Pastor Keeler and Melissa
Bob & Aidan
Morgan
The rest of the team
The Cap Haitian airport
The reason we were in Haiti this year: "Vacation" Bible School
Getting Ready:
The craft room
Getting the water toys and pools ready
Testing the oobleck (because, of course, oobleck NEEDS to be tested!)
Readying the water balloons
Preparing the dye for the t-shirts
A quick breakfast
Charity and Morgan are ready!
We placed them into age groups, and designated the groups by the color of their bandanas. They could wear them any way they chose, as long as we could see it!
When students first arrived, they were taken in groups to the restroom to change into their water clothes, if they had any. Afterwards, they had some time for "free play" while others changed.
Stations:
Bible & Health Lesson
Crafts:
Coloring while waiting to dye a shirt
Tie-dyeing shirts
The finished product!
Decorating frames for their pictures
Swimming Pools & Slip&Slide:
The Slip&Slide was only available the first day, because we used too much water and overworked (=broke) the water pump!
We had to have a "girls'" pool and a "boys'" pool
On the last day, the children enjoyed throwing Aidan in the pools!
Water Games:
The games usually involved water balloons
This was also the station where they played with oobleck, but unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures. :-(
Sports:
Everything from soccer to football to frisbee to chase was played!
Drinks were served afterward, of course
Sing & Praise Time was held at the beginning and end of each day:
And lunch was served before the children went home:
And finally, the REAL reason we're here: The Kids.
Melissa talks to a Haitian girl
Carie gets a hug
Bob and Aidan play with the kids
I let the kids take a picture of me
Carie is having a good time
Morgan is in heaven
And so is Taina
Carie and her new friend pose
Morgan loves this
Strike a pose
Around the Compound
Lizards of every size and color abound in Haiti
We (the Smith family) stayed in the two joined rooms on the left corner, upstairs
Bob and Aidan enjoyed some frisbee during a period of down-time
Driving Around the City and Countryside
First of all, this was our mode of transportation for the week! In the back. Standing up. Aside from feeling a little like we were on display, it really wasn't bad - it was actually kind of fun!
Have you ever thought about what you would do with your trash if there were no garbage trucks or sanitation workers to pick it up? If there were no city dump to take it to? That's real life in Haiti.
I am so fascinated by women (and children!) who can do this:
A taptap - similar (sort of) to a taxi, except they pile as many people as possible into one, and if there's not room for your belongings, they can go on the roof
Street Vendors
In America, you don't see anyone walking along the highway unless their car has broken down. Most people in Haiti don't have cars.
A typical home and yard
Waving to a Haitian boy
This house has "running" water - a bin on the roof collects rainwater to be used by the occupants. But many homes don't even have this.
Plantain Trees
Many Haitians are very religious
Beautiful countryside and mountains
Most of the roads are not paved, which makes for very bumpy travel
Some shots of the city and countryside:
Cap Haitien from the mountainside:
The road up the mountain is VERY narrow in places, with no guard rails. This taptap and bike both passed us!
Peddlars - singing songs for us in their best English
Little girls jumping rope. We stopped here so our driver could buy a phone card (minutes for his cell phone). The little stand with motor oil was the vendor offering phone cards.
And this is what your hair looks like after riding in the truck at 50 kph!
Church
We visited the church at Pistere, where our church (Sidney First) teams have worked in the past
On Sunday, we attended church at Fosse Capois, where Pastor Larry gave the message, and Clenel translated for the Haitians
After church, Meg took the whole VBS team out for a nice lunch. This was the nicest restaurant in Cap Haitien. We had a buffet, containing shrimp, chicken, and goat. Yes, I tried the goat - it tasted similar to beef.
The Farm
Living Hope Mission is working to create a farm which will provide food and jobs for the Haitians. The land is owned by a wealthy man who lives in New York, who allows the Mission to farm it free of charge. This well will water the cattle, once we start the generator to make the pump work.
And there it is!
Representative of the many succulents which abound in Haiti. It is cactus-like, yet Haiti is a tropical, not desert, climate.
When we crossed the field and went out the gate, this cow was very curious. I think she wanted us to take her along!
School
We got to visit a classroom at both Pistere and Fosse Capois. Most schools are run by churches, and the pastor of the church is the principal of the school.
The classroom is nothing but cement walls, a chalkboard, wooden bench/desk seats, and a teacher's wooden desk. There are no books or manipulatives. There are no indoor recess toys. There are of course no computers or smartboards. It reminded me of American classrooms from the 1700's. Oh, how I'd love to be able to bring what I've learned about how children learn to the Haitian people, even the government. Of course, if there is no money for food, there is certainly no money for frivolous things like books.
I am standing at the teacher's desk
The teacher's desk
And now I'm at the back of the room. Tiny is all I can say. I am so thankful for the gigantic (in comparison) classroom I teach in.
The classroom door
This was the schedule for this class. I believe it is third grade. School is 8:00-12:30 here.
The drinking fountain
(Pistere)
(Fosse Capois)
The People
Our Team
Christie and Carie
Rosanne and Charity
Pastor Larry
Morgan and Melissa
Charity, Christie, Carie, Jason, Rosanne
Wilbert
When we visited Pistere, a group of women and children were very curious about the blans (foreigners) who had just arrived
Such a beautiful smile
A little apprehensive ...
So big sister reassures him
It's all about the children
Melissa remembered seeing this little guy last year when she was here
Check out his pull-toy - an empty motor oil bottle
Fun Stuff
On Saturday, Meg and Wilbert took us to the beach. This was a very nice beach, on the other side of the mountain from Cap Haitien, with white sand, and an open-air bar/restaurant. Pure heaven - I felt a little guilty, since we weren't here for a vacation ...
View of Cap Haitien from the mountainside
Morgan asked this lady to do cornrows for her
And so did Christie
No cornrows for this guy
Since it's very hot in the rooms at night with no fans (the city turns the electricity off), Aidan and I decided to drag our mattress out onto the porch to sleep. It was delightful out here!
This was actually the ONLY time Bob was seen at a computer, and that was because someone asked him to take a look at it!
Tasting a real coconut at Pistere
Aidan, the Dog Whisperer
Pastor has a mischievous streak! Bound with rubber bands...
And of course, no trip to Haiti is complete without a Tarantula hunt...
I didn't get any pictures of the rainbows from the plane ride over, but God sent another on Sunday before we left - a full double one!
And a beautiful sunrise the morning we left!
I hope you've enjoyed our work through our photos. We can't wait to have the opportunity to do God's work again in a place with so much love, yet so much need.
