...is something that we often take for granted. The blessings we receive each day are often thought of less thought of when they are an everyday staple in our lives. Perhaps we don't look at them as blessings anymore...just as how things are. Conveniences such as having clean water to drink and bathe in everyday, running water and toilets in our homes...sometimes two or three for that matter...not having to worry about where our next meal will come from is also a blessing so many of us take for granted. Things like comfortable shoes, a cozy bed, a doctor we can see on a frequent basis if we need to....are all things so many take for granted and count as less than a blessing...and now call it just a way of life. I am guilty, I have said my thank you's and what I'm so grateful for to the Lord, but often times the aforementioned blessings go without saying thanks. My family, my husband, my true friends, my health and strength, and being in my right mind are things that I thank the God for all the time...and occasionally I thank him for allowing my husband and I to have a stable roof over our heads, because there was a short time in my life when I didn't have one. But things like clean water...clean air...the things that I think about less often, I seem to be thankful for less often. So here I am today...thanking God for all the small things that add up to making a huge impact on my well being, my way of life...me.

Today, I took my first trip into one of the city's in Haiti. After loading up at the Coast Guard station in Killick, we headed for Trinite School to play a concert for the music students there. The road getting there was very shocking and almost frightening. We had a police escort in front of us because we probably would not have made it to the school on time if we hadn't. I was sad to see all the trash littering the streets along the way. Where creek beds would have been, there were mounds and mounds of plastic bottles, potato chip bags and God knows what else. Like many other busy city's, there was a ton of traffic which we managed to dodge in and out of with the police crew in front and a 2 1/2 ton truck trailing behind. It was like something out of a bad COPS episode. At one point, we went on the wrong side of the road. Of course, there were cars coming toward us...the police escort turned on their sirens, but that only seemed to irritate people more...horns were honking, people were shouting...it was just overwhelming and exciting at the same time. As we rolled along, I looked up into the hillside and saw something that I'd only seen in commercials such as Feed the Children (sorry that's the only reference I have)...there were houses practically stacked on top of each other. I couldn't see up close, but it looked as if they had tin roof's and that neighbors lived right about where you might want to have a patch of grass...I saw women (and men) balancing what looked to be rice bags, or they could have been beans. Whatever they were, they looked similar to 5lb potato bags. I don't know how they do it, but those bags were balanced perfectly...no hand holding the bag up nor was there anything tied around their necks to keep the bags in place. There were also children in the streets that looked scared for their lives as the blaring police escort inched closer to where they tried to cross the street. As we got closer to the school, I saw a crossing guard come out and put out his little STOP sign...super cool. Also, they have the coolest 'busses' I think I've ever seen....at least when you take into account the decorations on them. These particular busses are personally owned so the owners paint whatever they want on them in the brightest colors they can find. The artwork on these busses is quite impressive. One bus had Bob Marley, another had what appeared to be the owner's children playing, and one very cool one had our Commander-in-Chief! How funny is that? The seating inside these busses looked VERY uncomforatable though. People stacked on top of each other...it was way crowded and looked very unsafe with the no back door...leading people to have to hang on and pray that a pothole was nowhere in sight...

We finally arrived at the school and under schedule...which was great! The BQ (brass quintet) played a very fun show for the children (there were probably 150). There was a translator present to translate what the group members said. Their show had a lot of information about their respective instruments..i.e. some history, and the functions of each. It was quite fun and the kids seemed to really enjoy it. Next, the jazz ensemble played a short set all the while explaining the functions of their instruments and a little bit of history too. they rounded out the concert by joining with some of the BQ folks to play Haiti Cherie, A well known Hatian Anthem (kinda like our Sweet Home Alabama...everyone knows it, or is at least familiar with it...) all the children and staff sang along at the tops of their lungs. It was awesome! Before finalizing the concert, some Hatian musicians came up on stage to jam with the band. Everyone started out playing the melody and then everyone who wanted to solo, solo'd. It was really awesome, and of course I got so many pictures! Wish I could share them with you all right now, but in time...I will!

The ride back to Killick wasn't as crazy but it was still a thrill ride. We got on the median at one point and I thought we were going to tip over...Ay Dios Mio! We are now back on the ship...and I need a shower...the humidity and I always butt heads!

Thanks for stopping by....
Keisha