Today we went to the orphanage and on the way we dropped the other group off at the airport. I'm so sad they left, I've enjoyed getting to know all of them so much! The orphanage actually is just this lady, Marie who has taken a bunch of handicap children into her home. One day she went to the hospital in Port au Prince and she saw a little girl named Sophia. This little girl was left there because she was blind and her family didn't know how/couldn't afford/didn't want to take care of her. When Marie saw her in the hospital, Sophia was in a cage. Yeah, I said CAGE. They left her in there and fed her when they got around to it but pretty much they were leaving her for dead. All because she was blind and didn't know how to properly take care of her. Thank goodness someone like Marie saw her and has given her a home. She now has other problems than just being blind because she did not develop properly mentally. Just shocking. I don't even know what else to say.
We were painting the upstairs where the children's rooms are. During the earthquake a wall collapsed in on some of the children. The wall has been replaced but there was still rubble and dust everywhere! I mean everywhere. We swept multiple times AND mopped and there was still dust on the floor when we left! Crazy!
We were painting the upstairs where the children's rooms are. During the earthquake a wall collapsed in on some of the children. The wall has been replaced but there was still rubble and dust everywhere! I mean everywhere. We swept multiple times AND mopped and there was still dust on the floor when we left! Crazy!
The room before.
The room after.
Still so much dust! We swept & mopped and its still not all gone!
Today was one of the hardest to get through physically and mentally. I'm not sure if it's just the long week catching up to me but I was so tired and my body started to ache. I didn't get to spend much time with the children, which I think was probably a good thing. Marie gave Pastor Steve and I a tour of the house and afterward I had to go off by myself. I just couldn't hold back the tears. I know, imagine that, I cried. But it got Pastor Steve too. He went off by himself for quite sometime too! Its just so heartbreaking to see these kids who have special needs and its also so amazing that a woman like Marie has given up her life, her money, her everything to care for these children. I was in the other room crying and Jon (Ricky's son) came in and put his hand on my shoulder. He is so sweet and so mature for a 16 almost 17 year old kid. I've really enjoyed getting to know him and thankful for his thoughtfulness! He got me back on track and I was ready to work again!
The children opening up their gifts from Phil's church!
(He came with our group and is a friend of Pastor Steve's. He's awesome!)
The group with Marie and the kiddos!
After the work was done it was nice to go down and play with the kids. I have to admit that it took a lot for me. I don't know why but I feel a little uncomfortable around people with special needs. I think it takes a special kind of person to take care of them and thank GOD there are people out there, like Marie who are willing to do so. Because they are God's children and need love just like the rest of us. I sat down on the ground to play with the kids and right across from me there were a row of toilets and children were on them going to the bathroom. There were hundreds of flies everywhere. The kids smelled, but I smelled too so I was able to get past that. I just loved on them and smiled and kissed them as much as I could while I was there. One little boy who was sitting beside me kept licking my arm. Not too sure why, I know it couldn't have tasted like anything but salt! haha I was so sweaty and gross but he didn't seem to mind! We gave the kids bags filled with toys, toothpaste, toothbrushes, etc. Phil's church had put them together for us to give to the children! I was sad Phil wasn't there with us to hand them out! (He had to leave the day before with the other group because he teaches classes at Morehead and they were beginning the day we went to the orphanage).
Really great picture of the two of them, but this is on top of the bus!
Haiti: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8
After the orphanage, Art drove us around the city so we could see more of it. No words or pictures will ever do justice to what I saw. The devastation is just incredible. There are piles and piles of rubble from the earthquake. We rode on top of the bus. There was such a good view up there and it was so fun to wave at all the people. I felt like I was in the homecoming parade again. haha I think I got married off a few times. They love the blonde hair down here!
Really great picture of the two of them, but this is on top of the bus!
You can see the ocean over there! We were so close & yet so far away! haha
All over the city there are these places that they call "tent cities". This is where people who were left homeless after the earthquake live. There are thousands of tents all over and its hard to believe that the tent cities will ever become non existent. Some of them are actual tents, while others are just a bunch of branches propping up a tarp. They have absolutely no space and no privacy. Its just so terrible.
I'm so sad to leave tomorrow. It's weird but, I haven't thought of home much at all. I have had such a good time here, as sad as it has been at times. The people of Haiti have changed me I have to say! I knew this would be an experience, I just had no idea how great of one it would be! Thank you Jesus for this wonderful blessing! :)
Haiti: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8
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