Haiti - 2015 - Days 1 & 2

It's been two years, but SSSAS is back in Haiti!  We arrived yesterday (Monday, June 8th), but arrived late enough in the day that this is the first opportunity for blogging.

Not to say that the first day was completely uneventful.  Though the airport and the flights worked about as smoothly as could be expected, I think I learn or observe something new each time I travel from Port-au-Prince to Montrouis, the site of our sister school and parish, St. Paul's.  After we settled into our beautiful accommodations at Moulin-sur Mer and had dinner, we sat and reflected on the day.  The students' observations ran the scope from the level of destruction they witnessed still present from the earthquake to the colorful, vibrant, indelible spirit that seemed present in each Haitian we passed on Rte. 1 on the way to Montrouis.  They found Haiti even in one day to be a land of contrast--more complex than could have been anticipated.

They did not have that time to think about the complexities during day two, though.  Today, we focused on running the inaugural SSSAS Summertimes 2015 - Montrouis.  The students led 120 Haitian students in English language activities, arts and crafts, and athletics.

Some of the Haitian students even took the time to school us in several ways, sometimes tying our hair into tight, Haitian braids, or taking us on in wrestling.  Who won?  You decide.

Though no task was ever easy, the students mounted an incredible effort to make it through a long, humid Haitian day with spirit and energy still intact.  Even better, the Haitian students seemed ready to come back tomorrow for more.

Perhaps the best part of the day for me was the witnessing the food line, a food line that these students had spent the better part of the last half year raising money to produce.  As each of the Haitian students came out of the cafeteria with smiles, I knew that the money had gone to a good cause.  Having eaten the same food, I can safely say that we benefitted as well!

Here's to another successful day!  I look forward to what tomorrow brings.