Port au Prince Team - Wednesday Update - Hump Day in Haiti

Hard to believe it's Wednesday already.  Much has been accomplished and much remains to be done.  In yesterday's blog Charlie mentioned that Lynn and I went outside the compound to deliver  a soccer ball to some kids in one of the tent city compounds next door to the hospital.  I thought I would give you a few more details.

I had seen, as we travelled from the guest house to the hospital, several children playing soccer with a rag ball.  Knowing we had a few soccer balls to distribute, I took the liberty of just taking one along with me, intending to just give it away as the opportunity presented itself.  As we were working Tuesday, Lynn looked over from the third floor of the hospital into the tent area and saw some boys playing soccer with a plastic Sprite bottle.  She came to me and said she wanted us to give the soccer ball to them.

 

tent village viewed from Kings Hospital

We got permission to go outside the compound.  Our driver, Belizera, would go with us.  We exited through the gate, past the guard with the pump action shot gun and out onto the dirt street.  It had just rained, so everything was muddy.  The entrance to the tented area required us to go past the gate to avoid a large mud puddle and cross some very slippery, muddy rocks.  A hasty exit, if required, would not be possible.  As we entered the tented area, there was a small concrete structure to the right, open on the front, where four men were seated.  One rose and immediately challenged us.  He wanted to know why we were coming to his house?  Belizera responded that his house was our house and we were there with something for the children.  The level of intensity heightened appreciably.  The other three men stood up.  Then the first man then stepped aside and said we were welcome in his home.

close-up of tent village from roof of Kings Hospital

We walked to the back of the tent city, now followed by an ever increasing number of children as Belizera carried the soccer ball.  I was struck by the smells.  I smelled dinner cooking over charcoal, the primary fuel used for cooking in the tent cities.  I smelled clean laundry, like it had been line dried.   One woman pulled back the flap to her tent and I smelled the scent of lavender.  I was also struck by what I did not smell.  I did not smell the smell of any type of waste, human or otherwise.  I did not smell anything offensive at all.

The children, now about ten of them, seven boys and three girls, all between maybe six and ten, had us surrounded.  All were clean, smiling, happy.  Faces looked freshly scrubbed.  Clothes were clean and the  girls had on bright colors and ribbons in their hair.  One little girl had on a bright lime green top and pink  shorts and a smile that could do nothing less than light up your heart.

Lynn decided the smallest boy should receive the ball on behalf of all the children.  Through Belizera, she explained that we were there because Jesus loves the little children and we love the little children, all the children of the world.  As we made our way out, one of the little boys took my right hand.  Then, the little girl in the lime green top took my left hand, and walked us out of the tent city.  It was an intense moment for me.  Here these children have so little, but they do understand a lot.

We have also had great interactions with the children at the orphanage inside the compound.  Above you see them playing with some toys, punching balloons.  Below you see Lynn with three young ladies from the orphanage that immediately took to her.  And, she to them.

Last evening Dr. Fromm and I sat for a while with Mrs. Dr. Morquette ("Junie") and heard the story of how the orphanage and then the hospital got started.  Dr. Morquette ("Hubert"), pictured below, is the dreamer, the inspirational, passionate member of the team.  He sings for us at every meal.  Junie is the quiet tactician, working behind the scenes.  She is quiet, reserved and, I imagine, a quite forceful person, whom I have come to admire.  To hear her tell the story of how God just kept putting the right people in her path and in the path of her two sisters is almost breathtaking.  I hope that someday the Morquettes can come visit us all in Dalton so you can hear the story from them, as well.

The work plan is already laid out for tomorrow.  We are all missing you and wishing you were here to experience what we have experienced.


Ben Laughter