Sharing My Barbies - Madison

Madison, who is 6, recently had her first trip to Haiti in preparation for moving there this summer.  Here are some of her thoughts:

What she liked the most...

"I liked to play with the kids.  We colored with chalk.  They were very nice to me and showed me how to say Haiti words." (We still hear "Bonjou" everyday.  It's the only one she remembers, but at least she's practicing it!)

Why we are moving to Haiti...

"Some of the kids don't have moms and dads, so we can help be their family." (She's slightly obsessed with the idea that their moms and dads aren't there to put them to bed and help with homework.)

"It's a good idea to have a place for them to go when they are sick or hurt." (Pretty sure she thinks that she is the nurse for the clinic.)

What she's most excited about...
"Sharing my Barbies" (We'll believe it when we see it!)  :-)

Her best friend in Haiti...
"Rebecca.  I gave her my shoes that are too small.  We are friends." (She bought her friendship with shoes!)

Mom and Dad's Thoughts:
     Our Haitian kids have been asking to see Madison since before she was born!  We told them they saw her already, sort of, because we were in Haiti when about a month pregnant with her.  That wasn't good enough for them, of course.  It was an exciting day at each of the homes when Madison showed up.  The girls, obviously, became very close to her very quickly.  After the initial obsession with her long, straight hair they began to include her in whatever they were doing.  She jumped rope, colored, played dress-up and played on the swings.  All of the girls, especially the older ones, were in "big-sister-mode" and made sure that she always had her water bottle, was not too-hot and didn't want for anything!
     Madison asks a lot of questions and wants to know about the story behind the story.  She is worried about the kids not having parents around.  She is worried about the school kids having not had a place to go when they are sick until now.  She is most worried, in typical 6-year old fashion, about why they don't all have Barbies.

If you'd like to help support the Reichard Family as they prepare to move to Haiti this summer, please visit fgo.webconnex.com/contribute  and select "Reichard Family Support" from the drop-down menu.