New Friends and Continued Bonding

Friday night we welcomed another AWAA couple to Haiti to start their bonding trip. We have been excited for them to join us so that we have another couple to experience this trip with and to have two others people that we can hold fluent conversations with. Yesterday we had the chance to see them meet their little one at the orphanage for the first time. It has been a blessing to have them here.

Yesterday we had a good day at the orphanage. We arrived around 9:30. T met us downstairs while we waited with our friends for their little guy to be released from his nursery area. I held her in my arms as we video taped their initial reunion. We then headed up to the balcony. We had less kids upstairs with us for most of the day, which made for some nice quiet time.

In the afternoon we took T and a little friend outside for a walk to see the chicken coop, which the orphanage uses for dual purpose. They are able to supply eggs for the kids at the orphanage which gives them much needed protein. They also sell the eggs to help with funding for the orphanage. With over 115 kids and many of them not yet formally matched it makes it very difficult to keep things going without being funded by families. The orphanage staff has had to find creative ways to provide for and support the kids. Between the large chicken coop and the garden that is being maintained these are a couple ways that they are getting things done. T did not seem to be interested in checking out the chickens. She actually seemed scared, so I didn't go that close and we headed back inside.

Throughout the day yesterday I started to notice little and big feet with new flip flops on them. The orphanage staff had started to hand out the flip flops that we had brought as a donation earlier in the week. It was nice to see them being used and although not a necessity for the kids, it is a simple pleasure for them...especially the older kids. We had a couple of older kids that decided to hang out on the balcony with us yesterday. They tend to be pretty helpful.Some of them can speak English, so it is nice to be able to communicate with them. They enjoy playing games on our phones or taking photos with our phones.

T was feeling better and had good energy in the morning. In the afternoon she got sleepy again, which seems to be a pattern. :) She fell asleep in my arms for at least an hour if not more. I thoroughly enjoyed the cuddle time with her.