There isn’t a day that goes by where Charles and Gigi (directors of Eden Garden Orphanage) receive letters from people in the community requesting financial help. This stack of letters represents just one days worth of letters. Every letter but one is written in same handwriting, because the requests come from people who are illiterate. The requests are for mattresses, plastic chairs, a dresser for one woman. Believe it or not, an American-made used mattress and box spring costs $250 – almost a year's wage for the average Haitian. Perhaps that is why most people sleep on the hard ground.
The day after I took this photo, Charles and Gigi drove into the town of St. Marc and purchased most of the items that the people had requested. Perhaps this is why they call him “Papa Charles.” I am amazed by Charles and Gigi’s stamina – their ability to withstand and fulfill constant requests without losing their patience in this hard and difficult country. It shows how much they love Haiti.
