4 Months In Haiti

Today marks the fourth month that I have been in Haiti with FEJ! Wow, how time just flies when you are busy and having fun!

Today was no exception! Lots and lots of meetings! I spoke with Lucien about a mandatory meeting for all nounous (caregivers at the orphanage) and kitchen staff members last week. So we decided to have a meeting today with everyone. I wrote up an eight page report detailing things of concern that I see at the creche and things that need to be immediately changed. Many of the aunties have been complaining about low pay, but they are not doing their job fully. So today we explained their function and what things need to improve. We also set up a merit system, where when aunties do a good job all month, they will get extra bonuses. This seemed to help out the situation a lot, because with that, there seems to be no motivation to do more. The quality of care needs to be higher and there needs to be more staff training. I have already conducted many staff training over the four months that I have been here, and there have been many changes, but there needs to be more. There is still more to do. I am happy that the aunties are all very open and honest with me, so that helps with the training process for sure. So the meeting with the nounous took about two hours and then we had meeting with the kitchen staff and security guards. Things were discussed and there will be a punishment system in place if rules are not followed. This is the way it is suppose to be. We also had a meeting with the adolescents and an internal staff meeting, as well. It was a very productive day again! I am glad things are being done for the better and things of concern are being looked at and fixed. I am very grateful for the support of the staff members here at FEJ. We are all here for the children. To me, the children always come first!

So what better gift on my 4th month mark in Haiti? I got all my care packages!!!! All 5 of them!!! Holy crapola! That is a lot of care packages! Turns out many of them had been sitting in Chicago, because there were no adoptive parents visiting. And this week, they all came with the adoptive parents! I am so grateful for everyone who sent me care packages! Shout out to Mark, Tracy SG, Mom, Dad, Grandma, Greg's Grandparents from France, Ralph and the Tzu Chi Humanistic Culture Department, and the troops of the 376th HR Company. I got the care packages and my copy of Flowers in the Snow! Did I mention that I am officially a published author??? How cool is that. The book looks awesome! I can't believe my story on Haiti is actually in a bounded book that is circulating around the world!

I am so grateful for everyone for making this happen! Talk about an early Christmas for me! Thank you everyone!