Our last full day in Maniche. A Monday full of people and activity. Laundry! Canning! Real Haitian life!
What gets wet has to dry. There are no electric dryers in Haiti! Wash gets started early so it has a chance to dry by evening!
The work was hard, but they dug right in. They kept asking for more of our stuff to wash!
After breakfast, Trinity and I got to wash our own clothes with two Haitian ladies on the porch, luckily not in the river like most Haitians have to. Three large tubs were lined up; one for soapy water, one for rinsing, and the other one for wrung out clothes ready to go on the line. That was an experience! One Haitian lady gave me the job of rinsing the clothes and I rinsed for about an hour or more. We were amazed how hard they scrubbed the clothes and what work it was! Later we took the wrung out clothes to hang them to dry in the sunshine.
This was yet another opportunity to interact and make conversation and use our language skills. Another lady told me she has two daughters, actually had three but one got sick and died at 1-1/2 yrs. of age. She also told me she currently had a very bad toothache and that she was in pain. I told her to go see a dentist and she responded, “Pa lajan.” (No money) My heart sank. The lady had only a few teeth left in her mouth that I could see. She was headed to having no teeth left like the other lady that I was washing clothes with. She told me they were pulled out by a doctor. I was saddened and bothered. So many are so poor and there is not enough money to get cleanings or have cavities fixed.
Next up was canning jelly! They are using cherries, Haitian apples and another fruit here.
They have obviously done this before!
They gave all the finished product as a gift to us!
After the afternoon of canning a Haitian-style jelly (half sugar!), the neighbors and church folks started coming by to say good-bye since they knew we would be leaving after breakfast the next morning. We took group photos in the church in the evening and also enjoyed some time together.
The Pastor and some of his extended family. We never did figure out who was who. Their one son is on the left.
Grant made some great friends (this man and his wife have already visited us!)
A few favorite photos will finish this post!
No surprise, in the morning several came after breakfast to say goodbye again. The house started to fill up. Suddenly Brent and Sean also appeared to take us back home and we found ourselves standing in a circle holding hands in prayer. Then they really prayed and worshipped as we sang a farewell hymn! Many hugs followed as we packed the Toyota and then piled in with all our stuff. It was a blessing to realize we had arrived as total strangers and now were leaving with many new friends. There were so many stories and memories to recount on the way home!
His Heart for Haiti 
May 14, 2014 at 12:43 pm
I’ve loved reading your posts about Total Immersion! Such an amazing opportunity you had to get to know the “real Haiti” – those ladies are such hard workers! Your family is making precious memories together…
May 17, 2014 at 11:08 am
Thanks for sharing your amazing week with us! I feel like I’ve learned so much just by reading and seeing the great pictures. Love you all!
May 21, 2014 at 4:18 pm
So neat to read about your week! Continued prayers for God’s glory in your work there, and for the love of Jesus to be spread through your witness. Keep shining!
May 23, 2014 at 1:30 pm
Thank you for taking the time to share your week long experience. You were out of your box, but evident that God was with you everyday. What a great experience to actually live and breath the Haitian lifestyle. I am sure the time and the “unknown” were worth it all for all of you. I loved all the pictures and stories! Just think, in eternity we will all be together and be able to communicate and love each other forever. Blessing to you all until we meet again!
May 26, 2014 at 1:42 am
We appreciate your comments! There are no words to describe the fast and close bonds that were created by spending a few days together. Worshipping, praying and sharing Jesus together is powerful. We often talked about eternity when we could worship together! Thanks again and our love to you and Rob! (looking forward to having Scott & Mandy home?!)
May 26, 2014 at 3:23 pm
Yes, yes, yes !!!!!!!!!!!!
May 24, 2014 at 1:34 pm
We really enjoyed following your week of total immersion. What a great way to get to know the culture and then share the culture with us. What a blessing for your children to experience this, too. A year of reading books on Haiti could not produce the same results as the experience of living with a family.
May 26, 2014 at 1:39 am
You’re absolutely correct. We have made permanent friendships in a short time! Two families have already visited us in our home and we have been so enriched by these relationships! Thanks for the encouragement.