Monday November 18th – 2013

I have done a lot of various and different jobs this month at HATS but I am sure glad this one wasn’t on my list. Eugene waded into the sludge pool in front of the school and cleaned out the garbage, weeds and other assorted “things” from the green stagnant water. Not a pretty sight.

Sludge pool

Today was a holiday from school. No one seems too sure why the school is closed so we just called it the holiday of St. Keith. It was like Saturday all over. Kids were playing, doing homework, Karen in the office and chasing after kids and I finished up a few odd jobs and looked busy. Tomorrow I return to Montreal and I will miss this place a lot.

HATS

Orphange

But more than the place I shall miss the kids….. Because like the sign says “It’s all about the Children” These may be orphans today but they will be Haiti’s leaders tomorrow:

Vladimy

Tifi

JJ

Moise

Djemima

Leica

Ti Luc

Josie

Dieunel

Judel

Karena

Jofky

Anne

Sandra and Jonathan

And I shall miss my friend and boss lady - The spirit, backbone, Mama, President and prayer warrior for this place. Karen:

Mother and son talk

It was a holiday so we had a walk along the canal, but a little job first: we had to free Dieunel from his bike pedal.

Trying to get Dieunel's lace out of the chain

The views along the canal are gorgeous. This part of Haiti is quite lush, green and beautiful.

Rice fields

Canal views

We had the whole gang, older kids on bikes and younger ones walking, wandering and talking. So of course a periodic head count was in order.

Head count

Time to go back in the compound

Thanks to everyone for making my time here memorable. See you soon - Keith

Me and my friends!!!!

It’s Sunday, November 17th – 2013

It’s another beautiful hot and sunny day at HATS. Everyone was dressed up and off we went to church. Karen preached on “Praying Unceasingly” something that obviously keeps this operation going.

Preacher Karen

The singing was loud and enthusiastic despite the small turnout. There was dancing and group singing and timbrel accompaniment.

Karen, Sandra, TiFi and Ti Luc dancing

HATS kids singing

Sandra and Jonathan with the timbrels

There is a fellowship time during the service and a chance for a water break and saying hello to friends.

Fellowship time

The Brentview Baptist Church in Calgary, Canada has committed $15,000 CDN to build a church on property owned by HATS behind the school. The funds will be matched by monies raised by HATS. The church at a later date will include an apartment for a mission pastor. The 3 classrooms of the school that are now being used are too small. The new church facility will also be used for school morning devotions and parent /teacher interviews etc.

Future site of new HATS church

After church we all piled into the truck for road trip down the road to Papa Luckner’s store and radio station. Luckner is the assistant director of HATS, principal of the school, entrepreneur and Christian radio station owner/operator. A remarkable gentleman.

On the way to Luckners

Oops - No car seats in Haiti

No seat belts either

Luckner's Enterprise and Creole Radio 104.

The kids all get to choose a candy treat and have a glass of pop. Good times.

Hard choices to make

Enjoying the sugar rush

Back at the compound everyone just relaxed (some more than others) for the afternoon.

Dieumel and Judel just hanging out and being cool

…….Until Jonathan decided to play jump- on –the- water –main- pipe- game. The plastic pipe broke and an emergency call was put into the blogger….. I mean the plumber. Pipe cement was tracked down at Luckner’s and delivered. Jonathan helped fix his folly and all is well on the compound again.

Another job

You broke it you fix it!

Double time for Sunday and after 6PM

Saturday Nov. 16th

Wow. Another week has flown by and today was a fairly relaxing day. Karen started the day early with a walk along the canal with some of the kids. I decided to rest and save my energy knowing I would have to do the blog again this evening for Karen.

I spent a couple of hours on the school roof repairing the south wing. All the holes are patched and the nails tapped in. It should be good and leak free for at least 3 months.

Karen and I then headed back to St. Marc to do some shopping. Some essentials were picked up like eggs and more Christmas lights. Karen only got into two fusses. One was with the manager at the big store for refusing to leave her purse at the front counter as a deterrent against shop lifting. The other was with a street vendor because I parked in his car washing spot. She won both battles and we live to write another blog.

It was interesting to see all the street vendors and traffic at the market in Pont Monde. The center of gravity on some of the taxis (pickup trucks) and tap taps (motorcycles) defies physics.

Economy fare

Full house

Moving day

Middle road

Traffic 1

Yup we made it – tucked in the mirrors and kept going.

Truck

Market

While we were gone the kids did their chores and homework. Some were keener than others of course but I checked Moise’s homework and he had it done. Good Job!

Next up was the Christmas lights. Should be an easy task but I was trying to attach them to concrete houses and I had 15 supervisors and 14 helpers. We had a quick lighting of the Christmas lights and then shut them down until Liette and Dana and families arrive for Christmas.

Christmas lights team

Nice picture of Karen causing the moon to rise!!

Christmas lights

The kids burned off their excess energy with a gymnastics competition and then it was lights out.

Good night from Keith.