Can I just start off by saying… this is never, ever how I imagined that my month would be in Haiti. For some reason I have had it in my mind that Haiti would be the month that we would all live in our tents, in some run down area highly affected by the earthquake, that we would shower out of buckets, and that electricity and internet would be very scarce.
Here I sit in a beautiful two story orphanage on the outskirts of Port-Au-Prince, where we have electricity, running water, wireless internet here in the house, cold drinks, and a ceiling fan in our bedroom. Not to mention the wrap around porch that we sit out on and eat all of our meals (which are prepared for us) as we overlook the mountains of Haiti.
This place is definitely our little taste of America smack dab in the middle of Haiti. While I always thought this would be one of the hardest months physically, I think that this will now be one of the hardest months to not become distracted by all the amenities around me. Instead of being stripped of all the things I think I need, I am surrounded by them. I’m not complaining… it was just very unexpected!
Like I said, the orphanage is beautiful. The owners, two Americans from Ohio, run a tight ship and the children are some of the most beautiful, well behaved children you have ever seen. They are polite, they are kind, and they care heavily for one another… such a stark contrast from the children we were recently working with!
From what we know now, our mission this month will not be working with the children here as much as helping with a restoration home that will be up and opening come September. The organization just recently bought this home that will be a place of refuge and shelter for 25 young women in Haiti that have been subjects of abuse and who have recently been taken off the streets. Not only will they live in the house, but they also attend vocational classes for becoming either a nurse, a nanny, or a secretary. Additionally, they will attend language classes for both French and English in order to make them more marketable within the work force. Basically, this house will allow them time to adapt and then rejoin society. We haven’t yet seen the house, so I am not sure what kind of work we are cut out for this month, but I am excited to get started so that this house will be up and running for these beautiful women very soon!
IF YOU ENJOY READING THESE BLOGS, WHICH I AM CERTAIN YOU DO 🙂 PLEASE CONSIDER SUPPORTING ME AS I CONTINUE ON THIS MISSION AROUND THE WORLD. THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL YOUR WONDERFUL COMMENTS!
