Back on the Island

Helloooo from Haiti, or bon swa rather. Not too terribly much has gone on yet but I figured I’d get the ball rolling so you (mostly Grandma :) would know I got here safe and sound on Monday after a pleasantly uneventful trip. The miracles were starting early - it was the first time all of my flights have been on time in years. I just got back from a cruise to Central America the day before and while I planned for this cruise to be a time of rest and relaxation, in true Kathryn-form, I just had a lot of fun and didn’t sleep much. So I had this incredible sore throat for the trip.

In the Miami airport, I met up with two other girls who will be interning at Respire for the summer, Sam and Hannah. They probably thought I was quite strange because of the frog-man voice I get when I have a sore throat coupled with the fact that I was rapidly spooning miso soup into my mouth at 9 in the morning to soothe it. I’m such a star at first impressions.

We land in PAP and go through the janky airport to the board the bus that takes you to the shed where the luggage carousel is (but I did see construction work going on for the first time in the main building that had to be abandoned after the earthquake!). After I walk through customs, I immediately hear someone calling my name. I look over and there is our bodyguard from last summer working security at the airport! I am very excited to see a friend straight away. Megan and Josh are waiting for us in the truck and we get all the luggage inside unmolested by the dozens of guys outside the airport trying to carry your bags for you thanks to another friend of ours. And off we go to Gressier.

Maybe its just because I am feeling tired or sick, but I realize after we’re past Carrefour that I’m no longer glued to the window like I was my first trip. Haiti really is starting to feel so normal to me. It is SO nice to see everyone at the house again and the girls have grown up so much even in six months. They listen better, get along better, play more and whine less. And, get this, Michaelle can SPEAK ENGLISH! And Jessica can to a small extent as well. It’s a whole new world of being a quasi-auntie that I am loving!

When I get to the house there is a huge team there and tons of new interns. Oh and we now rent a house that backs up to our big white one and the two are connected by a beautiful garden path designed by our very own Kyle the Builder. I catch up with Bret, a friend from BR who is in with the team for a while, eat a delicious rice and bean dinner (commence the weight gain), and then take some Tylenol PM and knock out. And because I am sick and exhausted and feeling a bit overwhelmed by so many new people in my familiar environment, I sleep for about 13 hours. Kyle and Josh both fly out for the states while I’m snoozing; Josh returns in two weeks and Kyle will be gone until July. When I finally wake up for good the next afternoon, it is to tell the team goodbye and I no longer have a sore throat! Right as their school bus is pulling out, a short bus is pulling in. Another team is here.

The new team is only staying for two nights and its this group of five women from Tennessee representing an organization called 147 Million Orphans (147millionorphans.com). They are super cool and have been a great official first team to have – a bunch of loving, encouraging moms.

Me with the LOVELY ladies of 147 Million Orphans.

This afternoon, we go to an organization in a neighboring town today called My Life Speaks. They have a ton of cool things going on with the main focus of keeping families together. (Yay anti-orphanage approaches!) Their mom’s and babies program is in full swing while we’re there. A lot of moms from the village are in for a small medical clinic for their babies coupled with a health lesson, and some formula. Hannah puts a baby in my lap and I actually really take to this kid. I also have the song Miss New Booty stuck in my head, so I decide to call her Miss New Booty and proceed to rap to her. Hannah comes by later and says, “Most people sing lullabies to their babies…” Ha. Anyway, I’m excited to hear more about this organization in the future and to write a post about ALLLL the changes going on around here. Crazy! (as usual.)