Haiti: Part 2

No Place Like Home, Guest House                                       Wednesday, August 8, 2012

It is morning and I am enjoying the quiet inside with all the outside noises of a city waking up. I heard a rooster crowing earlier, and dogs were just barking. Dr. Renner said there are lots of dogs running around, and we should avoid them because they could carry disease.
I slept well, but woke with a slight headache. I think my neck is out of place, and that's what caused it. I pray it will stop hurting before we leave.
So, I said I'd elaborate on yesterday's airport experience.
The island I thought was Haiti, wasn't. I'm not sure which island it was, but we flew over several similar ones before descending into Port-au-Prince. We had to circle around the city to get into position for landing, and I could see the unfinished rebuilding and rubble left over from the earthquake. There were lots of buildings without roofs, as well as piles of concrete and brick. It is still a long way from back to normal for these people.
At the airport we had to ride a bus to get from the plane to customs and the baggage claim. Once there we got in line, had our passport stamped, and were immediately set upon by a baggage guy. The one who helped us got us a cart, and took our bag tickets. It took a while to get all our bags loaded, but we got them all.
Then another guy walked with us outside. We were instructed not to talk to any of the people outside, so I kept my eyes on Sarah's back and stayed right on her heals.  We finally got all the way out, and then had to wait for Brother Alexandre to arrive. It took a while because rush hour was just beginning. Our baggage guy was getting impatient, but Brother Jacques finally came.
Standing there waiting gave me an introduction to Haitian culture. There were some guys talking not far from us, and they were loud and animated. They used lots of hand gestures, and sometimes their whole body.

Once in Brother Jacques truck we experience Haitian driving methods. There seem to be no rules, and very little street lights. And no specific lanes. There were 3 sometimes 4 cars abreast the whole way. If there was even a slight opening, you took it. It kind of felt like rush hour in Phoenix. [Bumper to bumper, with no one going anywhere.]  There were also people walking between cars selling things, or just begging for money. [A lady came right up to Brother Jacques window, with a baby on her hip and was asking for help. Brother Jacques told us that sometimes people lend or rent out their babies to help get more sympathy. That's way messed up.]  One boy ragged down the whole truck as it was starting to rain.
So then it began raining. And it wasn't some little bitty rain.  It Rained, and poured, and before long the streets were running with water.  This on top of the fact that it was rush hour. We finally were able to escape the gridlock by turning down a side street that was basically a river. And there were shacks on the side of the road with water right up to their doorway. And people live like this all the time.  So sad.
When we arrived at No Place Like Home it was still raining, so we jumped out and ran into one of the rooms, which looked like a dining room. It was so tiny!  Then I was able to get out my nice new umbrella for Brother Alexandre to use as he moved our luggage.
Then we were able to move over to the guest house, which is so nice! I think it was built after the earthquake because it is completely sound. The floors are all tile, and the appliances are new and modern.
Sarah and I are in a room with two bunk beds, and a full sized bed. Dr. Renner was given the master bedroom. And the bathroom is really nice.
We were able to call home on a phone Brother Alexandre lent us, which had international service on it.
Now it is morning and I am going to fully prepare for the lessons today. We are using the Wordless Book curriculum, and today we will teach the Gold and Black pages (Sin and Heaven).  Each child will be given a small felt book, and coloring pages.
I am getting nervous about teaching, especially with a translator.  God be with me!

Guest House

Wow. What a day. So much to thank God for. So much to remember.
We were to be ready about 8:30 so we could leave for the Feeding Center.  As we ate breakfast we heard children downstairs. They use one of the rooms in the guest house as a classroom. That class looked like a preschool group. They were all so little.  [They weren't all preschool. It was most of the school age children. They just looked smaller and younger than they were.]  One little girl started crying when she saw us. [She had stranger danger issues the whole time we were there.]
Four of the older children came with us. One of the girls is Becky, and the boy's name is Wislin [Pronounce Wis-ly]
The drive to the Center was much like yesterday, though there was less traffic. We passed by one of the remaining tent cities. Most had been disbanded,as house were provided by the government. It's so sad to think about the devastation from the earthquake still affecting them now. The area around the tent city was filthy, with pigs, goats, dogs and scrawny chickens all milling about.
The rain from yesterday had caused a lot of garbage to litter the road.
When we reached the Center the children sang us a song of welcome, with "Bon Jou" as a repeated phrase. [Pronounced Bo Jew]
I was so nervous. And they were all younger than I envisioned. I was thinking they'd be somewhere 7 to 12. But the oldest may have been 5.  And all so cute!
With a young man name Reggy as my translator I share the stories. He did a great job engaging their attention. Toward the end they were getting restless, and hungry.
As they began to wash up and eat some came over to where Sarah and I were sitting, and rubbed our hands and arms. Slowly they warmed up to us. I invited one to sit in my lap, and Dr. Renner took a picture. That got them all interested. So I got my camera out and they all wanted pictures.
And I did ask Brother Jacques how to ask to take a photo. It's "Mete pran foto?" [Pronounced met pra photo] But he said you can just say "Photo", and that most of the kids love having their pictures taken.
I let one of the boys hold the camera and take a few pictures. And then they all had to have a turn. I got some pretty fun pictures from them.  The girls from the orphanage had the camera for a while, and at one point they came over to us. The one girl put the arm of the other around my should so we could have a picture together. Then she pulled her over to Sarah and did the same thing.
When we left we all sat in the back of the truck with the children. That was fun. You feel the bumps and jolts a whole lot more back there.
I was beginning to get a headache, from not eating anything since 8, so eventually I move up to the cab.  [Brother Jacques stopped the truck.] I think Sarah had a headache too, so she moved also.

Brother Jacques took us to a grocery store that had a lot of American foods. We got a few grocery items for the week. It was rather expensive.   The Haitian dollar is called a 'Gourde' and it takes 40 gourde to equal a dollar. One gourde is worth 2 cents. But even so, our little bit of food cost almost $80. [at Walmart it probably would have been $40]
On the way back we continued our "tour" of Port-au-Prince. The roads are just horrible. Huge pot holes, steep dips, and people everywhere.
As we drove my headache got worse, and I eventually threw up. That made Brother Jacques worry that I was car sick. So I explained that I hadn't eaten (it was 3 then) and had a headache, and that often if I don't do anything about, then I throw up.    By the time we got to the guest house I couldn't eat, and had to lay down.  I slept for 2 hours, and then was able to eat.
The wind has really picked up. I wonder if it will rain again today.  I am hoping we can go visit the orphan children today.