I Have a Quiz!

Original post date = November 22, 2012

 

We went to TeacHaiti School of Hope today to deliver playground toys, clothes, school supplies, hygiene kits, and letters from Rotolo Middle School. The kids were excited to see us and how 500 questions for Michaela! She patiently answered them all (multiple times!), and each time students wanted to ask a question they said, “I have a quiz.”

 I am bringing back many necklaces and bracelets made by the kids at TeacHaiti, so if anyone wants to buy one, just let me know. They are a variety of sizes and range in price from $5-$20.

 Gertrude and I talked some more about our school. We are going to change the name, but I am too tired to remember it. I will have to e-mail Gertrude when I get back and have her write it down for me.

 

 I don’t know whether it’s good or bad that I am becoming used to what poverty here looks like, but we passed an area today that seemed even more poor than usual. There was a massive ravine down the side of the road, and old clothes hung off the edges as if they were tree roots. It seemed as if there were layers of garbage that had been exposed because of the rains and washout from Hurricane Sandy. Not only was the ravine filled with garbage, but dirty water ran in it, goats fed from it, as did the wild pigs (I think wild boars is a better description!). These pigs are not Wilbur from Charlotte’s Web!

 The roads are exceptionally bad due to the rains. Water everywhere. Many of the roads to the orphanage are so bad that we have to take roundabout ways to get here. The constant swaying from the dips in the road are hard to take, and the constant stop and go to avoid potholes, bumps, and other cars gave me a big headache today. But, I get to leave. And I tell myself “I can do anything for ______ days.” I wonder what my attitude would be like if I knew I would never be able to leave. If this was my life forever? How would I keep a positive attitude? How would I get up every morning and work to earn just barely enough to survive on, if that? I don’t know whether I can ever understand what it is like to live knowing there is nothing different coming on the horizon. I know I am thankful that I haven’t been faced with that type of existence.

 Many thoughts have run through my head today ranging from hope that I can do this—I can tackle the challenge of building this school and seeing it through to completion and have it be self-sustaining—to “what the heck am I thinking?” What makes me think that I have ANY qualifications to even attempt this. Tonight the tears came because I felt so overwhelmed by all that needs to be done. Please pray that God give me the wisdom and the strength and the willingness to work hard to see this project through. Project isn’t the right word. “Project” implies a beginning and an end. God willing, there will be no end to the education the school provides.

 Have to go. Lights and electricity have gone.