Wednesday in the Village

This morning we woke up earlier than usual to beat the heat of the day. Breakfast was at 6:40 consisting of boiled eggs and fresh bread, and by 7:30 we were heading over to Samuels Trees. After a short drive (most of us hanging off the sides and back of Brad’s truck) we arrived and started filling up water buckets and watering cans. We carefully watered all the small trees while others replanted trees that had died. Some people went across the yard and helped some of the Haitian men sift dirt and gravel to make bricks out of.

A couple of hours later we were all hot and sweaty and covered in dust, dirt and water. We hurried back to Lemuel, quickly washed up and then got ready for our second computer class with the youth. We were able to make good progress with our students, and taught them how to use Word or PowerPoint.

The students were excited to see the different effects you can use on PowerPoint and at no time at all were exploring all the different features of the program. We were able to teach them different words in English and in turn we also were able to learn the same words in Creole. We were allowed to have some free time with the youth between the computer class and lunch which soon resulted in impromptu dancing between our team and the Haitians.

For lunch we enjoyed rice, beans and stew. Soon after lunch we welcomed a group of children for a weaving craft which they thoroughly enjoyed although some struggled to keep their string from getting tangled. The older kids were able to help the younger kids and soon with smiles on their faces they were carrying their new treasures back down the road towards their homes. After cleaning up the craft supplies we all once again piled into Brads truck. This time we headed down the road towards a families home who needed help hauling water and shucking corn.

Half of the group loaded onto donkeys with large jugs to fill with water at the river. When we got to the river we were surprised to see how little water there was and how muddy it was. But this did not discourage the people as they used bowls to pour water into the jugs. When the donkeys were loaded up with the full jugs of water we lead them back to their home. We helped the family water their trees and enjoyed playing with their children. Those who stayed at the home shucked a huge pile of corn with the family and their children. By that time were all very hungry and when we got back were served spaghetti. Tonight all of us girls are looking forward to having a big slumber party in the gazebo with Shayne who lives with her family here at Lemuel.