It's up for the American Express bill! Which includes $6000 for the food for the Haitians....
No-- it wasn't just food-- about half was food the other half was for the rental car which I kept up there for three months. I do not have a car and would usually be fine but the car was the ONLY car that we had -- so it was usually out making rounds even if I was home. So it was 6k for the car and gas and the food.. the rent I covered.
I have heard back from both Edwin Paraison.. who has offered me the cover of his foundation Fundacion Zile. Edwin is an Episcopal priest ordained here and a former government minister in Haiti.. very well respected by all, a real diplomat .. and Max, who has put me in touch with a coopertive bank here so I am certain that pretty soon we will be able to get a small grant to get an office started.
I have in mind that we can get those neat straw bags -- the Haitians call them macoutes..which
I have only seen for sale in San Jose de Ocoa and Elias Pina... but they are GREAT bags.. and then we can have some of the Haitian artists in the Association paint them and we can pay them and start a little micro business which can help fund the ongoing expenses.
Do you have anyone who might have a contact for getting the baskets?
I have not even seen them in the Mercado Model although I have not checked in the last year.
But they would be a great tourist item.