Haiti Journal #2

     Day 1 in Port au prince (PAP), Haiti has been a brief eye opener to the impoverish country. Immediately after leaving the gates of the airport there are two tent cities of unknown populations. Some of the tents are actually tents, I was able to pick out a few Shelter Box tents but most were pieces of wood and tarps crafted together for a shelter. Driving down most of the roads is like driving off road in the desert, the van we were in was constantly bouncing back and forth, slowing down for pot holes is a norm as there is one every few feet. The driver swerves from left to right trying to take the easiest route but this mean driving into on coming traffic, driving in PAP is not for the faint of heart. On the side of those roads there are people selling everything from cold drinks to cell phone cards to chickens and rabbits. After about 30 minutes Paul, Liesa, Luke and I made it to St. Joseph’s Home for Boys. It is a house ran by a man named Michael and it is a nice house for what is available. They have electricity at night when a generator is run but there is no running water but at least they can afford water to be used for baths and drinking. It is a multiple level house that has visible damage from the quake. The boys take care of the household and cook the meals, by boys I mean young men from the age of 13 and up. Currently they are building another house that will replace the current one so that it can be torn down and another more secure building can be built.

            Our first stop was an orphanage that Paul and Liesa have been helping for a few years and the place their new sons live. They have been trying to adopt two boys for the past year or so and actually we will be hearing the news about the paper work while here and a meeting with the American embassy will take place as well. The orphanage was a trip, as soon as I got out of the car I was surrounded by 15 kids giving out hugs, handshakes and pointing at my tattoo’s, while asking me questions in Creole. We received a tour by Paul’s oldest friend, Mabe, who is also the director. He was pleased to show us the new facilities where they had electricity ran by car batteries and bunk beds mostly with mattresses. Some of the PCI money will go to purchase more mattresses for the kids. He was also excited to show us the gas stoves they have so they no longer have to cook with charcoal in the house. The kids there were stoked to see us and we were happy to be there as well. We played soccer and I played catch with some of the boys that were 3 or 4 with some plastic toy balls Paul and Leisa brought. After about 2-hours of hanging out, taking pictures, having conversations translated and playing we had to take off as dinner was waiting for us at our home, St. Josephs.

            The drive back was interesting because the streets have a different vibe when the sunsets. We made our way through the streets with motorcycles lights trying to pass us, night clubs with music pumping out of them and the smell of burning trash from dumpster fires. Mabe stopped to get gas and he was fighting for a pump while gas is six dollars a gallon. Making  it back home Paul, Leisa, their two new sons and I sat down for long awaited dinner feast of grilled cheese, an amazing salad and soup. We ended our night by playing hand drums and the youngest boy who is six sang a Creole song while I kept the beat.

            Lessoned learned for today:  it’s not that there is nothing available for purchase in Haiti, it’s just that there are limited ways to produce an income.