A Feeding Program

Some of the amazing work going on here... Shelly Clay and her husband, Corrigan, have a ministry to street kids and malnourished children. They invite them into their home for a meal & a movie on Saturdays. They have discovered that old silent slapsticks get the best reception from the kids on the entertainment front. The kids' favorite meal? Beans and rice. :)

The Clays started out a few months ago feeding a dozen or so children. They now get numbers in the fifties and have had to cap it off. Currently they purchase food for the kids from their own income but are looking for outside finanial support as they would like to expland the program.

Paradigm Shift

A typical city scape: A market in Petionville

This move to Haiti has involved an immersion into Missionarydom. My life is swarming with foreign missionaries! My friends are foreign missionaries! I go to church with foreign missionaries- the faces that hang on your fridges at home, “Pray for the _____s,” these are the folks with whom I converse, worship, work, and play. It makes life interesting indeed.

“What do you do?” is the common question at social engagements in the states. “I’m a teacher,” “I drive trucks,” “I’m a doctor,” “I stay at home with my kids…” The question and responses suit the context. Here, in this context, although we do not phrase the Question in this way, we could just as appropriately ask, “So in what way are you saving lives?” and the regular responses would include… “I run a feeding program,” “I nurse kids in the ghetto,” I’m teaching women about STDs and prenatal health,” “My husband and I train church leaders,” “We run an orphanage…”

What a humbling contrast to consider, one I can hardly get my mind around. These peoples’ daily work involves saving lives! And I find myself still thinking in stateside terms: “What am I going to be when I grow up?” …

Mom and Dad, meet Edward, my Haitian boyfriend.

Who would have thought a Snail would be so F.U.N.?

In Haiti, that’s how we roll.

I captured this little guy at the school (QCS) at which I spend so much of my free time. I thought he’d be a great creature to show my kids. These kiddos at Three Angels are so cloistered! No pets, no grass, only a few trees (which are not suitable for climbing L)… the highlight of my week with them is usually playing in the rain (or our impromptu Dance Parties)! I want so much for them to enjoy the amazing creativity of our God as evidenced in His creation so this week our learning moment was brought to us by a snail!

Edward, the Snail, was a dramatic guest during his stay at Three Angels. After his first night with us he disappeared and was feared dead. Upon his rediscovery, (which necessitated somewhat of a resuscitation since he was drying out) my elation prompted an Ode in his honor. Maybe I will share this piece of literature with you in the future. Mom and Dad, don't freak out. I did some soul searching, thought about the relationship, and Ed and I have since split. It's better this way. The cultural differences were just irreconcilable. :)

Reece was the only Haitian brave enough to hold Edward!