Work on May 1? Who? Me?

This morning I arrived at 8:25, found the children in prayer with Marie France, and took a bit to get the medical team set up and ready for the day.  I glanced at the clock at 9, realized I still hadn't checked on the teachers, and walked out to do it.  I found Mardochee and Johnson sitting on the table by the back door.  I asked where Frantz was, and they said he was in the front.  Mago told me he left to go to the hospital.  I returned to the teachers, who insisted he was here.  Then a light went on in my head.  "Wait a minute, why aren't you guys upstairs with your classes?"  I had suddenly noticed the kiddos running all over the place.
"In our culture, we don't work today," replied Mardochee.  "What?" was my super intelligent response.  "Yeah, we don't work today.  No one is working," Mardochee said.  "Um, I'm here, and I'm working," I replied.  "What's going on?"
Johnson said that it's just a day to not work.  I said uh-uh, no way.  I gave them 10 minutes to figure out why they were supposed to have the day off, call their friends, go ask someone outside the gate, whatever.  But in 10 minutes if they couldn't tell me WHY they weren't working, they had to go round up their kiddos and get to work.
I went to the office to find out what in the world was going on.  They had shown up for work, yet they were telling me they weren't going to work.  Apparently, today, May 1, is a Haitian holiday celebrating work.  So no one works.  Um, ok.
Frantz and Mardochee burst into the office, laughing.  They told me the real reason they should have the day off.  Johnson stayed in the hallway because he didn't know.  I gave him 5 more minutes.  I told Mardochee and Frantz that if they told him the answer, they were teaching today. :)
All Johnson could tell me is that it is something they do in their culture.  I was laughing so hard by this point I could hardly breathe.  Yes, Mardochee and Johnson came to work, figured out it was a day to not work, and then couldn't tell me why.  Frantz came to use the internet, which I told him I'd let him use for a discounted fee.
I love my teachers.  They are creative and hard working.  They love the children, and have a strong desire to see them learn and grow.  They deserve this day off.  Even if they do sit here sucking my internet connection.