Good Morning from PAP,

The dawn is heavy with the nearly official start of the day. It is 6 AM and the city is Alive with street traffic clogged taking people to & from their destinations.

The past two days have been consumed with chores about the house along with ensuring a safe return of Guilford students back home. (Their flight was changed on Saturday. Some left on Monday the rest yesterday.)

While traveling about PAP we notice most homes have the colored paint indicating whether the building is safe for usage or not. Additionally, many have painted on the outside door- Food, water, medicine needed Please help. It makes you stop and think. 

When we drove to St Pierre Square to visit a store which sells appliances (Not at all like in the US.) we noticed a tent city which surfaced on the local green. Inside the store we were negotiating

to purchase several appliances, have them delivered and installed. All of which runs in the thousands of dollars. Upon leaving we step outside to face abject poverty staring back at you from the many eyes peering across the street. Under one of the open air tents was a barber set up cutting hair. In the next tent Mama Louise, a rather rotund lady, was stirring a pot large enough to hold a bushel of apples filled with a lunch type porridge for the masses. There were several Mama's preparing meals with children running about because they have nothing else to do.

Later in the day we revisited Mother Theresa's Hospital (Clinic) for the children. One of my most rewarding spots to visit. The main section of the Hospital has been destroyed by the EQ. All are in tents and their numbers have swelled. Julie and I took art supplies to work with the toddlers. I was amazed at how street smart these 3 - 4 year olds were. I found little hands in my pockets searching for who knows what? All loved the experience of drawing and coloring. The crayons we discovered turned out to be quite tasty. Yum Yum! Julie then pulled out the bubbles. Well with toddlers discovering bubbles for the first time, this is what stops the world. Then as quickly as it stopped, it comes roaring back with uncontrollable excitement and laughter. ALL wanted a turn on blowing! As we know there is an art to making long sustainable flow of bubbles. It is smooth and slow. Try teaching this to toddlers. A group from Minnesota arrived to assist. Apparently they have been there for several days and we were the first foreigners to be seen working. I had heard about a child who like to bite. Others have told me about him. Even people from Minnesota have mentioned his presence. Beware of the BITER I was told. I kept an eye out looking but no biter. There are numerous tents and the odds are so great.

Next in my life entered a two year old little girl who was eating a hard boiled egg blow bubbles. She was so determined. As she waddled over to me clutching a half eaten egg the yolk popped down to the tarmac. Without an instant she was well aware of the 5 second rule and plopped the yoke in her mouth. Chomp, chomp. Mouth now full of dried yoke she turned her attention to now wanting to blow bubbles. As she grasped ahold of my pant leg for support her mouth began to pucker up to blow. Half eaten dried yolk was now being sprayed all over me. Her determination was strong as more and more yolk was coming out. Absolutely priceless. I finally got a bubble out of her and she waddled off.

Next was a small herd of small ones came by in diapers only. Top age 2.5 yrs. All wanted a turn at blowing. All thought this was just swell. One climbed into my lap and was having great joy with laughter. The world at this moment was fine. Our time to leave was quickly passing us by. Our ride was waiting at the front door. We had to pack up half eaten crayons and move along. The group from MN was just delighted we were there. They said several children hadn't smiled all week and we made them laugh. Tears were in their eyes as we were leaving. As I sat one of the two year olds down it happened. I was holding the biter. He chomped on my shirt and pants repeatedly. He didn't want to be let go.

Best from PAP,

Peter

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