This past week at Be Like Brit, we met with Steve Gross from Life is Good's charitable arm, Playmakers, to discuss a relationship between our two organizations moving forward. Steve and his team came and met with Len, Gama, and I, as well as with Kristin and Rob, who just left Haiti yesterday after coming down to work in and discuss ways in which we can expand the scope of our own medical clinic! Steve's Team consists of an all-Haitian staff who will work side by side with our own caregivers and teachers to teach them to become "Playmakers" - to embrace joy, laughter, love, and foster that sense of hope and security on to our children.
Through their program, Haitians are working alongside each other, and the challenges of cultural and language barriers dissipate! This will be an ongoing relationship with Life is Good and we are so excited for our staff and our children! We know that play is a wonderful medium through which children can learn, heal from past traumas, develop social skills, confidence, and more! This Playmaker Training, which we anticipate will start after the New Year, will bring a wonderful addition to the skill sets of our already committed and devoted staff!
We've been so fortunate to have on hand our two Tulane interns for almost 3 months, and they, too just left us yesterday! The work that Lauren and Zakiyyah have done for us at Be Like Brit and for the children has been incredible, and we were so sad to see them go! I actually left before they did yesterday morning, but I was told that the children were not so happy about having to say goodbye! While we always prepare for terminating relationships and the children are prepared as best we can for these "end dates" as they approach, it's understandable that bonds develop and people get attached! Lauren and Zakiyyah didn't have an easy time leaving, either! They will be greatly missed but we know they will forever be a part of our Be Like Brit family, and have a place in the hearts of all of our children with whom they became so close!
Our good friend Kristin Reed left us yesterday, too! After 3 weeks with us at Be Like Brit, Kristin has spent countless hours entering all of our children's health information into an electronic medical records database system designed just for us! Being the amazing, generous soul that she is, she insisted that we visit a few of the babies in the community she met while working here both back in July and over these past few weeks. She was happy to see that this one year old baby is gaining weight and his health is improving! As busy as she was, Kristin took the time to work in two different local clinics AND insisted on community outreach, too! She's already promised to come back and we look forward to working together with her to develop ways that our clinic can become more of a resource for not just the children who live at Be Like Brit, but for the community, too!
We also sent our friend Rob off yesterday! Rob was down in Haiti through his work with Harvard's Disaster Medicine Fellowship, and wanted to visit the site to get in some time with the kiddos, and also to get a sense of the organization itself. He and Kristin met with Len and myself extensively to discuss ways we might be able to increase the capacity of our clinic to help those who are so in need outside our walls. With Rob's experience in hospital management and administration and the fact that he's taken a liking to a few of the little ones here at BLB, we know we'll have a great relationship with Rob - whatever shape it may take! We can't thank him enough for this past week!
So yes, we said goodbye to lots of people this week, but at Be Like Brit, there are always more people to come! In fact, even before we all left, Cherylann and her mother Kathy flew down to Haiti with a Team to provide dental services to our children! Scott, Heather, and Lindsey flew in on Friday night and by yesterday morning, they were busy cleaning, examining, extracting, and repairing lots of teeth at Be Like Brit! I can't wait to get back to see those newly brightened smiles! The Team will be working with the children all weekend and we can't thank them enough for their time and service to our children - the children of Haiti!
Cherylann enjoyed her welcome from the girls, too - can't you tell?!
Cherylann's mother Kathy, Brit's Nana is down in Haiti, too - and like most Nanas, she's spoiling the kids and getting lots of love and play in with our precious 35 children! We especially love the tiaras and BLB t-shirts she brought down for the boys and girls in Brit's Orphanage! I wish I had been there to see the girls' reactions to their princess treatment! Kathy came down for the dedication back in January, but this is the first time she's visited BLB with children living there! What a great experience!
Given that we are in the midst of the season in which we give Thanks, We all at Be Like Brit want to extend our most sincere and heartfelt thanks and gratitude for all of the amazing people who together make Be Like Brit a true Beacon of Hope for the children, the community, and all of those who will benefit from our future endeavors. We are blessed to have unwavering support from thousands of people from all over the world. From Facebook, Twitter, Britsionarys, friends, strangers alike - we are truly in awe of the support we continue to receive.
As always, but especially so this week, we are grateful.
