A Warm Haitian Welcome

It seemed as if we would never get there but we finally arrived at the Orphanage about 5:45 p.m. and everyone was outside waiting for us. I recognized all the faces of the children from the pictures I had been staring at for weeks. I greeted them one by one and called them by name. They were very surprised and some were confused but still each one gave me a hug and the biggest smile. I was told that they were so excited that I was coming. With each greeting, that child would hold on to my hand or arm or whatever they could touch. After a few minutes I was surrounded and had to reach over their heads to meet the rest of the group.

I met our main cook, Marie-Rose. She is young (late 20’s) and very sweet. I met the cook’s morning instructor, Hermione, a very lovely older woman that is familiar with cooking for Americans. Next, I met our night watchman, Saint-Vilier, and our day watchman, Julius. Last of the staff members; I met the housekeeper and children’s assistant, JaiLa, who takes care of the house and gets the kids ready for school and for bed. She looked very stern and almost angry until I said “Bonjour” and then she gave me her greatest smile. I also met a few of the other friends and neighbors that came to see the “Blanc” (that’s what the Haitians call everyone that is white until they know your name) who is going to teach English. By this time, I made it across the porch and into the front door where more people were waiting to greet me. It really was a little overwhelming but in a good way. We stood around for a few minutes while everybody stared and smiled at me. Then a group of women came in. They were the Prayer Women of the church.

There were also three young men, Bernard, David, and Enoch, that are currently teaching elementary school. They wanted to come and sing some worship songs in Haitian to give me a proper welcome. The songs were beautiful!

Next they formed a circle around me and then Saint-Victor said a prayer for me while they “Amened” every sentence. Lucner translated in English and it was pretty powerful. After that, he asked everyone in the room to give me a hug and say, “I love you!” in English.

That’s when the tears finally came. They were truly sincere about their joy for my coming to Haiti and wanted to bless me in the biggest way. I was so moved by their love and their spirit. I felt very blessed and very glad I made the choice to be here.

They gave me a tour and showed me my room. It is pretty big according to Haitian standards and even some American standards for that matter. It’s just a guess but I’m thinking maybe 16x12? All I have in here at the moment is my bed, a small table, an ice chest to keep my juice and cokes in, (need more cokes), a five gallon jug of fresh bottled water, and my suitcases. The walls and floor are concrete and the door is made of wood. No doorknob but a sliding lock. None of the rooms have a ceiling. The house has an elevated tin roof where you can see all the beams and the PVC pipes that house the electric wires. It is really strange how the sound carries. When anyone is talking, it sounds like they are in the same room with you and it’s hard to tell where they actually are.
As for the rest of the house; the living room and dining room/kitchen are divided by a wall with an archway. They are nice and large. Next to the kitchen, down the hall, is the girls’ room. Mine is across from them. Just past their room, further down the hall, is the bathroom. Only one of two has been completed. It’s a pretty tight squeeze to get around in there. At the end of the hall is the supply room where the food is kept and it also has a bed for when Lucner or Saint-Victor stay the night. They take turns. The boys' room is next to mine but can only be entered from the front porch.
After I got settled in, I was invited to the dining room for a real Haitian dinner. It was absolutely fantastic! Yum-yum! The cooks are great! I have not had one bad meal yet. They eat very interesting dishes and are creative with what they have.

After dinner, I observed the children getting ready for bed. They all rinsed off the dust of the day in the shower, brushed their teeth and headed for bed. (They get up at six for their baths, go to breakfast, and then school at 8:00). I was then told that the bathroom was free for me to use and take my shower. Yikes! That is some extremely cold water! I have learned that the best way is just to brave the first shock and jump right in. After a while, it feels normal.
Had to fight with the space between the shower, sink, and toilet just to dry off and get dressed. By the time I was finished, I had worked up a sweat and felt like getting back into the shower. Unfortunately, it was literally “Lights Out” for everyone at 8:30 p.m.
It was a very long night for me. I could not see my own hand in front of my face and could hear every possible sound from the outdoors. My windows face the front porch and have a screen with bars on the outside. No way to close them.
I heard dogs, at least five, barking and howling, a donkey, frogs, crickets, people walking by talking, several passing vehicles, and an occasional rooster crowing. And let’s not forget that it was hot, hot, and hot!
As I said; a long night. I fell asleep around “something-thirty” a.m. and woke up at 6:00 a.m. when the children were bustling about. I will fill you in on day two as soon as I get a chance. I also hope to have some pictures to post in the next writings.

Until then…au revoir!