Tuesday, 1/29/13

Today was a typical day in Haiti-with readjusting and more readjusting of our plans but finally being able to enjoy our work. We taught our preschool lessons yesterday and today we were blessed to have a translator. The preschoolers are gradually learning their colors (in English) this week with our team through a variety of activities. This is a pilot program of teaching English that is hoped to be expanded in the future. My favorite part of going into each class (especially after recess) is seeing how many kids are asleep in each class-today's record was seven! 

The eye glass team distributed 150 eyeglasses at the clinic in La Croix. Additionally the medical and construction repair team went off to La Coupe to see children with medical needs and repair solar panels.

medical team tending to the needs of a newborn

After school let out we got to teach the English club. Eleven of us each took a small group and prompted them with questions that they could answer in full sentences about their family and school. My group had 9 older boys and two young girls, and the girls were thoroughly timid and scared to make a mistake. Instead of mocking the girls, the boys helped the girls come up with the words they needed to complete their sentences. This all reminded me of the great sense of community here. 

Elsie working with eager students in the English club

After all of the kids went home except for the ones who lived up the road, we taught the girls (and kitchen staff) the Cupid shuffle. Doing this in the courtyard, we were watched by many from the balcony and the area was filled with laughter.  

hanging out with friends in the courtyard before dinner

Tomorrow 95% of the team is heading to the village of Paul to do medical work and teach. I'm excited to not only get off the compound but to work with a new set of students. 

Monday, 1/28/13

Guest blogging here today! Thanks for the invite to do so Jason Freyer.

Sunday, 1/27/13

I don't even know where to start. Yesterday couldn't have gone smoother. Just two months ago, customs at the Port-au-Prince airport was in the smallest, dirtiest room I've ever been in. It was a room that had been used because of the destruction during the earthquake. When we arrived yesterday we were greeted by a mariachi band and ushered through an elaborate room with huge pieces of Haitian artwork to enjoy as we proceeded to baggage claim. This was the first sign we saw yesterday of improvement. Secondly, as we drove out of Port-au-Prince past a mountainside that used to be covered with poorly built houses (an enormous shanty town), it caught my attention that not only were they more fortified permanent structures but that there were less of them. The evident hope for this country continues to be more and more prominent with each visit I make. We met up with the primarily medical team from Vermont upon arrival at the mission and unpacked around 40 suitcases full of supplies. 

our offering in  worship--singing a song in English and then in Creole

We started off this morning with church which was lovely as always, not being able to understand a single word but fully aware of the Lord's presence in the room. What was different about this service was the legitimate dance party that followed. When greeted by each member of the congregation you would do a 15 second dance and then be passed off to say hello to the next person. 

garden

After lunch a small group of us took off with the saxophone player from church to see his garden. His "garden" is a small field covered with thousands of bean plants and maybe 20 fruit trees. This was an intriguing experience for me because I have often heard that the school children's parents are primarily farmers. Looking at what this man is doing filled me with a sense of hope--again! 

baseball clinic

On our return from the gardens we stopped to help our team members, Abe and Pat, with their baseball clinic. I can't stop giving those guys praise for how smoothly they were running things, especially having this be their first day ever in Haiti! There were different stations set up where the kids would learn how to throw, run the bases and catch. All of the kids quickly caught on and there is a good sense of how nicely the rest of the week will go with the baseball program. 

From the looks of it and the motivation that is radiating off of everyone, this week will be very productive and beneficial for the community and I'm very excited to get that started. 

I would like to ask for prayers for a safe and productive week as well as the continued good health of the team. 

Going Back: Haiti Trip January 25-February 16

Written Friday, January 25....

Right now I'm en route to Miami where the team I'm traveling with will spend the night before we depart for a wild week in Haiti tomorrow morning. Before I left we got a hearty amount of snow and being the warm weather person I am I think snow is the most depressing and ugliest form of weather. We took off from a runway covered in snow and set off into the clouds and emerged into open sky. As I write this I am watching the sun set, a mixture of orange, yellow and pink in a vast amount of majestic blue. 

Watching the sun dip over the horizon of clouds made me think about how sometimes the most beautiful things are hidden in the most obscenely ugly things. Haiti...the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere is inhabited by millions. A place where approximately 360,000 are still displaced and living in horrible conditions from an earth quake three years ago. It is a country where voodoo sweeps across the nation like wildfire. However, there's the other side to Haiti. It is an island in the sun, inhabited by some of the most hospitable, happy, and energetic people I have ever met. A place  where you can see God's hand at work through the relationships you form with one another, the good he does through Pastor Pierre's mission, and the hundreds of school students who have a sponsor who pay for their education. Most people think of Haiti as the snow, but to me Haiti is a magnificent sunset, made by the graceful hand of The Lord.

Darby, Norm, Chad at the packing party

This first week will entail numerous projects, over 20 suitcases were packed to 49.5 lbs with supplies for the projects--including medical, eye glass distribution, vitamin distribution, landscaping, carpentry and electrical work, English lessons with the preschoolers, and baseball clinics. I have never traveled with anyone on this team before with the exception of Dave who was on my first trip (but I didn't see much because he's such a hard worker!). I am excited to form new relationships with this team as well as the Haitians. This week will kick off the first of my three weeks in Haiti, I am beyond exited to be back to what I call my second home. Thanks for your prayers and watch the blog for updates!