Thursday

 

Original post date: April 1, 2011

Another day gone and much to tell. I spent some time this morning with Oriol working on my Creole. I’m actually starting to understand how the language works and can speak in simple sentences. And, if people speak v-e-r-y slowly, then I can understand them. The kids have been very helpful in my efforts to learn the language as well. They don’t mind repeating themselves over and over, and when I shrug my shoulders and say “I don’t get it,” they just giggle and try again.

          Oriol took me back to the Sisters in Cite Soleil around 9:00. Sister Emma wasn’t there, but I was still able to visit the kindergarten class that I observed on Tuesday. They are taking their trimester exams right now, so Carolle, the teacher, put me to work giving the tests! The kids are working on basics like 1st, 2nd, 3rd, between, left, right, above, below, etc. I sat with kids and read the tests to them so that they could do what they needed to do: draw a ball on the left side of the table, circle the 2nd mouse, circle the object in between the pipe and the hat, draw a square. It gave me great appreciation for all people who teach little kids . . . there is no way I could do it!
Sister Emma and I sat for a bit and talked after she returned. I understand most of what she says, but she figured me out quickly . . . I tend to smile and nod and say that I understand even if I don’t get it completely. So, she makes me repeat to her what she has said to check to see whether I understand. I guess fibbing to a Sister doesn’t work!

          Back at the guesthouse I took Jephte for his walk and treat. I don’t think he’s really been outside of gate much because as soon as we turned the corner he became wide-eyed at all that he saw: goats, trucks, lots of people. It was like a whole new world to see. He was especially fascinated by the big trucks . . . little boys are the same all over: obsessed with trucks. On each walk I venture in a different direction in order to learn my way around. I never turn too many corners, though, because I’m still a bit afraid of getting lost. Jephte and I sat across the way from the guesthouse as he finished his drink. As usual, a young Haitian stopped to talk with me. The conversation eventually came around to the same two topics that usually come up: will you help me learn English and I need money.

          I had the same conversation with another young man later in the day while I watched the kids play soccer: I need $20 to ___________. Just fill in the blank with any reason. Everybody in Haiti needs money. Everybody here is in need: food, housing, medicine, clothes, gas. You name it, it’s needed here. I’m just beginning to understand the scope of the both the need and the corruption that has caused it. I don’t know how one breaks that culture of corruption, or whether that is even possible. What I am figuring out is that the smaller the operation, the better. Small aid organizations do better at getting the help to people than larger NGOs (Non-Government Organizations). I think one of the reasons that small is better is that more meaningful relationships are developed that way. It is easier to know the people and meet the needs when you are in contact via e-mail or by phone. A person can visit a school or an orphanage or a clinic and see what is needed and can then do something to meet that need. I know money is needed to get things done, and I am learning that I feel more comfortable giving to a person rather than an organization. There are greater problems in Haiti than I can solve or that I have the money to fix; but, I will keep supporting Gertrude and others like her as they take care of the kids here in Haiti.

          Speaking of kids. I was reminded again this afternoon why I work with middle school age kids and not elementary. I gave four of the boys—Jameson, Edson, Wilson, and Keloke—letters from our 8th grade French students. The plan was to have them read the letters and then write a letter back. Yea, that didn’t go so well. First of all, they have the attention spans of gnats! The boys range in age from 7-10, and they couldn’t stop grabbing each other’s paper, peeling stickers off the paper and sticking them each other, or falling of their chairs and giggling hysterically! After 40 minutes, each boy had scratched out 2-3 sentences of barely intelligible French. Even Gertrude couldn’t read most of what the boys had written. Don’t know what the plan is for tomorrow when I work with the girls, but I know it will be different. Maybe divide and conquer: only one girl at a time. That I might be able to handle.

          Right now Sophia is sitting next to me while I type. She is 4 years old and has been to the states for heart surgery when she was just a baby. She will need more surgery as she gets older, but for now she is fine. Sophia lives with her Grandmother in Carrefour. Her mother is unable to care for her, and her grandmother is thinking of giving her up for adoption because she cannot afford to care for her either. Sophia’s grandmother, Rita, is a good friend of Gertrude’s and often comes to visit. I met them both in November when I was here, and it is good to see them both.
I’m going to get going so that I can play with Sophia a bit before she has to go to bed.

Jamie