Haiti Update: Appreciating the simple things

Monday, July 26

I am grateful for the simple things here in Haiti - an occasional breeze, a plate of rice and beans, a good night sleep and a shower. Our whole team slept hard last night after several days of travel. Although I’m generally a light sleeper and frequently distracted by my children tossing and turning and the noises of the night here in Haiti, I actually slept well last night. Oh the wonder of ear plugs! I should have employed those years ago.



Today was our first real day of ministry here in Haiti. The Haitian ladies prepared us a full-on breakfast buffet, including eggs, French toast, oatmeal, sliced pineapple, coffee and tea. Paul Brant set right to work on the water filtration system he is setting up for us here in the house. We are hoping that by the end of this week we will have filtered water from the well that is safe for mission teams to drink instead of using camping water pumps or buying bottled water.



Troy, Allison and I put together a game plan for our Communications projects for the week. Our goal is to photograph and make videos of the various branches of Christian Friendship Ministries so we can share it with more people back home. Our first project was to start filming the “daily life” of the 15 orphans in The Bridge Christian Children’s Home, which was opened in Fall 2009.



Ericlee, Troy, Allison, Meilani, Giada and I took the orphans down to the local soccer field for a little game. The walk to the field was a reminder of how much I feel at home here in Haiti. Meilani and I both found such great joy walking down the street hand in hand with the eight orphan girls. We laughed and sang together. I love watching Meilani connect with the littlest girls. She links arms with Serline or Astrude like they are sisters.



The boys especially are crazy about soccer. We didn’t really need goals or goalies because it became a big game of chase the soccer ball. Some of the girls decided it was smarter (and cooler!) to congregate under the shade of a tree instead. Troy captured some fun video of the kids playing. In the end Gary, Gerby’s little brother, made a goal and we decided to call it quits and return home before we melted in the afternoon sun. Not to mention everyone was hungry for lunch.



After lunch, Ericlee and the girls settled in for a cabicha aka siesta nap while the rest of us took a hike to the home of Pastor Mioche to use his wireless internet. This was also a chance to show Troy and Allison more of the city of Pignon. Later Troy shared that walking the streets of Pignon was part of his highlight (or perhaps lowlight) of the day. He was overwhelmed by the poverty and the garbage in the streets.



Perhaps Paul’s highlight was spending some time in the afternoon playing with the Haitian kids in the mission front yard. He loves to wrestle them and twirl them around or make them laugh with funny faces and handshakes.