Today was a fantastic day in Haiti. It started out by not starting out as early as normal. Whoop! Because there was not a group yet, there was no need for a staff meeting, which meant not having to me up and ready to go by 6:30. In fact, I actually was able to sleep in until 7. It was great. At first, I was afraid that Kelsey and I had slept through breakfast due to the fact that their were only two pieces of bread left on the counter when we walked by the galley. Good news though, there was more biscuits and gravy left, and the kitchen ladies were more than willing to it us some!
My time this morning was very relaxing and refreshing! I was able to sit at the end of one of the tables in the common area with Kelsey and Kelly for quite a while and enjoy some really great conversation about music and movies. It was great to be able to chat with them. We then all went over to the prayer balcony to do our quite times. It was awesome!
After my time with the Lord this morning, I headed down to the Miriam Center in time to help get some of the kids over to the preschool classroom to hang out for the morning. Today, instead of watching multiple movies, the kids were able to color for the first part of the time. This was fun to get to do with them. At first, I traced Owens hand with a crayon, similar to what children in the U.S. do around thanksgiving to make the paper turkeys. This soon turned into tracing every kids hand in my general vicinity over and over and over again. But it was fun, plus, eventually one of the girls stuck out her foot for me to trace and then that cycle began for a bit as well!
Once the kids had finished coloring, it was time for them to watch a movie. Today, I believe it was Ice Age 2. However, I am really not sure since I was not in the classroom with them for the whole time. Instead, I ended up going over to the sensory room in order to help Autumn out. She was showing the moms who work in the Miriam Center how to properly brush and massage the kids. It was a really amazing learning experience! Autumn has taught me so much in the last few weeks, and I am excited to learn even more from her. Today I learned how to properly massage a kid based off of high or low tones.
As soon as we were done with this teaching session, I went to blow up to therapy balls with the help of some of the deaf who hang around the mission. It was a long process for just two balls considering that our pump was broken, but we managed.
Lunch today was quite good. Haitian spaghetti. I am learning to accept that I will have hotdogs in my spaghetti and ketchup instead of spaghetti sauce. It was still pretty good. I wasn’t able to finish all of my lunch though.
As soon as lunch was done, I went with a group down to the market. I haven’t been to the market yet and it was definitely a trip worth taking as to getting a true insight into Haiti. We walked around the market for quite a bit looking for supplies that Melonee had asked we pick up for her, all fruits and veggies, and cookies and drinks for ourselves. The market is pretty much just dirt walkways surrounded by several straw huts that are basically the ‘shops’. During this trip, Kelsey and I split a case of waters. When we arrived back at the mission, we were able to put a few of them into the refrigerator so WE HAVE COLD WATER!!! I can’t wait to have my first bottle! It will be excellent. I am debating getting one now, but I don’t want to have to wake up in the middle of the night to have to go to the bathroom.
As I walked back up to the common area from the market, I ran into Autumn (we are beginning to have perfect timing). I got back just in time to help her finish putting together some of the binders for the visibility boxes. These boxes will be used to open the eyes of the Americans coming into the mission for the remainder of the summer. They come with toys and instructions on ideas on activities and exercises to do with them. I am very excited to see them be put to use.
When we finished up the work on the binders we went downstairs to train Presido, who is the Haiti Outreach Coordinator. Even though it looks like Autumn is going to be here full time in January (please be praying for this transition and direction for her) the idea is that Presido will be able to continue with therapy when Autumn has to leave in July so that the kids can continue to progress until Autumn gets back and when she does, they can both do therapy together come January and see even more kids!
After our session with Presido, we headed back to Autumn’s to finish laminating pictures of the kids to make a check out system. This will help us to know exactly where the kids are at all times, who is upstairs, who is on a walk or getting therapy and who goes to church on Sunday. It will be very helpful. Laminating was fun as well because I was able to do it with Andrew and Victoria. They are the two people from the last group who stayed behind for the next group that is coming in, who also contains people they know. So basically they are honorary interns. It was cool to get to hear their hearts for Haiti and the Lord. They both just graduated from high school, so it was cool to kind of recollect where I was two years ago with where they are now, and where I have come. It was great and I am glad that I was able to take this time with them!
Finishing lamination didn’t take more than an hour or so. After this, I headed up for dinner. It was sooo good! Chicken, veggies, mash potatoes and brownies with sweet tea! Definitely a great dinner, especially considering that the next group’s members started trickling in this afternoon and night…all 140 of them! After dinner we had devotional, I had begun to miss these since they only take place when groups are here. Tonight, members of a group from California lead worship and Sinclair gave a message that was very motivating!
After devotional, we headed downstairs and just as we were settling into our evening routines, the buses arrived with a mass amount of people. As Kelsey put it, “Things got crazy REAL fast!” Plus it was annoying because those coming in were complaining about showers and lights and times to get up in the morning. I wanted to say, “people we have been doing this for weeks, some of us months and you don’t see us complaining” But I know that’s not fair to think because they just got here. They will need their time and they only have 10 days before they will be back in America, so they don’t have to completely adjust their lives to time in Haiti. With the mass amount of people coming in we had counted mattresses yesterday, but apparently we still don’t have enough. So it turns out that I have given my mattress up, and will be having a slumber party with Autumn in her house. I am okay with this though because Autumns house has a real bed, and fans and will be cool. Plus, I am looking forward to my sleepover with Autumn. Some of the groups will be leaving tomorrow to head out for the rest of the week, so I should be able to head back to my normal sleeping arrangement tomorrow night, but who knows if I will actually want to.
Goodnight from Haiti!
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