First Day in Jeremie

Another beautiful day. First day waking up in Jeremie. It's much better now than it was. It's beginning to feel like Jeremie again. The trees are green and flowers are everywhere. These trees are so much like the Haitians themselves. It doesn't matter what storm or tragedy knocks them down they will bud. They will bloom. They will stand tall and proud and continue on.

Helping Manman Clanide in the kitchen. We sing and cook. Charcoal smolders. She is teaching me a new song. I balance a neighbor's baby on my knee while using a pilon (mortar and pestle) to mix the garlic, onion and so on together into a paste.

Manman and I squat in the dirt and pick the feathers off of a chicken that was sitting next to me alive just minutes ago. Poor little fella had to get eaten. Fre Ejen came and killed it for Manman Clanide. She doesn't have the heart to. I suppose when there aren't any men around this will be my job. As long as I don't give it a name I don't mind butchering things. Life is simple when you live simply and I absolutely love the perfect simplicity of this morning.

Today is a day for visiting. I forgot my medical bag and was reminded quite a few times to bring it next time. Everyone is well. They have made so much progress. It was amazing to see shiny tin on my friends' roofs. New cement. What a wonderful thing. Thanks to you and to God. Papa Dieudonne finished a beautiful room for me. He even made me a bed! I'm going to be spoiled I swear. I have a little place to put my clothes. A roof over my head. I am just so happy.

I am laying here in my bed. It doesn't smell like dead animals anymore! I have a fever. My nose is running and so I'm holding a tissue under it. It's almost 2 am and I still haven't slept. I can barely swallow. I wore myself down and now I'm sick. I should be ok by morning...except it's 4 am now. Nose is still running.

Today I am resting. I hate resting. Manman Clanide made me some tea. It seemed to help. I have had a fever on and off and can't swallow very well. Delice came to visit. Papa Dieudonne and Manman Clanide went to town so it is just Claeme and I for the day. She plays dolls with the neighbor girls. I rest until late afternoon but I am going stir crazy so I go to town with Mackenzy. Manman Clanide doesn't have any minutes on her phone and neither do I. There is an ATM here and it works! I'm not sure if this is a good or a potentially bad thing for me I'll just have to keep it under control. We go to the Digicel store and they put a plan for a month on my phone. Can I even explain my joy at having a one way ticket? I am so at ease. Darkness comes and we walk up the mountain to Papa's. Jacques is there to greet me. He can't wait for Aunt Beck to be here and neither can I. I am feeling better now. I don't have a fever anymore. I will get some sleep tonight and go to the orphanage tomorrow. Night everyone!

The small joys of Haiti: I enter my room to find two baby goats jumping on my suitcase and roughhousing. They were the cutest kids. I shoo them out.

Papa Dieudonne asked where Claeme (7) was and Manman Clanide said "she went next door to buy you a beer." I laughed so hard. I love the freedom here. Claeme is not a drunk because she can buy beer whenever she wants. She is not sneaking around. She is just a kid buying beer for her Papa. When we don't make things a big deal no one wants to "break the rules" to do them.

Geckos climb on my walls. I enter the bathroom and there is a huge cockroach nestled on top of my bar of soap. Thank you Kayla for making this soap for me. I love it...and apparently so does Mr. Cockroach.