Today a medical team visited the orphanage. The kids there as always were happy to see new faces and excited to be around visitors. Even though life there has returned back to normal for the most part, there is still one reminder of the earthquake. Every night all of the children go outside to sleep under a tarp. Ever since the earthquake the children have been too scared sleep inside the building.
This fear has been a cause for another concern. The children need to learn an evacuation drill. As orphanage director Mme. Soliet explained, during the big tremors in the days following the quake it was really difficult to get the children to quickly leave the building. Instead a lot of them would run for corners or hide under beds. An orderly evacuation drill could calm the fears of Mme. Soliet and ensure that the children get out safely.
Another change the orphanage is experiencing is the addition of five new children, putting the total to over 60. These children who have recently become orphans since the quake are visibly the quietest and most distant. Their life has been shattered and they are still adjusting to the new situation. Though life is difficult, they are very lucky that they have found such a good place to live.
One of the newest little girls in the orphanage is Florence. This kindergarten-aged girl was trapped under rubble for three days. She was saved only to learn that her family had been killed in the earthquake.
