As we have passed our days in Haiti, we’ve handed out at least 250 hygiene kits to people in need. I admit that I actually overlooked the value of these handouts until Pouchon, one of our workers, started telling me, piece-by-piece, what the items would cost him.
I’ll try to remember as best I can, but he was telling me while we were riding in the back of the pickup and that, in and of itself, is something that requires more concentration than I can usually muster. Traffic is always an adventure!
Soap – 15 Haitian dollars
Toothbrushes – 25 Haitian dollars
Toothpaste – 20 Haitian dollars
Washcloth – 10 Haitian dollars
Shampoo – 15 Haitian dollars
Floss – 15 Haitian dollars
Razor – 15 Haitian dollars
Bag – 10 Haitian dollars
Bottle – incalculable, these bottles filter out microorganisms and generally aren’t available here.
Yes, Haitian dollars likely don’t make sense to you, but for your reference, 8 Haitian dollars make a US dollar – yet that still won’t have any meaning until I tell you that Pouchon told me that he would have to work for at least 2 weeks to earn that much money. And that’s if he could ever find the work to begin with.
We are grateful to the Idaho Falls South Stake and Austin Hansen for putting these kits together for us to pass out. If you could only see the flurry of activity that comes when we start doling out the goods. We take comfort in knowing that these items are so appreciated.
