Highlights from our first two days in Haiti as compiled by Josh Jones...
Haiti 4/5/17 - the airport was hectic, many people were pushy and seemed a little annoyed by us having so many bags. The ride to hope house compound was interesting... street vendors were lined up selling everything from 90's vintage TVs to cell phones, to motor oil. The UN has a presence here as a police force. The Brazilian soldiers are who the UN has asked to police while the Haitians get their police force rebuilt. The locals do not welcome the UN. The compound at 10 Santo is like an old ma and pa hotel, 6 rooms. There are three single beds in the room where Lyndee and I stayed, in room #5. Rob, the field director, is very hospitable, we had spaghetti for dinner the first night. We sorted all the supplies that were packed in the checked luggage after dinner. Some items were for the school and some were for the orphanage.
4/6/17 - traveled to Village of Hope School. Observed kids coming in for the day. This school accepts 40 out of 500 applicants at age 3. No one starts other than age 3, and if they leave they can't come back. Those kids are in the school through 13th grade, and learn fluent in English, Spanish, French, and Haitian Creole. I had a rush of emotion when we watched the kids do their morning songs. We did activities including play soccer with the kids with some of the new soccer balls the team brought, and a craft bible lesson about Palm Sunday and Easter. We ate rice and beans in the cafeteria with the kids, they eat the same thing everyday. On Tuesdays and Thursdays only, they have an accompanying dish of sardines in a spicy sauce. Several of the kids had us lean down to give us kisses on the cheek after we played with them in the classroom. Our day at the school concluded with a hike up to the water tank on top of the hill above the school, where we enjoyed a beautiful view of the surrounding countryside and got to hear about Rob's vision for the future of the school.
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