Today we got up at 7am and checked out of our hotel. We had a long drive
ahead of us and had to be there in time to meet the first group of kids.
We will be going to Club Indigo which will be a better
place to greet and play with the kids.
after a 3 hour bus ride we are there! 
Club Indigo which use to be a Club Med,
it was a perfect place to have a "fun day".
*at Compassion "fun day" is when sponsor kids hang out with their sponsors and do something fun
it was a perfect place to have a "fun day".
*at Compassion "fun day" is when sponsor kids hang out with their sponsors and do something fun
can't wait to share this with the kids
where we will meet for our morning meetings
having breakfast before kids arrive
Berthie is the first to arrive, she looked so beautiful in her white dress, I got all teary eyed!!
Berthie with her caretaker, you could tell he really cared about her
Mapi and Stephane fell in love with her
the rest of the group arrives, they all live very far and had to drive all day spend the
night in a hotel then this morning drove 3 hours to get to us
we decided to do some nail painting then some rubber band loom bracelets as a sort of ice breaker
the girls were very quiet and shy
Shedeline and Marlene
it was challenging to start conversations
Tatiana teaching them how to do bracelets
they loved them and made about 7 for each arm
mapi got involved in making bracelets
we offered them all a drink of soda or juice and spent $25.00 on drinks.
No one touched their drink, I think they were too nervous
All of them were told to bring a bathing suit, most of them didnt own one and swam in their shorts and tee-shirts. Even though its a small island a lot of them had never seen the ocean or a pool.
Berthie didn't know how to swim, we bought her a bathing suit at the gift shop for $40.00
we found the gift shop to be expensive even though we are in Haiti, seems like if
its a tourist place the prices just go up.
we found the gift shop to be expensive even though we are in Haiti, seems like if
its a tourist place the prices just go up.
teaching her to float
Wandley also didnt know how to swim but was very brave
beautiful Wandley
these two bonded
back in my room preparing gifts
we got them each a back pack and filled it
We brought school supplies, toys, jewelry, bubbles, jump rope. We also had a bag for the moms filled with items for the kitchen, shampoo, soaps, lotions and anything else we saw
at the store that we thought they could use.
at the store that we thought they could use.
marbles, stickers, nail polish, hats, clothes and candy
we had a framed photograph of our group for each of the kids
lunch time
this skinny girl served herself 4 times each time a full plate
they weren't eating until we realized they didn't know how to use a knife and fork, Tatiana told them they could use their hands if they were more comfortable but they wanted to try their fork.
They hardly ate, we did get them dessert and they dug into that.
Conversation was difficult because they only spoke Creole.
This is Lourdes Gina
we cut up their food in little pieces like kids to help them eat they still made a mess and were embarrassed but we assured them it was fine.
we cut up their food in little pieces like kids to help them eat they still made a mess and were embarrassed but we assured them it was fine.
gift time
at gift time they were all very quiet and didnt show any excitement, we were told this was normal
this is Shedeline Antoine
We didn't think of watches
in this day of iPhones, who wears a watch?
yet two boys asked Tatiana for a watch,
we are clueless to the basic needs
We didn't think of watches
in this day of iPhones, who wears a watch?
yet two boys asked Tatiana for a watch,
we are clueless to the basic needs
Dave
I was really touched by his gift
Dave also gave us a shell
a gift from Shedeline
a picture of Haiti
Shirley read a poem of thanks she wrote for us
with all our kids
Wandley wouldnt let his back pack go
its not safe driving after dark so they had to leave by 3:30 in order
to make it to the hotel before sunset
even now very little emotion is shown while we were all choked up saying good-bye
Wandley and his mom
What we learned
Dont buy sodas
get better mosquito repellent
make sure you put on sunscreen
come up with better ice breakers
help them cut up their food
bring extra bathing suits
have teens bring modest bathing suit or one piece
(they can wear their bikini during free time)
name tags! boy, were those needed
have teens bring modest bathing suit or one piece
(they can wear their bikini during free time)
name tags! boy, were those needed
all of them wanted a watch we didn't think of that
two boys asked for a bike
two boys asked for a bike
its normal not to show emotion for them they are not
use to socializing or receiving gifts or going swimming. This was
all very overwhelming for them but they will remember this day forever.
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