Legos, Artist and candy

What a blessed day we had with the boys. We started with name tags to help us get to know them by name, just as God knows us by name. It is affirming!We had a play day this a.m. We dumped 2 large piles of legos on the tables and Dillon, Bob and Yo instructed in how to build. Someboys played there for the full 2 hours. We also decorated pillow cases with permanent markers, after we placed TBUMC and Jesus Loves you on each one. A few of the boys colored with great detail for the whole 2 hours. They were so intrigued. Dillon gave them pop rocks for a fun treat, man did the popping suprise them. The boys have a very hard time making eye contact, even when you get down at their level. When you hug and praise them for their work, at times you get a glimsp of a smile. They are such beautiful children and are a wonderful resource for this country. If only we can provide more education for these 30 boys, they can start to make a difference in the poverty and harships here. Children are the future. So, as I see it, we help this small corner of the country, and other organizations help other small corners with Christ as our guide, we could have a better place for the people of Haiti. It is very interesting in the lack of play here. They have no toys, so they just sit and lie around all day when they are not in school. Developmentally I am concerned, so I talked to Virginia Bell, and we are going to sit down with the staff on Monday to discuss the importance of Play and learning. We brought toys, but the ladies just put them in the closet where the boys cannot get them. But, the whole society works like that, they are so busy trying to survive that they have no play skills. When the rain comes, it washes all they have away. When you are always hungry and thirsty, there is no time to worry about the garbage that lies around everywhere or education. The average haitian worker here at the guest house puts in over 40 hours a week and make less the $25 a week. UMmmm, they work very hard.
We have experienced exceptional hospitality from all we have met, we feel very safe and the countryside is so beautiful along the mountains. We shopped a lot of street vendors, who have no mercy on us when we say "no, thank you". We buy things we do not need, just to stimulate the economy and help the people out. We feel bad when we do not buy things from them. It confuses Dillon when we buy things we do not need.
The Lord is so good, and has blessed our team with joy, laughter, tears,and compassion for this country. Thank you for all your prayers, and support. We are in the best of care. See you all next Sunday, Peace TBUMteam