Meet Papouche

      I was asked to work with this delightful young man after a few weeks of being here. The catch was that he can't hear. He is 11 years old and it is his first year enrolled in a school. I had agreed to working with him. I thought it was going to be something to keep me busy, plus I had no pressure of a language barrier. We were going to work on associations, words, numbers, all by reading lips and doing a lot of hand motions and pointing.  Figured it was going to be easy. I was wrong. I have no background in working with anyone who has a hearing disability, my teaching skills also go as far as teaching 4 year olds to blow bubbles, float, and begin to swim, plus I am trying to teach in a language that is brand new to me. 

      It has become a lot easier over the past three months, not because I have suddenly learned how to work with his hearing disability, or because I have picked up more of the language, but I adore him.I can't wait until he comes and we can work on numbers, words, writing, and do a little playing. Not only do I attempt to teach him, but he teaches me so much more. He has a tremendous desire to learn, and is very intelligent. He comes to our house and he knows we have to work, but we also leave time to play.

This shot did go in. 

     I found out about Starkey,  a company that gives hearing aids to people in developing countries. Through telling a visitor who came here, she said she had a contact with this company. I was given the contact information for a man who works in Haiti, sets up meetings and arranges sites to see candidates for hearing aids. We have been in touch about getting papoche and a few others in our community hearing aids. It was a few months of playing phone tag, and sending e-mails, but this past Wednesday we made the journey to Port-au-Prince! I was delighted. We had FINALLY started the long process of getting a free hearing aid. We spent a total of twenty minutes where they were doing the impressions. They looked in his ear (which he was weary about), then when they wanted to put the "clay" inside, he really resisted and fought the man. The poor kid didn't understand what was going on, he probably thought it would hurt. Luckily we had three more people to get fitted, so he watched and went after he saw it was pain free.
The molds will be sent to the states, made and then returned to Haiti, and we will go to pick up the aids!!
Here are a few pictures of the day.

We left Port-au-Prince after our hearing aid adventure, and our 4 hour drive turned into a 8.5 hour drive.
Here are pictures from our car, but they do no justice to the actual scene. I tried describing it as a crowded concert and a traffic jam for a few miles. What was happening was simply carrying a half ton size of mahogany wood from the south of Haiti, to the north. It is called Kita Nago, a represents the unity of Haiti.  Click Here for an article on the wood. We were stuck behind this "parade" and had no way of getting around it for four hours.... It provided entertainment, and a very cool experience. However we never got to see the wood up close, but have seen some cool pictures.

In other news:

 -We have had a full house since the beginning of the month, which as always, has kept things busy and interesting. 

-My parents are coming in almost a month and I can hardly control myself, I am so excited. 

-This next week I will be starting to help children who have been unable to pass the first and second grade. I have never envisioned myself as a teacher, but I think that this will benefit the children and school. I am going to give it a try and see where it puts me. The kids are so cute, so being around them everyday won't be a problem with me. 

-Jen and I have our second debut in the choir this sunday. 

Just another cute child. He knew one phrase "Bonne annee" (happy new year), his mother said that is how he is greeting everyone he sees. 

And I am going to leave you with an example of creativity. A condom balloon.