This is my 15th trip to HATS and it has always been a pleasure to be here. The heat, crazy traffic, animal noises all the time especially at 3:00 am, endless cricket noises, very friendly people, the great food, etc, make it all enjoyable.

I have managed to find work to do and work will always find you here. Every time I see a HATS kid with a rock or soccerball I think which pipe is he/she going to break this time. Nice to see the kitchen counter I built in 2005 still in use and the cupboards I built in 2008 in use. Many other instances of work done over the years. I love working here doing whatever is needed. General rule is one hour looking for parts or material and 15 minutes to do the job.

Another job I enjoy is going to the “Hardware Store” in Liancourt. They have a lot of stuff but most of it is in bags and boxes it arrived in. So Jim and I just hunt and peck with a flashlight in an aisle four inches smaller than me.

After we had the Love Gifts packaged we have been giving them out as those notified show up. The following is what makes up a Love Gift:

• 12 Godes or 2 Marmits of Rice
• 6 Godes or 1 Marmit of Beans
• 6 Godes or 1 Marmit of Corn Meal
• 1 Container of oil.

For context, 1 Gode is 2 cups and 1 Marmit is 6 Godes.

We cannot get oil in small containers anymore so we ask those coming to pick up their Love Gifts to bring their own container.  Ours comes in 5 gallon buckets. Jim is our official filler upper.

We need help down here. Someone or a couple to help the two directors, Karen and Luckner, with their heavy workloads and to help with Luc’s schooling. Also needed to help Luckner, who holds down two director positions, when Karen is in Canada. The existence of HATS depends on us finding people sooner rather than later. Up for a challenge?  

A little information: HATS-Haiti has two directors – Karen, Canadian director, who founded the mission and Luckner, Haitian director, who has been a Godsend and tremendous help and blessing to all, for the past 14 years. As director of HATS-Haiti, as well as working closely with Karen in all matters of this mission, Luckner is also the director of HATS-Haiti’s school, IMKH, with approximately 500 students, and is, by far, the best teacher at our IMKH school. During the periods Karen is out, Luckner runs everything by himself, which means he gets no rest or break at all. 

HATS-Haiti is  ALL  ABOUT  THE  CHILDREN.  Help is needed to be able to continue to really help the children.

Dickie

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