We got an early start today with breakfast at 7:00a.m. in order to get to our destination in good time. The Home for Sick and Dying was very clean and nice. It was in the city of Jacmel, but took quite some time to get there due to traffic.
We noticed several differences between Jacmel and Port-Au-Prince. The pace is slower and the people seem more relaxed. The traffic isn't quite as chaotic in Jacmel either. Some of the architecture has more of a caribbean and colonial feel to it.
The first room we went into was the babies. There were mom's there to nurse and help care for their children. We were impressed how mom's were caring for other babies who didn't have their own mother's there. The nuns were extremely friendly and full of joy. You could tell they loved what they were doing with all their hearts. Some of the babies were very sick. One little girl was so sick and lethargic, but seemed so comforted by our presence and Alicia holding her. One little girl was being admitted when we arrived and she seemed a bit overwhelmed by the experience. It was a good sign, as that means she is firmly attached to her mother and/or caregivers. You could tell the other mothers felt for the little girl and tried to comfort her.
After awhile, some of us went into the toddler room. Most of them were pretty shy at first, but then warmed up and played games with us while being held. With a few of the boys, we played "this little piggy" and even though they couldn't understand the language, they loved the playful tickles and the human contact.
We went to another part of the Home to minister to adult women. We offered massages with lotion and all were anxious to receive this small mercy. You could see from the smiles on their beautiful faces, that they enjoyed this very much. We were able to get to most of the women, but then it was their rest time, so we had to leave. The sisters were very sweet and thanked us for coming. They would like us to come back again.
Once we arrived back at the guesthouse, we had hoped to visit some school children at a school within walking distance. However, we were informed that school doesn't start until Monday, so we decided to head to the school anyway for a tour. The teachers and administrators were there doing an in-service and planning meeting, but they were more than happy to show us around. We learned that it is a free school. We are hopeful the connections we are making during this "going deeper" trip will turn into future opportunities for service for future Healing Haiti teams. The school has a beautiful deck overlooking the ocean. You can hear the sound of the waves and it will be such a peaceful place of study. It is a brand new school building that will teach students K-6 and they are hoping to expand to higher grades.
We got hot and sweaty walking back up the mountain, so we were very excited to relax at the pool. After a delicious meal of salad, rice and chicken/veggie mix, we had our word of the day recap. Some of the words were hope, connection, fun, joy, peaceful, challenging, sweet and touch. Concerning touch, we discussed how important and impactful it can be, and how the love of an unfamiliar person can be comforting during a stressful event. Some of the team members shared some personal experiences where in their childhood they still remember the kindness of a stranger and how the feeling remains with them still today. This conversation reiterated to each of us how it may seem insignificant at times this work we are doing, but it is actually very important. We will never know this side of heaven, the impact that has been made here. We appreciate all our friends and family that have made this opportunity possible for us!
Kathleen and Kim
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