Tuesday, 2/5/13 and Wednesday, 2/6/13

flag raising ceremony before school

On Tuesday after the school children arrived and got settled in their classes for the day a small group of us headed to the market to buy some animals for sponsored children's families. We went to the market in L'astire which is about five miles down the road from the mission in La Croix. Upon arrival we were immediately in a swarm of thousands of people. Opposed to other outdoor markets, this market was spread out throughout the town and took quite some effort to reach each part. 

market day

The cows were in a huge open area and there were about 75 of them. Because of the tight quarters the blancs (white people) stood away as Pastor Evens and a few others went to go barter for four cows. They came back successful and we moved on to the pigs. 

pigs for sale!

Here, we weren't as successful. A group of "hoodlums" (as one of my trip-mates Juan called them) were persistently asking the Haitians we were with for money for alcohol and drugs. Not wanting to make the situation worse we shuffled our way out and went home. The cows were delivered when we got home. 

In the afternoon the women worked with a group of young ladies to dye scarfs that are sold in the United States to benefit their education.  

Bobbie (in the back) helped start this scarf painting program several years ago.
It's exciting that the Haitians now run it and we are the assistants!

For the first time art lessons were led for aspiring artists by Sandy. It was fun watching the kids train of thought as they attempted to draw an egg with the shadow. 

Sandy in her inaugural art class for children that have artist gifts.
The goal is that they will be able to earn a living as an artist as an adult.
The class will eventually be taught by a Haitian.

Also on Tuesday a group did food distribution and continued the distribution in Paul today. 

Today I had the privilege of assisting nurse Shelly who is in Haiti for six months. She is from Vermont. We worked in the clinic with Haitian doctors Georges and Abel. We saw a handful of pregnant women and I learned how to measure how far along in the pregnancy they are and how to use a Doppler to find the heartbeat. 

Last week's team left me with a bunch of paper and coloring supplies and I am hoping to go to the Community of Hope, next to the mission, later today to color with the kids. Ray and I will also be venturing over to the field soon to play baseball with the kids. As you can see this was another busy couple of days and I think I've only described some of what has happened with this team in Haiti!