Pictures

I did not have a post for today, so I thought I would add a few pictures that I really love. The first one is of Fery. He is sitting right outside the quad with my iPod, singing Lloyd. Since then, my iPod has earned the name Lloyd because whenever the kids want to hear my iPod, the say, "Lloyd"... I think it's either because they don't know what an iPod is, or because they really think that's what its called.


The second picture is of a couple kiddos with "sad eyes".








The last picture is one that Angie sent to me. I love it. The kids are playing on the metal rods that are meant to hang the laundry out on.

Cross International Visit

Monday and Tuesday we had visitors from Cross International here to make a new DVD. In the picture you can see Father Marc being interviewed with a few children. They spent the days taking pictures, learning about the projects we have, and strategizing how they can help. It was really great to have them, and to hear an outside opinion on things we are doing.

It looks like we are going to be hearing from them a lot more often. The DVD is scheduled to come out in October. I will keep everyone posted.

Thank you Cross International!

Nike Shoes

Yesterday afternoon I was beginning to feel better, so I decided I would FINALLY finish the task Aunt Dee asked me to complete a few weeks ago. My job- find eight children, all the same shoe size, and take pictures of them in their new Nike shoes. Pretty simple, right? Wrong.




This is how I started this mission- quietly whispering to Fery and Tipa to find children with small feet for me. They tip toed off and brought me back a few children. Ten seconds later, the entire population of Castel Pere boys were waiting outside the gate of the quad because they heard there were shoes to be given.






The WORST part about getting gifts, is that there aren't enough for everyone. I do have to say though, that the kids are really good about being happy for those that do get something. Tipa and Fery tried so hard to fit their big feet in those small shoes, but when they couldn't they settled for their friends getting them, and they helped me with controlling the group.

After all the Cinderella's were found, we made our way over to the field for the "photo shoot". I had a great time taking pics of the kids doing tricks like Dikenson is to the left, and having them run back and forth so I could attempt some "action shots".

We really had a great time of it. My only issue was that the kids wanted their picture taken TOO much- even those without the shoes. So I know I missed some good shots because I had ham-bones sticking their faces in front of the camera.

Sick

The last day and a half I have left my room only to go to church. I have a sore throat and headache- nothing major, but I am trying to kick it before another busy week begins.

Yesterday morning, I went down to tell Dino I wouldn't be eating lunch because I wasn't feeling well. I went back up to my bed to lay down. About thirty minutes later there was a knock on my door. When I opened it, this is what I saw- Samedi and his buddy holding flowers they had picked for me to help me feel better. Shortly after that, I had Fery, Jean Robert, Dickenson, and clan coming to see why I had not yet gone to the hospital since I am sick. After that, Jeff and Jean Beto came up with some juice for me, followed by Sammy checking on me.

Needless to say, "news" here spreads like wildfire- if me having a sore throat is news, that is. It is rather endearing knowing that the children, "will not be ok until I am ok." At the same time, I just want to go to sleep!

Sad Eyes

This morning I tried very, very hard to find children full of despair for the website. When the children asked why they had to be sad, I didn't know what to say. Because Americans are more willing to give money to children who look starving and sad, not happy children like you?

I was feeling unsuccessful. All of our children were happily playing marbles in the dirt, floating their plastic boats in the mud, or throwing rocks at the mango trees. Not a sad child in sight. I had to settle for children who have "the eyes", as I have come to call seen. "The eyes" are happy at first glance, but when you look deeper, there is a sea of sadness. Davidson (pictured left) has the eyes. It seems that every time I see him, whether he is smiling or not, his eyes are hiding the pain his little life has seen.




Belino and Katlen also took some coaxing to keep from smiling. As you can see though, their eyes are also heart wrenching. They have probably seen more pain than I have in my entire life, but why would we send money to them? They have shirts. They aren't starving. They have everything.

Tiboss

This is Tiboss. He and I became friends at Portia's going away party. Father Marc invited Tiboss to sit with us as we had our evening gathering. Shortly after Father Marc finished doting on him, he said to me, "Here, take him and do your motherly instinct thing." This is one of my favorite things to do, so I grabbed Tiboss, put him on my lap, and demanded some crackers with peanut butter and a glass of Sprite for the little one. As his tummy started to get full, he started nestling is chubby body into my lap. Crumb filled and happy, Tiboss' eyes started drooping.

I asked him if he was hot, and he quickly nodded yes. With a piece of ice, I rubbed his tummy and forehead. Soon after, his eyes were closed. "He is never going to forget the time the white woman rubbed his face with ice, is he?" laughed Father Marc. The other boys laughed too, and being the big brother figures they are, wouldn't let him sleep.

The Accident

Angelo and Widmy are two of the younger children that watch out for Chub. They ALWAYS let me know where Chub is, what he is doing, and whether or not he is hungry. They are very good with him. As you can see, Chub loves playing with them, and they definitely don't mind the nibbling.

The last picture is of Chub sleeping right before the accident happened. As you can see, he is conked out- having great puppy dreams. I thought it was so cute how he was sleeping with his chin on the railing... little did I know, disaster was about to strike.

Shortly after I took this picture, I went downstairs to eat some cereal. As I was eating, I glanced out to the front gate. Just as I did this, I saw a puppy falling from the sky. Chub had rolled over and fallen off the second floor.

After massive amounts of screaming, both myself and Chub, children gathered around to see how he was. He could hardly move his leg. Worried it was dislocated, I wiggled it around, all the while he is crying. After a short time, he began slowly limping around. By the next day, he was running around like the Chub that he is.

Even though it has been almost a week since the accident, the children still talk about it. They add that God was watching Chub, and protected him as he fell so he wouldn't die. I believe them.