Happy Thanksgiving

Original post date was November 22, 2012.

I hope everybody was able to spend time today with family and friends. I know I did. There is no better place in the world to give thanks for all that I have than in Haiti where so many have so little. I spent today hanging out again at the orphanage with the kids. My friends Marg (from Canada), Sherry (from CO), and Emily (from NH) came this morning and will stay at Gertrude’s until Dec. 3. We have the best time together, and I learn a lot from them about Haiti, its culture, and how things “run” in Haiti and at Gertrude’s. They will be here again in March while I am here.

 Michaela and I headed out with Brinel this morning to distribute the hygiene packets. He took us toward the market, which I thought was a mistake, to give them out, and we didn’t even get to the market before Michaela was swamped by people. She handled it great and never lost her cool. Brinel tried to keep the “mob” under control, but it was hard. At one point two ladies were fighting over the packets and ripped the bag out of Michaela’s hand. They even took the bag! One lady asked me whether she could have the bag I was carrying, but I told her no, I needed it.

We came back for a second round of distribution, and this time we went the opposite direction. Much better choice. People came running, but nothing out of control. We gave one package to the guy selling sugar cane and then bought two sticks of cane from him. Personally, I like sugar cane. Michaela tried it, but she wasn’t crazy about it. But, I give her credit for trying!

 Marg, Emily, and Sherry have been great about helping me network. They invited Michaela and me to walk to a local medical clinic because they were checking on eye surgery for Maxo. The surgery can be done right in Haiti pretty much anytime Gertrude gives the go ahead. Please pray for her to let the surgery happen here instead of waiting for a chance for him to go to the U.S. because that probably won’t happen.

 I’m just getting used to being here, and it’s already time to go. It’s sad, but it helps knowing that I’ll be back so soon—in exactly two months (Jan. 22, 2013). I usually have to wait a LONG time, and it seems weird to think that I’ll be back so soon. And staying. Still trying to get my head wrapped around that.

I Have a Quiz!

Original post date = November 22, 2012

 

We went to TeacHaiti School of Hope today to deliver playground toys, clothes, school supplies, hygiene kits, and letters from Rotolo Middle School. The kids were excited to see us and how 500 questions for Michaela! She patiently answered them all (multiple times!), and each time students wanted to ask a question they said, “I have a quiz.”

 I am bringing back many necklaces and bracelets made by the kids at TeacHaiti, so if anyone wants to buy one, just let me know. They are a variety of sizes and range in price from $5-$20.

 Gertrude and I talked some more about our school. We are going to change the name, but I am too tired to remember it. I will have to e-mail Gertrude when I get back and have her write it down for me.

 

 I don’t know whether it’s good or bad that I am becoming used to what poverty here looks like, but we passed an area today that seemed even more poor than usual. There was a massive ravine down the side of the road, and old clothes hung off the edges as if they were tree roots. It seemed as if there were layers of garbage that had been exposed because of the rains and washout from Hurricane Sandy. Not only was the ravine filled with garbage, but dirty water ran in it, goats fed from it, as did the wild pigs (I think wild boars is a better description!). These pigs are not Wilbur from Charlotte’s Web!

 The roads are exceptionally bad due to the rains. Water everywhere. Many of the roads to the orphanage are so bad that we have to take roundabout ways to get here. The constant swaying from the dips in the road are hard to take, and the constant stop and go to avoid potholes, bumps, and other cars gave me a big headache today. But, I get to leave. And I tell myself “I can do anything for ______ days.” I wonder what my attitude would be like if I knew I would never be able to leave. If this was my life forever? How would I keep a positive attitude? How would I get up every morning and work to earn just barely enough to survive on, if that? I don’t know whether I can ever understand what it is like to live knowing there is nothing different coming on the horizon. I know I am thankful that I haven’t been faced with that type of existence.

 Many thoughts have run through my head today ranging from hope that I can do this—I can tackle the challenge of building this school and seeing it through to completion and have it be self-sustaining—to “what the heck am I thinking?” What makes me think that I have ANY qualifications to even attempt this. Tonight the tears came because I felt so overwhelmed by all that needs to be done. Please pray that God give me the wisdom and the strength and the willingness to work hard to see this project through. Project isn’t the right word. “Project” implies a beginning and an end. God willing, there will be no end to the education the school provides.

 Have to go. Lights and electricity have gone.

Original post date was November 20, 2012.

Good evening! We've had another good dinner and are now sitting down to share the events of the day with you all. In many ways it was a slow day. We hung around the orphanage playing with the kids and spending time with them. Michaela and I planned to go out into the neighborhood to deliver some hygiene packets around 10:30 this morning, but Gertrude asked us to wait until Brilner (one of the workers) could go with us this afternoon. I don't know what happened, but we never went out. So, we'll try to do that tomorrow. There are lots of protests in other parts of town and on main streets, so that might have been why she didn't want us to go by ourselves.

I now am the proud owner of a Haitian phone! Don't know what the phone number is, but as soon as I figure it out, I will pass it on. I also need to figure out the instructions because right now they are in French.

There is another new baby here for the time being--Gertrude named her Alicia. She is two years old, best as they can figure. However, she looks as if she is 10 months old. She is severely malnurished and does not interact with any one. She simply sits and tracks where people move. She doesn't cry, doesn't make noises, and doesn't seem to have emotions. Gertrude says that she won't keep Alicia here because she hopes that there is a Haitian family that will take her in. Please pray.

I am constantly shocked by the under development of kids here. And, we know how that plays out later in life in terms of learning and developing. From the get go, so many kids are behind the eight ball and never catch up.

Gertrude and I talked about school plans tonight. We decided to build the school on the land where the old guesthouse stood. She doesn't plan to rebuild a guesthouse there, so we figure might as well put it to good use. She also thinks that it's in a better location for opening the school up to kids outside of the orphanage. I agree. Please pray for some of the next steps: contacting Gladys about designs, creating a 501c charity organization, and putting a five-year plan together!

We have a name for the school: Notre Maison School for Handicapped Children. I know in American the word "handicapped" would be frowned upon, but here that word does not have the same connotation.

Day One in Country--Take Two

Originally posted on November 19, 2012.

I am so proud of my niece, Michaela. She is here with me on this trip, and she has not complained once about all the delays and troubles. She has simply gone with the flow and been very patient. Her constant refrain was simply: "I just want to see the kids."

So much has changed here at St. Joe's/Notre Maison. The special-needs kids and the girls are in the new barracks which are awesome! The boys have the older part of the orphanage to themselves and no longer have to sleep on the floor. Next to the barracks is a great playground area for the kids to play in. And, the crew is working on building Gertrude her own little "palace" on site. She certainly deserves it!

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

 

Originally posted on November 19, 2012.

It has been a wild ride here! We started out yesterday morning with our plane coming to a stop on the tarmac because a passenger had become a ill. A doctor onboard looked her over and said that she needed to be taken off. So, the paramedics came and took her off. We actually made it to Miami in time to catch our connecting flight (whew). We then sat on the plane for two hours because a bulb needed to be changed on the cockpit controls. Maitenance finally came and determined that the bulb was okay and that a switch was the problem. They put in a new switch. Good. Except by this time the crew had reached their limit in terms of flying time. Another crew was called, and while we waited, we all had to disembark. At the gate I was assured that we would, in fact, be heading out that night. Lie. Our flight was cancelled, and Michaela and I were rebooked on a 6:15 a.m. flight out of Ft. Lauderdale. So, we took a shuttle to Ft. Lauderdale, spent the night at the Sheridan, and took of this morning on time.

Unfortunately, our luggage was still in Miami. We spent the morning in the PAP airport (not much fun) with 1 1/2 hours spent standing in a line to get a piece of paper saying that we could come back in later and get our luggage. Of course, by that time our driver had been sitting in the airport parking lot for three hours! We left without our luggage, but went back later this afternoon to get it. So, we are finally here and settled in. I will post again tonight with more about our time here with the kids.

Thursday--3.29.12 Part Deux

This post was originally published on March 29, 2012.

I spent today at the orphanage just hanging out with the kids. Helped feed Mickey both breakfast and lunch. At breakfast the nannies told me to feed him larger spoonfuls of porridge. I guess my way took too long. Oh well.

After breakfast James and Wilson had to finish their game of Slap Jack (took forever because they don’t quite get all the rules). While they finished up I brought some other kids up to color. The best purchase I brought with me was the A-Z coloring roll! They loved the coloring, and they loved learning new words. It was great because they colored silently, and I got to color some too! Yea!
I wanted Keloke to be able to draw this morning, but he kept getting in trouble. I learned late in the day to say “Pa fe desordre” (Don’t get in trouble), so it didn’t do me much good early in the day. I took a couple of breaks from coloring to sit up on the roof, read, and enjoy the breeze. It is incredibly beautiful up there. Lots of shade and a cooling breeze. I also took some time to get video of the second property that we may purchase.

I took a long break after lunch when the kids nap. It gave me chance to talk with Mimose and Rita some. My kreyol is getting better! I can actually carry on simple conversations. Once the kids were up from naps, it was a blast.

I took some books down to the driveway area and had the kids read so that I could get pictures. It was great! I read to some of the little ones, blew bubbles with some of the older ones, let Ketia “do my hair” which consisted mostly of her pulling it super tight and trying to tie it in knots—Caucasian hair fascinates them! My kreyol is good enough that I can talk with the kids and my French is good enough that I can converse with Roberto. Keloke was in trouble, so he spent much of that time on his knees. However, around 5:00 he was back on his feet, so we sat upstairs together so that he could draw.

I can’t believe that it is my last night. I never do all that I want to, and the end comes so quickly. As I type, I am listening to the kids sing downstairs before going to bed. I would love to sit with them, but I know if I go down they’ll just get all wound up again. So, I’ll just stay upstairs and enjoy my time with them in the morning.

Not Just in America

Original post date = March 29, 2012.

Thursday, March 29, 2012


I know in the States that color is a major issue. Toni Morrison (I think) wrote The Bluest Eye. Michael Jackson (allegedly) tried to make his skin whiter. So much baggage about outer appearances. I thought it was just an American problem. But it’s not. It’s everywhere. Which is too bad.

The other night I was talking with Julia and Rosie. Rosie is Gertrude’s daughter. She spent about 15 months in the States right after the earthquake. Julia is Haitian born and was adopted by a German couple when she was just a baby. She is now 21 and has come to PAP with a group from Germany who has been building the bunkhouse out back for the kids.

Both girls commented on how they wished they had hair like mine and blue eyes like mine. Made me sad. Both are beautiful girls, yet they wanted to look like someone else. Someone not even of their race. They didn’t see beauty in their own looks. I can sort of see how they developed their attitude because both girls have been exposed to modern media. The saddest part for me was in watching Keloke draw this afternoon.

Keloke is about 9 and is a great artist! He loves to draw and has a great eye for it. Some kids sent a sketch book with me, so I had Gertrude give it to him and explain what it was for. While he drew today, all his people had Caucasian features: bone structure, hair texture, hair color, eye color, and skin color. Here’s a boy who has only known Haitian culture and has only been exposed to Caucasian visitors, yet his drawings are not of people who look like him.
How has this idea that “white” is somehow better permeated even the minds of young Haitians who have so little exposure to pop culture?

Why can’t he see the beauty and value in how he looks?

Why not draw the features of the people he sees every day?

I had already decided to bring him some drawing books on my next visit, but I am going to look for a book that teaches how to draw people with African features. My hope is that Keloke will turn his talents toward creating images of people who look like him and share his culture.

Wednesday--TeacHaiti School of Hope

Originally posted on March 29, 2012.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Today was a long day even though I didn’t do a whole lot. The morning started with teaching some of the kids to play Slap Jack. That went over pretty well—the boys liked it more than the girls. I think it’s because the boys just like to slap anything they can. It became a bit competitive between Wilson and James. James is Gertrude’s godson, and he comes to stay here when he is on a school vacation. That way he can get three meals a day.

I was also able to give Keloke his very own drawing tablet. He loves to draw and is quite good at it. I had Gertrude explain to him that the tablet belonged just to him for his drawings. He was so shy about it, and when he finally understood, a big smile broke out on his face. Rarely do the kids ever have something of their very own that I think he was way surprised. Gertrude made sure that he understood that she would keep it safe and that when he wanted to draw he could ask her for it and draw upstairs so that the other kids didn’t ruin it.
There have been problems lately with the kids grabbing the slow eaters’ food. They are always hungry even though they have 3 meals a day (unheard of for kids in Haiti). I’m guessing that as the boys get older and their bodies are trying to grow, it takes more to fill them up! But, what can Gertrude do? How do feed so many growing kids in a super poor country?

I HAVE A COUPLE OF PRAYER REQUESTS!

Two of the kids here have great need. One is a four-year-old boy named Maxo. He is blind because he was born with cataracts. Gertrude has numerous contacts with surgeons in the States who have volunteered to do the surgery, and there are numerous families who said that their homes are open to him prior to and post-surgery. Maxo could easily see, and the sooner the surgery is done, the better for him. However, obtaining a visa poses problems for Gertrude. Social Services asked her to take in Maxo, but now that is the very agency that is making it hard for to obtain the visa. She has to get his birth certificate, but Social Services is making it hard for to do so! Such is life in Haiti. Could you please pray that doors are open for Gertrude and that the birth certificate be delivered quickly so that the visa process can get underway?

The other child in need is a baby named Kendina. She is just 8 months old and has been with Gertrude only for about 4 months. She went to the hospital today for shots and a health check, and they said that she was malnourished. It is important that she receive even more nutrients so that she can develop normally. Please pray that her little body respond to the food and formula that Gertrude is able to provide. She already faces so many challenges in life simply by being born in Haiti, she doesn’t need any more difficulties!

The bulk of my day was spent visiting TeacHaiti School of Hope. The school has grown to two buildings, and Miquette plans to expand it again next year. I had a great time observing in some of the classrooms and talking with the staff. They are a dedicated bunch. They do so much with so little. It’s a reminder to me TO NEVER COMPLAIN. The school wants to create a computer lab and develop a library for next school year. Anyone with slightly used computers that they’d like to donate to a great school in Haiti? Let me know. If you donate, I will find a way to get them to Haiti. I will also take any and all donations of books (English and French) or money to purchase said books. I am not above begging if I need to!

Some of the kids have been naughty tonight. Going to see whether I can a couple who aren’t in trouble and see if they want to color!

Day in PAP

 

Original post date was March 29, 2012.

I've been having trouble with Internet access all week, so I'm updating the blog all at once. At the end of each day, I wrote about my experiences in a word document so that it would be fresh in my mind.


Today I spent with my friend Orio. He took me around PAP so that I could visit the Hotel Dumbala, Rue Villate, the Petionville Club, and the Palace in downtown PAP. It took us all day to do those things because getting around the city is so difficult. The traffic is stop and go the entire time, the vehicles all spew black exhaust that takes its toll on the breathing, none of the vehicles are new, and there are basically no street signs. We left the guesthouse at 10:00 in the morning and returned at 5:00.

I did lots of “firsts” today: my first “moto taxi” rides, my first tap tap rides, my first ride in a Haitian bus, and my first time walking along the Haitian roadways. Not a bad day! I was going to bring a bike with me next year when I come, but I’ve decided that I want to buy motorcycle instead. That would be way more fun! Gertrude wants a motorcycle, too, so the two of us can go tooling around town together.

When we visited the Hotel Dumbala and the Petionville Club, the staff were great about letting us come in and walk around even though we weren’t members at the club or staying at the hotel. All I had to do was tell them that my family had been there when I was little and they let us look around and take pictures.

Oriol and I walked through the Petionville market, and he told me that most Haitians prefer shopping in the open markets as verses the grocery stores because the markets are cheaper. I get that, but it is so crowded, busy, and noisy I don’t see how they do it. Somehow they know what is good, what is a fair price, and who to go to. I guess it works the same way at our farmers’ markets, but the apparent lack of order boggles my mind.

I couldn’t decide during the day whether I loved PAP or hated it. I find the city fascinating in so many ways. On the one hand, it is dirty, loud, and crazy, which I found overwhelming. And, getting around in the city is so difficult! Few, if any, road signs. A tap tap system that has no order to it that a foreigner can figure out. Garbage everywhere. Crowded. Amazingly crowded! I was glad to get back to Notre Maison/St. Joe’s for the relative quiet of 41 kids running around playing.

Even with all its flaws, though, the city functions. People eke out a living. Everyone (except for 4 people) worked. Everyone sold something: belts, water, juice, food. You name it, people worked to make a couple dollars a day. It breaks my heart to see such a willingness to work and yet receive so few fruits of their labor.

It was an exciting night with the kids! While we were eating, a fight broke out amongst three of the special needs kids. Natalie was kicking Mickey, so Mickey grabbed her foot to make her stop. Junior thought that Mickey was picking on Natalie, so Junior dumped Mickey out of his wheelchair and started hitting him. Of course, the other kids circled up and started cheering the fight on (kids are the same everywhere!). You’d have thought the world was ending given the racket that drifted upstairs! The kids were then put on “silence” after supper, which the younger boys had a hard time with, so we had about 6-7 five year olds kneeling upstairs for a couple of hours! Crazy! I really don’t understand how Gertrude does it. Somehow she raises the funds, manages the various projects, oversees the staff of 25, and loves the kids unconditionally. Through it all, her faith remains strong. She believes that God has determined that this is the place He needs her and that He will see her through it. From what I’ve experienced here and seen here, I think she’s right. What a privilege it is to be a small part of this work.

I will write more tomorrow (Wednesday). I plan to visit TeacHaiti School of Hope and spend some time there. I hope to have pictures and video to post at some time if I can get the stuff to actually download!

No photos or video because nothing downloads for me

School!

The original post occurred on March 26, 2011, and contained a video clip.

Well, Gertrude and I talked about the the school that we want to build. We have two options for land: one lot right next door which is nice and big and another lot across an alley which is smaller. Both could work; we just need to find out who owns them and then negotitate a price. So, Gertrude's job is to figure out ownership, and my job is to start fundraising! We have our jobs cut out for us, but I feel certain that it is the right thing to do. I spent today with the special needs kids, and they could do so much more! There just isn't enough staff, enough space, enough knowledge to move them along. A school that focuses on their needs is definitely needed, and that school must be staffed with trained OTs and PTs. I have a lot of learning to, but I have some ideas on where to go to start learning--my awesome colleagues at RMS!

Which One?

Original post date = March 26, 2012.

Which one? That is the question I've been asking myself all morning. Which child do I hold? Every one of the kids clammers to be held. I pick up one, but for how long to I hold this child? Five minutes? Ten minutes? I wonder whether I should hold each child for a short time and be able to give everyone a chance to receive special attention, or should I hold just one child for a long time?

Which one needs the time to bond with a person in order to prevent attachment disorders and learning/social/emotional issues in the future? These thoughts ran through my head all morning as I tried to give attention to the kids. Especiallly the babies. Gertrude has brought home two babies since I was here last March. Both girls are about 6-7 months old. This is such a critical time for babies to be held so that they can develop "normally." Are there enough visitors who will come through to give these two little girls the "cuddle time" that they need? The workers are busy feeding, changing diapers, teaching, doing laundry,cleaning, and cooking--where will they find the time to simply sit and be with a child?

I think of the students that I've had who've been adopted from foreign orphanages and the challenges that they face because of the early months and years of their lives. Which ones of these children will face those same challenges because they've not been held?

However, I know that Gertrude's children are the lucky ones. They live in an orphanage that is WAY better than most in Haiti. They receive three meals a day and an education. They are held and played with everytime mission teams come to Notre Maison/St. Joe's.

It is good to be here and have time to just be. And while I am "being," I'll hold some kids and we can "be" together.

What's Up with Daylight Savings Time??

Original post date was March 25, 2012.

Well, I have arrived safely in PAP once again. It's been a long day, and I have to admit I'm ready for bed. It has been good to talk with Gertrude some and say hi to the kids. I still mix up Wilberson and Wilson--I don't know whether I will ever get it right!

My flight to Miami took off an hour late which had me a bit worried because I only had about an hour to catch my connecting flight in Miami. The stewardess assured me that I would have enough time. I believed her. I was having a hard time figuring out how I would have plenty of time since they started boarding the flight at 1:30 and we didn't arrive until 1:45. Hmm . . . . Of course, the flight wasn't supposed to leave until 2:25. Anyway, we landed, I got off, learned that my gate was at D24. We had landed at D3. According to my watch I had 20 minutes to get to my gate. Not a problem! Until I heard "Last Call for flight 575 to Port-au-Prince." I quickened my pace and then decided that I best run. So I ran the last 75 yards and just barely--BARELY--made it. So much for plenty of time.

The flight to PAP went smoothly, but I was confused about time again. I originally was supposed to land at 3:20 P.M. Then AA e-mailed me to tell me that my new arrival time was 4:20 P.M. Then I read in the paper that Haiti was, for the first time, going on Daylight Savings. Or off it. I don't know. I had told Gertrude that I would be in at 3:20. Then 4:20. But, all the flight information today said that my arrival time would be 3:20. Would that be before or after daylight savings??? Turns out, none of it mattered because Gertrude FORGOT TO PICK ME UP! Which turned out to be okay. I was able to stand at the airport for 90 minutes and meet Daniel, Ents, and Cliff, three young men who looked for Gertrude's driver for me, called Gertrude, even bought some beers (well, I paid for them, but Ents dashed across the street to purchase them). All in all, it wasn't a bad start to this trip. Daniel eventually got ahold of Gertrude, and she came with her brother. So, all is well in Haiti. Will try to post some pictures and/or video tomorrow. Lots has changed at the orphanage--all for the better!

Thank God for the Little Things!

 

This was originally posted on November 5, 2011.

I'm thinking specifically of my small bladder. Yes, that's right . . . a small bladder. For the first time in my life, a small bladder was an asset. I had to leave the dinner area to search for a bathroom, and I saw a secret service agent coming from the kitchen area. Then came President Carter and Roselyn Carter. The agent stopped next to me and said, "How are you doing?"

"Fine," I answered.

We continued on to the bank of elevators where local authorities had secured an elevator for the president and his contingency. I stood in front of the elevators while President Carter walked by. I was just 3 feet from him!

I wanted to say, "Hey, nice to meet you.". I didn't, though. I just watched. Then he got into the elevator and left. But, I saw a president. Talk about cool.

Listening to the speakers tonight has energized me, humbled me, and inspired me. I did learn that I will be building houses 613 and 614. I will be one of 8 people working on those houses, which means 4 people per house. Hard to comprehend how 4 people can build house in 5 days.

Habit Trip

Original post date: November 5, 2011.

 

I'm here in Atlanta waiting for the program to begin tonight. I have to admit . . . I'm pretty overwhelmed by it all. I can hardly believe that I am a part of something so big! It's pretty cool to be surrounded by so many people who all have the same desire . . . To help the people of Haiti. I don't know the reasons that everyone is here--love of building, faith, adventure, respect for Habitat, love of Haiti--but no matter what motivates us to be a part of this trip, we are going to touch people's lives. And allow ourselves to be affected by the men and women we encounter. Part of my feeling overwhelmed today comes from my feeling so inadequate to be here. What do I know about building houses? My language skills really are minimal . . . a few Creole lessons does not make me fluent. And a handful of visits over the last couple of years does not make an expert on Haiti. But I'm doing it anyway! I pray and trust that God would not have brought me here if this wasn't where I needed to be. To learn and grow.

My plan is to take in as much as I can and do my best to share what I see, experience, and learn as faithfully as I can.

God's Peace.

Upcoming Trip

Original post date: August 18, 2011.

I'm back. The summer has been eventful with trips to the Boundary Waters and to Alaska. Even though I wasn't able to get to Haiti, I have continued to be in touch with my friends there and have been able to make plans for my next visit.

Back in June I applied for and was accepted as a part of the Jimmy and Roslyn Carter Work Project through Habitat for Humanity International. As a part of that group, I will travel with former President Carter to Leogane, Haiti, and build houses for those hit most by the earthquake of January 2010. I am excited for this new opportunity; I don't know exactly what the trip will be like, but I will do my best to keep all of you posted. For this trip I must raise $5000, and my friends and family continue to be amazingly generous. If you are interested in supporting Habitat and me on this journey, please click on this link and offer your support: http://www.habitat.org/cd/cwp/participant/participant.aspx?pid=90690266.

In other news, I have been in touch with Gertrude a couple of times, and we plan to go ahead with our ideas about creating a school near the orphanage that would serve poor kids in the neighborhood and/or the special needs children in the area. Please be praying for this new endeavor!

Jamie

The Best Laid Plans . . .

The original post date for this blog was July 8, 2011.

I had great intentions to update this blog with pictures and video as the school year wound down, thinking I would have more free time on my hands. That didn't happen. Then, I thought I would update it early in the summer when I didn't have to think about school at all. That didn't happen either.

I've finally been home for a week after some wonderful vacationing, and I have committed myself to getting a handle on my blogging.

First and foremost, I want to add pictures and more video from my trip in March. After that, I want to fill you in on some developments in regards to my next trip to Haiti.

In the black and white photo at the top you see Sophie. She was 4 years old in March when I took the picture. Her grandmother Rita is a good friend of Gertrude's, and I met Rita and Sophie back in November . I had agreed to sponsor Sophie for living expenses and for her schooling in the fall. Unfortunately, I received word in late May that Sophie had died. I was distraught to hear the news and contacted Gertrude to find out what had happened.

Constipation happened. CONSTIPATION. In this country, we can go to any drug store and find shelves lined with options to deal with this situation: Ex-Lax, Duralax, Miralax. And that's just a few for adults. I'm sure there are options for children; or, parents simply make an appointment with the pediatritian for a prescription suitable for children.

But, in Haiti--and other places like it--first-world options are not so readily available, and constipation becomes a killer.

Saying Goodbye

 

Original post date: April 2, 2011

I typed this last night, but the internet was too slow to send.

Can’t believe it’s my last night here in PAP for this trip. Gertrude’s guesthouse feels so much like home . . . the neighborhood feels familiar . . . the kids know me . . . I know the kids. It seems unreal that such close connections have developed in 3 weeks spread out over 18 months. But it’s happened. I will always want to know how Gertrude, the kids, and the workers are doing. I don’t know when I’ll be back. I don’t like how that feels. I knew when I left in November that I would be coming back for this trip. I doubt I’ll get back over the summer, and I may not have a week off for Thanksgiving. So, I leave tomorrow not sure what my return plans can be. I’ll start looking for opportunities, and pray that God show me when I should return. Anyone want to come with??? It’s pretty different, but it’s also pretty good !

Today was laid back in many ways. The kids were all here because there was no school today; trimester exams finished yesterday, and now they have a 2 week break. In the morning I took some of the girls across the street to play soccer. That really confused the boys! They were aghast that the girls got to go and they didn’t! Let’s see, after soccer Oriol and I walked down to the market to buy cokes and cookies for the kids for their afternoon snack. Andrew’s money has gone quite a ways. All of the kids old enough to go for walks have done so, and I (he) was able to buy the treats for this afternoon. However, there is still a ton of money left. So, Marg, Emily, and Sherry (3 women I met last November) are back, and they love to take the kids for walks and buy them treats. I explained what Andrew had given, and they agreed to keep taking kids out next week and use the rest of Andrew’s money to treat the kids. They love the idea that Andrew’s generosity will continue.

If anyone is interested in buying some jewelry made here in Haiti, I’m bringing back a few of the necklaces that Miquette’s students made. Miquette usually brings a bunch back in the summer to sell as she speaks at different churches, so I told her that I’d try to sell some for her. Lots of men and women make bracelets and necklaces because it is an easy trade to learn and selling just one necklace at $20 can be a substantial income in a place where many people make less than a dollar a day. Oriol, Gertrude’s driver, has a good education, speaks 3 languages, and is slowly saving money up to get his teaching certificate; working for Gertrude he makes $60 a month, or $2 a day. He lives with his parents and two siblings, and together they are able to maintain a household. Life here is not cheap either. The little money that Haitians make doesn’t even begin to cover the cost of living. It barely meets the cost of surviving.

I have blog set up thanks to my most amazing cousin T.J. I have tried to send him pictures and video, but the Internet is too slow here to do that. When I get back, I will post (T.J.—I’m counting on your to help me with this!) pictures, video, and other information that may interest you. My hope is that you will visit the site and keep track of what is going on here and stay in touch with how the children are doing. And, if Gertrude and I follow through on our plans for an English school, you’ll be able to follow the progress on the blog!

I can’t thank you enough for your support on this journey. I am humbled to know that you trust me to come to Haiti in your stead and use your support dollars to help Gertrude continue her work with orphans, to help Miquette give the poor children an education, and to help teachers gather resources that they might otherwise not have. Please continue to pray for everyone here; I don’t know what the answers are for Haiti, but I do know that this place and its people need all the prayers that we can offer up.

Love,

Jamie

Thursday

 

Original post date: April 1, 2011

Another day gone and much to tell. I spent some time this morning with Oriol working on my Creole. I’m actually starting to understand how the language works and can speak in simple sentences. And, if people speak v-e-r-y slowly, then I can understand them. The kids have been very helpful in my efforts to learn the language as well. They don’t mind repeating themselves over and over, and when I shrug my shoulders and say “I don’t get it,” they just giggle and try again.

          Oriol took me back to the Sisters in Cite Soleil around 9:00. Sister Emma wasn’t there, but I was still able to visit the kindergarten class that I observed on Tuesday. They are taking their trimester exams right now, so Carolle, the teacher, put me to work giving the tests! The kids are working on basics like 1st, 2nd, 3rd, between, left, right, above, below, etc. I sat with kids and read the tests to them so that they could do what they needed to do: draw a ball on the left side of the table, circle the 2nd mouse, circle the object in between the pipe and the hat, draw a square. It gave me great appreciation for all people who teach little kids . . . there is no way I could do it!
Sister Emma and I sat for a bit and talked after she returned. I understand most of what she says, but she figured me out quickly . . . I tend to smile and nod and say that I understand even if I don’t get it completely. So, she makes me repeat to her what she has said to check to see whether I understand. I guess fibbing to a Sister doesn’t work!

          Back at the guesthouse I took Jephte for his walk and treat. I don’t think he’s really been outside of gate much because as soon as we turned the corner he became wide-eyed at all that he saw: goats, trucks, lots of people. It was like a whole new world to see. He was especially fascinated by the big trucks . . . little boys are the same all over: obsessed with trucks. On each walk I venture in a different direction in order to learn my way around. I never turn too many corners, though, because I’m still a bit afraid of getting lost. Jephte and I sat across the way from the guesthouse as he finished his drink. As usual, a young Haitian stopped to talk with me. The conversation eventually came around to the same two topics that usually come up: will you help me learn English and I need money.

          I had the same conversation with another young man later in the day while I watched the kids play soccer: I need $20 to ___________. Just fill in the blank with any reason. Everybody in Haiti needs money. Everybody here is in need: food, housing, medicine, clothes, gas. You name it, it’s needed here. I’m just beginning to understand the scope of the both the need and the corruption that has caused it. I don’t know how one breaks that culture of corruption, or whether that is even possible. What I am figuring out is that the smaller the operation, the better. Small aid organizations do better at getting the help to people than larger NGOs (Non-Government Organizations). I think one of the reasons that small is better is that more meaningful relationships are developed that way. It is easier to know the people and meet the needs when you are in contact via e-mail or by phone. A person can visit a school or an orphanage or a clinic and see what is needed and can then do something to meet that need. I know money is needed to get things done, and I am learning that I feel more comfortable giving to a person rather than an organization. There are greater problems in Haiti than I can solve or that I have the money to fix; but, I will keep supporting Gertrude and others like her as they take care of the kids here in Haiti.

          Speaking of kids. I was reminded again this afternoon why I work with middle school age kids and not elementary. I gave four of the boys—Jameson, Edson, Wilson, and Keloke—letters from our 8th grade French students. The plan was to have them read the letters and then write a letter back. Yea, that didn’t go so well. First of all, they have the attention spans of gnats! The boys range in age from 7-10, and they couldn’t stop grabbing each other’s paper, peeling stickers off the paper and sticking them each other, or falling of their chairs and giggling hysterically! After 40 minutes, each boy had scratched out 2-3 sentences of barely intelligible French. Even Gertrude couldn’t read most of what the boys had written. Don’t know what the plan is for tomorrow when I work with the girls, but I know it will be different. Maybe divide and conquer: only one girl at a time. That I might be able to handle.

          Right now Sophia is sitting next to me while I type. She is 4 years old and has been to the states for heart surgery when she was just a baby. She will need more surgery as she gets older, but for now she is fine. Sophia lives with her Grandmother in Carrefour. Her mother is unable to care for her, and her grandmother is thinking of giving her up for adoption because she cannot afford to care for her either. Sophia’s grandmother, Rita, is a good friend of Gertrude’s and often comes to visit. I met them both in November when I was here, and it is good to see them both.
I’m going to get going so that I can play with Sophia a bit before she has to go to bed.

Jamie

If the jar says grapefruit, then . . .

Originally posted on March 30, 2011.

I sat down this morning for my breakfast of toast, peanut butter, fresh mangoes, and scrambled eggs. Randy picks up the jar and asks, “What is coiffiture?” as he hands it to me.

I answer, “Jam. Looks like it’s grapefruit jam.” Randy decides to try some and announces that it’s okay. “Tastes like it’s been spiced with cumin or something.” Both Anna and I try some with our toast and peanut butter. It’s okay, but it really doesn’t taste like any jam I’ve had. Okay . . . really . . . it didn’t go with toast and peanut butter at all. And, if there was grapefruit in it, the grapefruit was hiding pretty well!

Enter Gertrude. She looks at the table and says something in Creole to the cook. Gertrude picks up the jar of suspect grapefruit jam and continues to talk in Creole. The two of them laugh. I look at her and say, “That’s not grapefruit jam, is it?”

Gertrude answers, “No, you don’t eat this for breakfast. It’s something I make on my own. It’s mangoes with hot red peppers and curry. You’re supposed to eat it on rice.”

No wonder it didn’t go so well with peanut butter!

Other than the slight mistake at breakfast the day went well. My ride picked me up at 10:30. His name is Denie, and he is Miquette’s brother. He took me to the school at which Miquette works. It’s an American school in the Delmas area, and the students are both American children and Haitian kids. Miquette works there as a nurse. We took some time to talk about her plans for the jewelry school that she has set up at the TeacHaiti School of Hope site. She is teaching the some kids who are in 7^th/8^th grade to make bracelets and necklaces to sell. Then a portion of the profit goes into a bank account that Miquette established for the kids. The money will be saved to help pay for more schooling for the kids such as high school and college.

We did drive over to the school site itself so that we could drop off some supplies. I learned that Miquette does have an address in Haiti to which mail can be sent. She will have the students at TeacHaiti write letters back to Rotolo’s 8^th graders who wrote letters for me to bring. Rotolo students can then continue to write, and we hope to set up a pen pal system between the two schools!

When I returned to the orphanage I took a short break before taking Michael, Shirley, and Wolton for their walk and treat. All three are around 4-5 years old, and they are just adorable! After their walk I took the older kids across the way to the “soccer field” so that they could play “football” for a bit. I have some great video . . . I just wish the internet would move faster so that I could download it for you to see!

Oh! I forgot to mention the goat head! We walked the kids to school this morning which means we went through the market. We passed one stand, and the lady was cutting up the goat to sell, and staring at us passers-by was the goat’s head. I’m used to seeing fish presented that way, but I must admit it was the first time I’ve seen the head of a goat waiting to be sold. Goats and grapefruit . . . what more can a person ask for in a day?

Lots of talk today about making plans to return for an extended trip and spend 5-6 months here. Miquette suggested that I look into working at Quisqueya Christian School. She said it would give me time to work with Gertrude’s children on weekends and become a part of the culture while having a place to work and live. Gertrude and I talked about opening an English school on the property next door. We decided we would offer English, music, art, French, math, and history. We think we could convince Oriol to teach the music. I could live at the orphanage and work right next door. We had it all planned and figured out in about 30 minutes!

Who knows what will play out . . . I just know that I want to keep coming back and seriously look at how I could live and work here for 5-6 months. During that time I want to use any skills that I have to help the kids here have a better future, and like most places in the world, an education is the place to start. So, I ask you to pray for opportunities. Opportunities for me to return. Opportunities for me to make connections and develop relationships with people. Opportunities for me to listen and hear what God is telling me to do. And, as always, pray for the children of Haiti . . . that opportunities arise for them

Love,

Jamie

Lounges and Lines

Re-posted from March 30, 2011.

Tonight, my brain hurts. Seriously. It hurts. Trying to understand French all day requires lots more brain power than I remember. Gives me great appreciation for all our ELL students who have to think in a foreign language all day every day. Not only do they have to think in a foreign language, but they are also expected to learn in that foreign language and navigate the social customs of a fickle adolescent world. No wonder they sometimes tune out . . . it’s just easier! I know that if I even didn’t focus for a couple of seconds today I completely lost the focus of the sentence. Not the conversation, mind you. But the sentence. I had to concentrate that much in order to converse just a little bit. Like I said, my brain hurts.

          My friend Oriol drove me to the school in Cite Soleil. Gertrude had said that it was within walking distance, but I think that’s just crazy talk! I did explain that I thought “walking distance” was about 3 miles, but this was way more than 3 miles away! For those of you who don’t know, Cite Soleil is the poorest area in Haiti and very well may be the poorest area in the western hemisphere. It’s hard to believe that people live in such poverty. But, in the midst of that poverty, the Sisters of Charity have created an amazing oasis of safety and calm in the violent storm of Cite Soleil. I entered the gates of the compound and felt as if I had walked into another world: shade, quiet, cleanliness, order. They don’t just run a pre-school. They also run a hospital, a malnutrition center for undernourished children, a trade school for the mothers of the kids who attend the pre-school, and an elementary school! It appears to run like clockwork. While the kids are in school, the moms are at the trade school sewing and making cards in order to learn skills that will make them money. Then, when the school day ends at 1:00, the moms go to the classrooms to pick up their kids. In fact, pretty much all of the kids are walked home by a parent or an older sibling . . . sounds a lot like in the U.S.A!

          I had lunch with the sisters in their home which is also very calm and peaceful. The sisters cracked me up . . . they’re a funny bunch, and they come from all over: Mexico, Italy, Brazil, Haiti, and Colombia. My plan is return on Thursday so that I can observe in the classroom more.

          Sunday during my layover in Fort Lauderdale, I overhead a disgruntled man say, “I need lounges. I need lines.” He appeared to like the airport about as much as I did! The place was chaotic. There are not many sit-down places. The number of people filled the place to capacity. I bet he really felt that he needed lounges and lines. I’ve been thinking a lot about his comment since I’ve been here in PAP. Don’t we all need our lounges and our lines? Don’t we all want order and comfort? What that looks like for each of us, though, is going to be very different. For the man in Fort Lauderdale, it probably really meant a lounge with comfortable seats and order to the whole process of finding a place and getting one’s food and drink. And that’s okay. For the children of Cite Soleil their lounge was the small cafeteria where they are fed two meals a day consisting of rice and some chicken. And on weekends they don’t eat because there is no school. Their “order” looks like sitting silently while they eat because that is the discipline of the school. Neither perspective is right or wrong or good or bad. They are just different. Both provide comfort to the people experiencing them. I keep wondering whether we (the people of the world) can bring those two experiences closer together. That doesn’t mean that everyone has to have the same . . . that wouldn’t work in a world with such vastly different cultures. But, what can we do to help ensure that everyone has enough to eat, a secure place to live, and access to education that will help them earn a living? What can we do to make sure that all people have their “lounges and lines”?

          As I keep trying to figure out what my role is in this process of making sure that people have “enough,” I am meeting some amazing people who are doing amazing work. I am able to experience life in ways that have changed me profoundly. Every day I am humbled with the understanding of just how blessed I am: with family, friends, work, home, health. Don’t know when—if ever—I’ll understand my role completely, but in the mean time, I thank God for what He has put in my life.

Time to say good night.

Jamie

Day 1 Mon 3/28/2011

This was originally posted on March 29, 2011.  I am re-posting it because I needed to create a new blog address.

I’m back to recount the first full day in Port-au-Prince! As usual, the skies were blue and the sun blazed down all day. I had hoped to visit a school run by Gertrude’s sister, but school was canceled today because of a strike to protest the high cost of gas (some issues are the same everywhere, I guess). So, I improvised.
I haven’t shared this with all of you, but I want to let you know about this amazing thing that one of my students did. One day before school, Andrew came into my room and handed me a wad of bills. He said that he had been saving it up for something (his word) but he wanted me to have it so that I could use it to help the kids in Haiti. I was floored. My mouth hung open as I tried to find the words to thank him. I fill you in on that because I decided to use the money he donated to take small groups of the kids on walks everyday and stop along the way to buy them treats that they otherwise don’t get. This morning two other ladies staying here came with me, and we took Lovely, Mimose, and Ketia down to the market so that they could have some one-on-one time and have a treat. This afternoon, I took some boys—Wilson, Edson, Jameson, and Mickey (he’s in a wheelchair)—and we walked around the neighborhood. The boys looked at a number of little stands along the way, scoping out the one that had the best snacks! Looks like kids are kids, no matter where they are.
I made sure to take pictures and get some short video of the kids; I hope to be able to share with Andrew the good he did by being willing to share his money with kids he doesn’t even know. I’m still in awe of the generosity of a 14-year-old boy.
The rest of the day was spent teaching the kids some English, taking them to the dirt field across the way to play soccer, and teaching them (make that trying to teach them) Simon Says. With Gertrude’s help the kids finally caught on. The biggest problem was my limited Creole skills! With the help of some of the nannies I was able to get the kids to do some crazy things . . . my plan is to use the game to work on English skills later in the week. Of course, I have to demonstrate everything right now, so I probably will look a bit goofy, too!
The last thing on the agenda tonight is to find the match box cars so that the kids can play with them before bedtime. Then, I get to clean up before hitting the hay.
I have so many thoughts running through my head that it’s hard to put them into words. I hope to find the time tomorrow to sit down and go through all those thoughts and make them coherent before I try to share my observations. For now, good night. And thanks for all your thoughts and prayers.

Flight Down

Reposted from from old blog site.  Original post date was March 29, 2011

Hello everyone! I finally made it to Haiti . . . it was a much longer journey than I thought it would be. I arrived at O’Hare on Saturday morning (thanks to by good friend Susan who was willing to get up at 4:00 A.M. to play chauffeur) and was at the gate ready to go in plenty of time. Unfortunately, 30 minutes before we were to start boarding, they announced that the flight had been canceled. I guess there was a fire at the gas farm at Miami International a couple of days earlier, and flights had to be canceled because it was taking so long to refuel planes. After spending 40 minutes on hold I talked with an American Airlines rep. who was able to rebook me on a flight today. As much as she tried, there was no way to get flights out that could get me to Port-au-Prince on Saturday. So . . . I called Susan back and she drove back in to get me.
Instead of making Susan get up again at 4:00 in the morning, I had a limo service pick me up this morning at 5:00. We made good time, and I again arrived in plenty of time. I’m glad that I checked in online last night so that when I arrived at O’Hare all I had to do was check my bags at a self-serve kiosk. The first security check I went to was closed because so many people were in line. The next one wasn’t much better, but I lucked out! I hadn’t looked at my new ticket super closely, but I discovered when I entered the security line that I had been bumped up to FIRST CLASS! I was one of those lucky people who gets to go straight to the front of the line! I also was served delicious hot breakfast of hash browns, a cheese and spinach omelet, and fresh fruit . . . who knew first class was so luxurious. Not to mention the extra leg room and a blanket.
Upon landing I quickly discovered that I do not like Fort Lauderdale International Airport. Lots of people and very little space. And, I had to spend more time there than I wanted to. We boarded the plan, and as soon as everyone was settled the captain came on to tell us that we would all have to get off because the plane’s breaks weren’t working so well. It would be about an hour for them to either fix the breaks or find us a new plane (they found us a new plane . . . I like that choice!). While I waited, I had to find ways to let Gertrude know that I would be late . . . hard to do when you don’t have an international phone to call from and you can’t get the internet access to work. Thanks to Joanna (whom I met on my first trip to Haiti) Gertrude got the message that I would be late, and then Susan e-mailed my ETA when I knew our departure time.
The smoothest part of the whole trip occurred in Haiti . . . customs not an issue, knew to rent a cart for my bags, was able to let the attendant know (in French) which bags were mine, found my good friend Oriole outside waiting for me, and I managed to do all that while keeping the many eager “helpers” from touching my bags (because the attitude is that if someone even touches a bag then you should pay them for their “help”).
I’ve settled into the guesthouse, hugged lots of kids, been peed on once, eaten supper, and now I hope to sketch out plans for the rest of the week. I’ll stay in touch and let you know how my time goes.

Love,
Jamie