Day of Relaxation

I think I owe today to my friend Marg from Canada.  She had written a very nice e-mail to Gertrude stating that she (Marg) thought I was doing amazing work here, that I was working very hard for the kids, and that Gertrude should take good care of me.  I think the result of that e-mail was Gertrude asking whether I wanted to go to the beach today.  YES!  No need to ask me twice.

"Fwi de Mer"--so didn't eat it!

We left around 10:30 and arrived at Wahoo Beach around 11:30.  There were hardly any people there.  We pretty much had the beach to ourselves for the first hour, and even after that few people showed up.  I loved it.  The ocean view was like something out of a movie: sandy beaches, sun, aquamarine water out to the buoys,  being able to see clearly 10-12 feet down.  I couldn't have asked for a better day.  I was in and out of the water, read a bit, worked on my Creole homework, spoke Creole, and had some good talks with Gertrude.

I even had a marriage proposal today!  I don't think he really loved me.  He just wanted to use my American citizenship to get himself into the States.  I didn't fall for it.  You can rest assured that I won't be coming back with a husband (maybe some other souvenirs, but no husband).

Wahoo view

I could live on the ocean.  I love the water--swimming, boating, canoeing.  I just need to also have mountains nearby so that I can hike.  That is so not Chicago.

Hydroponics growing area

Talapia in the "fish farm" barrel

After a most relaxing day at the beach, we headed back, planning to stop in at Grace Village.  Grace Village is an orphanage in Titanyen run by Healing Haiti.  This place is amazing!  A friend of mine, Kathy A., whom I met on first mission trip back in 2009, is a long-term missionary there.  She invited us to concert there today, but it started late.  We didn't stay for the music, but we did get a tour of the facility.  That is a top-notch place that is well run.  If it weren't so far out of the way and if I wouldn't have to give up so much independence, I wouldn't mind working there.  They have only 58 kids and five times the space as at Gertrude's.  There is a school for the orphans and the kids in Titanyen (about 250 total students), a fish farm, playground, hydroponics area, and they are building a dental clinic.  Pretty cool.

I'm pretty beat tonight.  All that sun and swimming really takes it out of you!  Tomorrow I will  be back at work with the kids, but today was a great break.  Thanks Marg!

Moto taxi

                                                                                        You will notice in the picture of the "moto taxi" that there are four people, a white bag of who knows what, and a branch of plantains.  The poor guy squished in the middle of it all is the driver.  He doesn't get paid enough!  Just so you know--my motorcycle will NOT be carrying that many people/items at one time.