Tuesday, April 30, 2019

First full day in Haiti!!!

Day 2 in Haiti is officially in the books for our Eagle Brook team - and boy was it an eventful day!  We woke up to an amazing breakfast prepared by the wonderful Haitian ladies here at the Healing Haiti guest house. Our spread included pancakes, egg scramble, fresh mango, banana, oatmeal made with sweetened condensed milk, and fresh passion fruit juice!  With our bellies full we boarded the Tap Tap and headed to our first stop - Deux Mains, owned and operated by Rebuild Globally.  The Deux Mains staff re-purpose tires that are no longer usable and use them to create the soles of sandals!  To make the sandals more fashionable, they also use locally sourced leathers, fabrics, and other findings. Sandals are one of the many products they create and sell.  You can also find other handmade items such as handbags, jewelry, and more!  The history behind how this company began is unbelievably inspiring. The goal was to provide STEADY employment to the Haitian people so they may provide consistently for their families. Because of Rebuild Globally, there are currently 36 Haitians will full time jobs, benefits, access to medical care, and free lunch daily.

Our next stop was to the Metal Market in the city of Croix-Des-Bouquets.  The Metal Market consisted of an overwhelming amount of handmade metal art!  Many stands/sellers to visit and choose from! Each and every item was carefully created by the men and women of Haiti.  How inspiring to see such hard working men and women who take such pride in their work.

The last stop tugged at our heart strings just a bit!  A special needs orphanage filled with many beautiful and happy children.  We bonded with them by coloring, dancing, jump roping, painting their nails, and simply showing them as much love as possible. Their smiles are forever engraved into our minds and something we will never forget. It was difficult to say goodbye but we did need to head back to the guesthouse where we had a delicious meal waiting for us - homemade lasagna and marinated veggies.  

God has blessed our team and we can't wait to see where He leads us tomorrow!