This is the market. This does not show how huge it is there. They sell everything that a person would need like food, clothing, toiletries, etc. I believe that the yellow building is a shop. The lucky people have these little (and I stress the word little) shops that they can work out of.
This is the center of downtown. Most people do not drive, they walk. So needless to say that when we drive around we stick out like a sore thumb, especially because there are a whole bunch of white people in the back! These are actually more shops down this street. The areas the people lived in were just concrete buildings and not all had roofs.
This is a great picture of the trash system in Haiti. They pile it up next to the ocean and just dump it in. Literally the ocean is black around the island. The Chilean U.N. is in Haiti to help keep the peace, but it also helps to clean up the city. They have taken their bulldozers and piled up huge amounts of trash to be burned. The other group that was with us said that the city was already much cleaner since they were there 2 years ago.
This is a picture of Beka who was on the trip with me. She would hate this picture. Sorry Beka! Anyway, what I want to show you is to the right of her. Those buildings behind her, that we would just knock over, are houses. Every time I look at these pictures it amazes me what we consider poor here in America versus what poverty really is.
I just had to show you the local "Home Depot". There is another place that just sells planks of wood that the Children's home uses. 
One last picture of me with the kids. It was a wonderful, rewarding time and I will never forget it. I can't believe that I have already been home a week. I would ask that we all remember to pray for the people over there. We have been blessed with so much. Pray for the missionaries there who have dedicated their lives to not only preaching God's word to these people, but helping to improve their economy. The kids must all learn a trade before they graduate from school so they can support themselves and help with creating employment. It is a huge endeavor, but it is working. Love you all!
The Haitian people use coal to cook everything. It is actually very detrimental to the island there so the children's home is trying to raise money for a gas stove. The picture below is the woman who brings the coal in on donkeys. She actually goes all around the town doing this. Right below that is one of the women cooking our meatballs for dinner. She just cooked outside on coals, one at a time. 
The last day that we were there we went to the hospital. Their hospital is one where you must pay first. If you are not able to pay, then you cannot have the procedure done. So in actuality those individuals that were able to go to the hospital are the lucky ones. Most of the time the people who have injuries are not able to go to the hospital and die. We took some toiletries and rice to the people there. It was gone within minutes. Next time we have decided that we will just bring rice and beans because these people do not get a meal there unless their family brings it to them. 
The people were in beds right next to each other. There was absolutely no privacy. Tabitha was guiding us through the hospital. She is a church member who comes in to the children's home and sells necklaces and things like that. We went to most every wing and in each one she would sing and then we would pray for the people in there. She was an amazing source of encouragement. She goes to the hospital about once a week to spend time with these people. We saw some things in the hospital that I am not going to put on the blog. Those of you who have spoke to me know why. There was one woman who was about to deliver and we were there when that was happening. It is different to see it from the other side, and of course they don't have the epidural!
This is a picture of me and Woodlin. He always wanted to be held and loved. I would go back in an instant. I know that the group that I went with talks about going back again. In the midst of the starvation and depravity are these wonderful people. They were such an encouragement for me. Next blog will be of the town. God bless you all!
Getting ready for church is a big deal. Everyone is dressed up. The bottom picture is the kids from the children's home. The ones that can sit still are right there in that group. The little kids are dispersed throughout the older kids in the rest of the crowd. It was wonderful to see how each person taking care of each other. It gave new meaning to the phrase "it takes a village to raise a child."
This little girl came and sat with me during church. She was the sweetest girl. I never learned her name. She stayed with me all day long and just held my hand the whole time. In Haiti, the people are always holding each others hands. I think that it is a way of accepting individuals.
This is Justin. He spoke English very well. He wanted me to tell everyone "thank you" for sending them support. These kids eat so much better than the people in the town. People are brought to the children's home so that they can even have their injuries taken care of. There is such a need for caring people. Only $15-20 a month feeds these children and takes care of their clothes and necessities for school. It just really blows my mind, when I come back home to a home that actually has a roof on it. We are so very blessed in this country. I am going to be posting some more pictures probably tomorrow. I just wanted to be able to show a little of where I have been this last week. God bless you all!
She is on the very right with the yellow maraca in her hand. She wouldn't smile unless she wasn't singing. She is so funny.
Here is the "after party" which is where we just went into her classroom to pick her up after school. Aaron and Jacob are giving her a congratulatory hug for a job well done. Rebekah is feeling very sick and has a 102 degree temperature so she is not in any of these pictures.