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Friday, January 9, 2009

Haiti Day 8

Jouer 8
Le 9 Janvier, 2009

This morning was a slow morning. I stayed up too late reading because I had a lot of difficulty putting my book down. We had devotions around 6:30 and I just felt like lead. I did not want today to start because I did not want it to end. It’s my last day at the orphanage. Tomorrow morning we head to the hotel and are on the plane the following evening. I love this place. I don’t want to leave; I can’t leave, and yet, I may not stay. I have to go… The day has to start.
We went right to work on the roof. I have found a new meaning to the show title, ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.’ That roof was HOT. I think I burned my legs several times over. The sun and humidity were enough to make me cringe
Breakfast came right on time and, like usual, the roof team made sure to sit in the shade. Breakfast was good and I got in a fun conversation with God, the kitchen help, in French.. We’ve had fun with her because she has taken an obvious liking to Adam. She’s 16, he’s 29 and has a girlfriend, so it is fun to tease her in French about her affections.
After another amazing breakfast, it was back to work. Annie and I couldn’t touch ground without being attacked by people. Son and Annie got in a conversation, which I interpreted. (Mike used me as an interpreter this morning with the workers too…nerve wrecking but I did alright) The gist of the conversation was that Son supports his family of seven siblings and his mother. Annie asked about his education and the end result is she’s going to sponsor him for school, which is really cool. I swear though, now every worker knows I speak French. I made about ten new friends today because they all started talking with me in French. It is almost unbelievable just how much my French has improved and how much more comfortable I am speaking/ conversing in French. I got a ton of compliments. Even Wilfred told me I speak French really well. It is a good feeling.
At one point, some of the older orphan girls (like the ones we took swimming) got a hold of me. Naomi and Judencie (especially Judencie) are easily my two favorites. Judencie calls me Mama and she is just so adorable yet, at the same time, she’s more mature than most 10 year olds here; same with Naomi. We took some cute pictures and then I hopped back on the ridiculously hot roof until lunch.
Lunch was good, once again, and afterwards we went to the Wozo to cool off. We took the bus and sang ‘the wheels on the bus’ on the way. I was surprised when the kids sang along. Jerry tried to get a hold of Tim to find out which kids the youth group was sponsoring for me, then I used the phone to call my mom and Dan. Left a message with mom and talked to Dan for about 5 minutes, which was really awesome, before swimming with the kids. I did not get as into this group as the last one, but that was probably mostly because I was beyond tired and hot. We finished up with the swim and returned to the orphanage.
They were doing stuff on the roof that was closer to the edge than I was comfortable with so, instead, I played with the orphans. Gabriolla and I kept exchanging just… understanding looks. I was surrounded by so many kids-all they want is attention. They have people caring for them, but attention like that is rare. As I was sitting there I almost started to cry because it hit me like a brick wall as to just how much I love this place. I don’t want to go home. I want to stay and work with this team and play with the orphans and use my French all day. I’m in love.
I went to check on dinner and was taken by a bunch of Haitian neighborhood kids who sat me in a circle and we played duck duck goose. It was so much fun! I played a few rounds with (Abbe and Odeal included, of course) then I went inside the orphanage to see if they needed my help.
Naturally, of course, they did not because they were just cementing. I just sat and talked with Son for a bit and, when he left, I talked with three other workers who were done for the day and were just visiting. Two of them were brothers my own age and they are so funny at work. When they use the wheelbarrow they make car noises, which all the guys in my group get a kick out of. Now my group makes the noises as well, any time the brothers go by- wheelbarrow or not. It has established a connection where real words are stopped by language barriers.
Dinner came a little later than usual at around 9 pm and afterwards we all gathered all of the old wood and trash in a huge pile and burned it. It was such a blast! As I was walking to the fire, I passed Ronnie and asked him if he had an email so we could stay in touch. He was really glad and is giving it to me tomorrow along with his phone number, but he has to do so carefully because giving out a phone number to people you do not know in Haiti is dangerous. (We’re good with each other though) I thanked him, gave him a hug, and together we went to the fire.
The guys, being the pyros they are, made the fire big in every way possible and were entertained by the cement bags burning (empty ones) because they turned the fire green. After a while, we let the fire die, took our showers, and headed for bed.

It’s my last night here
I don’t want to go

I wish I could stay like this forever.

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