My Christmas Present

Apparently, I have little friends. We all share my bed AND I fed them. That's right. Whenever they feel like it, they just take a little nibble. Christmas morning, I woke up with these lovely bites and they are so itchy!!!!

Lori and I went to the market today. I saw the meat we eat. Um...that was an experience that I wish I hadn't experienced that. I didn't take a picture, but maybe should have. I don't even know how to describe it. The scary thing is, our meat comes from there. They tell me it's completely safe...but I'm still skeptical. I think the little goat heads, intestines, the naked cow and then seeing it's hide (how they managed to keep it in one piece is a wonder in itself) was probably the worst. And the flies everywhere.

Probably the most difficult part of the market was trying to watch wear look at everything, trying not to get hit by the motorcycles, and to watch where I was stepping. As you walk along, people are yelling "blanc, blanc!!" (white...trying to get us to buy stuff...and rip us off. Very kind of them. Although I was impressed with a lady today. Lori accidentally gave too much and she gave it back.)

It's also strange to have "kissing" noises made at you as you walk down the street. I hadn't been here 48 hrs and I received my first marriage proposal. One of the workers told Lori that if I wanted to marry him, he'd be okay with that. What a sweet offer!

Christmas was a little strange. We didn't celebrate with the kids. Which really sucks. They haven't been able to pick up the packages in Port au Prince, which means that note everyone has gifts...so it makes sense, but they won't do it for another 2 weeks...and I'll be gone. So sad. They are waiting until after some of the kids go home so that the rest of the kids have something to look forward to. That's right, home. 6 kids are going home. Super exciting. This is the largest "going home" they've had. It's been a year and a half since adoptions have gone through. So that is really exciting. One set of parents are coming today. They are childless taking 3 kids. Psycho-people (they have no idea what they are getting into!!!) but really awesome people. Anyway, we did celebrate upstairs with the family here, but it was still quite strange. They get up at 4:30 am to get all beautified for the gift openning. Lori and I got up at 6:00 am for the 6:30 gift openning...I don't think we looked as beautiful. Weird. The meal was mainly made by the workers... that's an adjustment. I don't think I'm a big fan.

All day long, I could see a crowd sitting on a hill, probably a mile away. And then in the evening there was a huge fire and you could hear the beating of the drums and singing. It was a Good ol' Voodoo celebration. Apparently, Catholicism is Voodoo and vice versa. All the symbols and stuff are intertwined. Different saints represent various gods. So everything is very "Catholic" around here. Pictures, symbols, etc... but it's all signs of Voodoo. Melinda (one of the ladies who runs the orphanage) was telling me that the people will often practice Voodoo and then go to confession the next day. Their children will be starving, and they will spend huge amounts of money on food and meat to offer to the gods. She's never heard of the Catholic nuns becoming involved in Voodoo, but priests have been known to be called "Field-priests" - involved in performing Voodoo rituals. And all of this, is Haitian "Culture." Religion and culture are the same.