Beach Day

Breakfast this morning was served at 7:00am as we were to leave for the coast at 7:45am. That doesn't really mean 7:45am in American time, Haiti time seems always seems to be just a suggestion. On the short 15 minute truck ride to the beach Joan asked Tim to stop at a market to buy ice and right across from that was a man selling sun glasses. Mike got out to buy a pair, Sarah Reinhard got out to interpret for him, he came back with a pair Diane didn't like so she went out and made him exchange them. The Haitian man was laughing at them not use to a wife so adamant about looks. About that time the Sauders decided they needed new sunglasses also. The man had a nice selection each costing $4.00 to $5.00.

Everyone loaded back up and we arrived at the dock where the boat was waiting. The street kids showed up to help with the loading. One was fascinated by Sarah's braid.

While the boat was being loaded Joan took us around the barricade to see the Les Cayes beach.

Believe it or not this actually looks a lot better than it use to. They covered the huge piles of garbage with rock but as you can see in the picture it didn't take long for them to start dumping garbage on it again. The waves were big, around 8 to 10 foot swells but the sun was shining bright and the day was beautiful.

Some of us got nauseated but no one fed the fish but we were starting to beg to stop. We saw an island and talked Joan into asking if we could stop. She knew people were living on the island so had the boat driver get close enough to ask permission to land. Below is the man coming to meet us on his dugout canoe.

The islanders gave us permission and we were so glad. This island wasn't very big and like stepping back in time 500 years. They lived in thatched huts, pretty much lived off fishing and what they could grow. The man below was mending his nets on the seashore.

Diane asked if they would sell her some shells, below is Joan interpreting the question.

It was really funny a bunch of school kids came sneaking up to see these strange kids laying down on the beach and when one of our kids moved they took off running.

They soon became brave enough to gather around.

More kids came out of the village to see if we would buy shells from them, Rachel started teaching them to draw in the sand. We asked if we could pick up shells to take home and were given permission.

The island wasn't very big so a few of the ladies took off to walk all the way around looking for shells. The island children followed them then started picking up and carrying shells for the ladies. When they arrived back where our boat was Diane started handing out granola bars to the children who helped carry the shells.

We were just sorry we didn't bring more of those and a bunch of other food to share. The Islanders were very hospitable and took us around the island showing us the village, their thatched huts, their hand dug wells and their school.

The picture below is after Rachel took a picture of the children, they were fascinated at seeing themselves.

Mike and Diane stopped to pose for a picture at the edge of the village.

After that the village children joined us on the beach where Rhoda and Bethany taught them the game duck duck goose.

By the time we were ready to leave the children were not ready for us to leave. They had Mike surrounded. He was really in his comfort zone about then and enjoyed every minute of this.

We needed to load up and head for our real destination, a small sand bar with great snorkeling. When we got near the sand bar we saw the birds had taken possession of it. We made them leave.

As soon as we beached, Sarah ran out and caught one of the sea gulls.

We had a wonderful time on that little bit of real-estate out in the middle of an ocean. Below is Makenson and Bethany enjoying the water.

It wasn't long before lunch was served to our big group of hungry people.

The 2 guys in this sail boat came sailing over to see what was going on.

Below is Rhoda on this small plot of sand.

After finding lots of star fish and sea urchins it was time to take off for the resort Joan wanted to show us, which was another 40 minute boat ride.

Bethany is still full of energy even though the rest of us are getting tired. Below she is doing hand stands at the edge of the water.

We couldn't stay long the day was fast coming to a close. Below is the sunset just before we pulled into the port at Les Cayes.

The street kids were back waiting for us, they helped us unload the boat and load up the van. Joan bought a soccer ball and gave it to them for helping. The picture below was taken before we left on the trip, it is of some of these kids and the lady that kind of takes care of them.

It was pitch dark by the time we had everything loaded. We pulled away from the dock with a pile of stuff on top of the van including people. At one point going through the crowded streets of Cayes, Tim drives under a power line that had been hanging low. The people riding on top of the van saw it and started yelling, David Sauder (Rachel's husband) not knowing if it was live or not (it was) grabbed it and threw it over the rest of the group just hoping he wasn't going to be fried. So we have been here for 3 days and each day some of us could have died.