Where He leads...: Slumber Party at The Lamb Center orphanage

Slumber Party at The Lamb Center orphanage

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My last weekend in Haiti I made a trip to Leogane. This is where I served on my first trip to Haiti in August last year. I came with Samaritan's Purse for one month and helped out at The Lamb Center orphanage. I fell in love with the 60+ kids there and got to visit them on my second trip to Haiti in November.

Even though these last two and a half months in Haiti were very busy, I knew I couldn't head home without making another stop in Leogane to visit my special friends there. Kalebe and Kerlo, two brothers who run The Lamb Center, met me near Leogane and took me to see their kids. Due to the scheduling of my transportation to and from Leogane, I needed to stay overnight. Kalebe graciously offered a bed at the girls' house, and I accepted with excitement. Staying overnight at an orphanage with 68 kids would definitely be an adventure! :)

The children welcomed me with open arms as usual! It's a bit overwhelming when you are alone and not with a team of people. There is no one else to divide the children's excitement, so they all flock to you. If you have issues with personal space you might have a problem! Ha! They all want to touch you, hold your hand, and walk beside you, or in front, or behind. I took short and careful steps as far as I could into the complex before having to ask some of them to step aside so we didn't all fall over like dominoes! But I was so happy to see each of them so I really didn't mind the crazy attention. They always want me to say their name. I can only imagine how special an orphaned child would feel to have someone know and remember his name. I did the best I could and when I couldn't remember I simply asked them to remind me and told them that I would remember for next time. They seemed content enough with that.

The boys' home and the girls' home are only a short distance away. I took a short tour through each, noticing some of the changes and improvements. For one, they have a big generator with power 24/7. That's almost unheard of in Haiti, but a big thanks to Samaritan's Purse for that provision! It's a wonderful blessing! They also had some temporary showers built behind the boys' home and their privacy fence repaired.

After I put my stuff in the girls' house it was time for dinner. Nothing fancy, just corn flakes and milk. Haitians typically eat their biggest meals at breakfast and lunch. It was already getting dark by the time we finished. I hung out with the girls for a bit. They all wanted to know which room I was sleeping in. Kalebe had already assigned me to the first room. We played around a bit and to start settling them down I asked if one of the girls, Rose-Andre, wanted to read us some stories. I knew my pronunciation wouldn't be too great in French or Creole. She was shy at first, but I encouraged her. She read several stories and then I remembered I had a Creole book of Bible stories. I brought that out and she read the story of baby Moses. Several of the girls crowded around her to listen. Reading is so good for kids of any age. We enjoyed hearing the stories, and it was definitely good practice for her as she continues in school.

I was thankful that many of the girls already started to fall asleep around 8:00pm. With the intense schedule I've had the last couple of months, I never seemed to mind going to bed early. The girls started to put a couple mattresses together on the floor for me. I didn't want them to go to any trouble. I told them I could sleep like them on the bunks if two of the girls wanted to bunk together in order to give me their bed. Rose-Andre immediately volunteered. It was hot, as usual, and a bit difficult to go to sleep at first, but I eventually managed and slept most the night. I had asked the girls to wake me up when they got up in the morning. When they did my phone said 4:30am. I said groggily in Creole, "Why do you all get up so early?" "To bathe and get ready," Rose-Andre replied. "You go do that and I will go back to sleep," I responded. I ended up getting out of bed about 30 minutes later. (Around 7am, I found out that it was actually now 8am. Haiti all of a sudden decided to start having Daylight Savings Time. Nobody told me... or half of Haiti!)

We had breakfast... delicious eggs more like an omelet. Then the children lined up and raised the Haitian flag. The teachers had already arrived and after the flag ceremony all the children went to their respective classes. There are five "classrooms", three outside the boys' home and two inside the girls' home. I went around to check them all out and take some photos.

I am so thankful for the opportunity I had to see the children at The Lamb Center and the special treat of spending the night there! I came back that afternoon to say my goodbyes and I look forward to the chance to go back again for a visit! I also went down the road to the construction site for the new home and school for The Lamb Center. Great progress is being made and I can't wait until the children are able to move in later this year!