ivy and orchid

For the first time in my life, I am a minority. It’s a weird feeling that, no matter what I do, I cannot “blend in.” I can learn Kreyol, learn to cook Haitian food or walk like the Haitians (ok, I might not ever be able to carry huge amounts of weight on my head), but I will never be able to hide the fact that I am white.   Furthermore, I am a minority, but I still have white privilege.  What I am having a hard time with is, being a foreign minority figure with privilege, it takes time to build relationships. I am learning how my neighbors “do life.” In America, we have ‘Game Night’ and ‘Movie Night’ and outdoor yard games galore. However, when you are in a country that doesn’t dwell on material possessions, the best thing to share is each other’s company. During this time, I must accept that this is a slow journey and that is why we would like to be here for the long haul.  On the other hand, kids are able to just jump in and start relationships instantly. I ...

Hello everyone! We have officially been in Haiti for five days, and a lot has happened. First off, this week has been made possible  by Melissa and Steve Gross, who have been missionaries in Haiti for 6 years. They have given up a week of their time in the States, apart from their children to help us get ready. We will stay in their house until our house is livable. They have fed us, introduced us to other missionaries [who are doing amazing things], translated for us and helped us get what we need to live here. They are pretty amazing! Let me start with our house: We live on a Habitation which basically is a large property with many homes on it. It is an extremely beautiful property with an amazing view of the mountains and the Citadelle in distance. It has mango, avocado and cashew trees, peacocks (which sound like loud cats) and the Grosses have a turtle pond which has occupied much of Abigail and Keenen's time. Our home Our bathroom has everything we need to use i...