Cold Beer, Hot Night

The Bar

Did I mention HOT night?? We will get back to that .... on to cold beer. Yesterday was a looooong day. I had just showered and was ready for bed when I hear  a LifeTree volunteer yell out.... "Hey we are going to bar in 5 minutes if anyone wants to come!!!!" Did I hear that right?? He announced it again and PJ popped out of the bedroom like a kid after an ice cream truck!! I had to laugh as we joked on the way over about stopping by a margarittaville and how our "hotel" should be within walking distance of a bar. Curiosity set in as I was assured what I was wearing was ok (he said it laughing at me, which I understood later why) and we VOLUNTEERED to accompany the group the bar. It was a few blocks up in the village , (the village is all enclosed and it is safe to walk within the village walls). I learned that "bar" meant someones house with a large from room with a big cooler in it, and several fold out chairs placed on the street. Best"bar" ever. We got to know more of the LifeTree volunteers as well as a few locals as we amusingly tried to bridge the language gap. The Haitian beer is "Prestige". Nothing exciting, but an enticing name! We came back to the guesthouse and went to sleep, and by that I mean spent all night laying down, being hot and trying to adjust fans until it was time to wake up and help with breakfast!



Melissa and PJ organizing

After breakfast this morning, the TreeLife volunteers left for the day to do their volunteer work, while we stayed behind to do ours. We have been tasked with several hospitality tasks - organization of kitchen cabinets was very PJ really shined :)
We then went on to their other houses to get supplies for more tasks and tour their facilities. We went to the maternity center, saw the birthing room and stayed a bit for their program, They had about 30 pregnant women in there, getting weighed, blood pressure checked and sonograms. One woman who had a baby was there and was eating her meal, clearly with her hands full - Obviously, I jumped in to take the baby off her hands, what a cutie!!! We met Beth while we were there, of Beth and John who founded Heartline - amazing people!!!!  More about them later. After the maternity center we went to Haitian Creations, saw the women at work and shopped a little more. Saw the womans school and headed back to the guesthouse. Our next task is to hang up and organize wedding dresses.... yes, wedding dresses!! They have donated wedding dresses woman can borrow for the wedding, and we will hang and organize them so its either to browse for a dress. Then we will assist with dinner prep and cleanup.


Wedding Dresses!

 Hatian Creations Store Photos - 
 And the women hard at work!!!

The house is nice and PJ and I have our own room and semi own bathroom too. We are very lucky. The village is very upscale for Port Au Prince. The ride from here to the airport was short but eyeopening. We had kids attach themselves to the car and beg for money. PJ described it as shocking and not quite prepared for what he saw. How do you prepare yourself to see a small child, naked, sleeping on the side of the road? We are SO close to the US .... how would that be okay in the US?? How is that little girl any different than any other little girl in the US? Is she any less human? Its heartbreaking. It makes your arrival after the drive all the more meaningful and thankful that there are people here doing what they are doing - and I am privileged to be helping out 'take care of them' and serve those who serve.