Pictures and Letters

It is just a little after 5pm as I write this and already I can start to hear signs of carnaval. The main carnaval is not in Port-au-Prince this year, but it still sounds like it will be quite a party tonight.

One problem I have discovered with only coming to PaP once a year is that the children change quite a bit in that year. Last year there was a ball of energy. She was full of giggles and wanting her picture taken. As I was preparing for the day and going over the list of children I couldn't recall seeing her this year. I asked Wilkens and he said she was their and showed a picture. I finally ran into her directly today and couldn't believe how much she has changed. Not only in height, but facial structure, and maturity. 

I brought a letter for each child with me on this trip. The letters were from various people that volunteered to write to one or more of the children. I want to thank those who volunteered as it was very much appreciated.

We gathered the children in one of the classrooms to let them know that we wanted to take a picture of each child and that each child would receive a letter from someone that lives in the United States or France after we took the picture. Also, that we had stickers for each child. The older kids are still at camp, so they will get their letters later when they come back. 

The children were very excited to receive their letters as well as get their picture taken. The one flaw in my plan was that I was so busy taking pictures that I didn't have the opportunity to take pictures of the children reading their letters. And afterward I was busy translating letters, so again I was not able to take pictures.  Although one child asked me to take a picture with her letter after I translated it and show that to the author of the letter, so I do have that. I want to say a big thank you to Wilkens and Madmwazèl Paulin for their help today. I couldn't have done it with out them. 

Tonight I pray for peace in Port-au-Prince, that no violence or accedents occurs during the carnaval celebrations. I pray for the children tonight as they quickly grow to youth and young adults. That God blesses them, that he watches over them, and gives them his peace and grace. May they grow to be adults that respect and care for their neighbors and each other. Amen. 

Books, Coloring, and Parks

I enjoy walking to and from the guest house to the center. I enjoy the opportunity to say hello, and the few other words of Creole I know, to the people that live in the community around the center. There are people who run the shops along the way, people just starting their day, people walking to work, and the gentleman that has a wood workshop right across from the center who we have hired on past trips to do some work. Part of the mission of the center is to reach out to the surrounding community, and I think this is a great part of the mission. 

The children are on holiday from school this week, so when I arrived at the center this morning they were busy cleaning both the center and themselves (bath day for the boys). I quickly met some of the children and delivered promised hugs on behalf of people who have come before, but did not make it this year. In case you are wondering, they ask about you. 

There is some limited WIFI at the center now, so it is nice to broadcast live via Facebook with the children. I do this In Hope that people that have never visited are able to understand a little more about the center and those that have are sparked with a happy memory. 

I brought some books with me that were donated by some kind people in New England. These are in French which works great for the children as they learn and speak French in school. They were very enthusiastic about the books and they were quickly loaned out youn chak (one each) and shared and read in groups. It was just what they needed. 

As children peeled off the books and were looking for something else to do, I started handing out coloring pages and crayons. When we started doing coloring on trips to the center it was a mad rush and all the crayons were gone within minutes never to be seen again. The children have gotten so much better at taking one crayon at a time and sharing. So much so that after 30 minutes to an hour of coloring I was down only two crayons. Don't get me wrong, some of the boys tried to pull the wool over my eyes, but when caught they are quick to comply with the rules. 

The children continue to love looking at pictures on my phone, of themselves as well as people back in the US. Something did hit me while looking at pictures with them today. I had seen the behavior before, but for some reason it really broke my heart today. There are lots of pictures of people with food on my phone, from dinners out, celebrations, etc. When the children see the pictures of food they always pause, zoom in and sometimes make fake eating noises (yum, yum, munch, munch). These kids really don't get a lot of food. One or two meals a day mostly of corn meal mush, rice and beans. At the park they would eat the small unripe mangos that fell from tree as well as some nuts that fell from a nut tree. Essentially they were scavenging. We, as a country, are so blessed with a bounty and it hurts when you see some with little. Even at camp last night dinner for the kids was bread, butter, and a drink. 

I do want to raise one person up tonight, Maudline Paulin. She is one of the "mommas" at the center, helping to take care of 37 children ages 4 to 16 everyday, 24 hours everyday, all year. Making sure the boys are bathed, braiding the girls hair, taking them to the restroom, correcting when needed, and I imagine it never stops. She does this with kindness and real love to the children. Truly an amazing dedication and ministry of its own. 

So tonight in addition for prayers for the people of Haiti, the children of the center, I pray for Mamma Pauline. I pray that they have the food they need, and that they continue to experience love and grace in the Center Source de Lumiere and its community. Amen. 

Long, but Good Day

After about 17 hours of travel I arrived in Port-au-Prince. The travel started Saturday evening and ended Sunday afternoon. So, I was already pretty tired when I was dropped off at the guest house. I wasn't expecting to do more than shower, eat and sleep. Then as I was getting out of the car the Pastor said that he was going to see the kids tonight at 5 pm and would pick me up. I thought, sounds good, but rather than have him pick me I said I would walk to the center and went inside the guest house. 

As I was settling in I started smelling dinner and wasn't 100% sure they were planning on serving on Sunday evening. I asked about dinner and was told that t would be served at 5pm. I messaged the Pastor, through Wilkens, that I would be late because of dinner and went back to settling in. Which turned into a quick nap. 

At about 4:30 I got up to prepare for the evening when a friend stopped by to chat as he heard I was in town.  Caught me off guard, but good to catch up. As I was lounging around thinking I had some time, in walks Wilkens and says that the Pastor is here to pick me; apparently he missed my text and the ladies in the kitchen had prepared and were just about to start serving dinner. Quick decision: ask my friend if he wanted the meal (yes), headed to the room for a quick change and out to the car. 

The fact that the car was loaded with people, including the Pastor's wife, should have been my first clue, but even this was not too out of the ordinary. But then we headed in the wrong direction and kept going for about 45 minutes. 

Backtrack. The day before I left I learned that some of the older kids from the center were attending a camp (more on that later). So when the Pastor said he was going to visit the kids, he meant those kids, while I thought he meant the kids at the center. So while I was a bit confused and tired this turned out to be a good thing in the end. When in Haiti you have to adjust quickly to circumstances. 

Once a year, 15 or so churches get together and send some of their youth to a camp that is about 45 minutes outside of PaP. Kids come from all over Haiti, including as far away as Cap Haitian. They spend a week worshiping, playing sports, studying the Bible, holding contests, and simply learning and living in the grace of God. It was wonderful to see. Haiti always surprises me. 

Ps you can see more pictures of the camp on the Source of Light Center's Facebook page https://m.facebook.com/centresourcedelumiere/