Back in Haiti Day One

We arrived at the guest house around 5 yesterday and met up with our Cape Cod friends, who had left before dawn and arrived before us. We are very grateful to all the people who donated the contents of our nine checked bags. It took us all evening to sort all we had brought into the various projects and discuss strategies for teaching them.

When we arrived at the orphanage this morning the women were already assembled and singing. Our new Bible teacher Nahomie led Bible study and Alex translated so that we could join in.

We learned that several of our original students have had to leave for school or family reasons, so other women have taken their place. That means that some of our students have more advanced skills than others.

This trip we are teaching some beginning quilt making skills. We started with sewing sets of three 2-1/2″ strips together to see if the middle strip could come out 2 inches finished. I took the beginning students upstairs to teach them how to use a rotary cutter. Cutting went well, but the quarter inch seams were very challenging for them.

Tomorrow’s project will be mile a minute blocks, which are a bit more beginner friendly. We’ll see how it goes.