Hi Friends!

I don't have anything in particular to write about, but I would like to update you on my last few days. I have begun my testing on Moringa leaves to try and see how difficult it is to make a powder.  The tree leaves themselves are amazingly high in nutrients, like vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, potassium, and iron.  There is also about 20% of your recommended daily intake of all of the B vitamins, as well as all the essential amino acids, so the protein is pretty high as well.  Anyway, this tree is all over Haiti, and I am going to try and switch out the vitamin powder that is sent from the states with Moringa tree powder.  

The issue that I keep running into here is that it is quite expensive to buy, which does not make sense to me.  I think that the price was able to stay high because there is not much of a demand for it yet in Haiti.  People don't really use it here, but the goats sure do love to eat it.  So I am going to try and produce the powder myself to see how difficult it is, and if it is not difficult, I will find some trees and begin to try and make powder in large amounts.  Anyway, I have pulled off a few branches on the tree outside to see how the drying process occurs, and tonight and tomorrow I will see if I can produce the powder.  Trial and error.  

There was also a party last night for one of the girls that lives here.  It was her Haitian bridal shower, that included decorations from the states and great food.  We had Haitian beer and coke, as well as silly games and beautiful gifts.  It was a wonderful celebration.  In preparation for this party, a few of us were trying to find particular food items to use to make a dessert, but what I have found in Haiti is that if you are looking for something deliberate, you will never find it unless it is something basic like bread or bananas.  But if it is something like Oreos and cream cheese...you won't find it if you are looking for it.  You only find things like that when you are not searching for them, and are in the store randomly browsing, and you stumble upon them like a goldmine.  It's wonderful and sad all at the same time.  Anyway, after checking every market in the entire city, on bikes nonetheless, we came back empty handed except for a small bag of Lay's sour cream and onion chips (which were a glorious goldmine find, as those are not common and difficult to come by in Gonaives).

Today I am just focused on emails and reading, so I have decided to take it a little easy and enjoy the weekend.  I have included a couple pictures for you all, including one of my trusty bike that I am lovingly calling blue lightning:)

That's it for now. 

-K-

This is a beautiful Haitian sunset on the roof of the house that I am staying at.

This is my amazing blue bike.  Haitians and Americans alike complement me on it.  I actually really love it.  It rides so well on these rocky streets.

This here is Moses the dog.  He is our guard dog, but he is not the best at it.  He likes people way to much to be a guard dog.