CLOWNS WITHOUT BORDER BAHAMA RELIEF TOUR, Thursday 12/12

We finished our week in Nassau Bahamas today. We taught several workshops this week, plus we ended our time here with a show on Thursday afternoon.

It took a while to find the best location at the shelter to do the show. Our original plan to do the show outside at the entrance was not going to work. The shelter is in a constant state of change. So we were familiar with these changes. While we were looking around to find a spot for the show, we juggled and did hat tricks to get the attention of the adults in the area. It was so refreshing to see the expression on some of these men and women. Many of them were sitting around, looking bored. To see the smiles on their faces was priceless. I tossed my juggling hat on my hat. Then I would tell them that I was going to throw the hat on their head. Several of the adults saw us. They asked for their turn, either tossing the hat or receiving it. 

Shortly after that, we decided where the show would be. We were told that we could do the show inside the tent. Next, we started the parade to the show. We played music we paraded through the gymnasium. The residence were loving it. I saw lots of smiles as we made our way across the gym floor. We also went to several of the other tents where residents were staying to let them know about the show.


The parade got people's attention. The more we marched around, the more people followed us. One of the men who was watching us outside the gym helped us with our performance bags as we marched around. By the time we got to the tent, we had a large group of children with us. Many of these children we knew because they were at our workshops this week. Along with the familiar faces of the children were many adults, both men, and women. The adults wanted to see the show too. 

Clay, Leora, and I did the show we rehearsed… or at least as much of the show as we could. The children were very enthusiastic. We saw this kind of enthusiasm earlier in the workshops, so we were not surprised. We managed to do every act we planned except for the finale juggling act. 

After the show was over, we went back into the gymnasium. While we were there, some of the Americares staff asked us to play music for several of the elderly residents in the shelter. We started to play a song for a Haitian woman in her 80s. However, she quickly took over and sang a song for us. Later I saw Leora dancing with this woman. I also walked over and played more music for an elderly couple. I started to sing, "What a wonderful world" by Sam Cooke. When I got to the chorus of the song, I was surprised to hear a young boy, about ten years old, sing the lyrics with me. 

After the show, we were talking to one of the Americares workers. She said she was impressed because the adults got up and came to the show and laughed. And yes, the kids liked it too.

Tomorrow morning we fly to Freeport for a week of more shows!