Thankful for my life

Day 6 started off to  be another campus day. We waited for the Nutrition program but then realized it was Saturday and the nutrition program only runs Monday to Friday. I decided to go back to the Miriam Center. As soon as I walked in an able bodied girl grabbed my hand and pulled me so I followed her. She brought me to a basket of shoes and pulled out a pair of white crocs that were a few sizes too small and squished her feet into them, she grabbed my hand and pointed to the door, so out the door Natalie and I went. We walked around the mission for about an hour and a half with Natalie giggling and waving each time we passed the Miram  center. Yelling BYE BYE and then laughing again. All she wanted to do was walk. She couldn't really talk . I suspect she was Autistic.  Heather the person who runs the center told me that Natalie will never get tired of walking so when I am done to just bring her back. So I finally brought her back into the  Center and we played ball for awhile until she got bored and wondered away. As I was leaving I saw the same little boy that I took out yesterday and he recognized me and started squealing and blowing on his hand. I found out his name is Moise. I picked Moise up and put him in a wheelchair and off we went to play. We sat and I sang and played and made noises with our hands and mouths. It was so enjoyable.Awhile later I brought Moise in so he could have lunch and when I left him there he cried. It broke my heart.

MOISE

I was asked if I could help make neck pillows for the Miriam center so spent some time sewing. I am not the best sewer but could certainly do this task. They used the pillows for the kids in wheel chairs to support their necks a little and also for those who need tummy time on the ground. The pillows look like the nursing pillows we use here for nursing babies.

After lunch we went back to the Maison d'Esperance or House of Hope. As soon as I walk in My friend Esther recognizes me and claims me. We play x and o's and draw pictures and blow bubbles.

Two other girls join us They are so beautiful. They want to sing for me and they want me to video tape them singing. They take me outside behind the back to the play ground. They tell me they will get in trouble if they sing these songs inside.  So I video tape them singing. They are singing J Lo's song "on the floor". They are in perfect tune, but they really don't know the words because they dont' speak english. They dance and sing and entertain me for some time.

I also go into the room to snuggle the twins I spoke about on my first visit here. One of the ladies from the Mission  sent a dress to give to the woman who lost her husband in the earthquake but her and her son are no longer there. I am scared to ask where they are because the little boy did not look well a few days ago. I ask our interpreter  to ask and we are told they went home.
Esther asks me again to be her mom and then asks Shyla to be her sister. It just breaks my heart that she just wants a family. Its time for us to go and I am heart broken. This time Esther doesn't walk me to the bus as she did last time. I think its too hard for her to say goodbye. I know for me it is! I hug her and kiss her and tell her I love her. I get on the bus and CRY!

While I was sewing pillows earlier today, Christine and Brian had gone out to the church across the street to play Frisbee and talk to the bracelet bandits.

Christine has such a passion for these young boys. This is where her heart is,  to work with these street kids. It amazed me to see how many remembered her and Brian from two years ago. Obviously they left an impression of these kids.
They were all sitting and talking by the church when one of the boys put dirt on their arms and said now you are "noir". So Shyla put white chalk on them ans said you are BLANC! They all laughed and then Christine said to them. "Hey you BLANC give me dollar!" The boy answered "Oh I have no money I left it at the mission!
They joked around back and forth with each other where they were US (blanc) and Christine and Shyla were them. So funny ! One said "you wait here I will go eat lunch and come back at 4"
Christine and Shyla decided to make bracelets for these boys. The boys had written their names on Christine and Shyla's arms. So the plan was to make the bracelets with names on them. That idea was scraped quickly when they realized it was harder to make than they thought.

The bracelet bandits make their living making bracelets with names on them. They sell them for 2 dollars each. I think some of them do well making bracelets. The kitchen staff in the Mission make 8 dollars a day (which is VERY GOOD MONEY) and I would think some of these boys would make more than that on some days. Especially the day I got confused between the twins. LOL
They can only sell bracelets until a certain age and then after 16 I think they sell paintings. Its a tough way to make a living. I am impressed with their business skills. How well they remember names and faces. How smooth they are in making sales. Some will say "you love Haiti? You love Jesus? You my friend?? Then buy bracelet." if you say no then they say "I thought you my friend?"

Its such a tough life but they are so full of love and each day they wake up and face the day doing what they have to do with a smile on their face! So much we can learn from these young homeless kids!
I go to bed THANKFUL again for the life I have. Thinking this is not fair I was born into richness and they were born into poverty!