Back in the Saddle!

Yes, I am back in Haiti after a 2.5 week hiatus.  I was on an emotional roller coaster those last days here in June and for the three days I spent in the Miami hospital fighting a MRSA infection.  Thanks to God and some good American medicine, I have healed well and am back in the place I love with the children I love and with good friends (whom I love, too!).

I love sharing Haiti with friends, especially with first timers because it gives me a chance to see the country with fresh eyes once again.  Not only do I see the poverty anew and am reminded of how blessed I have it, but I also see the beauty, joy, and determination of the people of Haiti.

Today was a mish mash of activity.  We first walked to Chedner's to get an idea of the space we had to work with for the roof garden we're going to put in with the kids's help, and then we came back to see the opening ceremony for VBS.  We then thought we could leave right away to go buy plants, but, of course, that didn't happen because we are in Haiti!  While we waited for two hours, we played with the kids in the kiddie pools and then had our lunch.

About 12:30 we headed out to Double Harvest past Croix-de-Bouquet.  Double Harvest was not what I was expecting.  At all.  First of all, I don't speak enough gardening Creole to do this well.  Secondly, we were in the middle of nowhere.  Thirdly, we got there by driving on muddy, rutted roads in the middle of nowhere!  Then, when we finally arrive, the vegetable plants they had for sale were tiny and Charlie Brown like.  They didn't sell potting dirt.  They didn't sell pots.  They pretty much just sold tiny plants.  We bought what we could, but then they pulled the starter plants out of the containers (the containers were not a part of the sale!).  So, we put all the plants in some old things we found lying around.  It was a very frustrating day.  And, on the way back I really had to pee, so Aniel, the driver, had to stop so that I could run into a field and pee.

We had much more success at the MSC hardware store later in the afternoon, and we found what we needed at the Giant Supermarket across from the MSC store.

Some good news?  I found my camera and my external hard drive!  Now I can take pictures of tomorrow's adventures to the Iron Market and the Apparent Project.