Happy Sabbath

I am writing to you after taking my nightly wet wipe bath (aka the shower for champions). I woke up this beautiful morning with a smile on my face, not because I knew it was about time for breakfast, but because we got to go to Petionville to go to church. Ashleigh and I weren't sure about the breakfast situation so we stuffed a couple of bricks, I mean Powerbars, into my backpack, not a good idea, and went outside to wait for the Taptap . Close your eyes for me here, imagine a regular truck, put a Unicover on it and lift the cover about 3 feet high, now cut off the back for an easy getaway. Safety first here folks, we had an armrest at the end f the truck to prevent tumbling out. Mom, you would have had a hard attack! We went down this steep road and bounced around bumping into one another and sliding into laps. It was like a roller coaster ride! I love roller coasters, the crazier the better! This ride had Elitches beat! It was exhilarating and nerve racking all in one lifted unicover! So I figured out the honking. It is like riding a bike, how you ring your bell when you are passing on the left. Same thing but a little louder and other vehicles are driving towards you too really quick. We made it to Saint Joseph's Home for Boys, which is under the same sponsorship, Hearts for Haiti, as my orphanage, Wings of Hope. Saint Joseph's that was destroyed by the earthquake. They have a guest house that 8 boys are living there right now. This place was colorful and bright. I felt like a harp should play as you enter this house! Just peaceful and happy. We walked around and Renee showed us the construction of the new building that the boys are going to live in, 7 stories high! We were told that the construction design that they are doing is top of the line and hasn't been done in Haiti, so it sounds like this building isn't going anywhere. Michael, the founder of the home greeted us with the offer of tea, but the bell beat him to it and it was time for Church. We then proceeded to a secret garden area where there were vines and lush, green trees and plants were growing. So delightful. We sat down and Michael handed us a book saying, "You can follow along and understand what stories we are reading." So it started with a bang of the bongo and lots of clapping. ( my hands are sore tonight) There was Creole and more Creole. We opened the book, trying to find where we were. Couldn't find it so we then stood up again and clapped and banged more. Then sat down and tried to find our spot, still couldn't find it, but we stood up again and banged and then clapped this time. We sat and I understood that they did a type of confessing their sins, "Pardon, Monsieur Jesus, Pardon..." We then sang and clapped. After all the clapping and singing, everyone opened their book and Renee then cued us that it was time. Of course we were on the wrong page so we had to be helped again. After that embarrassing fiasco, we went downstairs and looked around at the home. We spoke with some boys and guards. All very sweet and all want to learn English better. Funny because they speak better than I do. I want them to teach me Creole and English. We went to the grocery store called Giant and it is true to its name. We exchanged money and walked though the aisles. The grocery shoppers are a lot like the drivers. They maneuver through anything and expect you to watch out for them. It was like Disney World! We purchased much needed vegetables and small pizzas, these pizzas were glorified Totinos pizzas except half the size and triple the price. We have a plan of action... we will make one big dinner one night a week to spoil ourselves. However our stomachs were growling in hungry because we were stupid enough to skip breakfast, the most important meal of the day, and just eat a piece of cardboard, a Powerbar. After our excursion in Giant, we hopped back on the Taptap and started flying! People in the states think they are good drivers with their suited up 4 wheel drive SUVs that are lifted and have extra suspension, super shocks. Well, the Taptap drivers here drive about 12 people seated in a lifted Unicover, in a 1995, rusted Toyota with bald tires, going through potholes the size of small elephants and straight up loose gravel roads. As we were holding onto our seats, we learned that the entire Church service was improvised weekly by the boys. Ashleigh and I had no idea, it went so smoothly. We got home safely and with tensed muscles. Ashleigh and I headed straight into the kitchen like dogs. We were taught how to start the oven, which I will always let Ashleigh do that since fire and gas switches are involved. We cooked our Mini Totinos , in 12 minutes and 16 seconds flat. We sat down and tried to let them cool off but we both realized we were drooling like hounds. We noticed one another and burst out into laughter, then bit in! Not bad, not bad at all. The bottom was crispy and cardboard-like but the seasonings, cheese, and so-called diced pepperoni were tasty. After our meal, we sat down and discussed what we would be doing for the next 3 months. This week we are going to literally play with 5 kids in the morning, feed the kids in the afternoon, start a physical game in the afternoon, feed the kids dinner, and them relax and socialize. Kind of sounds familiar, except with a different generation. Good thing I have practice playing games. Once a little more knowledgeable and confident in our purpose here, we sat on the balcony and ate left over rice and beans which Mono saved! What a doll! Feeling content, we went downstairs and rode bikes and danced with the kids. What a glorious way to end a spectacular day.

This is made out of a tire

Pizza Pizza!