There are many hats I wear when I come to HATS (Hands Across the Sea), no pun intended! So far I have been:

• a nurse for the cold that is spreading nicely,
• a tyrant for getting the clothes that are too small or too big out of the drawers to pass on,

Are these yours Jofkey? Jonathan says I do not think so.

• an accountant for the money to feed the children, keep the rats at bay and various other little things,
• a seamstress…well really I was just helping JJ with his sewing, he’s got buttons down pat!

JJ sewing on buttons with Judel looking on

• a supervisor for 15 kids in the playroom and the list goes on.

All are happy for the moment

Laptop time with Moise, Dieunel, Leica and Judel

But I love it all and I am so happy to be back. I missed seeing the kids so much. Keith and I have returned for a few weeks. Keith came back in January and stayed 6 weeks, but my broken ankle prevented me from returning. Thank you for all the emails of encouragement during my recovery.

We usually are able to bring at least 4 hockey bags with us and so we brought the 4 of them this time almost exclusively filled with shoes. With 16 kids at the orphanage, there is always someone who has outgrown their runners for school or their sandals for hanging out in or their good shoes for church. We were so pleased to be able to bring the shoes that were generously given for the kids here at HATS. What can’t be used here goes out into the community around us.

Thank you for the shoes

Shelving

Keith has spent the last few days building a shelving unit for the school food. He has been back and forth with tools and wood to the front depot and has appeared to be quite busy. I haven’t been down to see what he was doing because he likes to work alone.

Obviously I should have been checking…

Clearly the man needs more adult supervision!!!!

“It’s all about the children.”

~Joan