Lucky Kentucky

I know it has been a really long time since I have posted anything, but hopefully in the coming months I will find several good reasons to write to all of my adoring fans out there!  In August Kristen and I hoped to go to Haiti again, but our plans never really got anywhere for several reasons, including the fact that I learned 8 of the kids from the orphanage would be coming to Kentucky to sing.  Mona, Sophia, Fabienne, Wideline, Delva, Jean Eddy, David, Jeff, and Sonson spent 15 days traveling around the greater Lexington area singing to churches, and spending time with several of their American friends.  I got a chance to spend a few days with them, and we even got to take them to the Cincinnati Zoo.  What was planned to be an entire day at the zoo turned in to only a few hours; being on Haitian time is something I am going to have to get used to; But the few hours we did spend at the zoo seemed to be enough time to see things that all of those kids had only ever seen pictures or drawings of.  The Elephants were obviously an awesome thing to see, and so were the lions, but my favorite part of the trip was Jeff's enthusiasm to be as interactive as possible.  He was the only one that wanted to feed the Giraffes, so we made a special effort to make it happen.  In Haiti, having an animal for a pet, or even touching an animal for more than slaughter is not a popular concept.  Cows, pigs, chickens, goats, are all considered food, and as for cats and dogs- they are around, but if most people hardly eat, then so it goes most people are not concerned with whether animals are getting food or not.  (They even ask on immigrations forms when entering the U.S. whether you have handled livestock or not.  I wonder what happens if you check yes?)  Regardless it was so exciting to have him do something so unique to most people- feed a Giraffe.  I don't have any children.  I can't say what it feels like to introduce your own child to so many new and special things in life, but being able to show something to anyone who hasn't been able to experience things that others have is exciting.  Every time we are down in Haiti we get to do this with so many young children, and treating all of these kids like children, and I dare say spoiling them, is an awesome thing!  I can't say how most of the kids we see down there actually live, but I doubt it involves a lot of childhood activities like playing, and partying, or even something as normal to us as going to school, so being able to bring them happiness is well worth all the mosquito bites in the world.

P.S. While the kids were in Kentucky Jean Eddy was offered a sponsorship from some amazing people, and will in the near future be attending the University of Kentucky!