By: Shane Gilles
Yesterday our team finally had a chance to leave the property, go to church, and visit some of the residential homes. We saw the three local homes here in Cap-Haitien and got a real feel of how huge the hearts are of each house parent. The homes already consist of around 10 kids each and the house parents say they are ready to care for the displaced orphans from Port-Au-Prince. The need is so huge. Of course these kids have a shot at a decent future, but I cannot imagine caring for even my four children in a home with no electricity, where armed robbery is a common occurrence, and in a land with a corrupt government.
Nevertheless, the Lord has blessed these homes. The house parents and the children welcome you with open arms into their homes, smile and greet you with a firm hand shake, and LOVE to have their pictures taken. They may not always appear happy in some of the photos below but, as they explained, it is because it is not customary for a Haitian to show their teeth for a photograph.
In an earlier post I explained how rough the town of Cap-Haitien is. It is really difficult to get many ground photos because the natives do not take kindly to us white folks coming in and taking photographs. In fact, they take great offense. So, to be respectful, I greatly limited my camera use. After church yesterday some of our team members went to the roof of the church and I was able to grab some shots. You will see dirty, crowded streets and evidence of true poverty. This is downtown! I do not even know if the streets could possibly be in any worse condition. We ride in the back of trucks to get places and the ride is so bumpy that your body hurts afterward. There are no rules of the road, no lanes, no traffic lights, nor stop signs. If you think your vehicle can squeeze through, go for it. If not, then lay on the horn.
After church and visiting the homes, we came back to the property and put in a few hours of work to prep for today, our last day of work. Then we were able to go to a restaurant for dinner – a much needed break and time of fellowship.
This will be my last update until I return to the states.
Posts
