19th Tzu Chi Haiti Earthquake Relief Team

So today was the day that the 19th Tzu Chi Haiti Relief Team was going back to the States' side. Pierrot, Lesley, and I took Curtis SB and Kathy SG to the airport this afternoon. All morning we were getting all the last minute things done before they were heading back to HQ in California. I was busy writing up the Food proposal for my orphanage, Fondation Enfant Jesus. We are lacking food and having budget strains, so I was hoping that Tzu Chi could help out with some continuous food distributions here in Haiti. I finally got all the food prices in USD and Gourdes for the food items that we have normally at the orphanage. I got it all written up and now it is on its way to Tzu Chi USA HQ. Hopefully, by next month, Tzu Chi will be able to provide on-going food distributions to my orphanages. That would be an awesome outcome!!!! I can't wait! Keep our fingers crossed and keep praying!

All of us said goodbye to Curtis SB and Kathy SG at the AA terminal. It was weird to see them leaving and not myself! Usually, it has been just the Haitian volunteers saying goodbye to us, but this time, I guess I was in the position of a local Haitian volunteer, as well. What a different feeling? Right after the airport drop-off, we headed straight for CEJ orphanage. We stopped by Manmie's house to look at how the Moringa plants were growing. Tzu Chi had given around 400 plants of Moringa seedlings to CEJ couple weeks ago and now they are all growing rapidly. The leafs were looking very nicely and it was blossoming for sure. I was very happy to see this result. It seemed that pretty soon the children could be eating the plants and getting all the nutrients that it provides. Combating malnutrition is definitely the main goal here!

I said goodbye to Pierrot and Lesley and got back to the children at the orphanage. I was very happy to see them! As of matter of fact, all of them were taking naps!!!!! WHAT! THIS NEVER HAPPENS! Turns out the two kids that don't take naps well and makes the most noises have been transferred up to Kenscoff because their adoptive parents were coming to visit. That was the only reason why we had total silence at the Lamardelle creche when I was back! What a breather for the nannies! We all whispered and went on with our things with giant smiles! Silence was definitely golden for those couple of precious hours!