My American kids

For the last 3 years (minus my extended time in Haiti) I have led Kids' Church at my church in Boston. Today was my last day with those kids. I am going to spend the summer in Maine as a camp nurse (so I can look out for my younger brother while our parents are in Europe) and in the fall, I head back to Haiti, so I have officially terminated my service with Kids' Church. The kids were sad about it, but we decided that rather than pout we would celebrate with a Good-bye Picnic.

Within moments of arriving at the park, they were wrapping me in crepe paper, a symbolic imprisonment to keep me from leaving.
The saving grace about leaving these kids is that they are all intrigued by Haiti, so as disappointed as they are that I will not be their leader anymore, they are enthusiastic to hear about my happenings in Haiti. As we ate, they kept begging for stories about the HFC kids and I willingly obliged.

Playing the human knot

Me and Sarah - she's been with me for the entire 3 years

Ling and Katraya (Traya is pen pals with Daina)

Silly Ren-Ren

Me, my co-leader Brian, and some of our crazy kiddos!

We are going to continue to have a relationship between the HFC kids and my Kids' Church kids. Last year, my American kids sent 2 suitcases of clothes, gifts and letters to HFC and several of the girls send letters with me every time I visit. This Christmas, lots of parents and kids sent toys, clothes and food for the orphanage. The new Kids pastor is hoping to get a buddy system set up with the entire Kids' Church to keep exposing the American kids to the needs in Haiti and to keep sending encouragement to the Haitian kids at HFC.