Leogane

Despite working from the same office, with the same co-workers, in the same building and seeing the same people in a day's work, Patrick and I rarely get the opportunity to see each other in action. Today I had the opportunity to see Patrick teach his Saturday class in Leogane, a small community an hour and a half drive from Port-au-Prince.

Patrick's father arrived in town last night, and so today Patrick's family fan club made a big trip to the seminary in Leogane, sporting our new shiny wheels. Solomon took his morning nap in the comfort of a car who sported the option of ALL windows down for a road-tripping breeze or all-windows up and AC to cool the ride.

The weekly trip Patrick takes traverses many communities teetering along the western coast, lining the inner curve of the country. We passed through the costal towns of Fontamara, Carrefour, Gressier, and finally arrrived in Leogane for Patrick's seminary. Along the way, we drove through urban street activity, rural cultivation and markets that bring the fruits of the country to the people of the city. A colorful display of regional produce dotted the baskets of merchants sitting along the streets, the fresh catch of the day added a fishy sent to the air, and sacks full of beans and grains were stacked between market stalls to complete the perfect Haitian dish.

After months of Creole study, Patrick is venturing out on his first semester of theology classes taught without a translator. Lesson plans are more pain-staking to prepare, but it forces new vocab into his arsenal. Today I beamed with pride at my husband, witnessing months of language practice and years of theological study coming alive in front of an eager bunch of seminary students.

Patrick has an engaging teaching style which is different from the conventional style of write-down-and-memorize-what-I-say that is implemented in many schools here. Although it took a bit of goading in the beginning, his students have quickly adapted and flourished when asked to think independently and aloud. Today's lesson covered the differences and similarities among the gospels, and what those observations might say about the authors and the time of their writing. When discussion time opened in class, the room became abuzz with students voicing their ideas about the interpretations of the bible, the wheels in their heads spinning for all to see. Ideas were well-thought, eloquently spoken, and Patrick encouraged all to take part. The room was full of energy. What I loved most of all is how much his students teased and enjoyed their teacher. When a creole word wasn't pronounced just right, a student would voice out the correct pronunciation. When another teased him about one thing, he retorted winning a class full of laughter. The atmosphere was fun, and acedemically stimulating. Just like Patrick.

On our way out of town, we stopped by an orphanage run by the sister of the director of the seminary at Leogane. Patrick works here during the week, teaching English and helping give some one-on-one attention to the kids in the under-staffed orphanage. Although run by well-meaning and hard-working women, the children of the orphanage were in dire need of medication and advanced nutrition by my first scanning glance. How many times to you see a living room full of 54 kids under the age of 7, all sitting or standing quietly? Never. Kids aren't like that. They sang a song for us, but without much gusto. I instantly saw why Patrick felt pulled to add his efforts to the care here. The kids desperately need it. They need attention, interaction, and--by my assessment--a gut full of anti-worm medication. Lots of work to do.