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Just like Americans celebrate the 4th of July with
food, parades, and a lot of flag waving, Haiti celebrates
its flag colors on May 18th. All over Haiti (and even
in places in the US where there is a sizable Haitian
population) people come together and enjoy watching
marching groups perform some extraordinary routines.
This
year, our beach kids had the opportunity to be trained
by an experienced teacher to form what is called a “movement,” or
marching routine. They practiced every Sunday afternoon,
in the hot tropical sun, barefoot, on the gravel parking
lot. A month before the 18th, they practiced almost
everyday. What began as a fragmented bunch of kids,
hardly knowing their right foot from their left, soon
became a disciplined crew with one goal—to do
their best!
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Mission groups came with bright red shirts and blue
caps and bandanas—perfect for May 18th marching
uniforms. New tennis shoes and socks arrived also,
so this took a load off of poor kids who needed marching
shoes. They proudly waved a large Haitian flag of red
andblue.
14 Cadets and 5 Jr. Cadets marched to represent CODEP
at L’Acul.
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The
day arrived and with no less than 7 groups to march
from L’Acul football field to the Bellevue football
field. We hired a great little marching band from
Gressier which gave the parade #1 status! The kids
and the planning committee from Bellevue stretched
flag banners across the highway all along the way.
People gathered to watch the first Flag Day parade
in a long time, maybe the very first!
The marching groups all performed
in front of the stage at Bellevue before a large cheering
crowd. The anthem was played and sung. Food and drinks
were served to all participants.
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Some
of our Cadet mothers cooked food in our lakou (yard)
for 150. Drinks and ice were donated by our friend
Fritz who owns the cola/ice house. Other moms
carried water along the route. 
