SATURDAY REPORT by Caryn Wooster

On Saturday, we enjoyed a more relaxed morning, then attended part of the church service at the church that meets on the grounds of the Eden Garden Orphanage.  We then presented all the orphanage children with shoes that had been donated by New Hope church members. One by one they were called up to sit down and be fitted for their new sandals and sneakers and some notes from the families who purchased the shoes.

Then we took the children to the beach for a few hours of fun in the water, which was a real treat for them and something that they don't get a chance to do very often. It was a treat for us as well, as we got to see the kids splash and play and just experience true joy as they hung on to all the adults and played with them in the water.

 Charles &Gigi LeMorzellec, Eden Garden Orphanage directors

Dave Wooster and Rob Freeman enjoying the water with the kids

Nurse LJ Rowe and her friends

In the evening, we took a tour of the orphanage and then visited the home of Mr. & Mrs. Raymond, an elderly couple that we have met on a few occasions as they have come through the medical clinic. Mrs. Raymond is completely blind and Mr. Raymond is blind in one eye. During the earthquake, the roof of their home collapsed, leaving them with a gaping hole in their bedroom ceiling along with a broken arm for Mrs. Raymond. We watched as Mr. Raymond tenderly cared for his wife, and proudly showed us his delapidated home. For income, they raise goats and chickens which they will sell to make a little money, but it would be impossible for them  to earn enough to pay the $450 it would cost to repair their roof.  When we realized that our meal at our hotel was going to cost around $22 per person that day, it was an easy decision to skip a meal and put those funds towards a new roof for Mr. &Mrs. Raymond instead.

Mr. & Mrs. Raymond's home

Mr. Raymond/The Raymonds' bedroom (Mrs. Raymond resting in bed)