Green Group!

I love my younger girls to death. I think they’re adorable and all kinds of lovable. However, trying to corral 5-year-olds and make them pay attention in science and English class can be exhausting. That’s why I’m so overjoyed to get to spend the foreseeable future with green group! They are 10 to 12-year-old boys, and their rambunctious energy is exactly what I’ve been missing.

I have special favorites in green group just like I have special favorites in every group at camp. Whenshelove is the most deceptive troublemaker you’ll ever see. He is the picture of innocence, which he uses to pull off all kinds of mischief. He has enough facial expressions and sound effects to open his own movie studio. Obed only has one arm, but he is the most joyful, kind human being I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. He readily throws himself into games in P.E., eagerly places his hands on the shoulders of the boy in front of him when it’s time to form a line, and speaks freely about how God has blessed him. I envy and admire his attitude and spirit. Dimitri lived in the States for 8 months, and knows a great deal of English, but never uses that as proof he’s any better than the other boys. He spent the past week making a beautiful blue and red bracelet, which he gave to me today after camp.

Every single one of them amazes me with their intelligence, spirit, and heart. I observed today as they worked together in groups to name every major bone in the body (in English) in science class. I watched as they learned about different professions, and drew breathtaking pictures of what they want to be when they grow up. I smile when they ask to sing silly songs, and when they sit completely attentive and enraptured when reading Clifford books.

This update is shorter than usual because city power keeps flickering, but I just wanted to give you a look into what I’m doing this week! We had another family and a few other volunteers come in for the week, so there are more hands than normal which is great.

In other news, I still love Coussi so much. I walked her and Garensley home after camp today, and when we got to their house, Coussi handed me back a bobby pin she’d taken out so that she could play with my hair. Instead of taking it (knowing that I’d probably lose it within 10 minutes like I do so many other bobby pins), I told her to keep it. Judging by her reaction, you would’ve thought I’d given her a million dollars. Her thankfulness and shock that I would think to give her a “present” both warmed my heart and also broke it.

It’s just a reminder of how very much I still have to learn from these children, and how they completely, unchangeably, and firmly hold my heart.

Heavy and Light

One of the reasons I love Haiti so much is because of the many contradictions. Rayna put it best the other night when she said that the more she visits Haiti, the less she understands it. I think that's amazingly accurate. There are Bible verses and "Praise Jesus" signs everywhere. They're inscribed on cars, put on billboards, and shouted on streets. But voodoo is all-encompassing, and is so ingrained in this culture. There's so much that goes on in the city and underneath the surface of Haiti that I don't know about, and to be perfectly honest, I'm not sure I want to know.

Another contradiction that directly affects my time here is the combination of heavy and light. It would be so easy to be overwhelmed by the state of the people of this country. Children are starving, voodoo controls so many lives, and people will lie, steal, and cheat just to stay alive. Last week at camp, there was an older teenage boy who was trying to lure kids from our gate. He tried to call Garensley (who many of you know is the light of my life, and I love immensely) out to him, but we all know Garensley's family - they live right down the street - and didn't let Garensley go to him. Later, we discovered that Esmeralda, a 3 or 4-year-old preschool girl that used to live here, had been walking down the street with her aunt, who was distracted by her other children, when this same person somehow got Esmeralda up in the back of our truck. He exposed himself to her, and things could have been much worse if Jeff's brother hadn't seen and hit this person, who then ran away.

After that incident, it seemed like there were more Haitian men than usual outside our gate, and being more aggressive than usual. One grabbed Rayna's arm as she was walking between houses, and one of our junior counselors, Schneider, had to run out and scare him off. When I was walking my 35 5-7 year old girls between houses, there was a man following us and talking to them, and trying to get them to come out of line to go with him. There was another man with a bike who made it inside our gate, and Ethan had to shoo him out. After talking, Rayna, Ethan, and I decided that these were all different men. It's scary and sad, and it would be easy to be overwhelmed by the possibility of something happening. But all we can do is keep loving these kids, and praying for God's protection every moment of our lives.

These issues are heavy. They weigh on you and trouble you and make it hard to sleep. But Haiti, and life in general, is about more than the heavy things. There are so many light moments that make it worthwhile. Just two nights ago, we were filling enchiladas for dinner after a long day in the kitchen. Shelley made an offhand comment about how the enchilada filling would be great food fight material. Before I knew what was happening, Rayna had thrown some at Ethan, who in retaliation shoved a huge handful in my face. It escalated quickly, and we were chasing each other, getting enchilada filling everywhere - my eyes, my nose, my hair. Rayna was still getting it out of her ear the next morning. Of course, after this massive food fight between Rayna, Ethan, and I, we discovered that we didn't have city power, and therefore there was no water to shower. So we got a bucket and drenched each other with water from the pool.

There are so many more moments that fill my heart to bursting with joy. Every moment I get when a child comes through the gate, sees me, and runs over to throw themselves into my arms. Isabelle falling asleep on my lap after dinner and devotions. Dom yell-singing. Long talks on the roof with Rayna and Alex. Every time Andrees brings the kids to camp and I pretend I don't see Alexander so he can come up behind me and surprise me. Discovering Ethan's love of Taylor Swift. Hearing Emmanuel try to speak Spanish. Sitting on counters in the kitchen just in case rats come. Having poke wars with Jean-Elie. Erta calling me Sasou. Seeing the huge smile on Emony's face when we made her a birthday cake.

I don't know what life holds for me in the future. But it's hard to imagine that Haiti won't be involved. Even if it's not, my heart is irrevocably, permanently, deeply rooted here.

I'm Back!

In case anybody didn't know, I'm back in Haiti for the summer. It's understandable if you didn't know, because I myself was unaware until 2 weeks ago when I booked my flights. I had no intention of being back here for the summer, but my plans of tutoring at an SAT camp fell through and God made a very clear path for me to return to Haiti for the summer. English Camp was short on volunteers, and Shelley told me they would love to have me, even though I would miss the first week of camp.

So I booked my flights 2 weeks before departure, and a (very) short while later, here I am! I'm overjoyed to be back. From the second I stepped off the plane, I was instantly reminded of everything I love about this country. It will always take up so much of my heart. I landed in Port-au-Prince at 12, so I was able to get back to the Tlucek house before camp ended and I'm so thankful.

I got to go out to the pool for the end of camp, and any nerves I may have had about jumping into camp were completely erased. All my girls from last year ran up and covered me in hugs and kisses and screams. I got to see Alexander, the absolute light of my life, and he ran up and jumped on me. Even some of the older boys who usually act too cool for anything called me over to say hi. It was an amazing way to be welcomed, and it filled me with so much joy.

The rest of the week was a crazy adventure, as English Camp and life in Haiti always is. This week I was with the yellow group - the youngest girls we have, ages 5-7. They're adorable, and several of them have wormed their way into a special place in my heart. Rachelle is back from last year, and as sweet and lovable as ever. Meonide is new this year, but already one of my favorites. Another teacher, Alex, compared her to Boo from Monsters Inc., and it's such a fitting comparison. She's too adorable for words, so I attached a picture. Leedge is another old favorite who's back - the fastest runner, quietest talker, and best hand-holder of the bunch.

Meonide

Meonide and I

I loved my week with them, but as 5-7 year old girls will be, the whining is always a little frustrating. However, it's definitely stretched my patience in a good way. It was nice to have all my girls from last year (the orange group) asking when I was coming back to them and begging me to be their group leader. I miss them all so much, but luckily on Friday Fun Day, the yellow and orange groups combine, so I got to be with all my girls on Friday.

Outside of camp, life is so much simpler than in the States, but just as crazy. Rayna (another volunteer who I've been in Haiti with 2 times before) and I make dinner, and usually dessert, every night after camp. We eat, have devotions, sometimes go swimming, and then hang out on the balcony where we sleep before going to bed.

Who knows what next week will hold, but for now we have the weekend to try and rest (although Rayna and I both woke up at 5:30 this morning, unable to fall back asleep) and get ready for camp again on Monday!

Thanks for sticking with me! I have a computer this year so I'll try to update more often. Facebook me, iMessage me, or email me if you have any questions or just want to talk. I love my time here, but I miss all of you more than you know!

With love,
Sarah