My last blog in Haiti

As we walked across the compound this evening to say good-bye to the kids, I turned to Mariah and said "wow, I just can't believe that we are leaving tomorrow." I know that's what we all feel after an adventure of any sort, or even after a week at work. But this time, I really can't put my mind to the fact that I have only spent such a short time here at HATS, yet feel like I have known Karen and Mariah...the kids...the team...forever. Especially Karen. I love her to bits, and feel such a strong bond with her. It is a wonderful thing to meet someone and truly connect in all kinds of ways. We have shared many, many laughs, joys and even some tears this week (that's not news for Beate's friends...but guess what? Karen's the same way....ha ha ha ha...I love it!).
And Mariah's always there to hand out the "Disses." I'm sure we will never look at pancakes the same way again...thanks Mariah for catching my mistake (confusing 6 tablespoons of baking soda with 6 tablespoons of baking powder!). Imagine serving that up to Karen's next team of workers!!!!
I have been so fortunate to have had quite a few unexpected off compound experiences here such as going to the market; going to the bank; visiting neighbours and friends and today we went to the river for a wonderful swim...23 kids and 5 adults plus a huge pot of rice and beans....chicken legs....drinks...plates etc. all piled into two trucks...quite comfortably, I might add :) Karen wanted to thank and reward the kids from the community that always show up to Sunday School...and boy, were they ever excited. Each of the kids received a pair of shorts and top that were donated, and I handed out toothbrushes to them that were donated by my dentist (thanks Dr. Katz...he sent a huge box of toothbrushes with me).

Bank trip to St. Marc

playing musical chairs

visiting another school

loading up rice and beans

filling up the truck

yep it's full

 yeah...tootbrushes

I do have to say that one of my favourite things during my stay here, besides hugging, smooching and playing with the kids,and eating Marta's fabulous cooking, was listening to Karen's stories. This woman really needs to write a book, or have someone write her stories down. What a tremendous life she has had, filled with "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" (hopefully you all know Clint Eastwood and are whistling the tune right now :) but mostly good. She has devoted her life to helping others, and in doing so has allowed someone like me to come here to learn, and to grow, and to open. For that, I am forever grateful. I know in my heart, that I have started a wonderful friendship and that I have extended my family some more. Karen, you know I won't be able to express to you how much you mean to me....you'll get it with my hugs :) With much love....Beate.

a picture is worth a thousand words

We all know that a picture is worth a thousand words, so here are the thousand words in some photos I took.
Beate

Devotion in the Mornings or Church on Sunday

Then we have summer school

Then we have play time...

...Or we get haircuts..right Judel...

Judel...well...has his own stlye of playtime

Market Day is Wednesday

We need to go to get more pipes

Ti Luc thinks these pipes will do just fine

The people dry their rice right on the road

Mariah is buying our water

Sweeping out the new house for the future missionary couple

The pediatric area at Albert Schweitzer Hospital.

We got to see some newborns

Sometimes at night we go for a walk along the canal

 Or we hire taxi's to visit friends

Marta and Beate at her house

Singing songs for bedtime at the children's home

Getting security ready. Hey, only ONE bullet!!!!!

The construction and reconstruction continues.

Luckner has finished the drainage pipes on the opposite side of the compound as well. Hopefully now the rain water will run out of the yard instead of pooling inside.

More plumbing drainage work

Water pipes laid for kitchen in Kay Timoun

The digging for the new septic tank is held up due to finding water, and the rented pump to take it out, refusing to work. Our little Judel did a good job of supervising the first day's digging and JJ took a pick and tried to help.

Digging for new septic tank, Judel supervising

JJ with pick. Wanting to help

The house for support missionary staff is looking good. Quite nice in fact. This week Mariah and Beate spent most of two days sweeping and cleaning the inside of the house. Luckner hopes to get a chance soon to finish the electrical work and the plumbing. Then it will be ready for furniture and God's choice of a couple to occupy it. We have had six enquiries into the position. We are not rushing into a decision but are praying about each one. Please join us in prayer to find the right couple to work with the HATS-Haiti Mission.

Hard working helpers Mariah & Beate

Luckner and I continue to go from project to project, directing, supervising, and also doing lots of hands on work. This week we've been working on plumbing problems due to little kids throwing things in the toilets. Never ever a dull moment here. Always one step forward and two back.

Directors fixing Kid's Toilets

The house that was supposed to be a boy's home, and was damaged in the earthquake, is looking different these days. One room was in bad shape and the cracks throughout kept opening up further. That room is no longer a part of the house. Our plan for the rest of that house is to fix it and keep it for storage for construction supplies, large tools, propane tanks, etc. Luckner had to do electrical work there to move the electrical box for that house from the room that came down, into the main room. Too, the door that opened into that room was closed off with blocks and cement today.

Storage depot house looking different

The heat is atrocious. Yes, atrocious. The humidity is very high too and drains one's energy quite quickly. But life goes on and the work continues. The children like to cool down with a frozen juice made by Papa's Luckner's business.

Awe yes. Frozen juice on a hot day

They are all well and continuing to enjoy time with Mariah and Beate. They will miss them when they leave on Monday. Cutie Pitutie Tayanna is going to greatly miss her Ti Mama Mariah. But then I don't think the missing is going to be all one sided.

Tayanna Mariah is going to miss Ti Mama Mariah

I regret that I am not getting enough time with the children. That is always a problem for me and for them. We love having time together, but as I am still trying to do what 3 or 4 people should be doing I don't have time for Karen, or the children, or for anything besides 16 hour work days. That, however, will change. And hopefully before too much longer.

This week we have teachers working onsite here with our HATS children for two hours a day - one working with JJ, Mirlande and Moise, and one with Ti Luc, Leica, Josie, Ismyis, and Dieunel. The kids seem to enjoy it and we will continue four days a week for awhile.

Antoinette, Magalie, and the children, are pleased and thankful because they have a sink, tap and running water in their house. O happy day when that was completed. Dancing and singing with thankfulness was heard.

Finished Kitchen at Kid's Home

Magalie, in case you don't know, is our second house mother. Two women are needed onsite with the children and we are thankful for Magalie. She and Antoinette have been friends for years. I actually helped educate Magalie for a few years when I lived in Borel. Now she is a part of HATS. We are looking around now for another lady - part time, four days a week - for when Antoinette and Magalie have their days off. There is just too much work for one lady to do. The HATS children are almost all little and one child quickly leads another child into trouble. We no longer have any grown up girls to help with the younger ones. They are all adorable but they 'are children'.

Magalie, Leica & Tayanna

Work is continuing on the signs outside both HATS compounds - the main office/ orphanage compound and the school compound. Don, please take note.

New Sign in progress

School sign also being worked on

I have not forgotten my promise to do a blog about my girls. Beate is doing a blog of lovely photos today so I will hold off on that for awhile.

Sunday morning with both trucks, Luckner's and HATS, we are taking our children, and the Sunday school children who have kept coming during the summer, to Riviere Montrouis which is a 30-35 minute drive. Our kids are so very excited about playing in the water, on shore, and having a meal there that includes 'chicken'. Such a treat. Leica has told me numerous times that she plans to put her head in the river water. We could drive a lot further in the heat, and pay to use a beach, but this outing is going to make our kids very happy.

Thank you again for all you continue to do to enable the HATS mission help needy children in this area of Haiti. The needs are great, the work days are hot and long, but lives continue to be touched. We will not give up on Haiti and we ask that you do not either.

God bless you all.
Karen

It's me again...Beate...

Where do I start? I have so many things to tell you about that I fear this blog could have pages and pages. Usually when I travel like this, I write an email journal. I write for "me" and hope that others can make sense of what I am trying to say. So that's what I will do here as well.
It's Monday...The rooster kept me up all night. As well, this truck drove up and down the town honking and honking. Karen explained to me that it was the " 3 a.m. alarm" to get the workers in the village up (since they don't have their own alarms) and to wake up anyone who is catching the 3:30 a.m bus to Port Au Prince. So I guess I'll have to try to ignore that this week as well as that rooster.
Construction starts early here, and the main house (where the office is) is a revolving door of men asking for Karen...Poor woman, she can't sit down for one minute to try to get her reports done without someone seeking her help or instructions.
I love watching the construction crew. It is incredible to see what they have managed to build here with very simple tools. Sooooooo smart and capable. I am in constant awe. I realize that technology has made our lives simple, but what will happen when or if we ever run out of oil, or lose our power????? The so- called first world industrialized countries will suffer greatly and will surely be relying on the knowledge and abilities of the people in the world who have managed without what we have had.

Construction work

We drove into the village yesterday for a bit to visit another mission and got to see a soccer game in action. It seemed like the whole village was there to watch the game. Several vendors were set up and sugar cane was being sold, along with some kind of mystery booze, and I think I saw beer. We didn't stay long as the mission people weren't there and I was told that these games can get rather crazy.

Borel Mission

Soccer game in Borel

Since I've had the opportunity to see a couple of villages, I have been able to "see" the homes that Haitians live in. Very basic needs are barely met. I don't know how to get you to relate other than to imagine going to a camp. Some of you quite enjoy the "camp" experience; the cooking over a fire; the day spent preparing for the next meal; hauling in drinking water; maybe even washing dishes in the river or at a makeshift sink, where you've had to boil water for washing dishes; telling stories by campfire because you don't have electricity....and yes, even the outhouse experience can be somewhat fun and adventurous...but In Canada, usually going to camp means having a good time and.being close to nature for a weekend, a few weeks and maybe a month or so....Imagine though, doing that every single day...and imagine that what I listed above can be considered a luxury...food, fire, water. Because, the reality is that some of the people here don't even have that. So, the picture you see of the houses, and the football game going on...those are the lucky people here in Haiti.

House next door

Next time I write, I want to run through a typical day here at HATS. Now that I have experienced a couple of weekdays and a weekend, I am starting to get the routine. Until next time...BYE BYE....

Beate

HEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLOOOOOO from Haiti...or Alo!

I can't tell you how much I have been enjoying this wonderful place...yes...wonderful! My flight was rather uneventful until I got to the PAP airport. Actually, I don't want to complain at all. I found the chaos of searching for my luggage rather exhilarating, and it gave me an opportunity to meet several Doctors and Engineers who were volunteering their time here from places such as Alaska, California, Alberta, and Toronto. I felt very proud of each and every one of them.
Luckily Karen and her granddaughter Mariah, were able to get right up to the door to greet me. Boy, the moment I laid eyes on their smiling faces, and received their big hugs, I could just feel it in my soul that I had come to the right place. The drive through PAP was interesting to say the least. I saw hundreds and hundreds of tents in several spots and just couldn't imagine what it has been like to live in these tent cities with the extreme heat and the heavy rains.

Tent City in PAP

We kind of skirted the city, so I didn't see much of the earthquake damage, and made our way to the countryside for the 3 hour drive to Deschapelles. I was so very impressed with the highway that has been built. Newly paved and well irrigated, this road will last for along time. The only thing that was scary were the crazy drivers...honk...honk...is the signal that you give when passing a transport around a bend to warn the oncoming truck that you aren't moving over. Mind you, I felt totally comfortable with Luckner at the wheel, and I totally enjoyed the ocean view, stopping at several village markets and getting gas (it sounds silly, but even getting gas can be exciting when your travelling).

Market in Montrouis

Arriving at the compound, I was greeted by squeals of delight from the kids...Ti Luc even said my name...wow...was I ever impressed. I was made to feel right at home, and Karen gave me the upstairs bedroom...with a private bathroom and balcony to boot :) I absolutely love it.

Beate's bedroom at HATS Mission

It didn't take me long to remember everyone's names; although, I do get some of the kids mixed up. I get my daily dose of hugs and affection from them, and I'm beginning to learn their personalities. They are wonderful kids, and I love them all already. I am enjoying helping out with Ti luc as he does need some extra care, but he did beat me in a game of soccer ...Brasil against Germany...3 to 2 :)

Beate with Karen's kids

Ti Luc and Beate

I know that I've only been here two days, but I feel so at home. My only complaint is the heat...oh my...I can't explain it. I carry around a wee towel to mop up my sweat (sounds gross, but it helps). Thankfully, it cools down after the afternoon rain, and yaaayy, I have a fan in my room. Marta, the woman who cooks here, is unbelievable. I will certainly gain weight with her delicious Creole cuisine (red beans, rice and goat stew...yum...corn cake lasagna...wow...). I can't wait for her to cook the chickens that Mariah's dad bought. I watched Marta kill and prepare them...very interesting indeed :)

Mariah, her biological dad & Beate

Yesterday, we went to Pont Sonde to pick up the "chocolate" which is actually a highly nutritional powdered drink donated by the Reliv Kalogris Foundation. It was interesting to see how quickly the men unloaded the big truck. Back home today, we unloaded the pick up truck (which we had to leave under the carport due to the rain), and it took no time at all with all the kids helping. I just love the way they put the packages on their wee heads and off they ran to the storage unit. I honestly couldn't keep up with them.

Leica unloading the Kid's Reliv Chocolate

Dieunel unloding the Reliv Kid's Now

Okay, I will sign off now as Mariah is making guacamole (here she is smashing the garlic)...and I don't want to miss out. We get to bed around 9 after a nice chat and maybe a bit of television. The rooster wakes me up around 5...but thank goodness I did remember to bring ear plugs!
I realized after these two days that, even though I can't perform surgery, nor can I build bridges or repair buildings, I can do what I think I do best...play with and love the kids...which I hope gives Karen a bit of a break so she can fill that with a million other things she has to do around here.
Bye for now....all my love.....Beate