Supplies Needed

Recently I have had some friends contacting me on what supplies we need at COTP.  Here are the supplies we are in need of currently:
cotton balls
4x4 gauze squares or any other gauze
rice cereal
6-12 month old baby snacks
hand soap (bar or liquid)
hand sanitizer

If that was you, here is our address.

Teacher, Teacher, What do you see? I see Children looking at me.

Bill Martin's book has just become one of my all time favorite titles-thanks to six students in my morning class.  These children have determined we are the characters in this book. 

Upon entering our classroom they toddle to the book shelf to find his book, flip to the page of the teacher, and proclaim, "Mateja, teacher!?"

"Oui, Mateja, teacher," I reply. 

Their proclamation is conformation that we are doing something in school.  When they heard this is an illustration of a teacher, they saw me.  They have learned I am their teacher. 

The Joy of a New Language

One of the greatest challenges here is communication. Little English is spoken, therefore Mateja and I often fall into situations which require us to "speak" Creole. It is usually a tag team effort when Mateja and I are together. I listen to words, while Mateja reads the body language. Combining these two powers we can somewhat come up with a meaning.

The culture plays into this as well; Haitians will speak at the same time. Miraculously they somehow understand each other. Many times when I am handing out supplies nannies will ask for something and I don't understand what they want. Then 2-3 other nannies will come to help the original nanny try to communicate with me. They don't realize that this does not help. Instead of not understanding one nanny, I now have a group of nannies all speaking at the same time creating even more confusion.

Another thing we deal with is the speed in which Haitians speak. They talk so fast that we can't hear the distinction between words. We will ask for them to speak slower, but many will ramble the same thing at the exact speed and ask, "Do you understand now?"

Although these scenarios can sound difficult, they turn out to be amusing and great stories for later.

One language story I will never forget occurred with our laundry ladies. When we first arrived, Mateja and I met Madam Sergow. She is quite the character. She heard my name and immediately lit up making the connection with Adam in the Bible.  Madam Sergow then pointed to Mateja and exclaimed, "Eve!"

We all laughed, but that was just the beginning. Madam Sergow proceeded to teach us some Creole by reenacting the beginning parts of Genesis. We were unsure of what she was communicating until she got to the flood. She pounded her fist on the cement wall showing how God was angry at the people. To further emphasize God's anger she grabbed my fist and pounded it against the wall too. Then to show us the flood, she grabbed the hose and sprayed everyone in the area. When finished, we walked away 30 minutes later with a whole new view of Creole and the adventure we stepped into.

Don't you see that children are God's best gift?

"Don't you see that children are God's best gift?"

                                                                      -Psalm 127:3

Everyday I feel so blessed to be working with these wonderful preschoolers.  What a gift?  I love each of them so much. 

I never knew being in Haiti would be so hard on my heart.  I want these children to have homes.  I want them to have moms and dads.  Most of my preschoolers have families, but are just waiting for their adoptions to be completed.  Yet, other children aren't even matched. 

There is one little boy that I would take home if I could.  Everyone who comes to COTP falls in love with him.  A few weeks ago I became acutely aware of his eating disorder.  Therefore, I began researching eating disorders in children.  The studies said that there is no such thing as eating disorders in children of his age, but what he really needs is love-consistent love.  Then he will feel safe and secure.  It is more of an attachment disorder.  I thought this couldn't be right, because it appeared in his eating habits.  I contacted my aunt who is a councilor.  She too gave the same opinion as my research. 

This little guy has gone through many things that don't allow him to feel secure.  Abandonment being one of them.

As for now I plug away at loving on him.  Giving him consistency at preschool.  But, it is still so hard, because I know he is not matched.  He doesn't have a family waiting for him. 

We still don't know whose gift he will be.  For now he is mine.