Wow... what a couple of days. We should explain that we only have electricity for a couple of hours at night and the internet would not work for us yesterday. So.... no post. Today will be a mass 'overview'! ;o) lol Saving time and hoping the internet doesn't fail us again.
I can't get photos to load. :( It's getting ready to storm.... We visited the Orphanage and learned alot about their place and the education. We visited the local school to help fix desks and benches and will go back later to paint. The kids have all done a great job. We have lots of photos and details to share when we get home. But here's food for thought.... We learned how much money it takes to send a child to school here. When you see commercials or hear pleas for sponsorships of a child..... it really takes so little to make such a HUGE difference. For the price of a pizza..... (yes how many of you had pizza tonight? It's Saturday after all.) ONE pizza can send a child to school for TWO years plus provide him or her with one meal a day while at school. Hard to fathom. That’s how much it costs a Haitian family to send their child to school. Sponsoring a child costs us so much per month so you’re not helping just for their schooling, but the supplies, and teachers, and desks and books, uniforms. The school building itself. Seeing the construction and work they do is amazing with what they have. The children are also being taught they need to earn this privilege. Not to take it for granted when they have a sponsor. It’s wonderful to learn about.
We visited families and saw how they live, Diane and Kevin have gotten to see Alexandra. Kevin has sponsored her for the last eight years with his family. She knew exactly who they were. It was fun to visit with them and the other places we'd been today. So many families, so much sickness and poverty, yet they manage a smile and a welcome hello.
We combined play with work as the kids wanted to play in the ocean again and we all swam, but they clean rocks out of the sand on the bottom to use to build walls and barriers to prevent the erosion here. So we all dove for rocks and filled five gallon buckets and dumped them in the rock piles. I have to admit, it was the most fun I've ever had working. ;o) We all got sunburned but oh well. ;o)
We've done a lot of walking today and never once did any of the kids complain. Kevin certainly commented about the temperature ;o) but we kept trudging along. Remember we only have electricity a few hours a night. So while you're all thinking of us at home (even if we don't have any comments on the blog *hint*hint*) I challenge you to do something. Take one hour of your day.... just ONE and turn off the tv, the a/c, the internet, the video games, the telephone, don't use the microwave or your dishwasher, but go about your normal routine. Oh wait, I almost forgot, the washer and dryer. ;o) Then when you've done your work for this ONE short hour, and you're hot and want to cool off, try a cold shower. And I don't mean that metaphorically. We don't have hot water. Every night is a cold shower. Today was the first day it was comfortable for me! :o)
More great food and fellowship with friends and loved ones. And to entertain ourselves at night, we played volleyball in the yard tonight. Last night was cards (skip-bo and phase 10).
Kevin has learned to climb coconut trees, he went spear fishing today and actually got a stingray (which of course tried to sting him as he was showing it off), but that's Kevin. ;o) He convinced Marjorie to cook it for him and just like a grandmother would she rolled her eyes and shook her head, but did it just for him. And SURPRISE it was good! (so they said....I wasn't brave enough to try it.) Diane said it tasted like fish and of course Marjorie threw some special touch to it.
Taylor has been learning Creole and has even surpassed the expectations of the Haitians who are teaching her. It's rather impressive (and sickening at times!). ;o) lol She has been able to communicate enough that even kids that don't speak English understand she knows a little (petee petee) Creole and she had fun skipping rocks in the ocean with one of the local boys yesterday. She did so good once he smiled and jumped for her and gave her a 'knuckle bump'. ;o) It was so funny. I actually have pictures of my daughter smiling!
Kelsey is in love with every child we pass and amazingly, they are drawn to her. God has blessed her with something that those of us over the age of 10 cannot see. They laugh and smile at her and play games. Even if it's only from a distance. One of the kids at the orphanage leaned over on her when we took their picture and one of the staff told us that child doesn't interact with any of the Americans that come to the orphanage. It was amazing to see her leaning on Kelsey. And, Kelsey said when I took their picture she leaned to Kelsey and told her "friend" "you're my friend". :o) Brings a tear to your eye doesn't it??? (Sorry Annette.... but she's doing great being away from home and I think you have a future missionary on your hands.)
Well, the storm is in full swing and I'm signing off. Hoping this uploads. :o) We'll be home soon, but not tooo soon! ;o) We're thinking of you all....
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