Haiti Part 3: Prenatal Class (and my first motorcycle ride!)

I have been so behind on posting about my first mission trip to Haiti in June 2015!  Between balancing work and college (which is a post for another time…), I’ve been pretty busy! So I am trying to work a little bit here and there on these posts and hopefully finish them somewhat soon 🙂

Haven’t heard about my trip at all? Start at the beginning!

to read part one, click HERE

to read part two, click HERE

{a few of the many kids that I absolutely adore!}

 

The next day (and our 3rd) day, I was fascinated.  I mean, you see pictures and hear of it, but actually watching people carry heavy loads on their heads? 5-gallon buckets full of rocks or water? Um….wow.  Or  a woman carrying a basket of chickens on her head….how does she keep them from jumping out and running off?

I loved the early mornings….the perfect time to just sit there and observe people.  I’m a morning person, so I was usually the first one up, and I loved watching people go by on their way to the market, to school, or on their way to get water; watching the sun come up over the mountain; hearing the animals waking and hearing donkeys, horses, goats and chickens from a long way around; hearing people sing or talk as they get ready for the day; or hearing the neighbor chop away at his garden tirelessly for hours on end.   I loved it!!

 

We did two days of prenatal class. This is a class Ashley teaches about three times a year to 25 expectant women each time.  Each of these women are sponsored for a one time amount of $80 and they receive education about pregnancy, a meal, baby supplies, and a fun “baby shower”.

 

In this class, the expectant moms learn about the baby’s development in the womb, hygiene, nutrition, common complaints (what is normal and what is not), labor, nursing, etc.

We brought fetal dopplers down with us so they got to hear their baby’s heartbeat!! 🙂

Then, at the end of class on day two, we have a baby shower for the moms. They receive gifts of baby items (and the note and picture from their sponsor), eat cake, play baby shower games…..

….like pin the onesie on the baby 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

The night before it had rained and there was a leak in the roof right over the bags with the tissue paper in them. So, the tissue paper was wet.  But we discovered if we peeled the pieces apart they would dry pretty quick. That was a job that Zoe enjoyed 🙂  She would also wave them around, jumping and running to help them dry faster 🙂 (and we had dry tissue paper for the gift bags!!)

 

 

 

 

I had fun playing games with the kids (and taking pictures….LOTS of pictures!) 🙂

 

Later that day we road motorcycles up the mountains…the view up there is breathtaking!!!

This was my first motorcycle ride ever! I quickly learned how to balance myself and actually enjoyed it!  I’m sure if I were to ride a motorcycle here in the States now that it would be very boring. Smooth roads, no steep hills, no almost running into animals…. 🙂

Another day when we took motorcycles up the mountain, Zoe (Ashley’s 5 year old daughter) was on the same motorcycle as me and she fell asleep! So I was balancing myself, Zoe, both our water bottles and my purse, on very bumpy roads.  Does that quality me as a pro now? 🙂

It’s amazing to see how many people, animals and stuff the Haitians can fit on one motorcycle! 5 people, goats, chickens, brooms and other wares for the market, big bunches of bananas, etc. 🙂

(our team with both of our translators)

 

It is absolutely beautiful there!

 

Want to know more about the organization, Breath of Life Haiti? Click HERE!

 

 

 

 

 

 

   —–to be continued—-

 

Subscribe to get our blog posts in your inbox!