On Sunday morning, July 29th, Lara told me that she had a meeting with all of the music teachers at 6:30 and she would like Bennett and I to attend. Around 6 pm, she said, "Amanda, you hop in the shower before me." I said, "Oh, that's ok. I will just shower before bed." But, Lara made fun of me and insisted that I wash and change before the meeting. "Ok, ok!" I retorted. I put on an informal sundress. Lara and Bennett both made comments about the dress - so I changed into something a little nicer.
Odd, I thought.
Why do they care about what I'm wearing to this meeting? Before we left, Lara said, "Amanda, can you bring your camera?" I was already going to bring my camera, but this comment made me wonder.
Why does Lara want me to bring my camera to the meeting? Is this going to be some kind of party? No way...that would be crazy.
When we arrived in Hope on a String, Watson was setting up the chairs in a circle, Clyn was playing the guitar outside the office, and Cassy was in the office busy with something. Everything looked like we were going to have a meeting. But then, I turned toward the chairs more closely and looked at the chalkboard, which had a sign on it.... I asked Watson, "Do you know anything about this?" He responded with a smile, "I know nothing." I asked Cassy, "What's going on here? Is there really a meeting for the teachers?" She said, "I don't know anything." I asked Clyn, Lara, and Bennett the same thing, to which they all responded, "I don't know. Then Clyn started singing a song, Lara opened up a cooler with sodas, water, and beer, and it was clear that the Hope on a String team were throwing me a going-away party!! I couldn't believe it! AND, Clyn was singing a song that he had written for me! Everyone joined in and more people starting arriving.
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| Fefe and Clyn |
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| Watson, Bennett, Michel Clyn, Fefe , and Lara - JAMMING |
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| MORE COWBELL! |
My face was plastered with a smile. This was amazing and one of the sweetest things anyone has ever done for me! More friends continued to arrive - staff, teachers, students, and my "family" down there, even Viola! Then Cassy and Lara started serving food to everyone! "Where did this come from?" I asked, shocked. "We asked my cousin to make all of it," Cassy said calmly. "Your cousin! Holy Mackeral! How did you guys pull this off?!" I was so surprised - to pull this off took a lot of work, coordination, and love. It isn't easy to get a cooler full of soda, water, and beer in Corail. First, you have to buy the ice, whenever the ice truck decides to come down the street. Then you have to go find packs of beer and soda from people in the town who "sell" it from their houses. For the food, they had to ask Cassy's cousin, and then make sure she had enough ingredients - I don't know how they made sure she had enough food to cook!
It was an absolutely wonderful night - pure fun. We sat in the round of Hope on a String, and danced and sang. It was the best feeling. What an extraordinary way to end my summer at Hope on a String!
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| So fun! |
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| A fantastic dance line! |
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| DANCE! (all the white dots are dust in the air) |
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| This is Bettie singing, "AMANDA, I WILL MISS YOU!" |
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When we arrived in Hope on a String, Watson was setting up the chairs in a circle, Clyn was playing the guitar outside the office, and Cassy was in the office busy with something. Everything looked like we were going to have a meeting. But then, I turned toward the chairs more closely and looked at the chalkboard, which had a sign on it.... I asked Watson, "Do you know anything about this?" He responded with a smile, "I know nothing." I asked Cassy, "What's going on here? Is there really a meeting for the teachers?" She said, "I don't know anything." I asked Clyn, Lara, and Bennett the same thing, to which they all responded, "I don't know. Then Clyn started singing a song, Lara opened up a cooler with sodas, water, and beer, and it was clear that the Hope on a String team were throwing me a going-away party!! I couldn't believe it! AND, Clyn was singing a song that he had written for me! Everyone joined in and more people starting arriving.
Thank you again, SO MUCH, for sharing your stories and experiences from Haiti. I felt like I was there with you in a small way.... and welcome home.
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