Dr. Gillis had made contact with a woman from New Orleans who also operates a school and orphanage in Port-au-Prince, and so we decided that we would use the date of Sherly and Steeve's post-op follow-up appointment as the opportunity to go visit Marie Jo. It was nice to be welcomed, complete with New Orleans fanfare, and great that Dr. Gillis got to see another project here in Haiti! We miss you already, Heather, but we are thrilled about what we hope to be an ongoing relationship with Tulane!
We also sent our good friend and medical director Susan Johnson off last week, too. As you know, Susan's primary objective for this visit to Haiti was to be sure that Steeve and Sherly's surgeries and recovery went smoothly, and she did just that. Susan spent 7 nights in the same room with Steeve and Sherly to be sure that they were following the doctor's orders and healing the way they needed to be. Susan comes to Haiti and hits the ground running - and it's tough to keep up with her! We can't thank her enough for all that she does for the children here at BLB! (She also brings great snacks from Trader Joe's)!
Trips to Port-au-Prince can be long and can be dangerous. The only road, National Route #2, is not exactly a two lane highway. It's a windy and bendy road, with parts of it unpaved, broken, flooded. Accidents are common. Flat tires are more so. People on motorcycles (I've seen 5 people on one moto before!) bikes, buses, tap taps, papadaps, livestock, on foot - people everywhere, no real tangible sense of what is a lane - all make a drive quite interesting.
This is why we always try to make the most of our trips to Port - overlapping airport runs, appointments, errands, trips to the market, etc. I'm rather proud of myself, as I've recently started driving in Port! I have been driving around Grand Goâve and further south, but when Gama turned to me one morning as we left the airport and said, "Do you want to drive?" I felt like I was 16 again and Dad had just given me the keys to the car. I certainly don't LIKE driving in Port, but it's nice knowing that I can. This is one of the sights on the road yesterday driving in to Port...
Every time I go to Port I am struck by the duality of it - how it can be so majestic and beautiful but at the same time be such a hard place. I was snapping pictures from the front seat of the truck (like a tourist, yes) and Francky asked me, "why do you take pictures of this? It is so dirty!" - And it is - But it's also just this intriguing place. Even in poverty and squalor, the polluted air and the mounds of trash, the mountains rise up all around the city; little houses stacked along the way, decorating the landscape - each a tiny glimpse of a life, a family. Each with their own story. I can't really describe how I feel when I go to Port.
Our good friend Paul Fallon is back in Haiti! It's been a while and we've missed him so much! As you mostly know, Paul is the architect who worked with Len and Gama to build Be Like Brit! He also worked with Mission of Hope International on the new school which just opened this school year! He's here on projects with MOHI and lending his talents to Gama and Gilbert who are each building homes in the area. He's also going to oversee the building of our new room! Our upstairs common area right now is open to the courtyards, and when the rains come in, it often becomes unusable. Len and Paul have worked up the design and Paul has been on site to oversee and approve the mock ups. We're happy to announce that the construction process should be starting soon!
The new room will be used as a library, computer room, and media room. It will be full of light with 18 windows in total, and will be set up eventually with the 30+ laptops so generously donated to us by St. John's Catholic High School in Shrewsbury, MA. We can't wait to get this room secured so that even in the driving wind and rain, the children have a safe, dry place to gather!
Yesterday, October 26, was my birthday. I know we always make sure the children get a big cake, a gift, and a party, but I was adamant about not having any fuss for my day. I opted to go along with Francky to Port to shop for tires, and the children didn't even know it was my birthday until that evening. I came back from Port around 6pm and was welcomed by Angela (Gama's wife), who had made me my very own birthday cake and came out of her apartment strumming her guitar and singing Happy Birthday, of course getting the children in on the secret, too. Even though she broke my rule, I suppose I can forgive her :) Thank you, Angela, for a wonderful evening! The children especially loved your sing-a-long and I hope we can do them more often!
We also wish Len a Happy Birthday today! The children wish he was here so they could climb all over him and sing, dance, have cake, and throw him the party he deserves!
All in all, things continue to move along swiftly here in Haiti! Our interns Lauren and Zakiyyah are still busy, and it's hard to believe they've been here for two months already! They are bonding well with the children, are a huge asset and support of my efforts and work, and bring so much to us here at Be Like Brit. We're very lucky to have them! Most recently, one of our caregiver's had a new baby sister! Lauren and Zakiyyah along with Heather and Susan decided to go visit to check on the baby's health - and more so just to get some baby snuggle time in :) It was a nice outing. We were able to bring clothes, formula, food for the family, and extend our congratulations to a very proud mother and a very healthy baby! A short walk up the mountain, a small house, a brief exchange - but the impact of that visit resonates far beyond the seemingly simple and ordinary connection we made with the family that day. Those are the moments that keep us going.
Have a great week everyone! Be sure to keep your eyes on our Facebook page and watch for pictures from our Gala, happening on Saturday night, November 2, 2013 in Boston! Thank you for all your continued support!
