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.