Almost Done

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Sitting here at the guesthouse in Port-au-Prince much in need of some zone-out time.  Not ready quite yet to face my world after spending a few weeks in this world...

I made my back to the city early this morning at 4 am where I left Leah to finish up the last 3 days of camp.  I left via moto in the pitch black dark.  The stars in the middle of nowhere Haiti at that time in the morning are something out of this world.  Also, the manner in which we travel via scooting along in the mud and through rivers on a motorcycle.  Also, the number of donkeys we had to "brake" for as women were making their way on foot with donkeys carrying their goods to sell in the city.  Sometimes this world cannot fully be explained through words.  There is a strength and genius to figure out how to survive here that I have not seen anywhere else.

I'm feeling optimistic about the happenings of this year.  65+ kids in camp for 3 weeks, all of which were so excited that many seek us out the week before to beg to be "on the list".  15-20 adults employed each week.  4 weeks of youth craft workshops in Cite Soleil coordinated.  2 weeks in Passe Catabois coordinated.  Sometimes numbers can just seem meaningless or empty but I truly believe there is just something to doing this year after year.  Although I have only been helping Leah pull this off for 4 years, this is her seventh consecutive year doing camp.  I am continually amazed at the planning, logistics, and coordination that occurs, especially in the reality that this is a place where almost nothing works on the first try.

Hopefully pictures to come soon!  Thanks to all who thought about us and supported us.  Continue to think and pray for Leah who is holding down the fort for 2 more days!

Pase Poul La!

Friday, August 1, 2014

I think it's safe to say week 2 of camp is done.  We just finished up our first week up here in Passe Catabois.  Somehow our numbers have grown this year as for the second week in a row we passed totals of 60 kids.  A grand total of 67 kids ages 6 to 9 in a schoolroom probably half too small.  After we finished up today, Leah and I just sat on the porch in silence with some glazed over eyes.  I think we are tired and I think we are getting older!

The kids seemed so docile and well-behaved after spending a week in Cite Soleil.  I mean, the first day we actually had Haitian kids raising their hands if they needed something!  We were like, what is going on here?!  However, as each day progressed, the kids got more comfortable aka. loud and in need of some constant reminders :)

This week, I started a health lesson game I like to call "Passe Poul La" (pass the chicken), which somehow turned into a big hit.  Since handwashing is the most important and attainable way to prevent illness for these kids, I decided to teach it every other day to reiterate the idea, especially for the little ones.  We continue to use glitter for germs and perform a skit that involves diarrhea germs and Miss Leah making the whole town (ok maybe just a few people) sick because she didn't wash her hands; the kids love it.  Then we played pass the chicken, where I whipped out my rubber chicken (thank you Amazon) and covered it with "diarrhea" germs, "cholera" germs, and "cold" germs.  We all sat in a circle and basically played hot potato with the chicken when the music started.  Whoever was holding the chicken when the music stopped had to come to the center and show the whole group how to wash their hands (since by this time everyone had the glitter all over their hands)!  Whenever the music stopped, the kids would just scream!!!  It definitely was a high of my entire week.

(The other high was when Curtis played Goliath in the story about little David killing the giant, Goliath.  Decked out in a construction paper- and duct-tape-made helmet and chest armor, he fell face forward on the ground after "David" hit him with a rock from his sling shot.  The kids were also screaming out of glee at that point.)

We are continuing to hold strong.  We have been lucky and blessed with good health this entire trip so far.  Chikungunya, a fever illness like Dengue, has run rampant through these parts.  Everyone is saying the fever has crushed them and their family, meaning it's a significant illness that takes them out for a few days to a week, then has lingering joint pain like arthritis for months in some cases.  For us, somehow, so far so good (knock on wood and fingers crossed).  Skin glistening with deet, mosquito nets, vitamin B, Ryna's long pants, and a lot of prayer from home are most likely our saving grace.