LEX

haiti

for those of you who actually read my blog, here's something newsworthy.

i'm thinking about spending spring break in haiti. a couple from my church who is adopting two children are leading a team to work with Real Hope for Haiti. my first and only trip to haiti lasted only about 2hrs, as i was simply (or not so simply) passing off little orphan Ian to his new family. even that one little glimpse of the other side of hispanola made it very clear the stark difference bewteen haiti and the dr. i never had the opportunity to go back to see more of the country from where many of my students came.

and while i definitely stuck out in the dr, i felt more obvious in haiti; more white, somehow. and since i only speak about 5 words of haitian kreyol, and only 3 words of french, it will be very much out of my comfort zone. the dr, while it is very far from my own culture and language, can be comfortable because there i can manage. i can speak the language. i know how the money works. i can avoid being ripped off...too much. in haiti i know nothing. the little bit i DO know is tied to the dr - haitian culture...in the dr, haitian kreyol...mixed with spanish... it will be a good test of my crosscultural skills, or lack thereof.

it might also provide an opportunity to stay behind the group a few days and visit wonderful people such as robin, jakob & isaak, jim & teresa white, and evelina. that would be a sweet reunion, no doubt.

so, you can pray about my decision and, if i do go, the finances to get there.

posted by Alexia & Jeffrey @ 12:41 PM