It's been longer than we anticipated since our last entry, but we have had a wonderful week. We arrived back in Port-au-Prince (or Petionville, where St. Joseph's is located) this morning after three days in Jacmel, on the southern coast, and in Fondwa. Jacmel is the site of Trinity House, another one of the homes for former street boys, and Lekol Sen Trinite, a day school which the Trinity House started for local children.
After two days in Jacmel (which has beautiful coastline!), we headed up, up, up again into Fondwa. Fondwa is a region way up high in the mountains (think Dramamine!) that houses rural communities. Family Health Ministries, located in Chapel Hill, has helped to build an orphanage, school, and guest house run by an order of sisters.
The school, which is the only school that runs K-12 in the whole region, takes in almost 600 children.
Some of the children walk up to four hours EACH WAY to get to school in the morning....and we're not talking about smooth roads. This is steep, high altitude on rough roads and slippery slopes. Early on, they discovered that the children were falling asleep - and in some cases actually fainting - when they got to school because they'd left their houses at 4am with no food. They have started feeding the children two meals a day, which is a really big deal in a country that is experiencing a massive food shortage on top of its already impoverished state. The nuns also run a feeding program for mothers whose infants are malnourished, teaching them about nutrition and providing them with formula and food.
We continue to be amazed at all that we see here. It is easy to feel overwhelmed by the complexity and diversity of challenges that the country faces, and to wonder how it might be possible for them to rise out of them. But then, often in small and beautiful ways, you see signs of great joy and hope: a newly planted grove of eucalyptus trees on a slope that had been completely deforested and burned (to sell the charcoal); drums and trumpets echoing across the cement homes late at night when the city is completely dark; a community of former street boys who have now taken up the mantle of leadership to help a generation of street boys who have come after them. Haiti has big dreams and is incredibly resourceful; we hope that our pictures (to come soon!) will give you a small glimpse of what we have experienced here.
Tomorrow we'll worship in the St. Joseph's chapel. The home has seven levels, the top two of which are a dance theater and a beautiful open-air chapel. It's an oasis of color and art in the midst of what is often a dusty cement jungle. In the afternoon, we'll brave the potholed roads and cement/diesel fumes that are thick in the air to head to a metalworking community just outside the city. The artwork of Haiti is extraordinary!
Praise God that Bart and I have both stayed very healthy so far. Other than major allergy issues from all the dust and cement powder, our bodies have been "regular" (hint, hint) and very content. It's amazing how good a simple meal of beans and rice tastes after a long day, and how un-picky you suddenly become when there are no options! That said, we have been spoiled by our hosts. For families which often have little to eat, they have given us their best and truly incorporated us into the family....croissants and fruit and coffee for breakfast, and rice and beans (and chicken) at dinner. Yum. Next time we write we'll have to tell you all about our prayer partners, who have been like little brothers while we're here. You can see a picture of them in one of the entries below!
Okay, it's time to head to bed and give back this borrowed computer. We head back to the States on Monday so we'll keep you posted. THANK YOU thank you for your prayers and for journeying with us!
Peace, Katherine
We continue to be amazed at all that we see here. It is easy to feel overwhelmed by the complexity and diversity of challenges that the country faces, and to wonder how it might be possible for them to rise out of them. But then, often in small and beautiful ways, you see signs of great joy and hope: a newly planted grove of eucalyptus trees on a slope that had been completely deforested and burned (to sell the charcoal); drums and trumpets echoing across the cement homes late at night when the city is completely dark; a community of former street boys who have now taken up the mantle of leadership to help a generation of street boys who have come after them. Haiti has big dreams and is incredibly resourceful; we hope that our pictures (to come soon!) will give you a small glimpse of what we have experienced here.
Tomorrow we'll worship in the St. Joseph's chapel. The home has seven levels, the top two of which are a dance theater and a beautiful open-air chapel. It's an oasis of color and art in the midst of what is often a dusty cement jungle. In the afternoon, we'll brave the potholed roads and cement/diesel fumes that are thick in the air to head to a metalworking community just outside the city. The artwork of Haiti is extraordinary!
Praise God that Bart and I have both stayed very healthy so far. Other than major allergy issues from all the dust and cement powder, our bodies have been "regular" (hint, hint) and very content. It's amazing how good a simple meal of beans and rice tastes after a long day, and how un-picky you suddenly become when there are no options! That said, we have been spoiled by our hosts. For families which often have little to eat, they have given us their best and truly incorporated us into the family....croissants and fruit and coffee for breakfast, and rice and beans (and chicken) at dinner. Yum. Next time we write we'll have to tell you all about our prayer partners, who have been like little brothers while we're here. You can see a picture of them in one of the entries below!
Okay, it's time to head to bed and give back this borrowed computer. We head back to the States on Monday so we'll keep you posted. THANK YOU thank you for your prayers and for journeying with us!
Peace, Katherine
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