Back in Haiti.
An eventful trip as always, we had a snow storm when we were due to leave for Montreal and Port au Prince which canceled our initial trip postponing it for a week. We are here now. Events normally happen while we are here and not before we arrive.
For as long as I have been coming here and bringing teams I never get tired of that OH MY GOODNESS look on new people I bring, or OH now I know what you mean. You really need to come and experience the culture and the people to appreciate it. The highlight of my trip is of course the children and also the coming and going of everything around us as we travel the area. I like bringing new people to make them aware of how much we have in material things, how much the Haitians have in heart and that yes, they can survive without all that stuff we find necessities.
We always have projects to do and I would not have it any other way. That’s my contribution to the people here. This time we have been painting the girls building; everyone is working and playing hard.
This trip for me is special because I got to bring my granddaughter, Lauryn, whom I have been telling stories to since she was seven years old. I would come to HATS and return home and every visit with her I was bombarded with questions. Now she is 17 in grade 12, going to college next year, it was time to put faces and scenery to my stories. I’m glad she is enjoying her time here as it makes my time much more meaningful and special.
Thursday night we went for a walk down the canal, the opposite direction of where we normally walk, and saw interesting scenery and people. I always feel a little uneasy when we walk outside the compound being the only white people as everyone looks at us and points fingers and hollers Blan or white so you kind of feel like you are on center stage which is an awkward feeling.
Friday night hockey night in Haiti. We had a good game night with Canadians against Haitians and it was very sad for us.
Karen, Ti Luc, Lauryn, and myself ended up in the net and we still lost. We laughed a lot though. Karen kept saying “We need Keith. Where is Keith”. Always fun to play with the kids.
Hockey night in Haiti
Come on Canada
Go Keaton and Nancy. Block Leica.
Two goalies
A fun game. But lacking Keith’s skills.
Now four goalies. Still lost cause.
We lost for sure but that being said I would not change anything for a minute.
Bob the Builder
– Written by Bob Comeau, board member and HATS-Haiti’s own Bob the Builder
