Saturday, Oct 19th - A big day!

Internet has not been available, so I am dating my posts so readers will know what day I am writing about.  Saturday began with morning mass, a beautiful way to start the day.  The morning began with a visit from an old friend, Steven Werlin.  We chatted and walked to the new park and back and then heard a helicopter.  As it turns out, Saturday was the day of the park’s dedication.  If you read my blog from last January, you know that the park was finished then.  It has been locked up until now, awaiting this auspicious moment.  We walked back to the park, amidst throngs of people.  A group playing Haitian instruments, were playing.

A brass band was playing and the park was full of people.

Dignitaries were on the stage.  Officials who saw us led us up to the stage.  Guess we are VIPs too!  Fr. KK blessed the park, walking around to sprinkle it first with holy water, and a second time he used a censor (spelling??) to bless the park with incense.

 Numerous officials got up and spoke, including several government ministers, Deputy A. Rondon who has accomplished much for Cerca Carvajal, a Protestant minister and the mayor.  As we exited the park, children were playing on the swings and the slide and everyone was finally enjoying the park.

Colleen arrived around 4 pm.  Transportation was finally arranged from Port au Prince.  Sr. Mamoune picked her up at the Matthew 25 guesthouse and then Fr. Bloh graciously drove her to Cerca Carvajal.  She was thrilled to be back in Cerca Carvajal.

Other guests for the evening’s festivities arrived in time for dinner.  Around 10 pm, we could here the Konpa band warming up.  The seminarian, Jenico, walked with us down to the school yard.  Fr. KK had given us VIP passes which we hung around our necks.

A crowd had formed at the entrance as each person’s wrist band was checked.  About 200 people had gathered to hear the band, which we were told is the oldest Konpa band in Haiti.
The music began, and it was LOUD, so loud that I could feel it vibrate in my bones.  At first, no one danced.  Colleen began swaying to the music.  After a while, she and I began to dance, drawing a crowd as curious onlookers gathered to watch us crazy "blan" (white people) dance. 

After that first dance, others asked each of us to dance.  Konpa dancing is a kind of slow two step dance.  It doesn’t sound like it would be tiring, but after an hour and a half, I was dripping with sweat, and exhausted.  ! We called it a night around midnight, way past my usual bedtime!