Day 8 in Haiti

Finnally a cool breeze coming through the building.  This is the first night since being here that I am not sweating while I am typing.  We had a thunder storm after dinner tonight and it is now a cool 26C.  A nice change from 30C plus all day and night.

We did recieve an email from our house sitters with a picture of our back yard and the hill covered in snow.  Noah loved to see this and it did help us feel cool for a second. 

Anica was feeling a little sad today.  She misses her friends and some of the other comforts of home.  Any of you following the blog please have your kids send Anica an email if you can.  Send it to nicolen@telus.net.

Today many of us were exhausted from hauling rice the day before.  We did manage to finish the playground with only one minor set back.  The chain bridge we were building was not quite finished when recess happened and we had at least 25 kids on the bridge at once...the bridge chain supports broked and the bridge came down.  So we played with all the kids for until recess was over and then finished with a much stronger bridge.

Nicole and the girls hand painted with the preK kids.  They were not too keen on putting there hands in paint.  It took a while to get them interested; even then only about 1/2 participated.  While the boys worked on the playground; Anica and I began playing "Sur le Pont D Avigon"...when suddently there was a "large crowd of kids" gathered.  It was surreal....how many kids young and older wanted to play.  Our circle was soo big it kept in spot. The kids love having their photos taken and then looking in the view finder to look at themselves. 

Anica and Noah are also greatful that we built the equipment, so they now have something to play on while they are here.

The Crossroads team will be leaving on Friday morning early, so tomorrow is the last day for them.  We will miss them all very much.  Anica has made friends with the ladies on the team, Noah has been and great helper with the building and Nicole and I have made friends with all of them.  They are a strong team and are full of prayer for Haiti and everyone here.   They will be missed.

This afternoon we did have a chance to go to the beach to relax and cool off.  Anytime we go to the beach is it a great experience.  We have to walk approx 2 km on a path that passes by many peoples houses and tents.  We have had a chance to get to know some of them.  They are always very friendly and kind. 

The spectacle of the day was when Mr. Mike took off his sandals and started to climb up a coconut tree.  By the time we made it half way up there must have been 30 people gathered around to see this funny looking white man climbing the tree.  Climbing trees in Haiti is highly discouraged and I thought this was odd until I found out why.  If you see how power is used in this country, then you understand.  They have power lines running everywhere, through trees, tied to trees, tied in the middle of the power line to another spot.  So as a result nobody climbs trees for fear of getting electricuted. 

It is interesting that we are so focused on what we are doing here, that we spend little time following what is going on outside Haiti and more specifically the area that we are in.  We don't have newspapers and we use the internet mostly to communicate and blog.  We are learning to rely fully on God and that has been the most amazing part.

Thank-you all for your emails and comments it is good to hear from you. 

Charles, Nicole, Anica, Noah.