At Home in Haiti

I have imagined writing this post for awhile now.

There is so much to say and I have no idea if our internet connection will allow it! Most events leading up to Monday were complicated and harder than predicted. I anticipated blogging before we left but our hours were spent in a panic of packing and last minute details that were more convoluted than planned.

Everything went so smooth between getting to Dallas and getting to Haiti. We arrived at DFW on Monday morning ready to go. Unlike the days leading up, Monday went flawlessly. I imagined us trapsing through the airport like a circus act with all of our luggage, car seats, children and Mack. Instead we were able to check in bags and Mack right away and went to the gate with carry ons like everyone else there. The plan was to meet Tony at the gate in Dallas and funny enough Ava had never met Tony but as soon as we saw him, Ava went running to him to give a hug. The flights went great and we were on our way.

We arrived in Haiti to the warm weather and lots of Creole chatter. Fortunately Tony quickly spotted the BGM staffer there to meet us. He somehow had us waved through customs (even with 14 suitcases and 2 car seats). Charles ended up paying some unknown tax on Mack but overall it was easy peasy compared to customs in some third-world countries. These are the things we appreciate now that we have done some traveling.

So ... Haiti....

The girls slept in the back seat of the pick up truck while I conversed with BGM staff Monterine, who lucky for me, happens to speak Spanish. Charles and Tony were riding in the school bus that also was there to pick us up. The hour and a half (18 mile) car ride was bumpy and tiresome after the flights but eye opening. We were reminded of Port Au Prince's chaos.

We arrived at the Hope Center about 6:30pm (in the dark) where a team from Pensacola, FL, met us at the gate. The girls were awakened to a lot of unknowns. It was disorienting to all of us. But we made the best of it.

Yesterday was our first full day and a great one. We wake up to see the mountains here. It's 75 -95 degrees here and breezy. The girls have loved the freedom of walking outside the door to instant friends - both team members eager to spoil them and Haitians ready to play. Everyone talks to us in Creole even though we don't know how to respond. We have not unpacked because we don't have any furniture. We did get a few mattresses that are on the floor we have been sleeping on. Our house is spacious and plenty for what we need. The two ladies, Maria Teresa and Verge, cook for the teams and us as well. They generally make sandwiches for lunch and cook dinner for everyone here. Since we didn't have breakfast on Tuesday Charles asked them to make the girls breakfast. Lilly and Ava sat down to a breakfast of champions with a plate of fruit, Pringles and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. In fact, they just mix the peanut butter and jelly all in one big jar and slather it on. Lilly and Ava were thankful and yet amused at their breakfast.

My run today included a lot of loose gravel roads, donkeys, motorcycles six people deep, mountains, kids eagerly walking to school, women walking with buckets of water on their heads, and a lot of dust and thorns. It's a rough terrain but something I'll get used to. Mack is still adjusting to the heat. One guy rode along side me for awhile trying to practice his English. He kept saying "Good Morning. How much years you are? What your dog name?"

The compound (Hope Center) consists of Tony and Mickey's house, the director (Stan)'s house, our house, 2 dorms, a community kitchen, and a large outdoor dining area (all painted in Carribean colors). The gates are guarded by armed security guards. Just outside the gate is the orphanage and the playground as well as the soccer fields and a community well. We are way up in the mountains and all is very slow and relaxed here.

The girls have made fast friends with the girls in the orphanages and neighborhood kids. The orphanage received 4 more children last night, including one whose father dropped her off on the way back from the hospital where her mother died the same day. It's sad yet the kids are unbelievably resilient. Lilly and Ava have jumped right in and seem to be communicating just fine in kid speak.

Today Lilly and I started back with homeschooling. I figured some structure may help. She did really well and we were efficient while Ava was on the playground with other kids and a few adults. I'm hoping the trend continues and homeschooling is enjoyable for all of us.

This afternoon we were playing on the playground (that a team came and built) with all of the orphan kids and the neighborhood kids adding up to about 30 of them all having such a grand time swinging and being kids. One of them rode up on a donkey. Another one was there with no pants. The whole thing was refreshing and lovely to me ... no worries, no impressing, no comparisons...just kids being kids. There was so much cool air and laughter all in that one vicinity.

Charles has been busy here and there with farming project details and getting settled. His days include a lot of communication with locals about what he's hoping to do here and how.

The only small glitches here have been figuring out internet and phone connections. It's been challenging and refreshing to be totally disconnected from the phone. It's nice people aren't constantly on their phones here like many Americans and at the same time hard to be experiencing so much and unable to send a picture to family or all of you.

Probably the most pleasant change is just not being in a hurry...not corralling the girls to the car with the stress of the next activity starting whether it be school, church, ballet, etc. The girls have not had to get in and buckle up in several days and that is a big change for us. We were constantly on the go and now we rarely leave. They are in good spirits and that makes this mama happy.

There is so much to tell you .. hopefully I can get posts up often so you can experience the journey with us.