Totino-Grace Day 6

Today we went to La Loo orphanage at the center of Port-au-Prince. As we arrived, children scurried downstairs from their daily chores. We were greeted with smiles and the tightest hugs. Through the morning, we played what felt like a million chalk games such as hopscotch. Jake got his butt kicked at tick-tac-toe. Meanwhile, Alani, Kate, Grace, and Nicole felt the love and excruciating pain of having their hair braided by a Haitian girl. Lauryn loved playing tag with a few girls. After a joyful and sweaty morning, we boarded the tap-tap and cruised up the bumpy mountain.

            We stopped halfway up to shop the beautiful handmade metal art at an endless series of makeshift shops. We all learned to haggle where Kate artfully negotiated her way from $20 to $7 for a bowl and some of the others asked for a lower price but then quickly gave up and said “take the money.” At the top of the mountain we saw an unbelievable view of Haiti and after some shopping came home, showered up, and went salsa dancing at a hotel down the road. We are sad for this trip to end but look forward to sleep and a more restful Sunday at the beach.

Superlatives of the day:

Most likely to secretly not be a true ginger and just dye her hair that color: Grace

Most likely to barter for a higher price: Henry

Most likely to professionally take up bartering: Lauryn

Most likely to come back with a bald spot: Alani

Most likely to befriend a merchant named Michand and get free items: Jake

Most likely to spontaneously drop into the splits: Ellie

Most likely to have gone to an awkward middle school dance: Sarah

Most likely to dislocate her knees while salsa dancing: Kate

Most likely to be in a Haitian rap band: Noah

Most likely to know every Taylor Swift song by heart: Eric

Most likely to break the piano: Natalya

Most likely to major in bracelet making: Nicole

Most likely to use the walkaway technique to barter: Tom

Totino-Grace Day 5

bòn nwi! We have had such an amazing day today. As we settle in for a good night’s rest, we thought we’d update you on our adventures.

 

This morning we woke up at 5:30 (yes, you heard that right, your kids woke up at 5:30) and headed to a nondenominational church called Church on the Rock. There, we got to experience a type of worship none of us had ever seen—the Haitian people walked around, sang, and hardly sat at all during the sermon. It was truly amazing getting to see a different culture express their faith in such a unique form.

After service, we walked back to our guest house, and it was perfect weather. When we arrived back, we ate a pancake breakfast and prepared ourselves for a big day—water truck day.

Getting into our neon green shirts and hopping on the taptap, we were full of excitement and anxiousness for the day to come. We stopped at a total of 3 spots, and with the help of a large water truck, delivered water to the people of City Soleil, the poorest slum in Haiti. Immediately, we were greeted by “Hey you! Hey you!” by all the kids, and the second we got off that taptap, they all shouted “Porte me!” which means lift me up. It was like none of them had ever been held before—they didn’t want to let go. Sometimes, we were holding 4 children at a time on our shoulders, back, and one in each hand.  We sang songs and played with them, while also carrying buckets to homes. It was both amazing and exhausting. We also got to see the ocean from the pier. It was equally devistating and beautiful, as there was a lot of trash and poverty within the stunning blue water.

 

After our day of serving, we got a tour of Fleri Farm, a farm created by Healing Haiti. We not only got to see plantain, mango, and coconut trees, but also got to drink the fresh water from the coconuts.

To end our day, we ate a delicious Haitian meal of rice, stew, chicken, and plantains made by the women in the guest house.

 

Superlatives of the day:

 

Most likely to successfully hold seven kids at once: Eric

Most likely to accidentally tell a little Haitian girl that Gabby and Mr Morcomb are her mom and dad and then just go with it: Alani

Most likely to be a strong advocate for socks and keens: Tom

Most likely to become a firefighter: Henry

Most likely to meet a town of “Sarah’s” in Haiti: Sarah

Most likely to accidentally BE the grounds of a fight: Jake

Most likely to be mimicked by a little Haitian boy: Nicole

Most likley to join a Haitian village and move to Haiti: Ellie

Most likely to be an ozzy osborn doppleganger: Natalya

Most likely to be called an elephant: Noah

Most likely to burst out in a Creole Christian song: Grace

Most likely to choke on water on the tap tap: Lauryn

Most likely to become a photographer for Ozzy Osburn adverstising Nutella: Kate

Totino-Grace Day 4

Today was a super long and in-depth day, but we will give you a little update of what we did (in our 20 minutes we have before we have to go to bed). After our delicious French toast breakfast, we headed to Croatian Relief, an orphanage of around 60 children. We were greeted by a beautiful Haitian song sung by the children. Throughout the morning, we made cross necklaces, played sports, jumped rope, painted, and played with a parachute. We were also given a tour of the orphanage by the leader.

Next, we headed to visit 4 elders. Healing Haiti sponsors many elderly people with varying needs. It was very humbling, and us students washed the feet of these individuals, put lotion on their arms and legs, heard their touching stories, and sang them songs. It was a very emotional day for all of us.

After this experience, we got the opportunity to go to Grace Village’s own restaurant and bakery, Fleri, a place where transitioning orphans are hired. We ate delicious pizza, cookies, and (of course) plantain chips, this time with mango salsa. We tried to order some to bring home, but they didn’t have enough. Sorry to all the salsa loving moms!

We had a very good reflection tonight, and journaled about the rollercoaster of emotions that today brought. We all cannot wait to tell you about our days!

Superlatives of the day:

Most likely to be down for getting strong: Natalya

Most likely to write a love song to Natalya: Kate

Most likely to conquer his phobia of feet: Jake

Most likely to start a necklace making club at TG: Tom

Most likely to have a freak laugh attack: Henry

Most likely to become a French translator: Sarah

Most likely to become a baby whisper and make them fall asleep: Lauryn

Most likely to pee her pants: Grace

Most likely to become a professional monkey ball player: Alani

Most likely to start seriously calling people “dearest”: Eric

Most likely to secretly be a “giggler”: Noah

Most likely to major in the game of parachute: Nicole

Most likely to be killed by a game of giant jenga: Ellie

Blog written by Grace

Superlatives written by Alani