Last night Andy and I made a lemon meringue pie. I love lemon pie, but they do not have lemons in Haiti; they do have lemon flavored instant pudding. Sometimes you use what you have. We also didn’t have a pie plate- they don’t make pies in Haiti. Andy made a mean looking piecrust. And I actually mean it literally! It kind of melted off the side of the pan (which was a skillet). We were cracking up laughing but in the end in didn’t look too bad. We also got a new (temporary) cook and it was her first evening with us. I’m pretty sure she thought we were a little crazy, however, in the end she said our pie was very good.

We attended our first Special Olympics event on Monday held in Ganthier, about an hour east of Port au Prince. With much excitement, we invited 3 of our spinal cord injured friends to attend with us. Andy and I went to Rebo’s (coffee shop) and purchased deli sandwiches and juice for a ‘picnic’ lunch.

Upon arrival, our first mission was to determine accessibility and searched for a toilet… over a cement barrier, up 3 steps, 100 yards up a rubbled pathway, lift the wheelchair up a 2 foot step, down a narrow walkway to discover the ‘toilets . Funded with money from our own tax dollars. The picture says it all.

After the usual opening speeches, we expected the games to begin….but while we waited we visited with Madam Lucille Charles (a nurse and lawyer and the President of the Haitian Nurses Association) and with Mr Jean Sanon Chevalier (President of the Special Olympics and Paralympiques and former / original Haitian board member of HHH.

Unfortunately, it was not very well organized and few events – a pick up game of wheelchair basketball, a ping pong game and a couple of amputee foot races later our friends we ready to leave. As there were well over 100 disabled children and young adults in attendance all I could think about was planning next years Olympics! Our picnic didn’t happen either.

This young man had very good balance- We thought he could use a challenge of an obstacle course to show off his skills. Yep, these are the w/chair accessible toilets.

A very high step to reach the toilet area...
after traversing this path.

The Healing Hands team meets the president of the Special Olympics.

Today we had another adventure. We took a charter flight to Cap Haitian to deliver wheelchairs and return with several of our SCI (spinal cord injured) recipients that went up last week for a jewelry making class. We were able to tour the rehab center at Haiti Hospital Appeal. Tomorrow is move in day with about 20 patients receiving comprehensive rehabilitative care. The first in-patient center in Haiti! Congratulation to Haiti Hospital Appeal, to Carwyn and Reninca Hill and all involved in making this happen.

Andy, Fiona and I ride in the back of the truck with a load of wheelchairs being delivered to the new rehab center.
The Citadelle from the air.A very happy Jorel joins our adventure.

Saturday in Port au Prince, Haiti.

I woke to the sounds of workers below my house as they arrived to work about 7 a.m. What was I dreaming about…..oh George Clooney. I think I was in some sort of action movie…we were driving – rather weaving in and out of very fast traffic. Hmmm, not sure why it was George Clooney but then again why not.

The plans for the day included usual stop at the market but first a trip to the Iron Market – Mache Faire or Hippolyte. This is a big market, rebuilt by Digicel since the earthquake and is full of aisle of artisans and crafts for sale. There are 2 sides as you drive into the parking lot. On the left is a food market and on the right crafts.

But first we had to get there. Jorel was our driver and we attempted to tell him where we wanted to go. I say attempted because as we drove downtown and he pointed to a grocery store. No, we didn’t want that market, we wanted the iron market, you know the one you took Jeff R and Ti Chat to. For the next 15 minutes, we drove past the National Palais and in circles until the next stop was a museum (closed). No Jorel, the big Iron Market where all the artists are. I made a call to Noel, another trip around downtown, another call to Noel and then a call to Antonio. “Please help us explain to Jorel where we want to go. Thank you.” An AHA moment later, we were on our way through a crowded market street.

I have not been to the Iron Market before. I’d heard it was crowded, dark, and sellers aggressive. However, I’d been told since it was rebuilt it was much better. Fiona had gone down one day when I was on vacation this summer and quite liked it. As we entered a man greeted us in English. His name was Ti Jean. He said he would help us get good prices. Well at least he was very pleasant and helped us when we needed communication assistance and answered our questions. We walked aisle after aisle finding just the right things to buy. My intention was to purchase some Christmas presents. And I did, so I cannot describe them just now. But I was also very attracted to a large painting asking price $500 USD. Not happening. Its very good to have limited funds…I could have, probably would have bought a couple of paintings. Those of you that have been reading my blog since the beginning may remember the first ‘pet’ I had in Haiti. A small turtle- toti- that I was given by Ti Chat. The turtle came from the Iron market for $1. We saw more turtles of all different sizes but I refrained from buying one (at least this trip) as I’ve not had particularly good luck with turtles in terms of keeping them alive. I thought turtles were supposed to live a very long time. Well, mine didn’t. Half of the market is all kinds of art; the other half is filled with an assortment of voudou potions, lotions, icons, idols and flags. Whatever you made need, you can find. Quite fascinating really. People were kind, friendly, helpfull for the most part. A few ignored us but no one was really aggressive. We finished our ‘tour’ of the market and as we wove our way back through, making our purchases. I did purchase the painting for a substantially lower price of 4000 gds instead of 20000 gds. (sounds like a better deal when written in terms of gourdes vs. USD.)

Leaving the market parking, Jorel drove through a street thick with market vendors honking his horn and patiently waiting for people to clear room for us to drive through. There may have been a better route but for people that know Jorel know that if it’s a shorter route and he can keep moving forward, that is the direction we will take. But our plan was to go to Deli Mart on Delmas 33. Jorel began driving in a direction indicating he didn’t know where we wanted to go, I kept asking him and he kept confirming that he knew where we wanted to go and we eventually turned north and took the road that took us to Deli Mart. He thought he was very clever in avoiding the horrible traffic on Delmas and indeed he was.

Andy bought supplies to make a pie tomorrow. Fiona bought basketballs for the Wheelchair basketball team and Sandra bought a few snacks and I bought some spinach and artichoke dip and a baguette for our lunch.

On the way home, we cheered the fact that 22 months after the earthquake, a car that was smashed in the earthquake had finally been removed. It was a reminder every time that we drove past. Oh I’m sure many cars were smashed and I’ve seen them in yards and roadsides but for some reason, that this one is now gone is some how symbolic that everyday changes are happening in the city. News people often report that after year and a half, nothing has changed. I guess it is all in the reporting and what sells. Of course there are changes. Small and big, subtle and in your face changes. Haiti has a new Prime Minister this week. Finally. Maybe, just maybe, we will see more in your face changes.