Haiti Monday Nov 15th, 2010
What a day. We left the inside walls of New Life 4 Kids compound (an awesome place, awesome people) and spent most of the day in what I consider Haiti—out in the neighborhoods, streets, and homes of friends. For me there is nothing like being in the middle of all the day to day action in Haiti. Our friend Theodore took us to see two of the older girls who left Marie’s orphanage about a month or two (or three) ago. They have moved from a tent city where they lived briefly after leaving the orphanage into a one room “apartment” where three people share a room that is about 10 by 12 ft—that’s it—they live there. Cardboard folded up in the corner is unfolded for their beds at night to cushion the concrete floor. They cook on a charcoal stove outside in an “alley” that is not even 3 feet wide. They are not alone—this is how most of the people live—those that are lucky enough to be able to afford an apartment that is (this one is about $500 per year). Both girls go to school in the afternoon from 12 to 5 and that is not an easy journey by our standards—walk to main road and the take a “tap tap” (taxi/bus) which is packed with people. But it is a privilege to be able to go to school here—so the journey is made without hesitation. Bill and I are working on getting them beds and we think we have that worked out and that should happen in the next week or so.
We went from there to Marie’s house and visited with her and hung out at the orphanage/school for a while. The new orphanage is nearly completed on the inside and the girls will be moving in next week (probably). Finishing touches are being made on the inside, paint, bathrooms, etc. It will look nice and the girls will like it. The girls were in school so I didn’t get to see all of them, but a few looked out and waved. It was cool to see our friend Neenee sitting in the same spot along the street, reading her Bible, praising God, and selling her wares to whoever will buy them. She is always an inspiration to me—all day from sunup to sundown, sitting on a dirt road, hoping someone will buy something, and keeping God and Jesus at the center of life—each and every day. We can all learn something from Neenee. Bondye Beniou (God bless you).
Back at New Life we had to make some needed adjustments to the desks that were donated by a school in Chicago and assembled here when they arrived. Bill and I forgot to adjust the legs on the desks before we left this morning so the kids had to sit in chairs without desks because they could not get their legs under them—oops. They probably wonder about these crazy white. Americans…what good are these desks? They are adjusted now and we will make sure they are OK for everyone tomorrow morning. The older boys are getting some of the bunk beds we made in Naperville and shipped here. They are currently sleeping on beds that are way to short for them. After they are replaced with the new ones we will be able to take a few of the old ones to the girls for their “apartment.” Everyone wins—but it takes time—this is Haiti.
Ended the day with the New Life orphans singing praise songs—loud, clear, in tune, and awesome. They sounded great even while chewing the gum that Bill passed out only moments before worship. Praise be to God—and may He continue to bless these dear children.
11.15.2010
Haiti Monday Nov 15th, 2010--Out and About
Haiti Monday Nov 15th, 2010
What a day. We left the inside walls of New Life 4 Kids compound (an awesome place, awesome people) and spent most of the day in what I consider Haiti—out in the neighborhoods, streets, and homes of friends. For me there is nothing like being in the middle of all the day to day action in Haiti. Our friend Theodore took us to see two of the older girls who left Marie’s orphanage about a month or two (or three) ago. They have moved from a tent city where they lived briefly after leaving the orphanage into a one room “apartment” where three people share a room that is about 10 by 12 ft—that’s it—they live there. Cardboard folded up in the corner is unfolded for their beds at night to cushion the concrete floor. They cook on a charcoal stove outside in an “alley” that is not even 3 feet wide. They are not alone—this is how most of the people live—those that are lucky enough to be able to afford an apartment that is (this one is about $500 per year). Both girls go to school in the afternoon from 12 to 5 and that is not an easy journey by our standards—walk to main road and then take a “tap tap” (taxi/bus) which is packed with people. But it is a privilege to be able to go to school here—so the journey is made without hesitation. Bill and I are working on getting them beds and we think we have that worked out and that should happen in the next week or so.
We went from there to Marie’s house and visited with her and hung out at the orphanage/school for a while. The new orphanage is nearly completed on the inside and the girls will be moving in next week (probably). Finishing touches are being made on the inside, paint, bathrooms, etc. It will look nice and the girls will like it. The girls were in school so I didn’t get to see all of them, but a few looked out and waved. It was cool to see our friend Neenee sitting in the same spot along the street, reading her Bible, praising God, and selling her wares to whoever will buy them. She is always an inspiration to me—all day from sunup to sundown, sitting on a dirt road, hoping someone will buy something, and keeping God and Jesus at the center of life—each and every day. We can all learn something from Neenee. Bondye Beniou (God bless you).
Back at New Life we had to make some needed adjustments to the desks that were donated by a school in Chicago and assembled here when they arrived. Bill and I forgot to adjust the legs on the desks before we left this morning so the kids had to sit in chairs without desks because they could not get their legs under them—oops. They probably wonder about these crazy white. Americans…what good are these desks? They are adjusted now and we will make sure they are OK for everyone tomorrow morning. The older boys are getting some of the bunk beds we made in Naperville and shipped here. They are currently sleeping on beds that are way to short for them. After they are replaced with the new ones we will be able to take a few of the old ones to the girls for their “apartment.” Everyone wins—but it takes time—this is Haiti.
Ended the day with the New Life orphans singing praise songs—loud, clear, in tune, and awesome. They sounded great even while chewing the gum that Bill passed out only moments before worship. Praise be to God—and may He continue to bless these dear children.
What a day. We left the inside walls of New Life 4 Kids compound (an awesome place, awesome people) and spent most of the day in what I consider Haiti—out in the neighborhoods, streets, and homes of friends. For me there is nothing like being in the middle of all the day to day action in Haiti. Our friend Theodore took us to see two of the older girls who left Marie’s orphanage about a month or two (or three) ago. They have moved from a tent city where they lived briefly after leaving the orphanage into a one room “apartment” where three people share a room that is about 10 by 12 ft—that’s it—they live there. Cardboard folded up in the corner is unfolded for their beds at night to cushion the concrete floor. They cook on a charcoal stove outside in an “alley” that is not even 3 feet wide. They are not alone—this is how most of the people live—those that are lucky enough to be able to afford an apartment that is (this one is about $500 per year). Both girls go to school in the afternoon from 12 to 5 and that is not an easy journey by our standards—walk to main road and then take a “tap tap” (taxi/bus) which is packed with people. But it is a privilege to be able to go to school here—so the journey is made without hesitation. Bill and I are working on getting them beds and we think we have that worked out and that should happen in the next week or so.
We went from there to Marie’s house and visited with her and hung out at the orphanage/school for a while. The new orphanage is nearly completed on the inside and the girls will be moving in next week (probably). Finishing touches are being made on the inside, paint, bathrooms, etc. It will look nice and the girls will like it. The girls were in school so I didn’t get to see all of them, but a few looked out and waved. It was cool to see our friend Neenee sitting in the same spot along the street, reading her Bible, praising God, and selling her wares to whoever will buy them. She is always an inspiration to me—all day from sunup to sundown, sitting on a dirt road, hoping someone will buy something, and keeping God and Jesus at the center of life—each and every day. We can all learn something from Neenee. Bondye Beniou (God bless you).
Back at New Life we had to make some needed adjustments to the desks that were donated by a school in Chicago and assembled here when they arrived. Bill and I forgot to adjust the legs on the desks before we left this morning so the kids had to sit in chairs without desks because they could not get their legs under them—oops. They probably wonder about these crazy white. Americans…what good are these desks? They are adjusted now and we will make sure they are OK for everyone tomorrow morning. The older boys are getting some of the bunk beds we made in Naperville and shipped here. They are currently sleeping on beds that are way to short for them. After they are replaced with the new ones we will be able to take a few of the old ones to the girls for their “apartment.” Everyone wins—but it takes time—this is Haiti.
Ended the day with the New Life orphans singing praise songs—loud, clear, in tune, and awesome. They sounded great even while chewing the gum that Bill passed out only moments before worship. Praise be to God—and may He continue to bless these dear children.
Haiti Monday Nov 15th, 2010--Out and About
Haiti Monday Nov 15th, 2010
What a day. We left the inside walls of New Life 4 Kids compound (an awesome place, awesome people) and spent most of the day in what I consider Haiti—out in the neighborhoods, streets, and homes of friends. For me there is nothing like being in the middle of all the day to day action in Haiti. Our friend Theodore took us to see two of the older girls who left Marie’s orphanage about a month or two (or three) ago. They have moved from a tent city where they lived briefly after leaving the orphanage into a one room “apartment” where three people share a room that is about 10 by 12 ft—that’s it—they live there. Cardboard folded up in the corner is unfolded for their beds at night to cushion the concrete floor. They cook on a charcoal stove outside in an “alley” that is not even 3 feet wide. They are not alone—this is how most of the people live—those that are lucky enough to be able to afford an apartment that is (this one is about $500 per year). Both girls go to school in the afternoon from 12 to 5 and that is not an easy journey by our standards—walk to main road and then take a “tap tap” (taxi/bus) which is packed with people. But it is a privilege to be able to go to school here—so the journey is made without hesitation. Bill and I are working on getting them beds and we think we have that worked out and that should happen in the next week or so.
We went from there to Marie’s house and visited with her and hung out at the orphanage/school for a while. The new orphanage is nearly completed on the inside and the girls will be moving in next week (probably). Finishing touches are being made on the inside, paint, bathrooms, etc. It will look nice and the girls will like it. The girls were in school so I didn’t get to see all of them, but a few looked out and waved. It was cool to see our friend Neenee sitting in the same spot along the street, reading her Bible, praising God, and selling her wares to whoever will buy them. She is always an inspiration to me—all day from sunup to sundown, sitting on a dirt road, hoping someone will buy something, and keeping God and Jesus at the center of life—each and every day. We can all learn something from Neenee. Bondye Beniou (God bless you).
Back at New Life we had to make some needed adjustments to the desks that were donated by a school in Chicago and assembled here when they arrived. Bill and I forgot to adjust the legs on the desks before we left this morning so the kids had to sit in chairs without desks because they could not get their legs under them—oops. They probably wonder about these crazy white. Americans…what good are these desks? They are adjusted now and we will make sure they are OK for everyone tomorrow morning. The older boys are getting some of the bunk beds we made in Naperville and shipped here. They are currently sleeping on beds that are way to short for them. After they are replaced with the new ones we will be able to take a few of the old ones to the girls for their “apartment.” Everyone wins—but it takes time—this is Haiti.
Ended the day with the New Life orphans singing praise songs—loud, clear, in tune, and awesome. They sounded great even while chewing the gum that Bill passed out only moments before worship. Praise be to God—and may He continue to bless these dear children.
What a day. We left the inside walls of New Life 4 Kids compound (an awesome place, awesome people) and spent most of the day in what I consider Haiti—out in the neighborhoods, streets, and homes of friends. For me there is nothing like being in the middle of all the day to day action in Haiti. Our friend Theodore took us to see two of the older girls who left Marie’s orphanage about a month or two (or three) ago. They have moved from a tent city where they lived briefly after leaving the orphanage into a one room “apartment” where three people share a room that is about 10 by 12 ft—that’s it—they live there. Cardboard folded up in the corner is unfolded for their beds at night to cushion the concrete floor. They cook on a charcoal stove outside in an “alley” that is not even 3 feet wide. They are not alone—this is how most of the people live—those that are lucky enough to be able to afford an apartment that is (this one is about $500 per year). Both girls go to school in the afternoon from 12 to 5 and that is not an easy journey by our standards—walk to main road and then take a “tap tap” (taxi/bus) which is packed with people. But it is a privilege to be able to go to school here—so the journey is made without hesitation. Bill and I are working on getting them beds and we think we have that worked out and that should happen in the next week or so.
We went from there to Marie’s house and visited with her and hung out at the orphanage/school for a while. The new orphanage is nearly completed on the inside and the girls will be moving in next week (probably). Finishing touches are being made on the inside, paint, bathrooms, etc. It will look nice and the girls will like it. The girls were in school so I didn’t get to see all of them, but a few looked out and waved. It was cool to see our friend Neenee sitting in the same spot along the street, reading her Bible, praising God, and selling her wares to whoever will buy them. She is always an inspiration to me—all day from sunup to sundown, sitting on a dirt road, hoping someone will buy something, and keeping God and Jesus at the center of life—each and every day. We can all learn something from Neenee. Bondye Beniou (God bless you).
Back at New Life we had to make some needed adjustments to the desks that were donated by a school in Chicago and assembled here when they arrived. Bill and I forgot to adjust the legs on the desks before we left this morning so the kids had to sit in chairs without desks because they could not get their legs under them—oops. They probably wonder about these crazy white. Americans…what good are these desks? They are adjusted now and we will make sure they are OK for everyone tomorrow morning. The older boys are getting some of the bunk beds we made in Naperville and shipped here. They are currently sleeping on beds that are way to short for them. After they are replaced with the new ones we will be able to take a few of the old ones to the girls for their “apartment.” Everyone wins—but it takes time—this is Haiti.
Ended the day with the New Life orphans singing praise songs—loud, clear, in tune, and awesome. They sounded great even while chewing the gum that Bill passed out only moments before worship. Praise be to God—and may He continue to bless these dear children.
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