Things have been hopping around the mission lately! We had a group from
Crossings spend a week at BHM and now we have another group from Connecticut and Massachusetts here now. It's always a joy to get to meet new people and reconnect with old friends. The kids have been enjoying some new things here lately, too.
This past Friday, my friend Jessica that lives close by invited us to a homeschool co-op in Port-au-Prince. She had been going with her little girl and thought we would enjoy it. Did we ever!!! When you are really far from home and what is "normal" to you, it sure is awesome to get out and do something like that. Right before we all headed out, Scott mentioned that he wanted to keep Josiah with him and just let Kilee and I have a "girl day" while they hung out and did guy stuff. It was an offer I couldn't refuse. Thanks again, babe!
We headed down into Port at a record pace, not because we drove fast but because there are not as many vehicles on the road due to the gas shortage in Haiti right now. We stopped at a friend of Jessica's to pick up more kiddos and then we all headed over to
Heartline Academy's Friday homeschool co-op. Several local missionary families were there and it was such a blessing to get to connect with them! Kilee was overwhelmed by the opportunity to go to a class with other 6-year-old English speaking girls. She may have been the most talkative one of the bunch! It was obvious that this was something she needed. Of course, I may have been pretty chatty myself in the group of young mommas that were there!
The kids played for awhile before things got started. They had a trampoline and a swing set. It was little-kid
heaven! The older kids ran around after the chickens and roosters that
were in the yard until they couldn't keep up anymore. A whistle blew
and all 25 kids sat on the wall in front of the school and had water and
a snack. When you live up in the mountains, it is easy to forget just
how hot it gets in Port! Kilee and I were both red-cheeked and thirsty!
 |
| This girl is definitely having some fun. |
 |
| The tire swing was a big hit! |
 |
| Time to rest and snack in the shade. |
 |
| Kilee and her new girlfriends |
After snacks, the kids divided into groups to do various art projects. Jessica and I took the group of 6 and unders to go do coloring, playdoh, bead crafts, and painting. It was so much fun! I really enjoyed watching Kilee interact with the other girls. After being with kids that only speak Creole for the past 4 months, Kilee was so ready for this. All of the kiddos were so sweet together!
 |
| Some of Kilee's new buds: Lydia, Phoebe, Mylie and Phoebe Kate |
 |
| Some of the finished products! |
After crafts were done, all the kids went back outside to play some more before it was time to go home. A soccer game began between the older kids. The marked off the field with a water hose and played a short game before they all got too hot. The littler ones ventured back over to the playground.
 |
| It was a fun game to watch! |
 |
| Can't get enough of the tire swing! |
When everyone was good and tired, it was time to leave. We gathered up all the kiddos we brought and drove back to Jessica's friend's house (the Lotz family). We stayed there for awhile, chatted and let the kids play together. In addition to the house being the Lotz family's home, they run a fabulous pizza restaurant called
Pizza Amour in their front yard every Friday and Saturday! This pizza was the real deal. We ordered the meatza pizza for us and our girls, and we finished up with key lime pie and chocolate cake. It was amazing. After that, it was time to head back up the mountain and go home.
 |
| Before we left, Kilee wanted a picture with her new friend Callie at her house. |
I am so thankful to the Lord for providing exactly what we needed at just the right time. This was definitely an answer to prayer and we look forward to going back! We'll bring Josiah next time. There weren't any other 3 year old boys at the co-op, but I figure as long as there's a trampoline, a swingset, and chickens, he will have plenty to do. Blessings!
