Bon Anniversaire Doko

Dorise has sent a few brief journal entries this week. The rest of her journal is on its way to Canada with a traveler returning home from Haiti. When it arrives in New Hampshire, the home guard will try to report out on Doko's blog. jt

Samedi, 15 Mars, En Mer

We are off in one of those astonishing fishing boats to go to Les Cayes. Nicholas is right that these boat passages can be a little hair graying. The boat is just a big hull with lots of old fish buckets thrown all over the place. The women next to me are sick and my stomach is not feeling well because of it, but now we are coming into the port without incident. We will take care of various errands.

Vendredi, 14 Mars, Ile-a-Vache.

Went to Caille Coq to meet with Marie Michelle’s mom. Marie Michelle is the girl who became a friend when we arrived on Ile-a-Vache. Then off to Madame Bernard’s to hold little Sophia, the 1 kg baby, and then another walk with Dada. She is so happy to walk and I feel it is a matter of days until she can hold up on her own. Nicolas works with the school people on the land and finished a door for William our neighbor. We need to buy the hinges in order to hang the door. Things are good even though I have vegetable dreams and wake up hungry. Thinking of baking bread this week as a neighbor has an oven. I just have to go and buy some wood for her. We will do beans and cake at the same time. It makes my mouth water just thinking about it. Nicolas says he could eat some of those extra eggs the chickens in Acworth are laying.

Jeudi, 13 Mars

A day at the orphanage. Walked almost a mile with Dada, a lovely little girl. She cannot walk without support but she is very good and quick at getting around. I feel with a little time everyday she might get more strength in the legs. You only need to support her on one side, but all this leaves me aching at the end of the day, as I do a lot of lifting and bending. Walking together she got to explore places she has never been in the surrounding area. In the evening 10 children came to the house to do some coloring. It was very special as there was one 12-year-old girl in the group who warned everybody, 'if we start fighting about the crayons she, (meaning me,) will kick us out.' It worked beautifully. I still had to tell them at midnight that I needed to go to bed.