VBS

Sunday was our feast day. Chicken, rice, Haitian potato salad, and Madame Pastor's pineapple cake. Also, more fried plantains, which I didn't care for the first day, but now I've learned to love. Madame Pastor told me the secret to great plantains is to deep fry them twice! So maybe I won't be making any when I get home.

To top it off, we finished with Kremas, an alcoholic beverage made with creamed coconut, sweetened condensed milk and rum. There were spices in this, like nutmeg or cinnamon, so it reminded me of eggnog, but it was strong! When they spike a drink, they really spike it. I'm not a huge fan of rum, so I only took a little shot of it. Orlean, however, was throwing it back like a pro - and she's only nine!

Then, because it was Sunday and there is no church tomorrow night, the neighborhood went all out for worship. There was so much jumping and dancing and so much dust kicking up that I had to go outside for air several times. We literally kicked up a cloud of dust and my eyes were burning! It got hotter and sweatier than some clubs I've been in and my ears were still ringing when I fell asleep.

This morning we hosted a Vacation Bible School, open to the entire community. About 50 kids showed and it was crazy fun!

First, Olivia read the story of Joshua and the Battle of Jericho from a Kreyol children's Bible storybook because she speaks Kreyol best of our group. Then Claudette led the kids in some Kreyol songs before splitting them into three age groups. The groups rotated through these stations:

• Coloring
• Bracelet making
• Quilting

I helped the quilters. The quilt group at St. Paul's made a quilt that we brought with us with blank squares for the kids to put their hand prints. Each kid got his or her hand painted, then printed on the quilt. I helped them wash their hands after in a bucket of water, which seemed like a new concept to quite a few of the kids. Kristen ended up dunking each hand in the water and scrubbing them around, then I came in with a wet wipe to get any excess and a towel to dry. From there, I shoved kids back toward their seats for another story. My word of the day was "Chita!" the command for "Sit down!" But the kids were too precious and, despite the language barrier, it went as well as Bible school with American kids. I guess working with children is always herding cats, no matter what the cultural dynamics.

Madame Pastor Jan helping with the handprint quilt.
Photo by Sandy M.

Before sending the kids home, we got them back together for a few more songs and quick introductions by everyone on our team. Sandy recorded a video of Claudette leading the kids in a renditions of "Chak Moun" and "Father Abraham," which you can view here. That's Beauty in the red shirt, cheesing at 0:27 and my mucker, Madame Pas, at the very end. 

Now it's time for lunch - knockoff Oreos and coffee!