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Communiqué #107

C A N     Y O U     I M A G I N E ?

Can you imagine what must have been going through the minds of five boys from our orphanage on the tiny, primitive island of Ile-a-Vache when they had their first chance to take a boat trip to the mainland to visit the big city of LesCayes????  They were coming to shop for tennis shoes for school. Most of them had never seen the house where Manmi Nora & Poppy Léon live. 


A visit to Manmi Nora & Poppy Léon's house!

A visit to Manmi Nora & Poppy Léon’s house!


They excitedly watched television while coffee was prepared for them and served with bread. (a typical Haitian breakfast, even for small children) They giggled as they tried ice-cold water for the first time!  Some had never ridden in a car and did not have a clue as how to open or close a car door.  None of them knew that Manmi Nora could drive a car and that she would be taking them into town.  They learned about all of the things that were seeing on their way to the public market … there was a hotel, a funeral home, a barber shop, a perfume factory, several churches, many many motorcycles and lots and lots and lots of people crowding the roadsides and the marketplace for the last minute things needed for school.  They did not know how to watch for traffic when crossing the street.  They had a hard time staying together and not getting lost in the crowd. They did not know how many Kennedy shops (street-side vendors who sell second-hand goods) they would need to go to in order to find five pairs of shoes in just the right size.  And can you imagine their excitement when they returned to the car and got to show Manmi Nora their awesome pairs of tennis shoes? 


Wenshel displays his new shoes!

Wenshel displays his new shoes!


They were so excited they could hardly contain themselves.  Even after returning to Ile-a-Vache they could not stop talking about their experience. Sadly, the two boys who didn’t need new shoes were really jealous that they did not get to join in the fun.  Next time boys! Next time!

It is these simple pleasures in life that give me reasons to smile!   Thank God for little boys having big experiences!

Nora Léon                    

Missionary to Haiti & the Dominican Republic                 Until next time, God willing …………

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