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Today marked our first full day in Haiti and it was a fantastic one! The day began with breakfast shortly after seven on a beautiful morning. Boats could be seen fishing in the harbor as the sun continued to rise. The temperature was wonderfully moderate as we enjoyed Haitian coffee and a buffet breakfast. A little cat that had befriended the group at dinner the night before returned and everyone was in just good spirits.
After the enjoyable breakfast, everyone piled into the van for the hour long trip to Ouanaminthe where we would be painting a children’s home. We did have to return to the hotel to pick up a water filter so the trip actually started twice. While we waited for Kathy to pick up the water filter, Scott Montgomery grabbed a coconut so that we could try the juice inside. It was delicious. The best description was that it was kind of like watermelon water… almost. The drive over was absolutely beautiful as the sun shone through the scattered clouds. In Cap Haitien, the traffic was a bit more intense than the day before but it was still a lovely day for a drive. People were chattering away as we made our way across the Haitian countryside towards our destination. By my count, it took a bit longer than an hour but that was ok because it was a fun experience.
We finally arrived at the children’s home and it was actually quite quiet. Most of the kids were at school. We got situated and started to figure out the plan for painting. It took a bit for the paint to arrive and then we had to get the paint cans open, which was an adventure in itself. Finally, the paint was open and in pans and we were ready to go!
We painted what was basically the dining room next to the kitchen for this children’s home. The lower quarter had already been painted recently a dark brown so we were responsible for painting the upper parts a tan color. Everyone pitched in and the job was done fairly quickly. As we painted away, a couple of locals put together a table that would end up being where the kids ate lunch. They hammered away at the table while we painted away at the walls.
When the walls inside were done, we moved outside and painted some of the exterior walls a bright yellow color. Once again, we were responsible for painting the higher levels and someone had painted the lower couple of feet a dark brown. Being outside it was easier to see where the paint was really needed and there was certainly a feeling of gratification as we saw our paint clean up the walls of this children’s home.
Once the painting was done, it was play time. Jump ropes and frisbees appeared and fun ensued. Some people played with the jump ropes. Others played with the frisbees. Still others were completely content continuing to play with the iPhones and take pictures. I’m sure that a couple of phones have hundreds of pictures that the owner has no clue were taken at this point. All this to say though, a lot of fun was had and memories made.
After awhile, Doctor Manno arrived with chicken and plantains. There were a couple different types of fried chicken and then also fried plantains. The food was distributed on the now-assembled table as the kids patiently waited. Reliv shakes were also mixed together and poured into cups for each child as well. Once everyone had received both a shake and chicken, it was time for grace. This included a song that seemed to have several verses followed by a group prayer that was said in unison. The amazing part about all of this was that everyone participated and nobody ate their food until after grace was said and they were told it was ok to eat. The kids’ behavior was absolutely amazing!
After lunch, more photos were taken and memories were made and then it was time to head to Bois de Lance. Bois de Lance will always be special to me as it was the first feeding station I went to in Haiti, if memory serves. The road to Bois de Lance isn’t the easiest but it is worth it. As we drove there, we stopped briefly for some refreshments before continuing on.
As we finally got close to Bois de Lance we found ourselves on a dirt road that had LOTS of pot holes. It was definitely an adventure for the driver has he navigated back and forth across this dirt road, attempting to save his tires… and suspension I suspect. This is a road that would be better traveled by horse but there were were in our van, making our way to this small school that also might be a church. As we got nearer, a gentleman pointed at the van and soon he was riding next to me in it. It turns out that he was the pastor of the church/school in Bois de Lance and he was the reason the Reliv Kalogris Foundation feeding center was there. He saw the work being done by the Reliv Kalogris Foundation in Liberale and wanted Bois de Lance to get similar help.
Once we arrived at Bois de Lance there was a bit of a walk to the church/school and then the pastor let us in to look around. It was much like I remembered it, except for the lack of students as there had been before. Apparently they were already done for the day or something. However, this didn’t make this visit any less special. The original girl that was treated by Doctor Manno at Bois de Lance was there and a very touching reunion took place. She had tuberculosis when Doctor Manno met her and he spent a year of his life saving hers. She really impacted him and also how the Reliv Kalogris Foundation developed in this neighborhood. To say it was an emotional reunion would be an understatement.
Finally, it was time to say goodbye to Bois de Lance. After saying our goodbyes, we gave the pastor a ride back to town and then made our way back to Cap Hatien. The day was an incredible day full of many incredible moments. The highlights had to all include the kids and the joy they carry with them, despite the conditions in which they live. Everyone on the trip had something memorable to share from their day. All in all, it was an absolutely fantastic day that I’m sure will be special to everyone who is on this trip.
Tomorrow we are visiting Doctor Manno’s neighborhood, Haut Limbe. We will be visiting a local school, Doctor Manno’s Clinic, and then have lunch at Doctor Manno’s house. After lunch, we will be heading to the another children’s home for an ice cream party. I’m very excited to be seeing all of these things and look forward to sharing with them.
Members of our group are posting on social media with the hashtag #rkfhaiti2017 if you would like to see what we are up to. Hopefully there will be as many memories made tomorrow as there were today. It has been absolutely amazing to see how the Reliv Kalogris Foundation makes a difference, I can’t wait to see what else is in store on this trip!
