USAID/US Embassy Visitors

Yesterday and today are holidays here in Haiti. People do not work on these two days, but I live at the orphanage, so I still work. We had visitors today who work for USAID and also the US Embassy. I got a call in the morning saying that the visitors were not sure if they turned down the right road. So I got in contact with the person in charge, Steve, and told him where to turn. About 30 minutes later, I get another call from Steve saying that they are lost. I told him to pass me to the Haitian driver and he responded with, "Well the driver is from America. He's me. I am driving." Oh well, Houston, we found the problem! Yeah, so I got an American driver, who does not speak French or Creole, driving in Lamardelle, Haiti, and he is lost??? How are we going to do this, think Lori, think! So I called the driver and got in the car with him to go look for them. I told Steve to drive back to the main road that they came from and then call me once they've gotten there. He called me when they got to the main road and I told them to describe to me what was around them.

This was what the description she gave me:

"There is a light pole. A building that has been started, but only half built. The construction is not finished yet. There is a blue building across the way. I see some motorcycles and Tap Taps parked here. The road is all muddy with a lot of pot holes. There are some shops with some stoves." 


This description is pretty much everywhere in Haiti! How am I going to find them??? So I started to ask what have they've passed by before turning into the smaller road. Steve started to tell me the things that they've passed already and from his description I felt like they have not passed us yet. So I told them to get on the main road and keep on heading toward the direction of the border. I said on the left you will see a Tap Tap that is completely flipped over (there was an accident couple weeks ago with a Tap Tap) and then you'll see on your right hand side a huge opening, an opening big enough to fit three trucks. You'll see an Asian girl wearing black and white waving at you. You can't miss it! Sure enough, they found the Tap Tap and then me. Pheeew!

So they followed us into the orphanage and we all chatted. Turns out that one of them was in the education department and is herself an adoptive parent of a boy in Nicaragua. Steve has been working with the Peace Corp and USAID for years and is now happily retired. Robin, his wife, is the secretary to the U.S. Ambassador here in Haiti. They asked me a lot of questions about the adoption process and all the different programs of the foundation. They came on a holiday, so they weren't able to see all the children at school or the staff members. Too bad, better luck next time.

I gave them all a tour and it turns out that they are friends to a 23 year old girl that will be heading here on Sunday to volunteer for a couple of days. I told them what they needed to bring for her and we bid our goodbyes.

I'll see them again on Sunday with a brand new volunteer! Wish me luck!