The Wait.

As we crossed the border into Haiti the children paced back and forth with hands held to their mouths scanning the dirty widows for eye contact. The passengers on the bus shift in their seats to avoid the discomfort of facing the realities of a country only three hours by plane from New York City and by watching the others I realize I have unconsciously done the same. Even at home these images make us uncomfortable and it's crucial to continue to ask ourselves why.

We traveled on in silence and arrived in Cap Haitian to see that many things have already improved. The river that swelled with plastic bottles just two years before now runs swiftly with only tiny pockets of debris and dozens of small stalls selling goods have sprouted up along the bridge.

At first we were very nervous because we have not been able to reach our contacts in Haiti for almost two months but decided to make our way to the village and hope for the best. After arriving at Lakou Lakay's metal gates we met a boy who called for Maurice, our host two years previous. Maurice emerged shortly with open arms and we hugged and began to catch up with everything that has happened since our last visit. I already knew that Dickenson had gone to live with his grandfather a few months before and asked if we could go see him and he sent the boy who greeted us at the gates to go find him in the next village. The boy came back speaking swiftly in creole and Maurice explained that the grandfather had sent him to live with his aunt but gave an address to where we can find him. The boy left once more and came back this time looking upset and Maurice translated that the aunt who had promised to look after Dickenson had instead left him at an orphanage somewhere in Cap Haitian. In a situation like this it is so hard to know what is right to do and what is wrong and for a few hours we spoke with Maurice decide about what would be best for Dickenson. He called for Dickenson's grandfather who didn't even know he had been sent to the orphanage and after they spoke Maurice decided that Dickenson should come back to live with the handful of other children he was already taking care of at Lakou Lakay. He said that it's better for the grandfather to go and bring him back this weekend because if the orphanage sees Mario and I they will try and charge lots of money and make the process very difficult. I've gone over the situation a hundred times in my head and it's still so hard to tell what will happen but I am hopeful for a solution but here the rules are different so we can only wait.

Over the past couple days we have started the photo project and are working with the first group of kids Juliet ,17, Jaison, 7 and Jack, 10. Their smiles and ambition make my heart so happy and they are very eager to learn, the biggest problem has been trying to explain that you have to choose your pictures carefully with film cameras because they are so eager they end up taking pictures of everything!

Being here is bittersweet but I have faith that everything with Dickenson will work out, it just may take some time. Until then the kids are keeping us busy. Watching them learn to share how they see the world through the lens is so beautiful and this afternoon our group of kids will grow by two more!

With hope and love from Milot,

Alana

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