Mwen renmen ou (I love you)!

So today was of course filled with new adventures! After having such a great day yesterday getting ready, we had a really bad one today. They went to school, but it was "party" day for them. I am still not exactly sure why, but it meant they wore other clothes besides their uniforms. I am SO SO SO happy that they have uniforms. Even though we got the clothes ready the night before, we still managed to have issues with the clothes and changed so many times. They scampered into the cafeteria and ate at the last minute. I now know why my husband gets so frustrated when I can not seem to pick out the right outfit and hold him up from leaving!!

There was an accident in Titanyen in the middle of the night last night. A truck drove into and hit six homes and left an older person and child dead. One of the people who works here knew the person who died so she did not come to work today. Please pray for them! No one knew exactly what happened since there was no driver there this morning. From the top of the village we could see all the cars. Such a sadness for the people of Titanyen.

On a better note we had some visitors from Sanneh Foundation visit today. Tony Sanneh is a retired professional soccer player who has started this foundation. He works in the Twin Cities and helps at risk youth by focusing on teaching them soccer, sound fundamentals, character, and fun! He came to see Grace Village to see what Healing Haiti is all about.

Since the children did not actually have school today, this meant that they did not have the tutors so we spent more time playing! The children loved it. It was nice because we started showers earlier which meant not rushing through everything!

Last night we welcomed a new boy to our home! His name is Loody and is 15 years old. He lived with his grandmother and does not have a mother or father. I got to go visit his house and his grandmother. I am so happy that we could bring him here, but so sad to see him have no parents, and a grandmother unable to care for him. The houses here still always amaze me! They are so small and so many people live in them. This one in particular did not have any electricity. Loody was happy to come and so now we have 42!

The children are the best part of each and every day. They are so full of life and are the light that makes this place shine! They have so much energy and just roll with everything that life presents them with. They love God with their whole heart and they have opened me up into their lives with open arms. They are the most resilient and loving children! I enjoy getting to know each of them and am trying to give them as much as I can because they have blessed me so much! I have learned all the names which has been a hard thing. I still slip up, but getting better. If I could take them all home with me I would not blink an eye about it!

Oh and to let you know my friend Lisa Richards is coming to visit me!! The hospital that she was working at in Milot, is currently closed. She is doing her mission work for one year in Haiti and is going to return when it opens. Jeff and the wonderful children here have opened this place up to her and I am so grateful for that. She will be a huge help to me and I know she will be a great asset to our home here at Grace Village.

I am off to give the children their Medicka Mumba!

Much Love, Gretchen

Playing a lot today!

Where the children eat and worship.

Loddy on the far right with his Grandmother and brother Gedeon (who is already here) in their old home