Desperate (Krystle)

Greetings everyone! Today marks the first day of our second month! I just cannot believe how fast time is going by. When the team first left I found myself just counting down the minutes wishing the time would go faster but now I'm realizing it's going too fast! I'm already coming to a hard realization, that I'm coming home in two months but the rest of these dear people have to stay here. I have been struggling with something up until a few days ago. I love all of our orphans SO much but everything that Kelly and I went to do for them just wasn't enough. We had brought them a few new toys and clothing items, we turn on the generator as often as we can so they could watch a movie before bed, we hug and snuggle them, sing songs, play games, dance and give them snacks but it's just never enough. Sometimes they are demanding about things they want. They will just take stuff of ours and use it without permission. I was just about done in! We have been coming out to this big piece of property and it is pretty barren. There are some big trucks at one end a cistern at the other, a little gazebo looking building and then this shack at the front of the property. Anyway, I have noticed there are some children around but they were so shy and I couldn't get them to come out to me. The other day I had the idea of bringing them some candy and yo-yo bags we had made up. I didn't know how many I would need so I just brought the whole bag cause you never know. We pulled into the property once again and the guys set to work as usual so I went to the car and pulled out the bag of goodies and turned around, I noticed one child was peering out at me from behind one of the trucks so I held out a bag in his direction. Well he came running to me yelling something in Creole I couldn't understand. I think he is about four even though he looks to be about two or three and the only thing he was wearing as he came running to me was a huge smile. All of a sudden he wasn't the only child, there were about ten kids who seemed to come out of the walls! Come to find out they are all brothers and sisters betw

een the ages of about 6 months to twelve years old. Some of them have clothes but they can't hardly be called clothes, they are more like rags, they are skinny and malnourished but I don't think I have ever seen such grateful children for those three little pieces of candy and cheap plastic yo-yo's. The next day I brought them coloring books and crayons and you would have thought I had given them a million dollars. In that moment I understood something. This is where our orphans came from except they were worse off because they had no parents. They were hungry with no clothes and no one to love them. I now understand why they act like they sometimes do, it's not that they aren't grateful but they are willing to do anything to keep from going back to that level of desperation. They still remember what it was like, especially the older ones. Kelly and I are figuring out new ways to reach out to each one of them to try and fill some of their needs and it seems to be working. They are such sweet kids and they deserve every single thing we can give them whether it be material things or just love! Today the guys were back out drilling and I once again went with them. We had already come back from lunch and truthfully, I was sitting there getting ready to paint my nails because I had nothing better to do. A lady I haven't seen before came up very enthusiastic about teaching me Creole and then she looked down and saw the nail polish, through a few different hand motions asked me to give it to her. Well I didn't want to do that, so instead I gave her my chair and sat down on the ground and painted her nails. She was absolutely over joyed that the American would sit on the ground and paint her toenails! Lol! Of course this attracted all the other little girls on the property so in the end we had lots of shiny hot pink nails! They were so excited and happy! The little boys wanted me to do theirs too but I did my best to explain in my broken Creole why they couldn't! Lol! This family of ten children has touched me deeply because they are all such sweethearts. Today I did my best to write down all the children's names and guess their ages and sizes. I don't usually ask people for things, not because I'm prideful but I trust God to do things where He sees fit but this is a time where I feel like God is telling me to put the need out there. When I say these children have nothing I literally mean they have not a single thing to call their own except what I have just given them. I desperately want to be able to get them each an outfit (with underclothes). Before I left the oldest girl asked me if I could please bring them a doll to share and a soccer ball for the two boys. It breaks my heart to know children are living like this, hungry, unclothed and uneducated. The oldest can't even write and none of them knew their ages. So I am putting it out there for anyone who has it laid on their hearts to donate a little money to get these children some things that they desperately need. Thank you!!! Kelly and I never seem to be able to get enough rest. Even something like sitting seems to drain energy out of you because there is no where relaxing to try and sit! We are learning that a big part of the Haitian culture is being bored. Sometimes there is so much to do you don't know how you can get it done and then other times there is literally nothing to do or at least no way to go and do it right then. All the cleanings done, the meals are cooked, there's no church, and everyone's too tired to play (yes, the orphans do eventually get worn out!). So a lot of people would be like, 'well go take a nap!' It's hard to explain but you don't really want to sleep. You want something to do that is just restful and relaxing but no such thing exists in Haiti. There is no power so you can't just go turn on the TV or surf the Internet. We are adjusting to this strange new world though and finding ways to enjoy ourselves even in the boring moments. We miss home and all of the familiar things that go with it but I wouldn't trade this experience for a million dollars! We are already getting excited for the team that will be coming! So many things to get done and ready before that time! I think Kelly is trying hard to work it out to take me to the grocery stores tomorrow to see what I can find for the team to eat here instead of trying to bring it in the suitcases. Neither of the boys (Kelly and Rob) like shopping but I think they will put up with it for one morning since I have come everyday while they have been working! YWAM again tonight, I cant even say how much of a blessing that has been for us! We love and miss you all, make sure and take good care of Mom and Dad! I don't even know how they are making it without us, I wonder if they are getting enough to eat? Haha! Just kidding Mom and Dad, we love you both! Until next time, blessings. Krystle