Day 3 Team 3 (M&M)

Note About Today's Mission:  Pictures are not allowed in special circumstances; therefore we are only posting pictures from Papillion today.

Gertrude’s

Our first stop today was Gertrude’s, an orphanage for special needs children. I didn’t even finish the tour before I was led off to explore and play. There was a slight learning curve every time I played with a new child, but all it took was dedication and patience to make a smile. The question that continually pounded at the back of my head, even as raucous screams of joy pealed out during wheelchair races, was what happens next for these kids? The only thing we can say for sure is that we have no idea. My goal today was to forget myself and any reservations I had to make sure I could give these kids a taste of the joy they deserve, because no one knows for how long their happiness is guaranteed.

-Bob

Papillion

After Gertrude’s we stopped at a shop called Papillion. Papillion is the French word butterfly if you weren’t aware. Papillion offered handmade metal works, beaded bracelets and necklaces, stuffed animals, T-shirts, games, and much more. We received a tour of their production site where they showed us how they made the hand-rolled beads, assembled the wares, and then packaged them. Papillion was established by an American woman who came to Haiti to adopt a child. The mother of the child did not want to give up the kid but had no other option because she could not provide for the child. Papillion provides jobs for nearly 300 people in Haiti so that they may be able to support their families and keep them whole.

-Jack

Home for Sick and Dying Babies

Today we went to Home for Sick and Dying Babies. This was definitely an experience that I will never forget. The kids there were so sweet and I felt so vulnerable. My arms are tired from holding so many children, it feels like there just isn’t enough time in the day to hold and love all of the children there. Every time a child would be set down, they would cry and scream for more love and affection. There was definitely a need for lots of attention for these children; their faces always seemed to brighten whenever they were picked up or even just talked to. It was really a difficult but fun day and I’m so grateful that I got to experience it.

-          Kayla