So, it’s been awhile since part one. I promise I’ve been working on it…I just put all my blog edited pictures on the computer at work – and since when I’m at work, they like me to well…work, it’s been difficult to get it done. However, I have persevered and here is entry 2 on our trip to Haiti.

I was up to Wednesday last I left off…

Quite honestly, Wednesday was the day I’d been waiting for since we arrived on Saturday evening and was told there would be a chance we would get to go on a road trip over the mountains to Jacmel, the location of Hands and Feet’s first orphanage. It isn’t that I wasn’t enjoying where I was or excited to be there, but Jacmel was the location that I had heard so much about. Not only the location, but the kids as well. Every year when Beth (friend and co-worker at the public library) comes back from Haiti, we would get to hear great stories about the kids there and get to know them and their little personalities vicariously through her. About two years ago when she came back, she asked many of us if we would consider being a prayer sponsor for one of the kids there. She paired my family with Stephane (pronounced Stefan)…a little boy who at the time was 3, and had THE BEST smile…and gave great hugs. He reminded her of my little Ev…in that he was a hugger…so, she paired us up.

Over the last couple of years, our family has prayed for this little guy before every meal we sit down to. The prayer they say is one they came up with on their own when I asked them what we should say. It goes something like this “Thank you God for Stephane, and help Stephane feel well, and be safe, and not be shy, and make new friends, Amen.” It warms my heart…every time. The kids also draw pictures for him occasionally, and make birthday cards which we have Beth scan and send by email to him in Haiti. Recently, we decided to sponsor him financially as well.

So, this is the day I would get to meet the little guy that our family has come to love from so many miles away.

We started out our day at the local market. The market is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays in Grand Goave, and it is an experience. I’m convinced you can find just about anything you’d like at the market…shampoo and other toiletries, clothing, shoes, raw fish, produce, grains, coffee…you name it, it is probably there somewhere.

After we experienced the market, we got into two different vehicles and drove the 2ish hour drive to Jacmel, up and over the mountains. We had been asked if anyone gets carsick, and were told that if we did, we more than likely would on this fast, tight turning trip through the mountains. I don’t think anyone did actually get ill, except for the director’s little girl, but she didn’t even get all that upset about it. I know that when my kids throw up, it’s hard to get them calmed down afterwards.

We arrived in Jacmel around 11:30, and were only able to stay for a short while…but what a sight! Isn’t is beautiful?

It was really nice to have a future vision for the site in Grand Goave. Affirming to see where they’re currently at and where they’re headed. At the end of the week, we would get to go to Hands and Feet’s new mountaintop property and help map out the foundation for their third site, bringing the whole experience full circle.

But for now, back to Jacmel…we took a tour of the property, and gathered many kids along the way. Stephane was there waiting with a hug when we found him! What a treat to get to meet him. So many people sponsor kids in different countries that they’ll never get to meet. Their only interaction is the letters and pictures they send back and forth. I guess knowing people that had met Stephane helped me get to meet him, and planning a trip to his country certainly didn’t hurt, but i was still beyond thrilled to pick this little boy up and give him a great big hug and see his smile in person.

(me meeting Stephane)

After spending some time hanging out with the kids, it was time to say goodbye, and we continued on and were taken out to lunch at a nice hotel in Jacmel. We pre-ordered our food the day before – and our choices were between fish; goat; chicken; a ham and cheese sandwich; and a ham, chicken, cheese, and egg sandwich. We all thought the last one sounded very interesting…but surprisingly no one chose that option. I chose the chicken…it was fantastic!  Here is a picture of my lunch. It came with french fries, fried plantains, some cabbage and carrots, and some pikliz – pictured up top center of the plate. (As a description- thank you google -Pikliz is a combination of pickled shredded cabbage, carrot, onions, shallots and habanero peppers. Some people refer to this as Haitian coleslaw with a lot of kick. Normally pikliz is eaten with Griot (Fried pork shoulders), Tassot (Fried beef strips), fried plantain or any fried root. It’s really spicy and goes great with fresh fried dishes.)

But, while we were waiting for it to be delivered to our table, we ventured out to check out the scenery from the hotel. Wow! What a view.

What a stark contrast to conditions we had been seeing. It was interesting to me that you could be driving along a street filled with temporary homes made from plywood and Samartian’s Purse tarps, turn down what looked like a dirt alley, and end up at a nice hotel. When you’ve become accustomed to seeing some of the poorest living conditions, finding somewhere you would actually go to vacation was unexpected, but beautiful.

Stay tuned for Adventure part 3 – the finale. Coming soon!