Two Days in One Post - July 3 and 4

Here we are again, Beate and Vivienne
You have not heard from us for two days as HATS has been without internet.  

July 3rd.   Another full day at HATS.  

We had visitors at our “clinic” today as well. Poor Djemima, who had just gotten over the Chikungunya virus, was down again with what we feel is a typical flu. So she was laid up on our hospital bed and nurse Beate took care of her, while Ti Luc had Osteo treatment with Dr. Vivienne.

Djemima ill with fever, etc.  Ti Luc getting treatment from our Osteopath therapist

Although school is officially out for the summer, this hasn’t stopped Monsier JJ. So we snuck up on the “teacher” and his obedient students. Sooooooo cute.

School math.  Will JJ someday be a teacher perhaps

We had some chores to do today. First on the list was to spray bomb the nasty bees that start their nests just under the eaves of the houses. If we don’t get them early, they build these humungous nests and these bees are nasty and painful. So who do we hire? Why Beate of course, representing PCO of Haiti (pest control org). With Karen and Vivienne there to cheer me on, I blasted those things right off the roof, and JJ and Moise were there at the bottom waiting to stomp them DEAD! Go team PCO-Haiti.

Our own wasp killer

Next on the list was cleaning the walls of the entire school, since we don’t have the money to paint this year. Leica and Vivienne started at one end, and I, with my team of JJ and Moise, started at the other end. Hmmmm…. No surprise to those who know me… eventually my cleaning team became a mini-school session with an impromptu lesson on how the smallest creatures of our planet can be the most deadliest. “Really?” said the boys. “of course,” Miss Rufft explained “blah blah blah….”

Cleaning the school walls has started

Two hard working happy campers

The teacher in Beate comes out even they are supposed to be working

After all that hard work, the kids each got a special treat from Vivienne’s friends and clients. Can you see where Ti Luc’s surprise is???

We are going to get a ball each

Ti Luc found out why he had not gotten a ball

Next on the list: a quick trip to Costco (AKA Luckner’s store) to get supplies like laundry soap and special cookies for the children in the community who will be at Sunday’s church service. We had a chance to pop up and see Luckner’s radio station. It is an amazing endeavour. With make-shift equipment, he has a professional radio set-up and for the avid FIFA fans, this has been a wonderful treat as the games are played over the radio with play-by-play coverage done by Luckner and some helpers. What is so much more important, is that the radio station is a venue for sending positive messages and teachings to the community.  So, Vivienne and I have also added that to our list to bring next time…radio station equipment (microphones, wires…etc). Anyone have some to spare???????

Okay, we’re signing off for today. Lots more happened of course, but way too much to put in a blog. You will have to just come and experience the wonderful world of HATS for yourself sometime :)

Hugs, Beate and Vivienne

July 4

Big plans today…big excitement today…can you guess? Germany versus France (that’s for Beate)….and Brasil versus Colombia (that’s for the rest of this country)…but we’ll get to that later, as I like to write in chronological order.

Back to the school to finish cleaning the pre-school (the little children have very smudgy fingers and the walls were beautifully decorated with their fingerprints), and the office.

Sitting down on the job

We watched with fascination as Eugene and Merise made this fantastic meal of coconut, tomatoes, cornmeal and oil…oh, and the main spice: rat poison…hmmmmm yummy. Karen never told us about rats! Only tarantulas (haven’t seen one yet, but the boys found a big one the other day and security squashed it). 

Tonight's dinner

The men also chopped down some sugar cane for the kids to suck on. Vivienne, who has had it before, tried it again…me…nah…

Sugarcane from our garden

The kids were super excited to watch a video this afternoon since it was way too hot to be outside. By the way, have you noticed that we have not once complained about the heat this time around? Or the music that’s played nightly (roosters, horns, dogs???). Okay so today, Vivienne checked the temperature: 38 degrees inside the house and 46 degrees outside. As we write this blog (8:00 pm) it’s 30 degrees inside YIKES.

The craziest time today though was watching the Brasil vs Colombia game. Luckner has a t.v. set up in an open room (second floor of his business and outside Radio Creole). We guessed that about 200 Haitians and 3 Canadians were there to see the action. HOT…oh boy, it was like a sauna. But, wow, the energy was amazing. People cheering and chanting and banging. We had Ti Luc, JJ, Moise and Vladimy with us. We have never sweat so much by just standing still. Anyway, Brasil won and the crown spilled into the little street (more like a laneway) and no riots, just singing and yelling.

Two white faces among the mass of chocolate ones

Brasil, Brasil, Brasil

We got home in time to eat a quick delicious meal prepared by the wonderful Germaine, bathe Ti Luc and now whip up this blog so we can all have showers…man, we need them bad J It’s pouring rain at the moment which is such a blessing.

We want to run down to see the kids before bed too. Good Night one and all…

So, Vivienne and i shared too many scary stories. We heard creepy noises and asked "momma" Karen if we could bunk with her. Vivienne wanted a knife for protection, not reailzing a Haitian knife is a wee bit bigger!

No fear - For protection machette, knife and iPad

Vivienne and Beate