What have I been eating in Haiti?

Most everything is fresh, bought every morning. Haitians have four meals a day. A light meal when they wake up, something heavy before going to school or work, another heavy meal when they get home around 3, and then another light meal before bed. I like all the food. The hardest part is adjusting to the timing of eating. Most everything is cooked in several pots over a fire. A casserole can be made by placing the dish inside the pot and treating it like a Dutch oven, putting charcoal pieces on top.

Here’s a list of some of the things I’ve been eating:

Avacados-zaboka-they are as big as your hand!

Eggs-Zu-hard boiled and omelet

Mangos-mango

Sugar cane

Coconut- drank the milk and then ate the inside 

Labape- I’ve never had boiled peanuts but this is what I would imagine they taste like

Bananas- bannann-can be eaten out of the peeling, boiled, or fried

Spaghetti-espageti, and other pasta noodles

Fish-pwason

Chicken-poul

Crab-krab

Rice-diri

Beans-pwq

Corn- mayi-corn on the cob and mashed corn with beans

Potatos-pomdete

Breadfruit- mashed with an okra sauce is called Tom tom ak kalalou

Carrots-kawot

Onions-zonyon, Green peppers, and Green onions are in almost every meal

Keneps

Chips-Doritos, Pringles, and Cheetos

Bread-pen

Coffee-café       

Tea-te

Juice- ji-we squeeze our own lemons, limes, passion fruit, and oranges

Milk-let-comes in a can and you add sugar

7Up and Fruit Champagne- comes in a glass bottle

Also, I drink a 5 gallon jug of water a week

Welcome to the Garden

Last night we had a garden party at DIG! We had Christmas lights draped from the ceiling and small tables set up for students to sit around. Some of the girls helped me bake Oreo cheesecake, lemon bars, and pinwheels.  We had cans of pop for students to enjoy. Some other girls helped serve Common Meal. One of our students read the creation story during the beginning praise. We wanted to create a beautiful, fun atmosphere for people to enter into the story because God did not only show grace at the cross but also in the beginning in the garden. He showed grace in the undeserved love he showed us. Brad shared a quote from N.T. Wright, “One of the central elements of the Christian story is the claim that the paradox of laughter and tears, woven as it is deep into the heart of all human experience, is woven also deep into the heart of God.” In both joyful laughter and painful tears we can see remnants of the garden. Through tears we see the way things were not intended to be. Contrary, through laughter we glimpse a piece of the perfect creation.

Leadership Team Retreat

Last week we took our leadership team on a retreat to prepare for the year. This was the first year we planned our own retreat. It went wonderfully. Of course there were things that we will be changing for next year but for the most part we accomplished what we set out to do. We grew in closer relationship with each other, we set out the vision for the year, and we had fun! I am so excited for the group of students we have this year. They are ready and willing to help new students feel welcome, get connected, and grow in a deeper relationship with God.


During some free time a night we played some games



We went to the City Museum in St. Louis

There were things to climb on and slide down



There was a ball pit to play in

Some of us played softball with a paper ball at the church we stayed at



The girls were excited when they made it around the bases!



We spent one night in St. Charles looking at the shops
and eating a meal out

Something To Eat

Last week CCH hosted a food packaging event on campus. Through Youthfront's Something To Eat program each student had the opportunity to pay $1.20 and assemble one package of food which would provide six meals. We had a tent set up Monday through Thursday for students to stop by.

Many of our students were able to give a presentation about Something To Eat in their classrooms and invited classmates to the tent afterwards. Several people came with the change they found in their purse or car. We had organizations come together as a group and assemble meals.

Our students did a fantastic job preparing for and running the event. By the end of the week we assembled more that 5,000 packages! That will feed more than 30,000 people!

If you want to watch the promo video click here