I apologize for not posting an update sooner, the internet has been spotty during my first week here at the center. As you may know, Ezekiel is finally out of the hospital after a 15 day stay. He truly is like a totally different kid. This evening, the kids were playing ‘kick the empty plastic coke bottle’ out in the small, flat area near the center. Ezekiel joined right in, laughing and screaming with excitement as other kids played with him. I can assure you this would not have happened two weeks ago. When we first met Ezekiel he barely had the strength to talk let alone play. Now he is always jabbing; if I go into my room for even a few minutes while the kids are home I quickly hear his squeaky little voice calling my name to let him in or come out to see him. He loves to cuddle, which probably stems from all of the one on one attention he got in the hospital. He is not the fastest walker so I carry him on my back to school in the morning (he just started yesterday) and Fegens or Jean Fiderse does the same on the return route in the afternoon. Anderson looks out for him like another older brother, helping him find clothes in the morning and telling him when to go brush his teeth. Ezekiel loves to play with his new little ‘sisters’ Bianca and Loudina; I often catch them giggling together about something or playfully fighting each other for a spot on my lap.
Thank God all of our kids are healthy and attending school. Tomorrow we will begin English classes here at the center. I have 4 groups set up based on age, hopefully it will work out well. What the kids really want are driving lessons, or at least the older boys do. Maybe someday.
Life at the center is good. Everyone is up each morning around 5:30 or 6. I push it until 6:30. The kids brush their teeth and wash themselves as best they can with the small bucket of water allotted for them. Water is brought up in big buckets from the valley below- the women carry the buckets on their head and it’s not a short walk so each of us have limited bathing water each day but we make do. We all get dressed for the day, the kids in their uniforms. Thankfully the women have caught in that I like hot water for my small French press every morning (thank you Scott!). The kids eat a heaping plate of spaghetti or cornmeal-oatmeal like stuff along with some hot milk. I stick to my secret stash of granola bars. I give the kids a squirt of lotion for their legs, arms, and face and off we go to school. They ask me everyday if I can drive them the not even 1/4 mile there. They have yet to wear me down. The kids come home around 1, change their clothes, and play until it’s time to eat again. This time it is usually rice and beans with some canned fish on top. Then more play, some chores for the older kids like fetching more water or putting away dry clothes. Everyone is usually quiet and ready for sleep by 7:30.
I hope that gives you an idea of life in the mountains here. I have a personal blog www.erincorbett.org on which I wrote my first impressions/observations of each kid (titled “Mountain Children“) that I encourage you to check out. It’s funny how some of their personalities have started showing within only a week of me knowing them.
Please continue to pray for the Heart of God Haiti mission. There is so much that can be done for these kids and for this village. Pray for Pastor Justin as his wife is ill and now he is having some medical issues. Please pray for me that I can learn from my new family here but also teach them about living for God as well as English language skills that will hopefully help them in the future. I thank you all for you prayers and support.
