Another view

Here are a set of photos that more closely match what I imagined Haiti would look like. 

View from our hotel balcony in Port au Prince.

 Our hotel was near the edge of the city and you could hear very little traffic noise here - mostly roosters, goats, voices, household noises like pots and pans and running water.

My kids learning to dance!

The countryside around Desarmes holds both barren hillsides and tree-lined riverbeds. The MCC staff there told us that when Terry did their program evaluation in 2007 (or thereabouts) he pointed to the mountain tops and asked, "Why aren't there trees growing up there? When I come back, I want to see trees growing up there." So they were very happy and proud to show me the thousands of small trees now growing on the mountaintops!

Beginning of a 3-hour hike up and then down the mountain

View of the valley from the mountaintop; trees from the project in foreground

Baby trees! I think these are called cassia.

Tree nursery #2, I think these are citrus varieties

Near a capped spring were a lot of old, thick trees of different varieties. We were told that the local people will never cut them down because of what they believe about spirits living in and around the spring and the trees.

There were goats EVERYWHERE. Lots and lots of goats. They do cause problems for reforestation by eating everything in sight, although supposedly they don't eat the cassia trees that are the main species being used for reforestation.

I'm really thankful for the opportunity to visit Haiti, and glad I stayed for the learning tour after our meetings there.