Today, our leaders and guides gave us the green-light and decided was safe for us to travel to our planned destinations. We started our day with our daily family style breakfast with the fight over avocados and fresh-squeezed orange-grapefruit juice. We departed promptly at 9:00 AM for an hours drive to Croix deu Bouquet; which is not as far as one would travel back home in the same period of time. We traveled through congested morning traffic consisting of many tap-taps and motorcycles weaving in and out of traffic.
The first destination was Croix deu Bouquet, a metal work “mecca”. The metal art work that FMSC sells comes from here. We were able to see the craftsmen at work pounding on the metal sheets forming them into various pieces of artwork. The craftsmen enticed us into their shops to look at their beautiful artwork in which they took great pride. Many items were purchased after the customary bartering with the local craftsmen. It felt awkward to barter with someone who has so little, when we have so much.
After shopping and browsing, we were shown how oil barrels are prepared for the metal working process. They started with 2 bright blue Valvoline oil drums from Lexington, Kentucky USA. Using only a hammer and chisel, they first split the oil drum down the side and then deftly peeled back each lid. Once this was done, the fun part began. To remove the oil and paint from the drum, they placed the drums on top of one another, forming a type of chimney. They then filled the drums with cardboard, brush, tar paper, plastic bottles, almost anything flammable within reach. Next came the kerosene and a match. We were all warned to move back. The smoke was thick and intense. As we left, we could see many places where previous fires had been set.
We all climbed back in to the tap-tap, grabbed our hand sanitizer and had a quick lunch on the way to our next stop. After a short drive, we drove into a compound containing the Monfort’s School and Orphanage for the Deaf, which had beautiful trees, flowers and spacious areas for playing. Originally located in Port-au-Prince, it was moved to a new location following the 2010 earthquake when it was destroyed. While the students were having lunch, we were given a tour of the facility by three nuns. A new technical school is being built in addition to the existing elementary and secondary school. There are 300 deaf students; 100 students are residents at the school. The school has 30 teachers. The nuns also showed us the workshop where the students make furniture. It was a surprisingly well-equipped workshop, with several planers, drill press, and a table saw. Some of the equipment was old but was still functional. The furniture is used at the school and some is also sold for income.
“Recess time” included many fun activities. The language barriers of English, Creole, and sign language may make it feel more difficult for us to interact with the children, but a smile and a wave is universal. If you could do a few letters of the alphabet or simple signs, they were all over it and quickly did more than one could keep up with. The children have very little and were excited to see what surprises we had in store. The biggest hits were face painting, playing with the balloons from Boom-Boom Balloon, jumping rope, coloring, and playing with stickers. The older boys enjoyed playing keep away with an American football. Frisbee’s were flying all over, even onto rooftops; thankfully ladders were available.
After a couple hours of running, jumping, painting, coloring, and just sitting and cuddling with kids, it was time to head home. Again, we had the long “Minnesota” good-bye with the kids running back for more hugs and wanting to be held.
It’s a day like this, in combination with our other experiences, that makes us realize how extremely fortunate our children are back home, and how much God has truly blessed us.
Jennie Norberg and Don Wiebold
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