Trip to Haiti

I should've been updating while in Haiti but internet was scarce. I'll try and recap quickly..although i could write a book on everything I saw/experienced.

Key people to note:

Charlene: our daughter!
Vera: gal who helps run orphanage/paperwork (American)
Barbara: gal who started/runs orphanage (American)
Milan: haitian gal who helps with paperwork/translations
Zack: we stayed at his apt., rented 2 rooms

"Village": where Charlene stays
"Creche": orphanage down the road affiliated with the Village

Day 1: Dad and I arrived in Port-au-Prince (PAP) in afternoon. Met by Vera and Charlene!! and a nanny. Such a sweet experience getting to see/hold Charlene for the first time. She was with us the whole time after that point. Went to Zack's apt. to unload.

Day 2: Vera and Barbara picked up Dad, Charlene and I around 9:30am or so. They took us to the one and only tourist shop we would visit, then we ran errands in PAP all day, checking on adoption paperwork. We picked up Milan also, so there were always 4 of us in the back of a toyota p/u in 95 degree muggy heat with no a/c. Went to 2 grocery stores, got supplies for the orphanage, dropped them off at the Village and went back to Zack's. Vera made us dinner (spicy spaghetti). Zack's apt is not air conditioned, so it was hard to eat hot, spicy spaghetti in such a hot kitchen.

Day 3: Vera and Barbara picked us up around 11am or so. Ran errands all day again.

Day 4: Vera and Barbara and Milan picked us up and we went up the mountainside to feel the cooler weather.

Day 5: Vera and Barbara picked us up and we all went to the beach.

Day 6: We got dropped off at the airport about 9am at which point I had to give Charlene back.

There's TONS more to write about, but that's it in a nutshell. Charlene did AWESOME the entire time being in the truck carted all over everywhere. We all sweated buckets! Charlene was so sweet, loved to play and roll on the floor and play with my camera strap and Zack's keys. She slept so good, never fussed about 2 white people coming and taking over her care in a new environment for a few days! I was able to feed her cereal for the first time and take her in the ocean for the first time. Dad fed her mango juice too!

I absolutely can't wait to bring her home. The desperation really set in while I was there, but there is nothing I can do but PRAY!. So, I/We pray for her, her caregivers and for the paperwork to go through all channels quickly, smoothly and without problems.

~L