Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Learning to Hold a Burger

 7-21-12 I wrote this one month ago on my way home from Haiti:

Juanita Joy and I are in Ft Lauderdale between flights home.  Finally a charging station.   It is a record that we had no power our entire visit to Haiti.  A bit of an inconvenience, but who cares.  The graduation party was inspiring, hope for the future, beautiful, poised, the girls were transformed.  Their brains are developing, being stimulated to stretch, thanks to Mama Gina, their life in the closed compound is expanding.  We felt the promise of their future.  Our Graduates from left to right: Marceline, Fritzchina, Rocheline, Kentyna, Belove

It was an opportunity for all of the girls to show what they are capable of, the possibility of being ambassadors for their country is phenomenal.  They will have the opportunity to give back, bless the world, they could not have done that before they were safe, healthy, loved, and educated.

A visitor at the graduation complimented on how confident and well educated the girls appeared, they looked like they were from a "wealthy family".   That richness is seen for who the child is on the inside, vibrant, inspiring, from a happy family.

We had "Puberty class" focused on the precise knowledge needed to be a confident, clean and comfortable menstruating woman. Wow was that fun, they were so cute and had so many questions. Once again I love having Jean Wesley for our interpreter because they learn they can discuss these important personal maters with a caring and sensitive man.  Thank you so much to Kathy Davidson for making the 6 sets of reusable well designed kits of cloth pads, right for our budget and the environment.  Now we must brace ourselves for a house full of beautiful young girls as their bodies make the transition to womanhood.  Can you imagine the household in 3 years?  Pray for us!!

Our girls speak English, no kidding.  They talk to us, they understand us, they are growing in their ability by leaps and bounds. They are trilingual French, Creole and English.  Spanish is next at the private school the 5 graduates will attend this fall.  Jean Wesley is teaching his way out of a translating job, (that's ok he can direct our vocational school of the future).

After searching for over a year, we are hopeful that we have found a piece of land to build our permanent children's home in Haiti. There is plenty of room for garden, house, school, and playground.   It is in a safe place near the US embassy.  With a little help from our friends we will be able to pay for it!   It will take time and lot's of work to get through the paperwork and details to purchase the land, just know we are working on it one step at a time.

We decided that our graduation present for our 5 graduates was to "take the girls out to eat".  It was the first time in their lives to go to a nice restaurant.  Days in advance we began making napkin rings for the cloth napkins. Then we had manners class with details on use of the napkin, proper conversation, what is a menu, bring your food to your mouth not your mouth to the plate and shovel it in as they have done in the past.  We planned the graduation to inspire the younger girls to desire what the graduates had, so the 5 privileged girls went off with us to a beautiful museum and park next to the embassy.  A nice outdoor restaurant with tablecloths and live Haitian music!   Shyness almost got in the way of making a menu choice,  Juanita Joy took over with all the confidence of a teacher, and they all ended up ordering burgers.  Sounds pretty simple, but surprise surprise when the burgers come, all tall with bun and lettuce, they had no idea what to do with it.  They started to take it apart piece by piece then good ol' Juanita Joy did a demo with her sandwich of the "two hand hold",  and bring to the mouth, they started off slow but soon got the hang of it.  The portion was so much more than they were used to, some asked Mama Lucie if they could wrap their food up to take home to share with their sisters, (warms my heart).

 Juanita Joy brought the makings for pajamas and spent the whole trip measuring, cutting and never got to sew!!!  No power, so much for our hopes of teaching the girls to sew.  It will happen.   Lily introduced the hacky sacks and set up the Internet!!!!!!!  Yes we have a stick thing to plug into the computers and get on line, wow it works off the cell tower so no need for power,  just a charge (entering the modern age).

Love to all of you our loyal supporters.  How amazing that we can feel the joy that our girls are safe, healthy and happy.  Thank you so much.  More to come.  Lynn

Pictures: Cake cutting ceremony for the Graduates,  Family portrait at birthday ceremony for staff Eddie and Mama Gina, Girls presenting a song at the graduation, Juanita Joy surrounded, Lily and Belove out to eat,  Our incredibly beautiful and fabulous graduates, Kentyna,  Marceline, Rocheline, Fritzchina, Belove.