Wynne Farm: Part II – Everything Has a Purpose

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“He is coming for me???” What??

Ok, those words are not ones I was hoping would be spoken to me at any point while living in Haiti…for an instant (mind you, a very brief instant) I really thought Jacque meant this man was coming to get me, to take me away, far far away! :)…

But seeing that big Haitian smile as he approached the truck, I realized the Creole conversation I was listening to was that this man (Ajoun) was sent into the ‘town’ to look for us. Jane Wynne knew we were coming and so she sent him to find us ( I guess it’s not every day you have a huge truck with 28 kids sitting in the back just driving through town). Again, long story short, we had driven to Wynne Farms but the educational portion was actually done at Jane’s house, not the farms. Oh well, we had FINALLY made it!

The inside of the house. Lovely!

Jane, standing by the door of her house, having a discussion about the environment with the kids. The sliver of the man in the doorway with the yellow shirt is the guy who came to find us.

The kids, intently listening.

Some of the items we would be making and using today.

We drove to her house, not far away, and began the day. Jane talked for about 30 minutes (mostly in Creole, but a little English) about the environment, what that means to us, and how important it is to us.  The theme I heard her say a few times was that “Everything has a purpose.” EVERYTHING. From the plastic bags used to sell food items, the plastic water bottles that hold soda, each and every plant and living creature, even down to the waste creatures excrete…EVERYTHING has a purpose!

And clearly, with the day I had been having, THIS spoke to me. Everything has a purpose. Not just the plastic bottles we would be using today but each person that was there. Each child. Each day. Each ‘failed’ day. Each moment. Each season in life that leaves you asking, “Why?” The seen and the unseen. I do believe Jane has it right…Everything has a purpose.

With that being said, let me take you through the rest of the day. The kids got split into 4 groups and taken to a station for about 30 minutes. The stations were amazing! The Haitians who taught each station were wonderful, and the activities at each station were interesting and fun. The kids paid such good attention and were wonderful ‘students’. The following pictures will tell you about each station:

1. Plastic Bottles

At this station, the kids learned to make jewelry out of plastic water bottles:

Cutting the plastic bottles into strips...

Folding the strips into tight pieces...

The kids were SO incredibly focused during this task.

Making sure they have it right...

The final product!

These ones were made into earrings and sold in the gift shop...maybe a possibility for our kids to make and sell, too?

2. Making Paper & Briquettes

This station used scraps of old paper to make sheets of paper and briquettes, which are used to burn for cooking:

Group number 2

I don't think you can listen any closer than that...look at those faces!

Crushing up the paper...

Laying the flattened out piece down to dry

Crushing the paper down to make a briquette...

Laying the wet briquettes out to dry...

Drying in the sun.

A finished briquette burns long enough to make 4 pots of rice!

So proud of their creations!

Smiles all around...

And more smiles!

 Watch the video of some of the younger kids making a briquette!

3. Plastic Bag Knitting

At this station the kids learned how to knit out of plastic bags:

Cutting the bags into strips...notice the completed purses lying on the table.

Knitting.

And more knitting.

I LOVE this video...not just because the girls are learning to knit, but because it is such a great example of how the girls really are a 'family' to each other. I love how the older ones are always taking care of and helping the younger ones! So sweet.

4. The Garden and Bamboo

This station we got to walk through the yard/garden and see lots of neat plants, flowers, and other things:

Trying to be 'artsy', ha...the entrance to the gardens.

Five gallon water jugs used to grow strawberries!

Yum! Each person got to taste one. BTW, strawberries in Haiti are about $8 a small container. Won't be having them anytime soon!

Bamboo!

When this bamboo begins to grow, it grows 1 foot per day. A notch, that you see, per day...Amazing!

Lots of uses for bamboo...building houses, jewelry, burning, furniture, and more!

Composting in the hot, hot sun!

Vermiculture - lots of worms used to eat trash and make soil! Everything has a purpose!