We all piled (and I do mean piled) into the back of one of our 'cage' trucks, and Wadson took us to the Avis car rental lot. By 3:00 pm we had gotten our bags crammed into the back of the Toyota land cruiser that had 6 regular seats, and two bench seats on either side of the back of the car. It was a tight squeeze, but it wouldn't be an experience without at least one!
The drive through Carrefour was very slow and stop and go, with some of the craziest drivers on the road that I have seen in a very long time! It was a quick immersion into the driving style of the city for the rest of the family! We arrived in Baraka around 6:00 pm and met some people before going on to Deroncely where we were to stay for the next few days. It was dark by the time we arrived, and everyone was very tired after the long day (not so much on my end) of travelling. After supper, we all dispersed to our sleeping quarters: Jeremy and Austin, Judy and I to a guest house just a short distance from the house where our host family lives, (also where my parents, brother and i lived when they were in haiti in the late 1980's). The rest of the family stayed at the house. It was neat to be back in the house where I would have lived as a baby.
Friday morning was pretty leisurely, and by about 10:30 am we all piled back in the land cruiser and headed off in search of the beach my parents used to take us to. There is a new road in progress that goes around Miragoane and continues along the coast. It wasn't long before we found the beach. It was small, secluded, and was an area that curved in from the high rock walls. The water was refreshing and salty, and the rocks were covered in coral and fossils. it was a great time!
After eating sandwiches and snacks on the beach, we packed up again and headed back to Deronceley. We spent the rest of the afternoon visiting people and catching up and being introduced to mom and dad's old friends. I got to meet the lady who was considered my 'mama Ayitien' or 'Haitian mama' when I was little girl. It was pretty cool!
As dusk began to set in, we headed to the soccer field to watch the guys play with the young boys from the neighbourhood. It was fun!
After supper that evening, my 'papa Ayitien' came to visit for a while. It was eye opening to hear him talk about Haiti and his perspective on things going on here. He was a wonderful man, but he is elderly, and as my dad said, he's been waiting a long time for things to change, but there hasn't been a whole lot of noticeable change. At least not what he's been expecting. However, if there is one thing that i have learned, it is that Haitians are strong, resilient, and vibrant. They can bring about change, and they are the only ones who can do that for Haiti. i believe education is huge for that, and President Martelly is working hard to provide the opportunity for the Haitian children. I am confident that, given time and dedication, this endeavour will be successful.
Saturday was spent visiting more people in the town of Baraka. It was so interesting to see my parents meet their old friends again! We got bread baked fresh from a bakery where they had a stone oven. I remember having that bread the first time I came to Haiti as a teen and thinking how amazing it was! It was amazing again. So soft, warm, and tasty! The only thing that could have made it better is if I had had a little pat of President butter to slide into the middle and melt through it :-) Lunch was unexpectedly prepared for us by a sweet lady who happens to be one of the women i was named after. Lena made us some of the yummiest spaghetti I have ever had. It was nice to see her again and be able to speak to her in Creole this time. On my first trip to Haiti, many people told me that I needed to learn to speak Creole, so it was pretty cool to be able to see them again and be able to speak to them in their own language. After dinner that night, my haitian mama (mom's very good friend) and her husband and two children stopped in to visit and share dessert. it was special to spend more time with them. I jokingly asked Yolette if she would like to do my hair like she had one time when i was a little girl, and she took me up on it. It was fun to reminisce :-)
Sunday morning we attended the church in the village where we were staying. Apparently at that church it is expected that if you are visiting, you will sing a song. So before we headed to church, our family practiced a song to sing for them. We did one song in english, and mom, dad and I sang one in creole. It was pretty impromptu, but the congregation didn't seem to mind! In fact, i believe there is a slightly tinny version of our performance floating around that was recorded onto someone's cell phone. :-P I heard it playing faintly when I sat down again. It's a good thing we did our thing early in the service, because we were followed by a very talented group of young men who sang for the church. We couldn't have followed that up! lol.
After Sunday lunch, we said our goodbyes, packed up, packed in, and left the town that was (and continues to be) so special to my parents, waving goodbye to their friends. It was a great few days, but I was ready to get back up the mountain and back into my space and routine, and show my family the place that is so special to me.
We passed by the Notre Dame Cathedral and the National Palace on our way through Port au Prince, and when we got close to GLA, we stopped at Boutillier which is high above the city and lets you see the entire central plateau of Haiti.
Finally we entered the gate of the main house. After everyone got a little bit settled in their respective rooms, I gave everyone a tour, and their experience at GLA began.
It would take too long to tell you everything that we did and experienced. Most days were a typical work day, and they got to have a taste of what my life is like, what i do, and meet the people who are so special to me.
That Friday night we had a cookout at Ft. Jacques after the guys finished pouring the cement pad for one of the toddler pods. After eating, we took a quick walk to the actual Fort but didn't stay long, as drizzle started to fall.
Saturday we went out as a family to do some more sight seeing. We spent a few hours at the Baptist Haiti Mission, having lunch and shopping. After that we drove back up to Fort Jacques and walked to Fort Alexandre which is a fort that was never finished. It's overgrown and grassy, and has a wonderful view of the city. It was cool and breezy, and very cool to explore!
That evening we attended a cinema night at the Toddler House where we watched a movie with all the children in the yard watching it projected on a 'big screen'. It was great for my family to get a little bit of time to spend with the children there and see that aspect of my world.
Another highlight was when we went out to dinner to celebrate my older brother's birthday. It was nice to have some quiet family time and just be together! After eating yummy pizza and buying ice cream to eat with birthday cake, we made a quick stop at Boutillier again to see the city at night. It was so quiet, clear, and magical. I love looking at the city lights. I'm not as much a fan of actually being IN the city, but it is nice to look at it! :-)
Each evening while my family was here was spent taking a walk and/or playing a game. Daylight savings worked in our favour. It doesn't make as much sense for a country that is so close to the equator as it does in Canada, but it was great to have another hour of daylight to be able to take walks in the community!
Two weeks went by quickly, and it was extremely hard to say goodbye (i was a bit of a mess the whole morning before we left for the airport). I rode down to the airport with them in the back of one of the caged trucks. It was hard to say goodbye, but i knew that I was not ready to be leaving with them, so that made it a little easier. It was sad to think that the next time I see them all, my brother will nearly be getting married! However, I'm so thankful I got to spend time with him and his fiance during their engagement :-)
It was so refreshing and encouraging to have my family come to Haiti. It's good to know that when i talk about people and places, they will have more of an understanding of what i mean.
I am doubly blessed: I have the family and home that God chose to place me in before I was born, and I have the family and home God chose to place me in for this season of my life. I cannot imagine life without either of them.
God is good!
I will need to post some pictures at a later date. I just really wanted to get this posted before it was just too late to bother! Goodness knows I've been terrible at blogging this year!
Friday morning was pretty leisurely, and by about 10:30 am we all piled back in the land cruiser and headed off in search of the beach my parents used to take us to. There is a new road in progress that goes around Miragoane and continues along the coast. It wasn't long before we found the beach. It was small, secluded, and was an area that curved in from the high rock walls. The water was refreshing and salty, and the rocks were covered in coral and fossils. it was a great time!
After eating sandwiches and snacks on the beach, we packed up again and headed back to Deronceley. We spent the rest of the afternoon visiting people and catching up and being introduced to mom and dad's old friends. I got to meet the lady who was considered my 'mama Ayitien' or 'Haitian mama' when I was little girl. It was pretty cool!
As dusk began to set in, we headed to the soccer field to watch the guys play with the young boys from the neighbourhood. It was fun!
After supper that evening, my 'papa Ayitien' came to visit for a while. It was eye opening to hear him talk about Haiti and his perspective on things going on here. He was a wonderful man, but he is elderly, and as my dad said, he's been waiting a long time for things to change, but there hasn't been a whole lot of noticeable change. At least not what he's been expecting. However, if there is one thing that i have learned, it is that Haitians are strong, resilient, and vibrant. They can bring about change, and they are the only ones who can do that for Haiti. i believe education is huge for that, and President Martelly is working hard to provide the opportunity for the Haitian children. I am confident that, given time and dedication, this endeavour will be successful.
Saturday was spent visiting more people in the town of Baraka. It was so interesting to see my parents meet their old friends again! We got bread baked fresh from a bakery where they had a stone oven. I remember having that bread the first time I came to Haiti as a teen and thinking how amazing it was! It was amazing again. So soft, warm, and tasty! The only thing that could have made it better is if I had had a little pat of President butter to slide into the middle and melt through it :-) Lunch was unexpectedly prepared for us by a sweet lady who happens to be one of the women i was named after. Lena made us some of the yummiest spaghetti I have ever had. It was nice to see her again and be able to speak to her in Creole this time. On my first trip to Haiti, many people told me that I needed to learn to speak Creole, so it was pretty cool to be able to see them again and be able to speak to them in their own language. After dinner that night, my haitian mama (mom's very good friend) and her husband and two children stopped in to visit and share dessert. it was special to spend more time with them. I jokingly asked Yolette if she would like to do my hair like she had one time when i was a little girl, and she took me up on it. It was fun to reminisce :-)
Sunday morning we attended the church in the village where we were staying. Apparently at that church it is expected that if you are visiting, you will sing a song. So before we headed to church, our family practiced a song to sing for them. We did one song in english, and mom, dad and I sang one in creole. It was pretty impromptu, but the congregation didn't seem to mind! In fact, i believe there is a slightly tinny version of our performance floating around that was recorded onto someone's cell phone. :-P I heard it playing faintly when I sat down again. It's a good thing we did our thing early in the service, because we were followed by a very talented group of young men who sang for the church. We couldn't have followed that up! lol.
After Sunday lunch, we said our goodbyes, packed up, packed in, and left the town that was (and continues to be) so special to my parents, waving goodbye to their friends. It was a great few days, but I was ready to get back up the mountain and back into my space and routine, and show my family the place that is so special to me.
We passed by the Notre Dame Cathedral and the National Palace on our way through Port au Prince, and when we got close to GLA, we stopped at Boutillier which is high above the city and lets you see the entire central plateau of Haiti.
Finally we entered the gate of the main house. After everyone got a little bit settled in their respective rooms, I gave everyone a tour, and their experience at GLA began.
It would take too long to tell you everything that we did and experienced. Most days were a typical work day, and they got to have a taste of what my life is like, what i do, and meet the people who are so special to me.
That Friday night we had a cookout at Ft. Jacques after the guys finished pouring the cement pad for one of the toddler pods. After eating, we took a quick walk to the actual Fort but didn't stay long, as drizzle started to fall.
Saturday we went out as a family to do some more sight seeing. We spent a few hours at the Baptist Haiti Mission, having lunch and shopping. After that we drove back up to Fort Jacques and walked to Fort Alexandre which is a fort that was never finished. It's overgrown and grassy, and has a wonderful view of the city. It was cool and breezy, and very cool to explore!
That evening we attended a cinema night at the Toddler House where we watched a movie with all the children in the yard watching it projected on a 'big screen'. It was great for my family to get a little bit of time to spend with the children there and see that aspect of my world.
Another highlight was when we went out to dinner to celebrate my older brother's birthday. It was nice to have some quiet family time and just be together! After eating yummy pizza and buying ice cream to eat with birthday cake, we made a quick stop at Boutillier again to see the city at night. It was so quiet, clear, and magical. I love looking at the city lights. I'm not as much a fan of actually being IN the city, but it is nice to look at it! :-)
Each evening while my family was here was spent taking a walk and/or playing a game. Daylight savings worked in our favour. It doesn't make as much sense for a country that is so close to the equator as it does in Canada, but it was great to have another hour of daylight to be able to take walks in the community!
Two weeks went by quickly, and it was extremely hard to say goodbye (i was a bit of a mess the whole morning before we left for the airport). I rode down to the airport with them in the back of one of the caged trucks. It was hard to say goodbye, but i knew that I was not ready to be leaving with them, so that made it a little easier. It was sad to think that the next time I see them all, my brother will nearly be getting married! However, I'm so thankful I got to spend time with him and his fiance during their engagement :-)
It was so refreshing and encouraging to have my family come to Haiti. It's good to know that when i talk about people and places, they will have more of an understanding of what i mean.
'Having someone to love is family,
Having somewhere to go is home,
Having both is a blessing. '
God is good!
I will need to post some pictures at a later date. I just really wanted to get this posted before it was just too late to bother! Goodness knows I've been terrible at blogging this year!
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