Haiti

I went to Haiti for a week.... YEA HAITI??! The same place that I gathered 30,000 water bottles and sent after the earthquake. Haiti has held a special place in my heart for several years. I never imagined in my wildest dream I would ever get go there.  I met the most impressionable lady, she was helping organize people to go to Haiti with a non-profit organization and she invited me to go with this group of mostly high school kids and some contractors. I would only need to pay for my flight, gather needed donations, and bring all my own food. I would have to worry about my board because we would be staying at an orphanage. OH I WANTED TO GO! I didn't know what to do, I wanted to go so bad but they were going in 4 weeks and I didn't have the money. Plus I would have to run this by my husband because if we found enough money for me to go, we certainly would not have enough money for him to go with me. I had this burning desire to go sooo bad! I knew I would do whatever it took to get there! Not to mention, Haiti is not the safest country. I attended a meeting where I found out the most needs at the orphanage, what precautions to we would need to take to keep us safe, what we should pack for our food, and how scary it is there! None of the scary stuff got to me! I knew if I went we would be just fine and I knew the organizers would make sure we would be safe! I had full confidence in it all! I also knew there was a reason I was introduced to this organization and I thank God I was! My sweetheart of course supported me in this adventure and so the fund raising commenced! I live in the most generous community! I was overwhelmed by the generous out-pouring of support! Let the adventure begin! I signed very specific paperwork that I would agree to not post pictures of the orphan children's faces publicly. So I am happy that my camera made a lot of pictures blurry so others can see how amazing my trip was and I tried to post only side profiles! Most of the relief we brought to Haiti was all the supplies that we took that they would not be able to get otherwise! Let the adventure begin!

Our fun group! I made so many friends! 

Breathtaking flight! 

Flying into Porte Prince

All of our luggage with our  donations. 

The humidity hit me like a ton of bricks! This is us trying to get through customs. We paid someone to get us through with no problems. 3 of us got stopped,  including me, sometimes it can be a hassle to get through so  I ended up repeatedly saying that all of the stuff was for an orphanage. And they only ended up looking through 1 tote out of the 10 we had. Yippie!!

We were picked up in an awesome flat bed truck and a jeep. I wanted to sit on the back of the truck so bad but there was only so much room because of all the luggage, so I rode in the jeep. I later did not feel bad because our 20 mile drive turned into a 4 hour excursion! And those on the back of the truck were sooo hot! We were also hot and sweeting like pigs in the jeep too but the sun was not beating down on us! We met the nicest people, our guide Mimose, and our driver Carlos! Oh my, I love these two already!

Haiti has no trash system and so the people have no other choice but to just throw the trash out where they can. 

Hatians don't like their pictures taken without permission, they have a sense of pride and want to look good/nice, just like we would, I tried not to photograph the people but tried to focus on the situation if I took a picture!
 I am taking these photos of the electricity lines, most will throw a wire over the line and bring electricity to their house for free. The wires get overloaded in areas and end up looking like a rats nest. SOOO Scary!      

Most homes/businesses are all partially finished.  There is no such thing as a loan, so people only build what they can when they have money. There is also no building codes. Scary thought! 

The traffic was horrendous! No RULES free for all. No traffic lights, no stop signs, no speed limit.... nothing! And surprisingly it did not scare me! We had an awesome driver that was always looking out for our safety. It was INSANE! 

People are very creative on their security and the price is right! On this wall around a home and instead of  barbed-wire, it has glass bottles that were just broken off with sharp glass poking up, cemented into the top of the wall!
OUCH This was very typical.

We ran out of gas, so the boys helped push the jeep to a gas station. Carlos our driver was embarrassed! This was a better solution! And so many Haitians laughed at us!

WE made it to a Market! There are guards with machine guns. EEK! This particular market had imported american food, but way more expensive. I found out right away that the coke that is bottled in Haiti is cheaper than water! Best cold gatorade that I have ever tasted, mainly because it was flavored and cold. 

They use Goud currency. About 44 goud equals $1 American dollor. They use paper and coins. At most markets you can give them american money and they will give you change in goud. I am holding about a $11.  Some stores will tell you the total and they will hold your groceries while you go exchange the money from a banker in the store. Most Haitians don't actually shop at the stores we went to, they can't afford to. I believe the living wage for an average Haitian is $4 a week and about 75%-90 are unemployed. Haitians will also not take any US currency that has tears.

It was so hot there, and people were selling ice cold water in little bag along the street. This gentleman has a cooler type thing on his head that he keeps them in and pulls out a few at a time. Generally you should not buy water off of the street because it may be questionable. 

Happiest view after a long drive! This is the orphanage we would be staying at! Home Sweet Home!  It looked like a mansion compared to every other building in Haiti. It was three stories tall! And more rooms than you could count. We were in a little compound with double gates. Super safe and then we were also locked into the orphanage.  This particular orphanage was built by contractors from Utah. 

Another wall of protection.

Ali and her mom Janet were happy to see this guy! (I am hoping Janet does not mind! My iphone pictures were not the greatest so you can't see him well! But I will have to say, he is adorable and is sooo sweet!
This was right as we arrived and the first time of many special moments that I had a lump in my throat. I honestly knew if I let myself cry, I would never stop! 

A local Haitian comes and gives dance lessons! They can DANCE! 

Who really knew that a smile was so universal. Haitians are extremely kind and loving! If you smile and wave, they will smile and wave back graciously. The language barrier is HARD! I guess I need to get a studying! So far I can say:
Alo: Hi
Mesi: thankyou
Mwen Rele Michelle: My name is Michelle
Pa dekwa: your welcome

The kids flock to you and won't leave your side!  We could not communicate but they didn't care! We just shared our LOVE! 

They were a bit taken back when we jumped in and danced with them and we actually knew the dance. They were doing a typical line dance, just not to country music as I am familiar with. SO FUN

These beauties became my roomies. Telsha and Maggie! They for some reason thought I was funny and would laugh themselves asleep! crazy girls! 

Our home! This was our own balcony that no orphans were allowed up there so we could eat without guilt,  relax, and cry in peace. Now the whole no orphans rule never was follow! It was sooo hard to say no!
It was SOOO hot! Sun block and bug spray became my best friend! I only had a little sun-block, and no one in Haiti even knows what it is! I tried to buy some! 

We spent one night holding and adoring the babies! OH my gosh!

We got our hair done! 

Even the boys! 

These girls are amazing at doing hair! I did not even know a white-girl's hair could even braid like this! Oh and it hurt! They showed no mercy! 

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These girls were SOOO excited to get underclothing! Such a need and yet they don't have access to get any supplies, unless donated! 

We dug a hug hole, lined it with a big tarp and made a slip in slide/pool. This did come to haunt us latter when we used all the water at the orphanage and so there was no water to shower. Oh and about that shower! I am so happy to know that the orphanage has clean water, we didn't drink it to err on the side of caution.  The shower had a string you would pull and water would come out. It was all cold but after a long hot day, a nice cold shower felt soooo good! You can see in the back ground there is a dirt field, this is the kids soccer field. They play barefoot and are AWESOME! 

We set up an easter egg hunt and split it into age groups! It was fun!

Maggie going to find a little girl who will LOVE this backpack! 

Delivering supplies! 

These kids idolize Carols and Mimose! There is sooo much LOVE! 

Fun little place for the toddlers!

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Littles heading off to dinner! This is their nanny that is taking them! 

CUTENESS! They all close their eyes and offer and memorized prayer together! 

My secret service:
I went into the kitchen at night and did dishes for the kids. Every child washes their plate and spoon after they eat. But I greeted them at the sink and washed for them. They eat rice and bean mush. The cafeteria is kind of off limits for us because they want the kids to eat and most kids would skip their only meal to play with us. So I just hid and washed. By the time they saw me, They were all done eating. I am not going to tell the others because 1person is ok to do dishes but more will be a big deal and the kitchen help probably wont like it.

I look forward to doing the dishes every night!!! Shhhhhh

I tried singing I am a child of God to the toddlers as I was rocking them to sleep at night. I could only get out: I am a ch.... I started to choke up. Soooo.. I just kissed and loved on them instead!!! It is sooo heart breaking to see so many kids who wanted to be loved! It broke my heart when they would call me Mom, they know that white females come here to adopt.

On our way to a metal market. This is where they make items that are made out of metal! AMAZING work! The LDS church is by the shops too! That is the church that the orphans can attend if they want to! They have to have church clothes though. Boys have to have black pants with white shirts. 

I got my hair done a 2nd time! These kids like their hair to look nice. If you have any imperfection on your body, they will let you know;) Glad to know someone has my back;) My camera is not that bad but I could not communicate to them they had to hold the camera still! I am happy that I am able to share photos! 

Bunk beds were donated to the orphanage so it is SOOO nice that they have somewhere nice to sleep. We also slept on the bunk beds, or tried to! Almost unbearable to sleep when it is zoo HOT! 

Most know how much I hate shoes and especially tying them! These little kids wanted to tie my shoes every time they saw them undone! I was impressed! 

Off to school! Aren't their uniforms CUTE! 

We went to a work site and shoveled massive amounts of rocky dirt! This was a dejavu'  of working with Habitat for 3 years! HARD work!  

BEST CHERRY COKE EVER! IT WAS COLD and worth $1!

Here is an idea of what Haiti looks like!

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I could have died because of cuteness.  Every night After diner I spent the evening holding littles until it was their turn to get their hair done. The nannies would make sure each and everyone's hair looked nice! These girls are 3 and they are taking each others hair out. They don't do each others hair but they can braid! So cute!! 

Playing Chinese Jumprope! These children are really happy at this orphanage, they honestly don't know any different. One little girl has written on a paper and taped it to her wall, Chrysla Loves Orphanage. 

We got to walk the kids to school! SOOO fun! 

This is the kids school! I was impressed. They attend a private school that they have to find donors to help they continue to attend. 

Painting!! 

These kids would have done anything to be near us! 

I was in LOVE with this little one! She is 4 and shortly after I left haiti I found out she was adopted! I bitter-sweet moment! 

Getting my hair done for the third time! It took several hours and they have no idea what a brush is!
They only use combs! My butt hurt so bad, it was tingly-numb. And my scalp was raw because she scraped every dry skin off! 

I actually have psoriasis and everyone at the orphanage, kids and adults, would scrap my dry flakey scalp.  Since my scalp was not used to being in tight braids they also had sores on it too. 

Biggest teat for the kids! Clean out the food pans after diner.

They scrape the rice pan out, put it all into the broth pan and mop up what is left, then top it off in the bean pan! Surprisingly it was really good! 

Cute SKINNNY cat! 

Oh this girl! We tried so hard to communicate! We enjoyed each others company, I can't explain the instant bond we had and yet we couldn't communicate. Initially we figured out we are the same age, she has a 4yr old daughter and I was married! We had a spanish guy that work at the orphanage come talk to us too. I speak way more spanish than french, she spoke more spanish that english, and he spoke french and spanish!  Our conversation was humorous if anybody was to listen.

We seriously had so much fun and I did jump on the blob and bounced someone off! 

Eating conch. Weird and a little rubbery

GORGEOUS beach! I seriously did not want to swim because I am a WHITEY and I was out of sun screen. I even went as far as wearing a shirt! 

Missing my sweetheart this day! I was able to skype hime! 

We brought all the donations in totes and then handed out locks to some of the kids.
They will be able to keep their personal items locked up! 

Painting nails with the polish that we brought! 

Handing out little satchels full of jewelry, oh the kids were happy!

Sending the littles to school! Saddest time of my whole trip! I had a hard time leaving!
I will be back! I may even bring a few home with me this time! The night before we left and was snuggling with some little toddlers and I started singing I am a child of God and before I knew it, they were signing it in Creole and I was stunned that they knew it and they were surprised I could sing along with them. This single instant proved to me that God LOVES each and every child! He knows them by name and knows what they are going through! This orphanage is not forgotten! Oh how God is good and all LOVING! 

Until we meet again HAITI!