flight frenzy

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Nicole and I left the compound around 7am to meet two teams at the airport in Port-au-Prince (PAP). I was so incredibly excited to just get off the the piece of land I call home that I didn't mind getting up early, sitting in a truck without being able to drive for a combined 3 hours, and then waiting around in the hot sun for a bunch of Americans to walk out of the "terminal." I also knew that this trip would give me an opportunity to view some of the sights that I had only seen once before, when I first arrived to Haiti. I welcomed the opportunity to observe life and culture on this excursion and potentially even take pictures. Nicole and I discussed the previous week and some expectations for roles and responsibilities for the upcoming week as the team arrived during portions of the hour and a half ride. At times I would interrupt conversation to ask questions about buildings and views out our windows. Occasionally she would interject to provide additional details concerning culture, life, and language that came to mind.

After arriving in PAP, we circled the airport to find a place to park and wait for the incoming flights. Unsure of the exact flight info, we left the truck about 15 minutes after the plane was supposed to land in hopes of spotting two 20-something American women as they left the security of the airport. We stood on the outside of barriers which were erected about 6 feet from the gate surrounding the exit. After an hour and a half of attempting to gather information about the flight from the porters who will milling about between the barriers and gate waiting for work, we were informed that the flight had not arrived and wouldn't for a while yet. Despite the fact that the plane was scheduled to arrive at 8:45am, we were informed that Sunday means that the flights will arrive as they please because the airlines lie. Nicole and I also realized that all the blancs, smart, and/or seemingly important people were being escorted around the barriers and inside the gate to sit on a short concrete wall underneath the canvas tent covering just inside the gate.

Instead of spending more time standing in the sun, we all left to get lunch. We drove 4 minutes up the road and entered a gas station. My first thought looking in the windows was that the place was not open, which practically seemed to be confirmed as we stepped inside the door. Despite the somewhat cooler air (thanks to A.C.), the lack of lights, the empty convenience store appliances lining the walls, and the vacant counters implied that the business wasn't actually established. I was proven wrong as we meandered looking for refrigerated beverages and made sandwich orders. Clement was disappointed to learn that they were not serving hotdogs but managed to deal with eating a chicken sub instead. I was ecstatic to see Oh Henry! candy bars and Gatorade for my sweet tooth. I didn't even mind that the bathrooms didn't have toilet paper or water to wash my hands... at least I wasn't forced to find a place outside to squat.

We returned to the airport where we fairly easily were able to locate the two girls. I mean considering the lack of and contradictory information we had to work with the entire process was cake. We walked the girls and their luggage back to the truck, narrowly misses death at times because traffic was so congested and pedestrians do not have the right of way in Haiti. Nevertheless we arrived safely at the vehicle where conversation ensued about who was owed what and how much for the services they provided in delivering us and the bags.

After sorting through that group, Nicole and I elected to stay at the truck with the girls while Mimi and Clement went back to the gate to collect the other group who was arriving on a following flight. We had been informed that the plane had already landed moments before we spotted the girls. Quite some time passed as we sat in the bed of the truck attempting to give Leanna and Alexis some quick cultural emersion. Eventually we saw a mass group of people approaching. More chaos ensued as bags were placed on trucks and people continued to ask for money. We all moved into the bus which was chartered to drive the group into L'acul and happened to be parked two vehicles away from the truck.

We got on the bus and the driver started to take off before Nicole realized we were missing a couple people. I'll spare you all the complicated details, but the short story is that some luggage was lost and a person missed their connecting flight into PAP. Two of the guys were waiting in the airport hoping the luggage would arrive before/with the last group member. One of these two guys is a Haitian who lives in America, but has a brother who is willing to pick up and deliver all 3 guys and their luggage to the airport.

Finally we were able to sit back and relax as we drove back to the compound. I even managed to take some photos in PAP and have included them here. The first image was of some houses across the street from where we parked to sort of the issue of exactly how we would be able to get direction to the guys in the group who were currently waiting at the airport. As normal, the children were the first to catch my attention. They watched our bus for a few minutes with big smiles and excited waves before returning to their fun and laughter. The other two are near a large market. The height of the trash was amazing... as tall as the woman AND the bag (probably of grapefruit) she carries on her head. Nicole's comment was how valuable that trash would be for compost considering the percentage which is merely rotting fruit and vegatables from unsold merchandise. The vibrancy and potential of life in all of Haiti is stunning to me. Yet at the same time, you can't miss the hardship that clearly marks reality here. Like two sides of a coin, both are always present even if it easier to see only one half at any given moment.

conversation opportunities

March 15-20, 2010

This week I have been more apt to make the most of opportunities to communicate with others and also to practice my Kreyol. Partly this change was to meet my own need for interaction, but also I was working to make myself more available to those around me and be attentive to what God is calling me to in this place. I'll highlight a few of the moments that were more memorable.

On Monday, Pierre Richard, Rubenson, and Keshare (three of the youth who attend Bibliotec) joined the Carlin children and I in the ocean for some play and swim time. I enjoyed watching their interactions and increasing comfort within one another. The Haitian youth shared a couple logs with the Carlins so that everyone could take turns "floating" in pairs. We all worked together to move the logs to another portion of the beach when it was unoccupied so that we had more room.

On Wednesday, the plan for Bibliotec changed less than 20 minutes before we were scheduled to begin. Instead of working with Guito (one of the compound staff) to teach the children how to make banana leaf pots, Nicole led the children in efforts to begin a compost pile for when we are able to plant. We then spent some time practicing English and Kreyol vocabulary. Pierre Richard, Tessa, and I shared a book. This lesson was helpful as Pierre Richard corrected my pronunciation. I love having the ability to laugh at myself and share in the apparent quality of Haitians not to take life (or themselves) too seriously. At the end, Nicole taught the children how to play Kanna, Kanna, Kodenn (Duck, Duck, Turkey) because the translation is easier than Duck, Duck, Goose. As I watched the game progress, it reminded me of the simplicity of life and how easily some things translate, while other things are more difficult. Teaching a game can be simple, but sometimes nuances exist which are harder to explain or will never make sense in different cultures. I also watched the children's interactions, observing and trying to understand more about Haitian life. I often find myself uncertain as to what initiated an altercation between two people or surprised when people leave amicably when I'm anticipating problems.

During Bibliotec, the older teenagers were walking along the beach and called out to me repeatedly as they passed the compound. Because we were in the middle of Bibliotec, I did not go to them to identify what they wanted. Yet as I reflected upon the situation, it seemed to me as if they were practically "calling out to me to play" with them. I believe they were hoping for me to interact with them and would have likely enjoyed me walking along with them. I spoke with Nicole about my thoughts as we prepared dinner that evening and agreed that if I was sensing this situation in the future to make the most of it if I was available.

On Thursday, I was finally able to get down to the beach again with the children for a swim. Pierre Richard joined us as usual (in fact he now asks me every day that he sees me if we will be swimming that day). For a while we all enjoyed the cooler water, but after a few minutes Pierre Richard had moved his log back onto the shore to sit on. The next thing I noticed was that he began covering his feet with the sand. I have noticed the children often swim for a while and then go up on the beach where they cover their entire bodies with sand. Today I decided to interact with Pierre Richard, who is a prankster, by sitting on the log next to him and mimicking his actions. I had a ton of fun as I bonded with this young man. We laughed, joked, and enjoyed each other's company. Even Sophie and Sam became interested in watching what we were doing instead of swimming after a while. I also learned why the Haitian children covering themselves in sand... the sand is incredibly warm and helps to heat them back up after they've chilled themselves in the "cool" ocean of early spring. (I think the water is cool on some days still, but most people think that it is a perfect temperature.)

On Friday, Mike and Nicole spent the afternoon at a meeting to make contacts and continue addressing the educational needs in our area. They were meeting some groups interested in helping get tents and supplies to the schools in our zones, but they need additional information to be able to fully identify and then meet the needs. While they were gone, I took Sam, Sophie, Tessa, and Riah down to the beach to swim. Pierre Richard and Rubenson swam with us. I was so excited to witness the continued comfort of the youth as the Carlins choose to interact with the boys and play games. I am hoping their interactions with the Haitian youth will continue to foster a desire to work on their Kreyol as well as just engage with the youth around us more regularly. Plus Pierre Richard and Rubenson were becoming more free in their interactions with me. I was encouraged by the changes I noticed, such as promixity in the water, the number of games they played together (instead of Carlins with Carlins next to Haitians with Haitians), and the fact that the Haitians would swim to me and hang out just like the Carlin children do.

On Saturday, I went to market with Nicole and Clement as usual. Like the week before, Pierre Richard rode along to by sweet treats to sell to his neighbors as a small business. Unlike the previous week, Rubenson also asked to ride in with us for the same purpose. The boys got in on both sides of the truck, leaving me sandwiched between them in the middle. When we stopped to pick up Madame Jeanette, Clement told Rubenson to move to the back. After arriving at the market, the boys ran off to buy their merchandise before finding us to help carry the bags back to where we parked the truck. We had not been able to locate everything we needed, but decided to leave everything attended in the truck before making another walk-through for the last couple items. I opted to remain with the boys, and the rest of the group ran along in their search efforts. While we waited, Rubenson asked me to sit on the bench in the truck bed with him. Pierre Richard quickly disagreed and told me to sit in the truck. I thought they were up to something, but couldn't decide what. I wondered whether they both wanted to sit in the back together and were plotting something, but was unsure. I enjoy riding in the back with the wind hitting my face/head (depending on which way I choose to sit), so went with that option on the return to the compound. Rubenson sat in the back and Pierre Richard sat inside the truck. We drove up the road and stopped at the other end of the market to buy mangos, water, and bread. The boys repeated their dialogue with me about where I should sit, at which point I realized that they were fighting over me in some sense. They both wanted the privilege of sitting next to me, even though we wouldn't really be talking. Since I had sat next to Pierre Richard on the way to market (and because I love the wind blowing in my face), I remained where I was in the truck bed next to Rubenson. The joy of the experience was being able to see my relationships with the youth here developing and knowing that God has a purpose in these.

The week has been one of encouragement and hope as I continue to settle into life in Haiti. Relationships are being developed, even if they are slower than I would prefer. I am able to see God's hand in the situations and rest in the fact that everything is in His time. I trust that I was in His will and that He will continue to provide for my every need (spiritual, physical, AND emotional).

life doesn't stop

I have obviously not updated in a while, however I have continued to journal so I will try to include some excerpts as I bring you up to speed about happenings here in Haiti.

Sunday, March 14, 2010


I have begun feeling a bit homesick and isolated in some respects. I feel as if I need some interaction with people my own age. I don't feel as if I have the freedom to just take off around here for a walk to explore. In many ways I feel confined to the compound. I look forward to Saturday mornings' market trips just because I know that I get to leave the grounds. Developing relationships with the Haitians is difficult because I don't speak the language well and because I am not always available for conversation when they are. I am hesitant to encourage many friendships with males due to the cultural phenomenon that has many of the men who don't know me beginning interactions with the question, "Do you have a boyfriend?" which leaves me uninterested in continuing the conversation. I am realizing that I would like to be seeking out friendships and conversations more regularly. I do not want to let my fears dictate this piece of my experience here. Plus if I am able to have more of my needs met here, then I will not be seeking to meet those with people in the states, which just leaves me desiring to be there even more. A few of the youth seem to be interested in putting forth the necessary effort to help me learn the language and therefore for us to hold a conversation. Mostly at this point, my conversations have been limited to a few Q&A sessions or a kreyol/english vocabulary exchange.


As a team, we've identified a need for more regular interactions with the Haitians so that we have opportunities to practice and learn more Kreyol. Hopefully these efforts prove successful so that my ability to converse increases. For now, I can be pleased just to find I've remembered one word from my last "lesson" or remembered a word to look-up or ask Nicole to translate.

the children, the world

Friday, March 12, 2010

Today Nicole, Riah, Tessa, Sophie, Sam and I went to visit Mr. Kingston (the man who helped teach them Kreyol when they first moved to Haiti) at the tent camp where he lives and has started a school. He had requested that we come see his school, little did I know what this meant. I rode in the back of the truck with Riah and Tessa, while Sophie, Sam and Nicole rode in the cab with Mimi and Clement. We were receiving a lot of attention as we drove the half hour into Leogane.

When we arrived to the area where the school was located, Kingston greeted us with a large smile and hugs for everyone. He seemed incredibly excited to have us there and escorted us

through the small gathered crowd to a tarp-covered section where 100 or so children stood singing and clapping. Kingston had been holding Tessa's hand and took her right up front. As I looked closer, I realized there were 4 chairs front and center reserved for us. It was that moment when I identified the fact that we were the honored guests that day. I quickly collected my thoughts and set aside my lack of comfort with the situation, recognizing this moment was not about me but about these beautiful, courageous children and adults who had invited us to join their morning.

I thought the children were just singing as part of their school routine, but it only took about 45 more seconds to conclude that they were actually singing for us. Kingston then made that apparently clear when he encouraged us to sit down in the provided chairs. The youth continued to stand and sing to us. Their voices were stunning. I worked hard to avoid tears. I no longer find it difficult to show emotion in front of others, but in Haiti crying in public is reportedly the first sign that one is going crazy.

The boys and girls of all ages finally sat down... on tarps on the ground or, if they were lucky, really old and dirty theater seats which had been salvaged from the nearby auditorium. They continued to sing for us ...songs in English and Creole... many of which focused on Christ and hope. The youngest children who were sitting on the ground next to my chair worked hard to gain my attention by reaching not to brush my leg or touch my hand. They wanted a little wave, a thumbs-up, or a smile. I tried to look into their eyes and allow my eyes and smiles to speak the words I did not have/know.

After a while, Nicole asked Kingston to translate for her as she shared her thoughts for us all. She recognized the honor that had been given to us and thanked them for sharing their day and hard work with us. Nicole attempted to encourage them in their plight. As we exited, the children sang a song that I had heard only one other time ...but it had stuck with me. The first time I heard the song was on February 13th, the day before I traveled to Haiti, on a television commercial. "We are the World" lyrics from these children almost made it impossible to keep my eyes dry, but God helped me maintain my composure in that moment. It was beautiful ...and almost haunting.

As part of the journal routine that afternoon, Nicole and I had the children discuss their impressions and then record those individually. We talked about how it was the 2 month anniversary of the earthquake, and without Mr. Kingston's school, none of the children in that camp would have any structured activities during their day. The schools are not even scheduled to begin again until April 1st, but the previous "start day" of March 1st has come and gone. There is still much to do, but for the Haitians our visit means that they are not forgotten. The faith and hope of these children and adults has left a lasting impression.

mysterious ways

Thursday, March 11, 2010



Yesterday was a fairly routine day. It started out with morning devotions followed by school transitions since Nicole was still home and in the space, but had non-school tasks occupying her time. She left at 10:30am for a meeting, which left me in charge of lunch and kitchen science time. During breakfast, Nicole had suggested the possibility of making both bread and cinnamon oatmeal muffins. I agreed to the undertaking, aware of the fact that it would require some effort since I'd be handling both "creations" with the children on my own.

Around 11am, we began working on goodies. I had Tessa helping me get the bread dough mixed. As the final stages of kneading were happening, I started Riah on the cinnamon oatmeal muffins. Sophie did not feel up to overseeing Riah in the process of doubling the recipe, so I helped Riah mix the dry ingredients in preparation for Sophie to finish them. I was prompting Sam through the process of getting a salad washed to supplement the taco salad leftovers we had from the previous evening. In the midst of everything going on in the kitchen, Madame Gabriel (the cook who prepares meals for us a couple times a week) arrived and it was responsibility to "instruct" her on her tasks for the day. I only had to direct her to the note that Nicole had written before leaving and provide her with the necessary items to make the meal. Seemingly an easy task, yet without a decent grasp of the language, it became complicated.

The Kreyol phrase "tet chaje" which means I have a lot on my mind was certainly applicable. We managed to get the bread set to rise and the muffins finished. I had Sophie put them in the oven (in the guest kitchen, where Madame Gabriel works, because ours doesn't heat) while I finished chopping vegetables and opening containers of leftovers. Just as I beginning to create my own plate of food after helping the kids with their plates, I realized that the muffins should be checked. I left the children to their lunch and walked down the deck to the guest kitchen. Entering the door, my nose registered a slight burning scent. Approaching the oven, my eyes indicated that the temperature was set too high. Opening the oven door, my skin immediately confirmed what my eyes had seen. I quickly tried to "save" the muffins, only to accidentally brush the back of my hand/thumb on the wire rack above the one on which the muffins were set. I grabbed the muffin tins out of the oven with hot mitts and carried them over to our space.

As soon as I set the muffins down, I turned the water on and threw my hand beneath the stream. The cold water barely felt cool, so I broke a piece of ice out of the freezer to hold over the skin that I know realized was already showing signs of having been seared. At this point, the children were noticing that something was wrong and so I returned to normal activities because it didn't hurt that bad. When Nicole returned home, we decided to apply some burn ointment.

Bibliotec was to begin at 3pm. We still had to finish the bread at that point. I volunteered to watch the bread in the oven while she got started with the beach kids. After the rolls finished baking, I decided to join Bibliotec and just be cautious with my hand around the youth who often hang on me or grab my hand to hold. Guito, one of the compound staff, was instructing the youth on what they need to grow plants and explaining what they need to create their own banana leaf pots in preparation of following weeks. I understoof very little, but still appreciated the time with the children while we played BINGO. My goal was to identify the called numbers before Nicole repeated them in English. Soon into the game, I realized some of the youth were struggling to identify the numbers as well. We worked together during the game. It amazes me how laughter and smiles can surpass language barriers at times. I also escaped the hour without suffering further injury.

You might be wondering why I have gone into such detail about seemingly routine activities. I mean, who really needs to know about my baking escapades? The fact is that these events all led up to a pretty cool experience today and I believe this little details make the story that much more incredible.

Today, school progressed fairly typically. We covered all the core subjects and had some extra time after lunch when I read to the children. Riah often enjoys sitting in my lap during this time, and today was no exception. I mentioned the possibility of taking them all swimming in the ocean, to which they responded positively. After finishing the book I was reading, Riah was squirming in my lap and we started goofing off a bit. The next thing I knew, my hand was throbbing.

I looked down at it to realize the burned skin had torn off, as if it was a blister. I immediately went to clean it with water and cover it with Neosporin and a Bandaid. No longer was I in the mood for a swim. It just didn't seem like the wisest decision. After announcing that we would not be swimming, I was standing on the deck, staring out at the ocean. I just couldn't let go of my desire to be closer to the water.

(The rest of this story I sent out in the day's email update, but thought I'd still include it for those you don't remember or didn't get a chance to read it. Plus I'd expound upon some details since I'm not in as much of a rush this time.)

Instead of swimming, I decided a walk in the waves was in order. I invited the children to go with me if they desired. Sophie waivered about whether or not she wanted to go, but eventually declared that she would like to. Tessa also joined us. As we walked, I mentioned to the girls that I loved being near the water and in the waves because I could so strongly feel God's presence there. One of Sophie's repeated questions lately has been about hearing God's voice. I have been feeling led to share with her about the variety of ways God has spoken to me, but have never felt that the timing or words were right. Still not entirely sure what point I was trying to make, I shared how I am able to sense God's peace and wonder in these experiences.


We stopped after reaching our destination and remarked on the way the coral was exposed. The girls shared some of the differences they note as a result of the earthquake. Then during a lull in conversation, I noticed that Sophie had her eyes closed and seemed to be praying. When we turned around to walk back, I felt God leading me to talk about how He sometimes gives me a little token (i.e. a rock or shell) to remind me of our conversation and/or the promises He has given me. Within seconds, Sophie had leaned down to pick something up off the sand. Over the next couple minutes she repeated this action. At one point I came close to commenting about how sometimes we think we have found that momento, but that God sometimes has something better in mind for us that is lying in wait a bit farther ahead. The thought passed before I felt the freedom to share it, and until sitting down to type this, I had forgotten that it had crossed my mind.

Immediately upon returning to the compound, Sophie got her journal and sat outside by herself. She later shared the entry with me where she described what she identifies as the first time God has clearly spoken to her. I know without a doubt that the words I spoke were not my words, but God's words because in her journal, Sophie had practically quoted me verbatim.


Nicole and I talked as we prepared dinner about how detailed God is in His plans, right down to me popping a blister (the burn) minutes before leaving, that changed our plan from swimming to walking (which also decreased the number of children wanting to go). I feel incredibly blessed to have been a part of this event and encouraged that there will be more to come not only with the Carlins, but also with the work teams and the Haitians with whom I'll interact during my stay here.

nature's beauty

I tried to include pictures with my final entry last night, but the computer/internet just weren't cooperating. I really love some of these images, so I decided to persevere tonight and get them on here for you all.

One piece of the view from Madame Jeannette's home.

The coconut leaves practically create a canopy as you gaze up at the sky.

I call this my morning/afternoon/evening retreat, aka our backyard. It is the place I go to take a few minutes with God whenever I can to recharge my batteries.

The solid green and purple leaves are one plant. The striped purple leaves are another. However mixed together like this, one would hardly ever know.

Just one of the beautiful flowers I see every day.

A view on our way up to Madame Jeannette's house of the road, our compound, the water, and the mountains beyond.

These images just give you a small taste of the colors and vibrancy that is a part of daily life here. I hope you enjoy them even just a fraction as much as I do. Blessings!

bel (beauty)

One of the pieces of life that continues to comfort and amazing me here is the vast beauty in everything I see. The ocean, the plant life, the flowers, and the colors of everything are undescribable. Life here is so vibrant I can't seem to find words to appropriate capture the images. At least every other day, someone here exclaims that we have to see this or that just to enjoy the beauty of the thing. As I was reading my devotional, God Calling (edited by A.J. Russell), on March 8th, the entry truly resonated with me and I felt compelled to share it with you all.

Nature is the embodied Spirit of My Thoughts of beauty for this world... To realize this will bring to you both new life-joy. Share her joys and travails, and great blessings will be yours. This is all-important, because it is not only believing certain things about Me, sensing My Presence in a flower, My message in its beauty and perfume.

Creation has also spoken to me. Life is evident all around us. The ocean here is a source of connection to my Creator, reminding me that He created me and all that I can see because He is glorious and loves me. It is pretty exciting. Each night after praying with Mike and Nicole, I walk back to my apartment trying not to trip as I stare at the sky above. Often the stars are poking through the velvety blanket, almost reminding me of the Lite-Bright toy I loved as a child. There are so many stars to see when there are no lights around to distract from the darkness. The difference between a cloudy night and an evening when the moon is able to share itself is striking.

invitations to homes

Last Sunday (March 7th) the entire Carlin family and I walked up the road to meet Madame Jeannette who had agreed to show us her house. I was grateful for an opportunity to get off the compound and see a little more of Haiti, but was also cautious about the potential impact of this venture since we didn't fully know what to expect. We knew Jeannette's kay (house in Kreyol) was standing, but little more about the rest of the homes around her.


On the walk there, I was able to clearly see some damage to the road that had occurred in the earthquake and has continued deteriorating since. The kids were fascinated by the visible upheaval, but for me it was just one more clear reminder of the devastation. I am finding that the little things continue to stick with me more than the mass images of need. Broken and fallen, portions of this road will indefinitely be this way. The image I have is certainly not the worst of the roads in Haiti, it's not even the worst road that we traverse into Leogane (only a half hour way). You can see most of a foot or so into these crevices.

We passed people sitting on the side of the road, on the edges of some camps, which have been established by people seeking aid. Generally people are cordial and say hello as we pass. A week ago was no exceptional. Jeannette met us at one of these locations and showed us one of the ways into her place. We walked up a cement pathway about a foot wide. My guess is that this is actually intended for water drainage, but maybe it is a sidewalk of sorts. It was relatively steep, but we made it to the top and were greeted with a gorgeous view of the countryside and neighboring water (our backyard). Jeannette continued on to her home, where Mike assessed the damage. We were all amazed at how intact her structure was. Jeannette commented that she was doesn't know how it didn't crumble. Literally the cracks in the wall were minor. This wall was the only interior wall, because the house is only two rooms. There is a single, twin-sized bed in each room. Both beds and one table were placed on concrete blocks to raise them off the floor. Under the beds and tables, belongings were neatly stacked out of the way.


The rest of the structure appeared to have survived without any damage. Jeannette's home is built on a stone slab, which reportedly across the country helped minimize damage. Despite the lack of damage, Jeannette and her children have converted their kitchen which is a separate one room wooden structure into a bedroom where they sleep. This picture shows the kitchen from above because we climbed up the hill to the neighbors' house at their request for Mike to look at it. The tarp is used as additional protection from the rain, underneath is are tin pieces fitted together to create a covering (visible slightly in the bottom left corner).

After learning that we were visiting Jeannette's house, one of the other staff members, Luke (pronounced Leek), invited us to come by his house because he lives near Jeannette. So after viewing Jeannette's and her neighbor's homes, Jeannette guided us further up the hill to Luke's home. He has a gate at the front of his property. They must have been waiting for us because he, his wife, and their daughter were immediately there to greet us. This picture is what is left of Luke's house. The walls that are standing have large cracks throughout. The family has another structure erected from wooden poles on a concrete slab where they have created some space for privacy and sleeping. Despite the apparent difficulties, Luke's family is still fairly well off in comparison to other individuals and families we have seen who have nothing more than some sheets, tarps, or coconut leaves woven together for cover.

na mitan

March 3-5, 2010

Wednesday, I had a few conversations with the youth who were around helping the Building Goodness Foundation (BGF) team or just hanging out and watching. The first conversation was with a 19 year old young man named Jubert. We had a lesson where he quizzed me on the words I knew in Kreyol which also allowed him the opportunity to practice the English he knows. The entertaining part was how confused my brain eventually became as he would switch back and forth between Kreyol, Spanish, and English. I literally couldn't understand him towards the end, even though he was merely asking if I was sick and I knew the appropriate words in all 3 languages. Somehow the connections were not firing in my brain for comprehension to occur. I was grateful for his determination to have some communication, no matter how trivial or nonconsequential.

The same day, I spent time with a few of the youth who attend bibliotec and were just watching the work on the compound. It was nice to continue developing these relationships to see what purpose God will have in the interactions one day. Rubenson, Jetson, and Dutchie were also willing to help me with some vocabulary when I indicated a specific item. We tossed around a ball briefly, and I swung Dutchie around in circles until neither she nor I were able to walk.

One of the first words that the children use is zanwi, which means friend. Each one wants to clarify that he or she is my friend and that I am his or her friend. They will come up next to you, grab a hand or swing their arms behind your back for a sidehug, and just stay that way. They seek physical contact through hugs and games. A large part of these interactions seem to be just a part of their cultural.

During bibliotec on Thursday, I had two of the girls attach themselves to me for the hour's duration. We walked up the beach to speak with some men who turned out to be surveyors trying to determine where exactly the fault line runs (which apparently is extremely close to the compound). Nicole translated her conversation with the men and asked their questions to the youth as they gathered information about the water receding and returning after the earthquake. It was fascinating information, but I enjoyed the interactions with the youth much more. It amazes me how a smile or gesture can speak words despite language barriers that exist.

On Friday morning, I went up into the mountains for the first time to view some of the CODEP project area. The beauty of the mountains was stunning, but the apparent poverty was also breath-taking. Homes are now just piles of rubble. Schools that are no longer and others that we are just waiting to crumble to the group. Life continues regardless. Some people were clearing mud from the road that had been washed down with the previous night's rains. Men were moving mounds of concrete from the slabs that once served as house floors. Laundry hung in lines. Children played games and watched the blancs on their hike. Women instructed the youth. Coffee was still being harvested. The tree nursery was being tended. Temporary structures have been built, or belongings have been moved into newly purchased or attained tents and tarps. Every where we went, the people graciously took time from their present tasks to speak with us, answer questions, grant permission to take pictures, explain their current living situations, etc.

That afternoon, some local vendors came to hold "market" for the BGF team before their departure the following day. The Haitians set out their merchandise in the outer courtyard next to the beach, allowing the team members an opportunity to purchase local art or handicrafts. I decided to wait on purusing what was available, but decided to go down to the beach and spend some time appreciating God's creation. I started singing Amazing Grace and pretty soon realized that someone had come up behind me. One of the teenage girls, Chilene, who is 17 or 18 had joined me. She was just listening and I invited her to sit next to me. Over the next hour and a half, we had a stilted conversation as I used the Kreyol I know to learn more about her. I was excited to be able to converse, no matter how simply, with her in Kreyol. I was even more pleased that she had sought out the interaction and choose not to leave, even though it required work to maintain conversation.

Again, I was struck by the importance of laughter in spanning the canyon created by a lack of language. It would be easy to remain in my sphere and not attempt conversations. In reality, I spend so little time with Haitians on my own that I wouldn't HAVE to learn. However, even my few interactions with the youth speak to me as a reminder that God has placed me in this place at this time for a specific purpose. I want to learn more Kreyol to continue learning what that may be. Sometimes I wonder if the purpose is merely to learn from the Haitians. I hope that I can adopt their worldview which allows them to continue praising God and recognizing the blessings they do have instead of harboring on what they don't have. Then I think about the groups that come down to work and wonder if it is more for those interactions that I am here. I had some interesting conversations with the BGF team members about how I ended up in Haiti and the growing that I am already going through as a result. The piece that struck me in these conversations was how confused words like conviction and how explanations like "God has been preparing me" made no sense to some of them. I am a firm believer that a large part of missions is learning from the people with whom you work. In this situation, that philosophy offers many avenues down which to venture ...first with the Carlins, second with the Haitians, third with the teams, and fourth anyone else who comes into contact with the project whether by stopping in or just emailing information for us to use in the recovery efforts.

love technology

Today the internet was being difficult, so I was not able to spend the time I had anticipated getting information transferred to this forum. I will continue to work on that as time allows. For now I will continue with updates from the previous week.


Friday, February 26, 2010

The day was spent preparing for our first team's presence since our arrival 2 weeks ago. Nicole tried to walk me through her responsibilities and expectations for the group. It was a day of simple tasks of laying out towels and sheets and determining exactly where people would sleep. The day was filled with excitement and anticipation.


Saturday, February 27, 2010

Nicole and I went to the market again. I have determined at this point that my responsibilities will include assisting her there on a weekly basis. I don't mind the experience, although I still find it difficult to understand the language enough to interact while there. This day Jeannette and Clement accompanied us again, along with Clement's son who helped carry the bags since we were buying food for a total of 22 people. I was grateful that occasionally I was beginning to identify the numbers that were being mentioned. Clement told me the creole name for couple items such as popcorn while we were waiting for Nicole and Jeannette.

Towards the end, we dropped off the produce at the truck. Clement's son stayed there while the rest of us walked back down the road looking for toilet paper. Clement led our group, followed by Nicole, then Jeannette, and me at the rear. About every 4-5 steps Jeannette was turning around to check on me or grabbing for my hand. At first, it made me feel like a small child but I determined that if it made her feel better then I would hold her hand. I almost volunteered to walk in front of her, but didn't know how to communicate that thought and figured if she really wanted me to then she'd just move to the side until I passed. [I spoke with Nicole about this interaction while we were washing the produce later that morning. Nicole reminded me of the reality of death related to vehicle accidents in Haiti and explained that from what she has seen that culturally most pedestrians will watch out for each other in this way.]

On our drive home, we passed a car driving the opposite direction that had a smashed roof. Even with my poor creole, I was able to understand the conversation between Clement and Nicole indicating that the SUV had been beneath a portion of a falling wall. The driver of the SUV was smiling and hanging out the window because he couldn't sit in the car any other way. He knew he was attracting attention, but it seemed he was just happy to be able to drive his truck and get where he needed to be.

The group arrived that evening. There was a total of 7 people. We were expecting 6 guys and a woman, but there were 5 guys and 2 women. Apparently spell check accepted Lousy for a name which Mike and Nicole assumed was mistyped for Louis. In fact, it was for Louise and we had to change our plans for sleeping arrangements. The exciting part for me was that I wouldn't be sharing my space with someone all week as originally planned. We ate dinner (my first authentic cuisine, I'll share more later), completed introductions, completed an outline for tasks the following day, and called it a night as some of the team members were beginning to fall asleep.


Sunday, February 28, 2010

Church service was a little easier to follow this morning because Pe Auguste was not in attendance. Pastor Gabriel and one of the other predominant men in the church led the service. More of the songs were in Creole than French, which helped some with my understanding. After the service, I assisted in putting the chairs and pews away which allowed me the opportunity to see inside some of the classrooms of the school that is associated with the church. Wooden benches with a plank attached for table tops and a single chalkboard were the only materials identifiable with school. I saw no papers, books, pencils, or maps ...not that I was looking closely. Although still standing, many of the walls were cracked the entire length and did not appear to be sturdy on any level. School has not been in session since the earthquake on January 12th. There has been rumor that the schools are expected to open on March 1st, but the argument all along has been that there are no buildings in which to meet. Seeing just this one school, I can't imagine how the country expects school to happen in the immediate future.


Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Yesterday the Building Goodness Foundation team worked on some homes in the mountains and therefore the children and I were able to continue with our school routine fairly undisturbed. Today, the BGF team was working here on our compound. Literally I conducted school in the midst of a construction zone. On a typical day we struggle to overcome the distractions of the loud ocean waves, the obnoxious humming of the old and tired refrigerator, and the semi-regular passing of helicopters. Today the sounds of hammers pounding and saws grinding made concentration nearly impossible. Add excitement of having new people on the grounds and I'm amazed we accomplished any work. I did create time and space about once an hour to go outside and view the progress. We also spent most of the afternoon doing activities outside that were physical to make the most of all the energy that was flowing around us. A hour was spent in the outer gardens viewing and discussing pineapples, coconuts, bananas, and papayas as well as following the visible shift in the earth. The children took turns using my camera to document things of interest such as a black and lime green butterfly, a lizard, and the pineapple plants.


I plan to share some of these pictures, including one of the five of us on our walk. The kids took some beautiful shots and may be able to convince me to use the camera more often because of that fact :)

keeping me in mind

A few people responded to the email update I sent out yesterday by reminding me to rest and take care of myself. I just wanted to assure everyone that I am in fact doing just that, which is why I haven't made/found the time to post updates as regularly as I'd desire or always include the detail which I may have otherwise. Thank you all for caring for me enough to tell me to take care of myself when you think I may not be doing so.


I would tell you about today because it was filled with great experiences, but I would prefer to attempt a slightly chronological order to these entries. Therefore I will wait until tomorrow or Sunday when I can go back and include some of the details about the previous highlights first.



Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Nicole led the first bibliotec since our return. She and I had decided upon a plan for the hour-long event with the beach kids the day before, recognizing that she desired to make some changes. Most of the youth are between ages 10 and 14, although I sometimes have to be reminded of that fact because many are small in stature (due to malnourishment at younger ages, I think). Ultimately she opted to discuss the earthquake. In preparation, Nicole shared a cultural piece that influences this time... that many Haitians are accustomed to oral teaching, which often looks like a teacher speaking and the children repeating as a group whatever is being instructed. How this detail impacts our time is that the youth struggle at times with giving individaul responses and also with focusing when peers are asked to share.

To begin the day's activities, Nicole introduced me and explained that I now live on the compound with the Carlin family along with the fact that I will be here for a year and that I will be helping with bibliotec. After this addressing this housekeeping detail, she asked the youth to describe some of their experiences surrounding the earthquake. Nicole tried for individual descriptions, but by the third child, the answers were similar and most of the group was distracted by side conversations. At that point, she chose to ask questions that the entire group could answer with yes or no. Then we gave each child a piece of paper and crayons to draw a picture related to the earthquake and/or its aftermath. It took a few minutes, where they looked around at each other's papers, but as soon as the first girl (named Keshare - pronounced Kiersha) took initiative in her drawing, the rest began their own pictures as well.

I went around at this point and had the children tell me their names. I was trying to write them down on paper, but I didn't know how to ask them to spell their names for me and didn't want to misspell them in my own efforts. Thankfully the children would correct me if I gave them the pen, but I realized that not all of them were capable of spelling their names. Each one was willing to try, which shocked me considering the fact that they obviously struggled with the task and some knew they weren't able to complete the task. Some of the youth laughed (at me I believe), but I don't mind and find it amusing on some level as they do. Actually I felt the moment was productive because Sophie was going around with me while I tried to get the Haitian children's names. When the boys started laughing, I commented that I loved their responses. She was surprised by my comment and asked for an explanation. We were able to discuss how it is entertaining that a grown adult can't figure out how to spell their names. It's also funny in some ways that I don't know the language. Plus Haitians think MY name is entertaining, and generally they find some of our behaviors to be entertaining. Their laughter indicated a certain comfort level that I appreciated and was glad to see. Their laughter gave me hope that a bridge can be built as we learn from and teach each other.



Thursday, February 25, 2010

I finally moved into my new space this afternoon. I have my own little apartment, instead of the more dorm-like style of the guest house. It's a decent sized room with windows on all four sides. Currently there are two twin beds and a desk in here, but we have discussed possibilities of altering the furniture situation (whether or not that will happen I do not know). There's a small "kitchenette" which is really just a space intended to be a kitchen, but only has a sink and some counter tops. I have designed myself a clost, thanks to Nicole and her persistence, with a pressure rod and length of fabric. I have a small bathroom with a miniature sink and no hot water, but it is all mine. [On Friday, I even managed to get my drawings and collages on the walls to decorate and make it homey.] I love having space that is just for me where I can get away from the noise and people to recollect myself. It's almost like my own personal oasis or sanctuary.

yon bitsi deye (a little behind)

I have not had/made the time this week to transfer portions of my journal entries here. There's been a lot going on at the compound which have altered the routine I was establishing then. I would take the time tonight to type that information into a lovely entry, but I'm too tired. Instead I will just provide a few of the highlights and make a point to include more details this weekend (probably Sunday).

Last Wednesday we had my first bibliotec, which is a weekly time with the beach kids. There were a couple of familiar faces, but most of them I had not met previously (some of whom Nicole and the Carlin children did not recognize).

A week ago today, I moved into my "new" space which is an individual apartment instead of the guest house where teams stay when they come down to work. I even managed to get pictures up on the walls and my belongings situated to a comfortable level. It's pretty easy to do when all of your things fit into two trunks, one of which acts as your dresser.

Friday was spent in preparation of my first group's arrival on Saturday evening.

Saturday morning, I went to the market again with Nicole and 3 Haitians who helped us carry the bags of goods we purchased. I believe I will continue to take in more and more of that experience for some time to come.

Saturday evening, the first team arrived which began their (and my) orientation to the desired routine.

Sunday I helped put away the chairs and "pews" after church and was able to see the inside of a local school.

Tuesday I conducted school for the Carlin children in the midst of a construction zone... gotta love distractions.

Yesterday, a few of the youth who were assisting the team with various construction projects began helping me practice my very poor Creole. The second team (of HFI board members) arrived in the evening and seemingly brought us a late Christmas.

Today we had bibliotec again, only to realize some blancs were down the beach surveying the coral. So we took a walk to better understand what they were doing, which allowed me an opportunity to "become" friends with a couple of the youth.

Sam, Sophie, Tessa, Riah, and I have been spending time on the beach and in the water roughly 3x per week. Our presence draws the attention of the Haitians to the point that I sometimes feel we have a magnetic force around us that pulls people into our space (no matter where we are).


All week, I have finally been exposed to authentic Haitian cuisine.

Like I said, it's been a busy week. I want to share the details with you. It just takes time, but it often seems as if there aren't enough hours in the day to accomplish all that I desire.