Those Kids

Haiti Day 3.

Ready for another day!

The plan was to go into Cap Hatien (about an hour ride in the back of the truck) to spend time at the children's hospital and maternity ward.  But when we got there, there really wasn't anything for us to do.  All the kids had their moms with them.  We kind of just stood there, awkwardly in the way, until we finally decided it would be best just to leave.  But during that short time, Mindy and I were standing by a crib with two tiny baby twins in it.  Their mom said they were 3 months old, but there was no way.  They were so small.  They looked about 3 days old.  Their mom said they did not eat well, so her milk dried up.  She held up an empty formula can, saying she had nothing to feed her babies.  IN the hospital.  I think about her often, especially when I scoop out formula to give to my chunky, healthy baby.

Some pictures of the drive into Cap Hatien

Since we had driven an hour to get to Cap Hatien, we decided to stay and "sightsee."  Which meant visiting a market and eating lunch.  The Haitian version of pizza, burgers, and fries.  Pretty good!  Julie ordered a plate of goat for us to try.  To quote my journal, it was "not my fave."  

Our team at the restaurant

We drove back to the compound without a plan for the rest of the day.  So we decided to bless the kids that we saw along the road every day when we rode in the truck.  The kids that got so excited when they saw us, waving and yelling "Blanc! Blanc!" every day. We had a bunch of grocery bags and we filled them with FMSC meals, clothes (pillowcase dresses, shorts, t-shirts), toothbrushes/paste, little toys, candy, etc.  (oh, and some recorders that a music teacher had donated).  Jack had picked out some of his books from his own bookshelf to give to the kids in Haiti, so I took those along.  He also had put a "present bow" on the books.  So I stuck it to my shirt before we headed out.  

     

Some shots of us preparing the bags.  I'm writing little cards that say "Jezi Renmen Ou!" Jesus Loves You!  And there's the present bow.  

We piled into the back of our truck with our goodie bags.  And the chaos began...

When we saw a house with kids outside, we stopped to give them a bag.  And then more kids would run over.  And more kids.  And more kids.  And parents.  Begging to give them whatever we had.  We had to drive off without giving something to everybody (and trying not to run anybody over as they crowded around the truck).  Which wasn't fun, but it was reality.  

Some of the kids didn't know what to do with the stuff.  There was one little boy that we all remember...he was all by himself on the side of the road wearing blue underwear.  We gave him a bag and as we pulled away he just stood there holding it.  Didn't open it or anything.  And we realized that he probably had never been given a present before; he didn't know what to do.  Sooooooooo different from kids in the US.  

Our favorite little boy in the blue underwear with his goodies.

There was a boy riding on the front of his bike with his dad.  We stopped to give him some stuff.  And I gave him Jack's present bow; stuck it to his shirt.  He wasn't sure what it was or what to do with it.  But I hope he liked it!  

When we ran out of bags we drove back to the compound.  And on the way we heard several kids playing their new recorders.  Probably driving their parents crazy already.  :)  

A couple things stuck out to me about this day.  First, we thought we had a plan, and that didn't work out.  But it's not our plan that matters anyway.  God knew what we would be doing that day; He just waited until the last-minute to let us know.

And we got to be a part of something very special.  We got to be a part of the completion process.  So often, as the "givers" we send money or supplies and never get to see the end result.  We trust that God will take it to the people who need it.  And that's great and fine.  But this day I got to be a part of the ending too.  When we packed the FMSC meals at Pathway, we prayed for the people who would receive them.  And I saw those people today.  I touched them and handed them a meal.  When Jack and I packed the box full of his books and supplies for people, we prayed over the box and for the kids who would get that stuff.  And I handed it to THOSE KIDS today.  It's crazy to think that his books that were on a bookshelf in our basement in Indiana are now in little huts in Haiti.  

I got to be a part of the beginning and the ending of the process.  I'm so thankful that He lets us in on what He's doing.  In Indiana and in Haiti.