A Whole Blog About Sleep ?

December 23, 2011 Posted by Dana Kayal

2 Big Sleepovers. My kids all decided last night to stay down at the kids home. There are two kids homes, one for girls, one for the boys. It’s apparently the first time this has ever happened here and the kids here were beyond excited to have my kids sleep down there with them, so ALL the kids, minus the 2 smallest babies and one really sick girl, slept in 1 room in each home! Mom and I decided we wanted a photo so we went down for a quick visit. Not a lot of sleeping actually happened in the boys room.

Sound asleep, there are 5 in here

All 8 boys in one room

Sleeping Security. A while after we went to visit the kids mom discovered her phone wasn’t with her and she must have it at all times in case one of the house mom’s or security or Luckner need her. We couldn’t find it so wanted the security to come up to the house and dial it so we’d find it by the ringing. She went out onto the deck and waved a flashlight down toward Security so they’d come up to the house. No response from security, which was very strange since they always come right away. We waited 15 mins, looked for the phone some more, and tried again to alert security. No response to the flashlight. We grabbed the camera and decided to sneak down quietly to check it out. We found both Security sound asleep. Not even the flash woke them up! We then started plotting what to do next. Me: ‘Let’s go pull on the gate like we were trying to get in’ (they were sleeping right beside the gate). If they woke up, at least we’d know it was still safe even though they were asleep. Mom’s idea was to go out the side door (the door to the school) and sneak around to the front and bang on the outside of the gate. Mom’s idea was tossed out, the reason there are security guards is that it’s not safe to be outside here, especially after dark. We laughed about that idea and how silly it was. So I brought up my idea again! ‘Let’s go pull on the gate from the inside, it will be safer cause bad guys outside wouldn’t be able to get us’. Mom looked at me and said ‘yes, and the security guards will be jolted awake and will probably shoot you!’. OMG. What?! I started to laugh (quietly) and told mom no way would I have crept down in the dark to take a photo if I’d thought about the gun! Turns out Mom’s idea was probably the safer of the two. I was fully aware of the gun since it’s handed to security every evening and I took a photo of Ronel with it a few nights before. We took off back to the house and called Luckner and left it in his hands! During our escapades we found the phone had been left in the boys home when we went down to take a photo.

Sleeping Security (they are not in jail, we took the photo through a fence)

Ronel with the Security Guards Gun

After our evening of escapades it’s almost midnight (everyone goes to sleep here at 10pm) and mom and I are knackered and heading off to bed. 3 minutes after going upstairs I’m back down and say to mom ‘It’s not a Tarantula but it’s WAAAAY to big to sleep with me!’ We head back up to take care of my nighttime visitor! We get some photos and I get into my PJ’s while mom goes to get what we need to kill it…. By the time she comes upstairs I’ve made myself insane, everytime my pj’s touch my skin and tickle it I am swatting and beating at myself. The mom arrives with a mallet and a Machete! We’re up there cackling like a couple of crazy people! So then mom says that we need bug spray first and runs off to get some. I go brush my teeth and feel something on my arm and see a brown spot and start beating at myself and it won’t leave (the lights are dim in there) and then I realize I’ve been trying to kill a freckle! Okay, I need to take a deep breath, I’m bigger than it! As we’re about to spray the spider (it’s at least 3 inches from end to end) and I ask mom if it’s the jumping or biting kind. It’s not, whew! She sprays it and it takes off under the bed. Oh crap! We move the bed (me jumping around like a loon) and we can’t find it! We search that whole side of the room… No spider. I am NOT sleeping in that room! I grab my pillow, shake my blanket out ALOT and head out to one of the tents on the deck, at least nothing can get in those!! As I’m leaving the room mom says ‘Well now that you’re not sleeping in here anyway… it was a jumping spider, they jump about 3 feet’. WHAT? Yes, now I’ll really trust her when I ask her a bug question! Germaine cleaned the room this morning and found it dead on it’s back under the bed. It had jumped up and was hiding on the underside of the bed while the bug spray took hold. UGH. We’re not telling Alexa or she’ll never be able to sleep in the room again.

My Bedroom Visitor (at least 4 inches long)

Mom brought me protection

~Dana

About Dana Kayal

Dana Kayal has been supporting the work of HATS since 2000. A successful entrepreneur, Dana regularly promotes the organization and raises funds for Hands Across the Sea in her role as a Director with Epicure. Dana lives in Kelowna, BC with her three children and her chickens.

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Testimonials

This is my first time traveling outside of Canada and I am proud to say it was for a mission trip. I have always wanted to go on one and see what it like in other parts of the world and do what I can to help out. Haiti is a terminus life change for me and how I look at things. Seeing these kids and how they have such a passion for each other and for us is truly inspiring. I look back to what I was like at that age and I don’t think I was half as kind or generous as they are. This morning we did devotions and as I was speaking about what an impact they had on me only in one day I started to tear up…it was very emotional to talk about.

Isaiah Henderson
HATS Visitor
Thank you Karen for everything you do, all the hard work and dedication that you put into this place, all of the work behind the scenes. Thank you for putting up with all the craziness that we bring when we come to your house for the week, just thank you times a million and one for everything Karen. I can write about my week until I am blue in the face (maybe not write that long but if you know me I can definitely talk for that long), and can sing about kit kat bars until my voice gives out, but I cannot even begin to try and articulate in song, dance, or other random art forms how thankful and blessed I am to have been given this experience not only once but twice! Thank you – thank you – thank you – thank you!!!!!!!

Kathleen
HATS Visitor
After years of thinking about it and months of planning for it, it seems strange that our time in Haiti is over. We have been asked by a few if it was like we expected. Well, no. I’m not sure what we expected, but our minds could not have fathomed what we have experienced, and we can hardly believe that our 3 month stay has come to an end. HATS really became home away from home for us. We knew we would enjoy getting to know and spending time with the kids but we had no idea how difficult it would be to leave them. They sneak in and steal your heart without you even knowing it. We have left a piece of our hearts in Haiti and can’t wait for the day when we can return.

Mike & Nicki White
HATS Visitors
I had anticipated that I would enjoy spending time getting to know the children and being a part of Karen’s daily life in Haiti but I had not anticipated that it would capture my heart like it did. I will miss spending time with the children and Karen but I am hopeful that I’ll be able to see them all again in the not too distant future.

Sara-May Cardy
HATS Visitor
It’s going to be impossible to put my thoughts into words about this experience, so I’d say this – if you can get here – do. I think most people probably think they’re coming to help others. To some extent, that’s true (at least this temporary blogger thought so). To a larger extent, you’ll leave Haiti a better person than when you arrived. Nelson Mandela once said something like “Everywhere I go, I wear you”. It means that none of us is our own person entirely. Rather, we’re the culmination of the people and experiences we have had. I leave Haiti wearing 16 HATS children, 10(ish) Haitian staff members, a Calgarian, 2 Winnipegian’s, and a Newfie. And I couldn’t be happier about it. Until we meet again my friends.

Rick
HATS Visitor
Such important work done with LOVE and commitment!

Dana Wight Kayal
HATS Supporter
Personally, this is my first time here. I’ve never done a mission trip of any sort before and I’ve certainly never been anywhere this hot before. I keep seeing things that are different from what I’m used to, and hearing about things even more unfamiliar to me. One of the most surprising things to meis how quickly I’ve grown to love all the people here. Everyone here is great, and the team is wonderful too. Watching everyone support each other warms my heart almost as much as the sun warms my skin. I’ve learned a lot from this experience, and I know that this trip has already had a profound impact on my life.

Matthew Sketchley
HATS Visitor
The time has passed so quickly. We know what we’ve done this week is important and makes a difference here at Hands Across the Sea. But it’s easy in Haiti to feel that anything we do here is simply a drop in the ocean. So much need on so many different levels: political, organizational, educational, social, spiritual…But we remind ourselves that each individual life is of infinite value so changing the life of one child and one family is worth the effort.

Liette Wilson
HATS Visitor, Supporter & Board Member
They call Karen “the helicopter ” and after spending three days by her side I know why. She propels through life!!! If you want to get on the ride you better start running. It is an amazing work that the Lord is doing here through so many many dedicated workers…literally hundreds of children impacted every day with the love of Christ…but the task to do so is enormous. The dedication of staff is invaluable…they NEED US ALL!!

Barbara & Louis
HATS Visitors
I am so thankful to God for allowing me the opportunity to be here and experience his splendor. This day will forever be in my heart and mind. The scripture that resonates with me today is “…whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Matt 25:40. I am so happy I decided to come to HATS, this experience will stay with me for my life time.

Crystal Young
HATS Visitor