Really Haiti? Really!

We had the flights ready to book, we had our husbands watching our sons, we have the money to go, we had our Director ready.... until we checked the website.

Finally going to Haiti after 4 years. 4 years! And back in the day, when we were on our "A" game we would have thought to check the travel.gov website first before we got all excited.  And I didn't even screen shot the entire list of everything that makes Haiti a Level 3 right now. We may be women, but we aren't stupid.

Pignon which has been 100% successful in returning their loan money. To finally meet these women and children whose lives have been transformed through our small business loans.

So we wait... and hope for a drop in the Travel Advisory Levels of Level 2 or less so that we can finally land in Haiti feeling victorious after all the struggles it took to become a success. To see the faces, to meet the ladies

Besties for the Resties

I've been really wanting to get back to Haiti, specifically Pignon, to meet all the amazing women who are faithfully paying back their loans and had almost nailed down actual dates for Alisha and I to meet up in Miami and fly to Haiti together and now her husband has gone and decided he hates his job and the trip is no longer happening. I reallllllly want to go but not without my bestie. Some have asked, "Does she mind if you go without her?" I have replied, "No. She doesnt mind but I do. I wouldn't want her to go without me. And plus we are a team. She thinks differently than I do. She thinks "3rd world".
And today our text exchange proves my point:

This is why I need my bestie. My partner in crime. My other half. SHE gets it. She thinks so differently and is such an asset to Open Hand. So now she brings up such a valid point that I have never thought of. Where to go from Pignon..... we shall see.

Goalzzzzzz

We are roaring into 2018, like a freight train. Oh yeah, baby! We will have a new website (simple but effective), the money for our 2 employees for the next 12 months, and enough to give out 60, yes, 60 more loans. Can you believe it? Stunning really.

I am itching to get to Pignon seeing that it's been 4 years and the last time I felt we left with our tail between our legs as the funding in Fond Parisien was an utter disaster. Fast forward and we've got a highly successful operation going on in Pignon and I've got to see it with my own eyes. Every year my husband and I sit down and come up with goals for upcoming year. I wishfully wrote that I'd like to be able to get to Haiti and see the people in Pignon who have been so faithful to pay back their loans and where Open Hand is making a big impact. We are in the first day of the second month of the new year (see. that was fun wasn't it?) and Alisha and I are plotting, scheming and planning a 4 day trip to Haiti in April.

I have a vision of getting everyone who has gotten a loan through Open Hand, and all their dependents and getting a picture with all of them. Alisha say's she can't wait to look 'normal' instead of dressing like dorks when we stayed with Love a Child. I told her I wanted to wear my scrubs b.c they are so comfy and she veto'd that. One thing we for sure agree on? I won't be wearing my lesbo looking sunglasses. Oh the glamorous life. We'll be rollin around town with the Mayor (aka our Director, Nicolas) and we need to look stylin'.