IKEA Cribs

Today we received 20 IKEA cribs, 10 mattresses, toys, and mosquito nets from UNICEF. Why you ask? It is because we will be receiving 20 new children from an orphanage that was closed down by UNICEF. It was part of their protection plan in closing down the orphanages that are not up to par with their standards of functioning. At the moment, we are suppose to get the kids on Monday. We shall see if that actually happens, since the arrival date has already been changed three times. Three times, all confirmed, and then changed at the last minute. So I am not holding my breath on this one.

When the cribs arrived I was super ecstatic, because they were brand new and from IKEA. I love love love IKEA furniture. It is just all nice and easy to assemble. Well, it is easy to assemble if you can follow directions, that was what I found out. IKEA directions and I work together like a great team, but as for Haitians, not so much! Haitian are use to working with the little tools and materials that they have handy. This often means transforming one bad furniture to use in another project. While involves lots of sawing, drilling, and pounding of the hammer. I knew this was going to be a problem when I saw the furniture were from IKEA. Since as for all we IKEA fanatics here, we know IKEA furniture already come fully equipped with the "L" shaped Allen wrench, nuts and bolts, and holes all drilled in for you. Most of the time, any extra tools would simply be a screw driver. So when I told Michelin, the head worker at the creche, that he only needs to get a screw driver, he looked at me in disbelief. "Yes, only a cross shaped screw driver. That's all!" He walked away looking so puzzled. So naturally, me being able to read English and did I mention love putting together IKEA furniture?, I took on as the leader of the project. I showed 6 workers how to piece together the different parts and getting them accustomed to using the "L" shaped Allen wrench. It was hard work at the beginning, but we succeeded! I felt super useful today with putting together all the cribs! Each crib could be adjusted according to age groups: baby, toddler, older children. We do not know what ages we will be getting from UNICEF, other than an age range from 5 to 15 years old, so I just said to make 10 toddler cribs and 10 older children cribs. I hope that it all works out in the end. I really hope that we do not get anymore teenagers, because there really is no room or supervision for them! I am going to keep my fingers crossed!

The finish product!

Looks awesome doesn't it???? Good job everyone!