No amount of research and investigation, I did, prior to starting the adoption process could have prepared me for what I was stepping into the day I got off my flight into Port-au-Prince, Haiti. I am not sure what really I had in my mind, but I can tell you it wasn't what I saw as the driver took us to the guest house that we would call home for the next 7 days.
Let me explain...... I was afforded the opportunity to join a group, representing Haitian Roots (http://haitianroots.com/), which is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating to the children of Haiti. They get sponsors for the children which allows them to go to school for a year. The reason for this trip was to have the kids make and write Christmas cards for their sponsors and to distribute monies to them for it. (Yes, I know I don't do it justice with my random ramblings, so go to the website and check it out) It's an amazing cause and if you feel inspired, feel free to sign up as a sponsor. I promise you the kids there love that they can go to school to have a chance at a better future.
While we were there we visited different orphanages, and I absolutely fell in love with the country. As poor as they are, as dirty as it was, the people are amazing. Garbage thrown wherever, cows and goats walking down the sidewalk rummaging through it for food. People trying to sell anything and everything to make some money. It was an eye opener for this girl.
As I thought about my little boy and what I would be taking him away from, my mind also focused on how he will know his roots. I want to take him back to see where he came from, what kind of life he might have had, and maybe together we can come up with a small way to make a difference there.
We were taken to meet a woman named Amber from Indiana, who has moved there to help make a difference. She created PEACEcycle. It's a way to take garbage off the street, sanitize it and create useful things with them. There are these drinking water bags that people buy. There is an estmated 5 million that get tossed onto the street each WEEK.
So she has people go out and collect them, she then goes through a whole process of sanitizing, cutting, ironing and sealing them together, then they create different types of bags, passport holders, pencil cases, messenger bags and lunch totes. They are amazing and these pictures don't do it justice. SHE is making a difference over there, she has given jobs to local people as well as started something that may help (even a tiny bit) of keeping some of the garbage off the street, Check it out on Facebook - PEACEcycle.
The time spent in Haiti was hot, humid, but amazing. I spent it with the most ioncrdible group of women who fell in love with the country just as I did. Our fearless leader Chareyl, kept telling us "You don't choose Haiti, Haiti chooses you". That statement hits me right in the heart since I didn't go looking for Haiti when I decided to adopt. It was where I was told to go.
Now that I have been there, I have been through the culture shock, I have seen the living conditions of the people. I see their day to day struggle, and now more than anything I want to get my little boy home to help him on his way for a bright future and hopefully an idea of how we can make our own little mark on his roots.
Patience has been my friend, trust has become a vital part of this process. The Lord works in mysterious ways and with this trip, He made that clear. I will continue to trust Him and know that the little guy who is to be my son will be the one MEANT for me. Even if that means I keep waiting.
Thanks for listening to me ramble on. I am adding a few pictures of my trip (once someone from my group clues me in on the whole DROPBOX situation, I will upload some more - they were more dedicated to taking pics than I was) I love Haiti now, more than I ever thought I could.
Kayleen Kids Quest.....continues
