Thank you Don and the Newfie team

Don was wounded in a ski doo accident some time before coming but was able to lead the team anyway as long as he promised to take it easy and not try to lift anything.  When he walked out of the airport in Port au Prince I was scared and upset when I saw him.  He was in bandages, including a tensor bandage, a sling, several bandaids on his face and hands.  His glasses looked taped to his face.  He was a mess.  I was scared to hug him so kissed his hand instead.  A short time later when loading the suitcases and tubs into the bus, to head to the mission, I saw that he looked much better  - he had his arm in a sling only.  He had been successful in greatly startling me and so removed all the extra things he had put on to do so.  I had been had. (I have a good memory so he will be had next.)   Despite his not being in top shape and having to accept lots of help from his team members he was Mr. Komic and it was a  successful week.   Thank you Don for coming and bringing the team in spite of pain and limitations.

The old couple who were left behind onsite

The rest of the team members arrived with a different problem,  not immediately noticable like Don's, but it did somewhat affect their week at HATS.  They all got sunburned in Miami enroute to Haiti and suffered because of it.  HATS now has a new rule for teams coming here - "stay out of the sun enroute."

The temperatures were quite high with a lot of humidity which zaps our energy and strength so it was extremely difficult on the team members.  Despite injuries and the intense heat and humidity they kept going and doing everything they could.  (By the way team members - the temperatures and humidity kept continuing to rise and yesterday with temperatures in high forties we were all in a total 'zombie state'.

Don and Luckner

Despite the injuries and the sunburn we did have a great week.  I was thrilled to have a team from my home town, Springdale, and surrounding area.  How very special is that!

Thank you Emma for returning to HATS-Haiti.  Thank you for being Don's co leader (his right hand man).  Thank you for helping show others the ropes and taking pressure off me.  Thank you for your immense love for Ti Luc.  Thank you for EVERYTHING!  Thank you for being you.

Emma aka Trouble 1 typing the blog

Ti Luc loves his special friend Emma

Thank you Cavelle for coming and joining in with everything.  Thank you.  Your getting here to the mission was a long time in the making and I am very glad you made it.  You supported behind the scenes for many years.  Finally you made it.   Thank you for your great photography skills.  No doubt you have a lot of gorgeous photos.   Thank you, too, for writing the second part of the poem you did for me 18 years ago "The Other Side" which I posted in a blog not long before you came.  I will be putting this new one in a blog soon too.

Cavelle aka Trouble 2

Alycia, I thank you also for coming back.  We are certainly glad you did.  You are a very special young woman who we will be waiting to see again next spring.  You are fun and easy to have around.  Thank you for accepting us all and helping everywhere possible.  Thank you for being a fantastic godmother (marenn) to Dieunel.  He is a blessed little boy and a very happy one because he has not only sponsors but also a godmother who loves him.

Alycia resting on the cement floor

Holly, this was meant to be your time to come!!  Thank you for coming.  Thank you for accepting everything and everyone as you did, on the compound and off.  Thank you for your encouragement.  It means a lot.  You, too, are a special young lady and  you were an important part of this team. Thank you for ordering people around because you cared for me and wanted to be sure I was safe.  You make a great sergeant, Holly.  A career in the military perhaps??

Holly

Doreen, I am really glad you came. Thank you.  It is a very long time ago that you told me in church (Living Waters) in Springdale that someday you would come down and help.  You did just that and we are blessed because you did.  Thanks so much for making it happen.  Thanks for helping in many ways, for teaching cross stitching to my boys as well as to the girls and Lois.  Thank you for your encouragement and prayer.  Both were greatly appreciated.

Doreen

Doreen with Karen's Ugly Stick

Sarah and Stephen, I put you together as you are a couple - two special individuals who have joined as one.  Recently married you had a honeymoon different than most couples - you chose to come to Haiti.  You gave of yourselves to the children and others, took part in everything you could, slept in separate mosquito tents on the roof with the other team members.  You were very easy to have around and most helpful.  I thank you both for choosing to do this as your honeymoon.  Hopefully you took special memories of your time here away with you.

Sarah with Anne and Sandra

Stephen with team leader, Don

On behalf of the children, the employees (especially Germaine), the Reimers, and Luckner, I say  THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU.

HATS truly is    ALL  ABOUT  THE  CHILDREN.    Thanks for your parts in making it thus.
Karen

By Emma and Cavelle - Trouble 1 and Trouble 2

Bonjou. Jodi se yon bon dimanch matan…and we wish we could share the magnificent sunrise that greeted Haitians this morning.  Then again, you experienced it as it greeted our wonderful Newfoundland family and friends this morning. As we prepare for church, we are alive with anticipation.

A little recap from some activities of yesterday. Yesterday, Karen’s camo-short for camouflage and really I am being sarcastic. I can only liken it to the excited faces of children decorating the route of Downtown St. Johns anxiously awaiting the guy in the white beard and bright red suit. A white truck filled with 9 vanilla wonders journeyed to Deschapelles where Hospital Albert S. is located. It was absolutely amazing.

Then after another wonderful meal served by our fabulous cooks, we headed to the market in Verrettes. We left the compound-our Wall of Love, and landed in Discovery Channel’s Sea of clothing, chicken, goats, jewelry, sausage, veggies and anything else one can imagine.

At the market

We were then taken to the parking lot to have our photo taken among the machin yo. (donkeys)

Parking lot of the market

And now a soccer story. I, Cavell, decided to play soccer with the children yesterday. I kicked the ball twice. The first time I placed the ball on the foot of an opponent and assisted on his goal. And then on my second kick, I sprained my ankle. Ouch! I know very little about soccer – hockey is my expertise. I am a Canadian fan so I have a dear friend who will surely state that I know little about hockey as well.

While part of our team enjoyed their market experience, those of us left at the compound distributed more gifts of food into grateful hands. Echoes of mesi anpil (thank you very much) rang throughout the compound.

Food for their families

Later this afternoon we enjoyed a memorable fashion show!! Each girl in the compound received a fancy new dress for church. We decided that Karen may never have to worry about electricity again for the smiles on their faces were bright enough to light up all of the country! AS each name was called the girls would come forward and quickly run off to put on their new dresses. Coming out on the catwalk beaming brightly and blushing with pleasure over the ooos and ahhhhs received from the audience. All prepared to wear their precious garment to church in the morning!!! Our evening ended with devotions, sharing a delicious (did I mention it was delicious) mango cake made by the lovely Lois, and a visit to the rooftop with the older kids(no, not the goats). We were amazed at the beauty of the stars in the clearness of the dark night and sat in wonderful silence in awe of the our celestial light show.

Anne & Karena

Josie in her new pink dress with Emma

It is morning again and a beautiful one!! Ti Luc asked Emma to feed him breakfast but much to her dismay she hadn’t placed the bananas, peanut butter and nutuella in the right places on the plate!!! My oh my, still so much to learn. I hope we don’t miss church because of this. Trouble #2 will have to deliver the message if we do and that would surely interfere with her photography!!!!

What an awesome church service we had! Many of the school children and their families as well as staff came to join us for worship. Our team choose the selection “he’s got the whole world in his hands” to sing as our selection. Emma’s message relayed that no matter how big or small, short or tall to Jesus it doesn’t matter at all. It was based on the story of Zacceaus and Karen translated into Creole. Much singing and prayer were blended with the children’s music groups to make for a memorable morning. Each person was treated to candy and a drink as they left the service.

Our church service

Sandra sleeping in Rose Lore's arms in church

We headed home to prepare the children for their Sunday treat!!! We all piled in the truck and headed to Papa Luckner’s to enjoy cookies and juice. Na we pita (see you later ).

Alycia with godson Dieunel

soccer uniforms made especially for a group

Two team members in uniforms

We spent a relaxing and fun afternoon before having to prepare to leave in the morning. We will go with heavy hearts that have been forever changed and the motto – “It is All About The children” resonating in our minds. We hope you have been blessed by our blogs this week as much as we have been blessed by doing them!!!

Blog by Doreen and Don

Friday morning, all Orphanage children, staff and us attended early devotions in the Compound because that would be our last chance for us all to meet together for early morning service. Then the students all dashed off to school and we scurried around at some small jobs. Some checked with the House Mothers to see what they could help with, and whenever possible to play with the younger children ie dinkies, swinging, hugging, ball, other wee kiddies games, hugging again………….

Our young bicycle club minus Jonathan

Later in the morning we went to the school for the recess period, and to see some soccer that is usually played during that time.  We toured the high school classes with Karen and we all met Luckner  -  he is the Principal of HATS School and Assistant Director of HATS Mission.

Grade 9 class

Introduction to the School Kitchen and Staff found us helping serve dinner to the students. This may be the only meal that they get to eat today .

Grade 8 students being served

The goats that were purchased by Canadians have arrived and are being given to fortunate families throughout Deschapelles.

The goats have arrived

Cavelle

Goat gift for a student

Gift of a goat

The kids like the goats

Too, food that we have previously bagged for needy families was distributed.  Back at our quarters we enjoyed, as usual, a delicious dinner prepared by our cooks.

Thank you HATS for the food

That  afternoon brought another host of activities ,ie painting the girls’ house, a project that was started by an earlier Team.   Brushes, rollers, ladders etc the Canadian beavers went into action. Before supper we entertained ourselves practicing for our big singing debut at Radio Creole FM 104.7.

Team at Radio Creole

Here we are; all looking like the good old Newfoundland Labrador choir we have deemed ourselves to be, very professional, as we squeeze ourselves into Luckner’s small studio. Renditions of I’se the bye, Salt water joys, He’s a peach of a Saviour,  I’ve got the joy joy joy joy down in my heart ,Our Newfoundland, with Emma singing a special, Karen crying in the background (for Newfoundland) and Emma trying to keep her choir in tune .

 Back at Karen’s it took us a while to settle down before going to bed, discovering all snorers’ tents moved to the top floor we had a great laugh, but he who laughs last laughs loudest. Soon we heard screams coming from certain bunks, (we’re blaming it on Karen) rubber snakes, fuzzy spiders etc were hastily tossed out.                                                      

Money in Haiti is called Gouds.  8 gouds equals 1 American $.  Bag of chips 5 gouds, bottle of drink 5 gouds, pack of biscuits 7 gouds.  EXPERIENCING HAITI, PRICELESS.                                                                       

Doreen & Don signing off

Stephen and Sarah's (Misure et Madam's) Blog for Thursday May 2nd.

To start off the day we had a wonderful breakfast of fruit and cereal. The weather was hot and beautiful today, as it has been every other day (No below zero here).

After breakfast we unpacked and sorted the totes filled with supplies from the gracious donations made by many. YAY!

A room filled with donations from Newfoundlanders for people in our area

Shorty after we went over to the HATS school and served the children snacks for recess. The children's laughter and sweet voices filled the school walls.

Alycia enjoying time with her sponsored child during recess

We then had a little rest to hydrate and recoup. We were quickly put to work and started painting the Girls House (Kay Timbermart). Together we quickly refreshed the paint job on the house and hope to finish it early tomorrow morning to beat the heat. Many hands make light work. (NB A new coat of paint for this place was started by Liette & Rick in March - now being finished by this team.)

New paint job for Kay Timbermart

For Dinner we had Goat and 'kalalou' sauce (kalalou is okra) with rice and bean sauce, The goat tastes alot like MOOSE for you Newfies reading. (Yes Mom Hobbs, I did eat it).

We then gathered all the children and staff into the Boy's Homes old kitchen and hid from Ti Luc and Karen to surprise them upon their arrival from Port Au Prince. You should have seen their faces!

After that we picked out small gifts for each of the children (2 outfits of clothes and a toy) from the supplies that were donated. Each Child received a gift- the joy and excitement was Phenomenal.

Girls happy with new dresses

New duds for the boys too

Before Supper we had a MANGO Eating Contest. And Boy was it a tasty mess of fun!! In the blink of an eye supper was here! Haitian Macaroni and cheese, Yummy and very different from Moms )Haha).

Mango eating contest

A special lady at her best

JJ loves his mangos and loves to laugh

Not long after supper we played with the children and then attended devotions. We all sing- Although we struggle with Creole we are starting to catch on to some songs. (often times finding ourselves humming them throughout the day). Each child has their own time to sing individually- SO PRECIOUS!!

While attempting to write this blog 3 nut cases/old folks (Cavell, Emma and Doreen) decided to sing I'se Da B'ye for us! Oh MY, Silly Newfies we are!!

The three nutcases

Best Honey Moon EVER! (Even though we are sleeping in separate tents)

All of our lives are FOREVER changed.

Bon Nwit.

Wednesday, May 1st Blog - Celebrating Haiti’s National Holiday

Hello all, Holly and Alycia here – the youngins of the group! Today is a national holiday in Haiti; it is basically similar to Labor Day in Canada. Therefore, we were able to play with the children all day as they didn’t have to attend school! Yay!

First of all, we should recap the events of last night as they were quite interesting to say the least. As we all settled down for the night upstairs in our tents, we heard a big crash followed by a door slam and a shriek from Karen “GET OUT OF HERE NOW”. Needless to say, we were in a panic as we did not know what was happening downstairs. Holly quickly changed into a sergeant, ordering one-armed Don out of his tent and down over the stairs to check out the commotion while also demanding Cavell to calm down and stay put!  When Don returned in a laughing fit, he explained that Karen had accidently knocked down a glass picture frame in her room causing the big crash.

Then she was bombarded by some unwanted critters causing her to yell and run into her bathroom and slam her door! HAHA! Holly quickly turned off sergeant mode while we all had a laugh. This morning we had a great laugh over breakfast with Lois, Brad and Kaeli and last night’s events have been the running joke of the day. Our day was relaxing, due to the holiday and the boss lady being away for the day with Ti Luc.(Karen and Ti Luc were overnighting in Port au Prince and attending a lovely party hosted by the Vice-Consul of the Canadian Embassy for a Volunteer Newfoundland Medical Team and others from the Embassy.)

After breakfast, Brad led us on a tour of the entire compound.

After lunch, Doreen, Kaeli and Lois sat down with the older girls to continue their cross-stitch project. Moise and JJ wanted to join and learned quickly. Everyone is fully enjoying this new craft!

The afternoon brought us a vibrant game of soccer in the school courtyard. The players included Brad, Steven, Moise, JJ, Sarah, Peter, and Vlademy. They had a great bunch of spectators/cheerleaders who loved watching them play!

While the soccer game was taking place, the little ones were occupied by parachute games with Cavell, Doreen and Lois.

Then, the children had a great time playing with a brand new hoola hoop that Cavell had given them.

After another wonderful supper prepared by the lovely staff here at HATS, we were put to work for a short while portioning cooking oil. These will be included in the food packages that will be distributed to families in the community.

When 6:30 p.m. hit, we all gathered outside for devotions. It is always wonderful to hear the children sing, especially the wee little ones Jonathan and Sandra! It melts our hearts every time!

Before bed time, everyone had barrels of fun goofing around and playing little games with the children. Peter and Moise teamed up on Holly in a water fight, ending in Holly walking back to the house soaking wet. Haha! She’s already planning her attack for tomorrow!

Our heads are soon hitting the pillows as we are exhausted from a relaxing, yet fun filled day! We are excited for Karen and Ti Luc to return tomorrow as we have missed them a lot today!

Holly & Alycia

Hello Friends

Trouble and Double Trouble!!! Before beginning tonight's blog I want to tell you about the big surprise we received upon our arrival in Port Au Prince. After relating to the team about the rugged conditions of the arrivals area of the airport, we walked off the plane to a beautiful brand spanking new terminal!! I was absolutely speechless!!!I know what you are thinking but hey,anythings possible isn't it?

We began our morning at 6:00 after listening to natures choir serenade us through the night. Whoever thought roosters were important and only crow at morning, needs a good talking to. However it did not keep us away from a great breakfast prepared for us by our awesome H.A.T.S. kitchen staff. Then it was off to devotions with the staff and school children. What a joy to see how faith plays such a vibrant part of the beginning of the school day. Maybe there is a lesson to be learned in this for many educators.

School devotions

Recess proved to be thrilling for us all as our own Stephen Hobbs showed the students that Newfies are awesome soccer players!! The applause from the bystanders was deafening!!! Way to go Stephen!

Newfie soccer player Stephen

Not to be outdone, the remainder of the team prepared and served nutritional drinks to the eagerly awaiting children. The looks on each little face were filled with so much joy, we fought to hold back tears. Something so small but yet so big in their eyes. Aren't we blessed?

Alycia & Holly serving nutritional drink

Nurse Sarah patching up a soccer player

Doreen and Emma

Lunchtime saw us who are sponsors having the opportunity to meet our sponsor children and bond a little before presenting them with gifts brought from Canada. Would have melted the coldest of hearts and even brought tears to a glass eye. We travelled by HATS Tap Tap to Luckner's shop to purchase supplies, mainly drinks to keep us well hydrated as we aren't really used to this weather. Going from 1 degree to 35-40 can be a little trying on the system.

Alycia and sponsored student Kimberly

Emma and her sponsored student Carla

Stephen & Sarah with their student Bervalie

Cavelle with her student Frantz

HATS TapTap leaving Luckner's business

Arriving back at the compound, we attacked the huge bags of rice and beans and cornmeal and bagged them equally to be distributed to families in the village. We quickly learned that a Newfoundland cup and a Haitian cup are different in size. The latter being more generous!!! What fun we had.

Measuring the food for distribution

While some of us choose to walk with Karen, others played with the children. Some of the older girls were treated to a needlepoint class given by our talented Doreen Canning. Holly got a lesson too!!

Doreen teaching needlepoint

After a delicious supper of pumpkin soup, we participated in evening devotions with the children and staff and showed off some of our musical abilities!! And now folk' it's time to hit the rooster' oops I mean the hay!! Bon nwit zanmi nou yo!!  God Bless you all as we have been blessed!