What we actually did in Haiti! August 24- September 7 2011

To see the pictures click here. 
To hear more about an orphanage or see specific groups of pictures, click on any of the highlighted words :)

Well, we sure had some big plans and dreams for what we would do while we were there and what we would do with the money. Lofty plans. Not realistic plans! Funny how things never turn out the way we plan, and in my mind, usually they turn out way better!

When we got there, after 24 hours traveling, and very little or no sleep, it was hard to think! To read more on our trip and the Hurricane we flew by, click here.To see pics of the trip, click here. to see some pics of first impressions, etc, click here. Thankfully, the acting director, Sarah, was quite awake and able to help us out. We started by handing over all the money we raised for safe keeping. The next day, she sat down with Taryn, who is fabulously organized and worked out the spending plan. We found out that gas is exorbitantly priced there and so going anywhere would eat into our moneys. This raised some concerns for me, and so we got together as a group and discussed reasons for going anywhere. We also dug into our personal savings for some travel, and to help some of the orphanages. Here's why: The cost to go anywhere for half a day was about $80. This paid for our transport and also our driver who knew English and was a tremendous help and protection for us. In order for us to help some of these orphanages, we had to personally drop off food and watch the children eat it, as there is some corruption with some of the owners of these orphanages. Click here for the whole story on that. 

So, we went to 6 orphanages total, including Kim O Dwyer's Children of Grace Children's Home. To read how it went at Kim's Orphanage, click here.

There was so many needs there, and so much heartbreak, it was alot to take in for many on our team. These experiences change a person. We came home with different eyes. Now, we see what poverty REALLY is, now we see how blessed we are to have full pantries and food in both the cupboard and the fridge. We see how rich we really are. Instead of comparing ourselves with the richest people we know and calling ourselves poor, we remember what poverty really is and can call ourselves rich. We have come home with our hearts full of love and pain for the needs we saw and a desire to help them.

Here is how we helped: At Rebuild Globally we bought sandals to sell here, at Kim O'Dwyer's orphanage we gave her clothing, a new beautiful hand-made quilt for each child, and money to work on her school, at Maxins Orphanage, and Madam Tebeaus Orphanage, and Jean Baptiste's Orphanage we brought sacks of food, balloons, coloring books and crayons, and we played and loved on the children. At Frade's Orphanage, as I mentioned earlier, all we could give them is what we brought, read more about the reason for that by clicking on the link. At New Life Orphanage (the place we stayed), we gave money to help them with a down payment on an adjoining piece of land that the need to expand on to. They have 91 children and need to split up the boys and girls. The money we used to stay there, goes to help them pay their electric and food bills. While there, I had the pleasure of talking with Miriam, the director of New Life Orphanage, and she made me aware of some real needs they had.. They give so much to so many orphanages and people in need in Port Au Prince, (the capital city we stayed in) that they struggle to make ends meet for their own needs. Click here for some of my pictures of this orphanage. Click here for their official Website. 

I will write more about our experience over the next couple weeks. To keep up with new posts, subscribe or follow by email, links located just under this post.