HAITI

Well here they are!! The Pictures from Haiti!! I didn't take a lot actually. But here are a few to get a glimpse of our trip. I am sorry it took so long to put them up.

It was such an amazing and exhausting trip it took a month just to recover. We had a long flight and then a long drive to his city. Haiti is unique. Having been to another country before I didn't experience any culture shock, but it was different. His family was waiting for us on the porch when we arrived at there home late that night. They barely speak english but it was so fun to meet them and finally get to know the people the Georges grew up with.

Ahh! I started this in the beginning of February and now its the end. So first to start with the Weather. It was gorgeous!! Cooler in the morning and evenings. It got pretty warm around 10 until 2 so I was usually packing up to drive 10 minutes to the beach to cool off every day!! We explored different beaches along the coast. One night we drove a couple of hours to another city where we stayed with a friend and went to the beautiful white sanded beach you see in the pictures. The water was so clear and blue and warm. Simon loved it. They serve fresh grilled fish right on the sand to you and it was to die for!! If you don't like fish you would have loved this stuff!! Served with fried Plantain and a spicy salad mix and we were in heaven!!

Most nights we were at home with his family and cousins. They sit on the porch and talk and talk. I don't speak Creole (yet) so I usually buried myself in a book watching them interact. Georges was so happy! All the adopted children and cousins love him! His Mother owns a small elementary school in there city and there are about 6 small children that she has taken in to her home to feed and take care of. She has also taken in 2 0r 3 cousins. They all help around the house and the girls cook meals all day.

The first two mornings we woke to the sound of a rooster abnoxiously crowing at 5 am. We ate him for dinner the next night!! They were so excited to have us there they would have breakfast on the table every morning when we got up and dinner on the table waiting every day. Mostly ate rice and chicken (rooster), but we had some beef, and goat in there some times. On New Years they stay up all night preparing and cooking a traditional squash soup. you eat it all the next day. It was a bummer though because I was so sick that I couldn't taste it much. But the meat was so tender. I am sure it boiled for 5 hours or more!!

So here is the fun part. There is no running water and the electricity is only turned on after 7 at night until 2 or 3 in the morning. I really had no use for the blowdryer. Thats why we had to go to the beach everyday. There was no AC or fans to cool you down. The Car AC was a miracle worker at times.

Now here is the bad part. We got sick the whole time. First with Simon, then me, then Georges. For only the first 2 days and last 2 days were we normal. Simon got a 102 fever for 3 days. We took him to a Doctor to get medicine. It was this little old room in a small building. He checked him out, gave us some bottles of who knows what and some prescriptions to pick some more up at the store down the street. I said my prayers and put my trust in the Lord. I have to admit it was scary for me. I broke down a couple of times. Even after his fever broke, he refused to eat for 4 days. At that time, i came down with the fever. Georges gave me a blessing and I got better faster. It was nothing I had ever experienced. Our illness made us stay at home for the most part. We didn't go on all the adventures we had originally planned, but that gave us even more time to be with his family and play. When Simon was up from his naps he would run around outside chasing the chickens and goats. A lot of the toys we brought for him were enjoyed by the kids. I think we left most of them there.

Almost every morning they would take the car down the street and fill up a dozen containers of water from a drinking spout and bring it home for bathing and cooking. We bathed by pouring buckets of water over our heads. After a couple of cold bathes, I had Georges request some boiled water for me. Only when it was mid day could I enjoy the cooler water. It worked well to bring the fevers down though!

I was so excited to have warm running water and electricity when I got home. Not that I didn't know before hand, but 10 days of "camping" and you look forward to civilization again. It was an adventure. Considering everything, Simon was amazing. We finally got nourishment down him with these drinks called sport shakes. He would have one for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and the day before we left he started to have baby food again. He loved the airplanes of course. And thanks to his favorite blankie he slept 90% of the time. We slept probably half. Not bad though right? I got motion sickness bad though. The drive from his city to the capitol consists of a windy road high on the mountain tops. Back and forth, back and forth. And then on the planes. Up and down. Up and down. I was nauses. Great Memories thought for sure! I hope I haven't been boring. I am grateful for the opportunity to go. I learned and experienced so much. But it makes me really appreciate our home and the life we have in America. We truly are all spoiled here. I believe our trials come in different forms and are just as difficult as theirs, but I can not imagine carrying my groceries on my head for miles, or eating a meal hopefully once a day. Even though I could benefit from cutting a few meals out! It breaks your heart to see the children so skinny and sick. But they are a strong people!!! They have strong souls! Their way of life is all they know and they make the best of it. Every night people go out to enjoy it. After a hards day work they love to celebrate life by dancing.

Here we have so many opportunities. Especially with education. Georges told me that he ran into an old classmate that excelled in school, but is doing the same old thing he did 5 years ago because there is not a college nearby or any money to send him away to one. We will never fully understand the blessings we experience here. Even in this economic crisis where 30% of the population are unemployed, there are %70 in Haiti without jobs. We have no idea. It makes me so happy for Georges to have had the opportunity to come to America and go to school. I am so grateful that I met him, have Simon and that we can bless the lives of his family in Haiti.

I express gratitude to my Stepfamily for the contributions they are making every month to his family there and know how much it means to them.

Georges and I hope one day to start a school or orphange. I am sure that I will one day be adopting one of those precious children.

We all came back healthy and happy. A successful trip. Can't wait for more!!!