Google+ WTN Haiti Partnership: April 2016

Nov 2013 - St. Vincent's Trip

Thursday, April 14, 2016

Another Day in Paradise

Good morning all,

I'm on the veranda enjoying a little breeze now. Mountains and bougainvilleas are everywhere. 
 
 
Yesterday our ride was late--a confusion with the language. We have a Haitian phone now so we were able to call. We gathered the kids and sang the song for a while. Everyone is excited about the USAID group coming on Friday. As we had hoped would happen, the teachers had wonderful ideas and have completely taken over the process. We have become the assistants. They Are very capably in charge.
 
 
Today we will be making paper fish as one of the crafts related to the Aquaponic garden, more bubbles (too much fun) and we might have enough time to plant the seeds. Taking things one at a time and hoping our driver arrives on time!
 
Yesterday we had so much fun with the pipe cleaners. 

 
 
My best experience--one of the kids I have loved for a long time sought me out and we were able to sit and sign for a while. She has graduated for St. V. and attends a school outside the campus, but she still lives there. Today I will attempt to get some video of the older students signing. We'll see what happens with that. And we are bringing musical instruments for the kids to play with.
 
 
Hilary and Alison are doing well. We've all fallen in love again with this funny place and the kids. There is a gecko in our room that makes kissing noises every night! 
I hope everyone is doing well. It's odd not to be able to pick up the phone and just contact someone. 
 
 
More tomorrow if I'm not too tired!!
 
Men anpil chay pa lou -- many hands make the load lighter,
 
Sherye. 

Monday, April 11, 2016

Anne's reflection

St. Vincent’s

In a broken city
in a broken country
in a broken world
A boy with no arms plays futbol 
and discovers a fun noodle
A girl with no arms paints a friend’s fingernails 
with her toes
A boy struggles to pray out loud and keeps saying “Alleluia” 
A precious girl, who can only smile, laughs when we sing “Frer-e-Jaques-- Margarette”
A doctor “happens” to meet a cardiologist from Ohio
in a hallway at a hospital
Physical therapists find a stroller and walker for a bed-bound child
A deacon wrestles with ten lively little ones at once
in a hot upstairs room
A med student is everywhere--saying what we can’t 
in words or signs
A man with no arms or legs paints works of art
A blind girl plays classic violin; a blind man, the accordion
Superman does the impossible all day
everywhere
A priest celebrates Eucharist
Children sing “How Great Thou Art” in French
A neuro-psychologist manages a pharmacy
Helpers soothe a crying child, escort patients, deliver prescriptions, 
feed little ones
Nurses and medical assistants play catch, paint fingernails, stick fingers
An American deacon assists at Eucharist (in French) at the rebuilt cathedral
A shepherd takes care of his sheep and plays hymns on his violin 
A man maneuvers a bus through impossible traffic on impassable streets
and delivers the team to and from a Holy Place
In this broken city
that overflows with color 
and tap taps named for Jesus 
and God’s children
In this broken country 
that keeps on keeping on
despite earthquake, fire, and flood
In this broken world 
Where Love lives