An Unlimited Supply of...

AKA Things We Will No Longer Take for Granted I polled our team members at the end of our week in Haiti, asking what they thought they would never again take for granted when they returned to their lives in the US. Here is the list: Soap in the Bathroom Clean water out of the tap, for brushing teeth ( as opposed to walking down the hall to the purified water cooler, usually done AFTER you are standing at the sink, with a full mouth of toothpaste, then realize you dont have any water to rinse your mouth with) Flushing toilets (Siennas personal favorite) Toilet paper in the bathroom Paper to dry your hands on. (common bathroom themes apparent) Hot showers Cold Diet Coke LUNCH! ( this vote from Brianna. Lunch each day was whatever we brought to the school in backpacks, usually bags of peanuts and granola bars. By Friday the pickings were pretty slim) Reliable electricity Clean streets A dresser to put your clothes in ( with 12 women in one room at the guest house, it felt like summer camp) The children at St Vincents have all their clothes in suitcases. The only personal space they have is their bunk bed. The ability to hear, and to see, and to walk normally. To communicate with the people around you. To connect easily with friends and family by cell phone. Texting has become second nature for many of us. The phone at the guest house could be used to call the States, but only the speaker phone worked. So calls home were not exactly private! "Hey ?Baby! I love you" followed by embarrassed grins from the team member in Haiti, knowing he was in a room full of 6-10 other people, all listening. Lastly, all the married folk agreed that the love of a supportive spouse gave them the energy and support needed to make this trip, to face the uncertainties of traveling in Haiti and the tragedies abundant all around us Thank you to all those who made it possible for us to be in Haiti. We appreciate you now more than ever.