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Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Haiti day 7
"Gina it's me, let me in!"
Today marked our final day in Haiti. We look back at our past week and reflect on what we have bared witness to.
We start the day with mass as a local Catholic Church.  The pews are full with countless bodies young and old which spill out to the yard, a beautiful sight to see.  We try our best to follow along and join in the singing when possible. Following mass we make our way to an NPH orphanage for children with disabilities. Upon arriving we seek out Dianna's friend Gina, a women whom the guard is refusing to let us in to see, so the brilliant lady that Dianna is, sends a note to Gina saying " it's me let me in", and sure enough we are able to.  Once within the gates we get to meet Gina but were unable to see inside the facility due to the children not being present and a retreat presently going on. 
We then continue on the road to "Tin town". We shop till our hearts content. With each of us having a set list of merchandise to purchase we are off searching and bargaining for goods with local artist. We then cycled through shops for our own goodies to bring back to friends and family.  On our way back to Walls (hotel) we see the infamous slave statue as well as where the president's home once stood.  We then have lunch at what was once an old hospital turned hotel that is decorated with voodoo statues and paintings- marking the voodoo presence within the community. 

Today, like all the rest, we end with reflection which provides a time of discussion and debrief on the day.  Today, with it being the last brought out a discussion of wanting to do more when we returned home and how our 1st world problems are minuscule compared to Haiti. Each of us has been affected by this trip in one way or another whether it was by the people we met directly, the stories, or the sights we saw, we are not going home as the same 8 people that hoped on a plane in Toronto a week ago. We have built friendships and a bond that was build from Haiti, one that can never be replicate or fully shared unless one was part of the core 8. Tonight we remember the people of Haiti and it's history and how strong and resilient they are as we give it our own loving embrace good bye. We will forever be changed by Haiti. We walk away remembering that Haiti does not need us but that we need Haiti. 



Lindsey=

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