First Day of Work

    The first week of working was a great experience! Although the first day was the day that opened my eyes the most I think. It was Monday February the 3rd, and we were all asked the question as to what we would like to do. We could either go work at the Damahoot church or stay back and sort through clothing that we'd be bring up to a mountain village on Friday. My aunt chose to stay back that day, and besides her, I didn't know anyone so I was sort of anxious about my choice to go to the church. When we were loading up the truck, it turned out that most of the younger people had decided to go.

Here we are all getting ready to go paint the church.

    When we got to the church, there were immediately huge swarms of children ready to receive our love. Although we painted all day long, there were plenty of opportunities for us to spend time with the people of the village. There was one particular little girl that always hung around Aggie and I. Her name was Angelica.

Excuse the horrible dressing choice, we were painting :p This is the cutie pie Angelica :)

     Within a couple of hours of painting, the little children decided it would be a good idea to take my head-covering off and braid my hair. Here in Canada, it would have been known as really rude and dis-respectful to just touch someone without their permission, but in Haiti they were showing me their love that way. It took no time for the mothers to come and join the children on the floor, crouching down and playing with our hair.

Here we are enjoying two children's' company.

   Here the Mothers joined in on the fun. They told us about their children while they braided away.

   Across form the church there was a public well, the only well that I saw in Haiti. It looked to be a GFA Jesus Well, but I'm not entirely sure. What really bothered me about the well scenario was that all of the women would do the water carrying and pumping while the men sat around. Maybe they just didn't know any better, but I thought it was kind of wrong.

     While working here the first day, I looked out of the window bars and I saw a sadness about the place. I sensed spiritual distress and also poverty like we hadn't seen yet. I looked outside after lunch and saw this:

That there is Angelica and her baby brother. He is only wearing a shirt. Angelica had put on different clothing since the
morning like the rest of the Haitian children do daily if they have the clothing to spare.

    Going back to the compound the first night was wonderful because I felt so fortunate to be able to stay at the orphanage. It was such a great place to stay! The devotions every night really helped me spiritually. The first day of work was a success as well. We finished the first coat of beige paint on the inside. The women sorted through a large portion of clothing as well. Peter, Ronnie and Billy already started tearing out things in the mission home. Lloyd and Frank and Abe came along with Tina, Aggie, Helen, Sara, Maria and I to the church. The men did the electrical work. They did a great job! Lloyd and Frank found a baby tarantula and a scorpion in one of the outlets! Gross!

The boys doing their job.

                                              More working on the electrical stuff...

At the end of the day we would have a 'mango break'. The mangoes there were just SOOOO delicious! I can't really explain my love for them. Hahaha except for the hairy stuff you have to get out of your teeth afterwards...that part kind of sucked.

Yup...we all have a mango face, but hey that's alright ;)

I just want to leave all of you with a question this week. Would you be okay with living under two sticks and a sheet in 33-40 degree Celsius weather? Would you be able to thank God at the end of the day? I really wish all of you could have seen what I did. This lady would have been able to say yes to those questions.

"He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds." Psalm 147:3 

Psalms 55:22 Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.