Spring forward...

I woke up in my 'new' apartment this morning with 2 different times on my phones...a little confusing as we don't turn the clocks ahead here. So I did get up earlier but its nice to sit on the patio with a cup of coffee and listen to the sounds of the day beginning.

My new apartment is apartment 10...or pool apartment...its rather large, nicely painted, has its own supply of cockroaches, a kitchen (non-funtioning) and bathroom...no running water and does have power supply if city power is on which it hasn't been. Can't ask for more and worth it for a little quiet privacy. (ok well now I have power on at my apartment- I can see the porch light from the guesthouse! )

Spent the weekend at the airport...picking up team members. I arrived at 9:30 in the morning and stood in the sun for 2 hours before team came out. So I got them home at 12:30, went back at 1:30 to pick up next group, got them home about 4 and turned around to pick up the last group. The airport is as crazy as its ever been...I was able to go in and retrieve the team members after being there all day. A young policeman decided he was going to be my guardian and help me round everyone up then get us across the street to the van...Having done this twice already I didn't really need his assistance but what the heck...he was cute.

I sent a group to an orphanage today to work...exercising the kids with CP and doing some assessments. Some of these kids need new wheelchairs and seating systems. Another group

went to the Miami tent to work night shift tonight so house isn't quite as full.

Team will be in full swing in the morning.

I heard someone say Haiti is back to normal now. I remain speechless at this statement. I don't know how to respond to someone that has been here and can say something like this. Sure people are attempting to pick up the pieces of their lives..merchants are back in the street selling what they can. There are workers on the streets cleaning and picking up rubble from the quake. The streets in most areas are accessible but I have not been to Carrfour where the epicenter of quake was. Tent cities are prevalent through out the city- some are real tents, some are makeshift tents. Large buildings remain in flattened condition as if it were yesterday.

You can see the sadness in every persons eyes if you choose to see. Even a grateful smile and thanks for hearing my story doesn't erase this sadness. it will be a long time before things are 'back' to normal. Schools haven't restarted. People don't have homes. They lost family members. Many more lost their business'. The government seems invisible. It will be a long time before Haiti is back to normal. With all of the aid available and the organizations in the country there is opportunity. How it will play out into reality is another question.