support from America and not much more from the Haitian people, so his place is very poor. But the children are ADORABLE!

We gave the children all sorts of fun things that they loved and appreciated.

That is Pastor Timothy to the right.

Then we headed over to the HUG (Haiti Under God) orphanage. They showed us their new house, braided our hair, and sang for us. Beautiful girls.

Nahomie, braiding my hair.

Rose and Gardenia.

Elisabeth's hair.

Then we headed back to the guesthouse and ate and relaxed.