This time we had a bit of trouble nailing down a location for the party - an inexpensive place with bathrooms and running water and plenty of space to run and play. I'm not sure why we never thought of it before, but Melissa suggested Cowman School in the 11th hour of our search. Our gracious principal, Angie, said, "Sure!" and we were set to begin shopping.
Ruysdael, Mikenn, Johnny, Caleb and I drove the pickup into Cap Haitien on Tuesday morning with Daniel to buy rice and beans and chicken and oil and spices for the meal. And charcoal. And balloons. And suckers.
Around 4:30 pm, I arrived home to uncover a slight communication problem: I had assumed Melissa would be cooking the chicken again at our house like last year. She had previously told me - at a (rare) moment when I wasn't listening too well - that she was NOT cooking this year. She explained to me (again) that she doesn't know how to season the chicken and fry it the Haitian way. She felt that her baked chicken last year had disappointed the kids.
So ... I'm scratching my head at 5:00 pm and wondering where I can find someone to cook a full meal for nearly a 100 people and have the food ready by 9:00 am the next day.
Johnny and Ruysdael spoke up - "Our mothers will do it."
So we took the supplies up the mountainside and I watched fearfully as Ruysdael explained to his mother what he had volunteered her for.
She looked at the supplies and simply said, "I'm going to need a few more beans and more oil." Her only hesitation was over determining measurements for 100 people. I told her, "Better to make too much than not enough." And the deal was done!
Back home, Melissa didn't completely dodge cooking - she helped me bake a hundred cupcakes and decorate them with candy canes.
By 8:30 the next morning, I was up the hillside to collect the food. The guys were quite proud of what their families had accomplished (with their help!). And everything was cooked to PERFECTION.
Heading down to the pickup for delivery to Cowman...
With Coach David driving the mission's "15" passenger van and me in the big white flatbed truck, we arrived in Daniel's neighborhood around 9:30 to find him swarmed with children, all eager to get going. Daniel had his list and he checked it twice and when all was said and done, we had 85 kiddos on board.
By the time we reached Cowman, Melissa and some other volunteers had plated the food and decorated the tables.
The rice and beans and chicken and cupcakes were all hits!
After the meal, the kids spread out all over the Cowman grounds. Some played soccer.
Others enjoyed the teeter totters, swings and jumping ropes.
Just look at that face!
These are kids whose day to day surroundings are all dust, cinder block buildings, and refuse. They just love having a place to run and play. And that's one of the best gifts we can give them, after a knowledge of Jesus.
And Daniel is already working on that from week to week. As the kids climbed back into the vehicles for the return home, Melissa handed each one a little treat bag with some candy, a balloon, and a toothbrush and toothpaste. As they settled in, Daniel led the kids in reciting a prayer in English and they sang all the way home.
As for me, the highlight of my day was sitting on the sidewalk, chatting with a 14 year old boy named Matdonal. Somehow I didn't get a photo of him. He's small for his age and he's bothered by some sort of cyst growing on his left eyelid. He didn't care to join the other boys for soccer. Instead, he was hoping to find a book in English to practice reading. I tracked down Melissa and she gave me an old Highlights Magazine from her 3rd grade classroom. Matdonal loved it and showed me some of the words he recognized.
Out of the blue, Matdonal offered to sing for me - and then quietly but confidently shared a few lines from a simple worship song. Then he asked me to return the favor and I sang the first verse of Amazing Grace. Beyond that, there was nothing inherently dramatic about those few minutes with Matdonal, but a nearly tangible recognition of Christ's presence in the midst of all the behind-the-scenes craziness of the party preparation. And a sacred reminder that these kids are unique individuals, created in His image, and loved more than they currently know.
Again, a heartfelt Thank You to all who had a part in making this celebration happen! You are a blessing to us and to these children. God bless you!
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