Wow

How do you sum up the first day in a place like this?  Wow.  It wasn't just the "abject" and "extreme" poverty - we were warned about that before we came (not that it made it any easier to experience).  The range of emotions was dramatic. 

Leaving the airport - this will be a later post as the story is way to surreal to combine with these other itesm.  Tonight we'll share just two stories from our day - there are many more:

Our first visit today was to Grace Children's Hospital.  Grace cares for children with TB and AIDS.  If is mostly privately funded.  Realize that most people in this country will never go to a hospital because they are afraid they will die there (substandard care).

  Grace is a shining example - once you get by your American pre-judgements.  This is one of the kids we met today - this visit was gutwrenching.  We had only been in this country for on

e hour and had spent it all speeding through the winding and overcrowded streets.  To see these kids so sick from very treatable diseases was hard to comprehend.  The smiles on some of their faces as we visited with them made it even more difficult.

If you have ever s

een the commercials asking you to sponsor a child in a country like this, and thought they had just overplayed it for TV and dramatic affect - you are wrong.  

Once we dried our eyes, back on the bus - people are seemingly everywhere here.  You have to check your need for personal space at the door when you enter the country.  There are 8.5 million people here - in a country the size of Maryland.  

Our next visit lifted our spirits - which we were all thankful for.  HELP is an organization that finds the top graduating high school students in the country every year - and then pares it down to the 30 who come from the poorest families.  They award them a university scholarship and equip them with mentors and role models to see them through their studies.  We met students who were exceling at mechanical engineering, medicine, and yes - even accounting :)  These kids were explaining their dreams to us (in English - which is a third language for them).  These are some of the poorest kids in the world, and they are unwavering in their desire to do something big for Haiti once they graduate.  100% of the HELP graduates stay in Haiti for a career.  85% of the non-HELP college grads leave Haiti for a better life.  

We are all very safe here - thanks for your thoughts and prayers.  We are staying at St. Joseph's home for boys - sleeping above the city in open air!