The last couple days have been pretty interesting here in Port au Prince. Wednesday, March 7th, we had a small earthquake measuring 4.6 with an epicenter somewhere 20 miles south of Port au Prince. There were no reports of damage or injury, but there were reports that people flooded the streets, getting out of their buildings in a panic. So much fear. I can’t imagine how the immediate thought would be, “It’s happening again!” All the death and loss coming back to mind.
Thursday, after lunch, we heard rumors through some of our Haitian friends that there was an attack on President Martelly’s house and so we went into lock down here at base camp. We hadn’t had any confirmed news, but we were better safe than sorry. We found out later that there was no attack, but a Haitian senator was telling everyone to get in doors and off the streets saying there could be civil unrest. A lot of Martelly’s dissenters were doubting his Haitian residency and he was going to hold a press conference. At the conference he presented all of his Haitian passports, and there were no protests.
We are also getting news alerts of some former political figures over the last couple days, including a police officer yesterday. Several weeks ago the Prime Minister of Haiti, who was only in office for a short time, resigned saying that tension with the President was too high, and that night some vandals burnt down the giant open air market in Tabarre just a couple miles from base camp.
I read a news story today about how two Pakistani UN soldiers that were stationed in Haiti, were tried and convicted of raping a 14 year old boy here in Port au Prince. The two are being ejected from the army, sent home, and sentenced to 1 year in jail back in Pakistan. There's still much debate on the topic of the UN needing to take responsibility for the Cholera outbreak in Haiti.
BBC article on Pakistani UN rape case
A team came in this last week after spending some time in the Dominican Republic and were going to take a bus from there into Port au Prince, and had to change to a flight after finding that the DR/Haiti border is closed down. A little research tell us that the Dominican side closed it down after several reports of their truck drivers being harassed and even detained on the Haitian side. News says that officials from the DR and Haiti are meeting today to try to resolve matters. Link below.
Defend.ht article about DR and Haiti border
We were not given a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:6-8) We realize the volatility of the nation we are in; therefore, we stay alert, cautious, in the know of what’s going on, and take the proper safety measures when we can. We appreciate your prayers for our safety, but also for the peace of Haiti within the government: that they would make wise decisions to prosper the people and not themselves, and for the people: that there would be harmony with their neighbors to the east, those foreigners that are here trying to help (and that those foreigners would act responsibly) , and among one another.
- Thomas
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
I know I'm protected
Today was an interesting day. It's been all hands on deck at the Torcelle orphanage to get it finished soon. Sunday I helped the Beaverton, OR team of 3 guys do plumbing and electrical which was great. This morning I mostly ran errands. I drove to the church and back twice. Once by myself and again with Pastor Mark. I'm getting a lot better at driving!!
I went on errand with Gregory, a Haitian man who helps organizing the hired Haitian workers at our job sites. Gregory spent several years in Boston where his family currently lives, so he speaks fluent English. He's a good guy. Our errand was to get Ragaman, which is a Haitian energy drink that tastes like liquid candy apple, and pâté, which is a sandwich with meat that has been deep fried. We stopped at a little roadside stand that we usually get pâté at and know is safely cooked. The stands are right in front of one of the UN compounds. I took that opportunity to ask Gregory what he thought of the UN. I hear a lot of complaining about them, and several American activists on Twitter and such hate them and say they should withdraw, but I wants to hear what a Haitian that I respect felt. Gregory said, "I can tell you one thing that I know: If they leave, you leave." He went on to explain that while the UN isn't really all that active day to day, their presence keeps missionaries like us safe. The Haitian police force is corrupt and not trustworthy to Gregory. "...They won't stop people from robbing or attacking you."
On Friday the Prime Minister of Haiti resigned. We've been hearing that a lot of parliament are trying to make things hard for Martelly and want a return to times of corruption and big government paychecks while the people suffer.
Sure enough the night after the PMs resignation someone (or people) burnt the Tabarre open market to the ground causing loss of thousands of dollars for Haitian people. And we've mostly heard that the people who miss Aristide and Preval caused the fire. They're all happy too about how Martelly is handling it, tracking down anyone who might know who's responsible, including the night security for the market.
After my trip with Gregory, we went back to Torcelle to work, and I was holding a ladder for Gregory while he was up helping secure a piece of OSB on the ceiling of one of the rooms. He went to hammer the piece of board to into place, and the board broke and his hammer slipped out of his hand and hit me in the face just below my right eye. It knocked me silly for a few moments and hurt like crazy, but I'm fine. Gregory thought he killed me at first, but all I have is some cuts and a black eye.
I got to go with Pastor Mark and Gregory to Sarthe after the accident. I even got to drive out there which is a lot further out and a lot rougher of a drive and I passed. :)
We checked on the progress of the orphanage there and it's crazy how different it looks out there already. We talked with Pastor Renold who is being extremely patient with the progress. He is starting to get concerned for his family and the orphans' safety though, as now that there's work being done he's worried that the surrounding people are going to assume he has money. At some point we're going to build a wall and secure the property but it's moving up the list of priorities now.
That was all before lunch and after lunch I had english class for adults and after our lesson we played "Heads up, seven up" which was a lot of fun! They really enjoyed it.
Here's a photo of me driving cause I was so proud of myself at how much better at driving I am now. And with my little friend at Sarthe whom everyone tells me is my Haitian son, because I'm always with him every time I'm out there.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
I went on errand with Gregory, a Haitian man who helps organizing the hired Haitian workers at our job sites. Gregory spent several years in Boston where his family currently lives, so he speaks fluent English. He's a good guy. Our errand was to get Ragaman, which is a Haitian energy drink that tastes like liquid candy apple, and pâté, which is a sandwich with meat that has been deep fried. We stopped at a little roadside stand that we usually get pâté at and know is safely cooked. The stands are right in front of one of the UN compounds. I took that opportunity to ask Gregory what he thought of the UN. I hear a lot of complaining about them, and several American activists on Twitter and such hate them and say they should withdraw, but I wants to hear what a Haitian that I respect felt. Gregory said, "I can tell you one thing that I know: If they leave, you leave." He went on to explain that while the UN isn't really all that active day to day, their presence keeps missionaries like us safe. The Haitian police force is corrupt and not trustworthy to Gregory. "...They won't stop people from robbing or attacking you."
On Friday the Prime Minister of Haiti resigned. We've been hearing that a lot of parliament are trying to make things hard for Martelly and want a return to times of corruption and big government paychecks while the people suffer.
Sure enough the night after the PMs resignation someone (or people) burnt the Tabarre open market to the ground causing loss of thousands of dollars for Haitian people. And we've mostly heard that the people who miss Aristide and Preval caused the fire. They're all happy too about how Martelly is handling it, tracking down anyone who might know who's responsible, including the night security for the market.
After my trip with Gregory, we went back to Torcelle to work, and I was holding a ladder for Gregory while he was up helping secure a piece of OSB on the ceiling of one of the rooms. He went to hammer the piece of board to into place, and the board broke and his hammer slipped out of his hand and hit me in the face just below my right eye. It knocked me silly for a few moments and hurt like crazy, but I'm fine. Gregory thought he killed me at first, but all I have is some cuts and a black eye.
I got to go with Pastor Mark and Gregory to Sarthe after the accident. I even got to drive out there which is a lot further out and a lot rougher of a drive and I passed. :)
We checked on the progress of the orphanage there and it's crazy how different it looks out there already. We talked with Pastor Renold who is being extremely patient with the progress. He is starting to get concerned for his family and the orphans' safety though, as now that there's work being done he's worried that the surrounding people are going to assume he has money. At some point we're going to build a wall and secure the property but it's moving up the list of priorities now.
That was all before lunch and after lunch I had english class for adults and after our lesson we played "Heads up, seven up" which was a lot of fun! They really enjoyed it.
Here's a photo of me driving cause I was so proud of myself at how much better at driving I am now. And with my little friend at Sarthe whom everyone tells me is my Haitian son, because I'm always with him every time I'm out there.
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Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Mardi Gras!
It's Mardi Gras today, or Fat Tuesday, as it translates. We haven't seen much of the festivities except less traffic, because no businesses have been open for the past couple days, and a few guys in red and white costumes today.
I've heard music coming from across the fields outside the house last night and tonight, but other than that we're a safe distance from the drunken party.
Today Stephen and I went with Sam, one of our Haitian employees, to Croix de Bouquet, another small town within Port Au Prince about 15 min from base camp. We were going to a clinic to see if they could take a donation of the bags of medical supplies that have been donated to us. The clinic was crazy: two story (at least), a courtyard out front with a lot of people waiting, and many large rooms and passage ways that anyone could easily get lost in. It was very quiet in the building. Hardly any staff where there because of the holiday so most of the building was empty. We got lost a couple times trying to find the stairs to the second floor and finally we found them and made to the office. The second floor of the clinic was a maternity ward and seemed to be the only area of the building up and running. Several very pregnant women were sitting in a waiting room just off the hallway and a couple were moaning as we walked past. Kind of awkward that we were two white Americans walking past these women who were in labor pains just watching us.
A lady came into the office after we had started talking and said we needed to move our vehicle so Sam ran down to move it and left Stephen and I in the office with the lady who I assume runs the clinic and her assistant, a gentleman who took notes as we talked. Stephen and I both laughed later because we both silently thought it was awkward that Sam left us alone with the people who didn't speak English, but we both did our best to communicate, which was actually really easy because we both seem to be picking up Creole really quickly. Him more so than me! :)
The clinic took everything we donated and we left.
Back at the church a lady was buying some of our fish! Incredibly exciting!!
She spoke really good English too. I told her, "You speak English beautifully." and she said, "I try to. I went to America and they forced me to speak English. I had to learn. And you're here in Haiti, my country, but I will not force you to speak Creole. I want you to, but will not force." I told her, in Creole, how much I love being in Haiti and love learning and speaking Creole, and she was very happy. What an honor to get to show her how much I do care about Haiti and the Haitian people. They are our brothers and sisters and deserve respect as we all do.
This afternoon we went to the all girls orphanage. My third visit since coming. I immediately found my favorite girl there, Evleen, and hung out with her the whole time. A couple of the older girls made fun of Evleen while she was with me, saying that she was ugly and looked like a rabbit. One girl was so persistent that I got very angry and told her off for being rude. I realize that my tone was a little intimidating because her smile instantly disappeared and she left in a huff. I almost felt bad, but at the same time, no one tells my little orphan girl that she's ugly! I mean, look at how beautiful she is!
That one was taken a couple weeks ago, and this one was us chillin today. I gave her my sunglasses to wear during our visit.
I also had a great conversation with John about my schedule today and we added a couple things like possibly helping Jonas, the man who teaches kids from the tent city by the church, twice a week. It was great to get my weekly schedule clarified and have some more fun things added.
That's my blog post for now, sorry it's been so long since my last! I'm trying to get better!
Love,
Thomas
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
I've heard music coming from across the fields outside the house last night and tonight, but other than that we're a safe distance from the drunken party.
Today Stephen and I went with Sam, one of our Haitian employees, to Croix de Bouquet, another small town within Port Au Prince about 15 min from base camp. We were going to a clinic to see if they could take a donation of the bags of medical supplies that have been donated to us. The clinic was crazy: two story (at least), a courtyard out front with a lot of people waiting, and many large rooms and passage ways that anyone could easily get lost in. It was very quiet in the building. Hardly any staff where there because of the holiday so most of the building was empty. We got lost a couple times trying to find the stairs to the second floor and finally we found them and made to the office. The second floor of the clinic was a maternity ward and seemed to be the only area of the building up and running. Several very pregnant women were sitting in a waiting room just off the hallway and a couple were moaning as we walked past. Kind of awkward that we were two white Americans walking past these women who were in labor pains just watching us.
A lady came into the office after we had started talking and said we needed to move our vehicle so Sam ran down to move it and left Stephen and I in the office with the lady who I assume runs the clinic and her assistant, a gentleman who took notes as we talked. Stephen and I both laughed later because we both silently thought it was awkward that Sam left us alone with the people who didn't speak English, but we both did our best to communicate, which was actually really easy because we both seem to be picking up Creole really quickly. Him more so than me! :)
The clinic took everything we donated and we left.
Back at the church a lady was buying some of our fish! Incredibly exciting!!
She spoke really good English too. I told her, "You speak English beautifully." and she said, "I try to. I went to America and they forced me to speak English. I had to learn. And you're here in Haiti, my country, but I will not force you to speak Creole. I want you to, but will not force." I told her, in Creole, how much I love being in Haiti and love learning and speaking Creole, and she was very happy. What an honor to get to show her how much I do care about Haiti and the Haitian people. They are our brothers and sisters and deserve respect as we all do.
This afternoon we went to the all girls orphanage. My third visit since coming. I immediately found my favorite girl there, Evleen, and hung out with her the whole time. A couple of the older girls made fun of Evleen while she was with me, saying that she was ugly and looked like a rabbit. One girl was so persistent that I got very angry and told her off for being rude. I realize that my tone was a little intimidating because her smile instantly disappeared and she left in a huff. I almost felt bad, but at the same time, no one tells my little orphan girl that she's ugly! I mean, look at how beautiful she is!
That one was taken a couple weeks ago, and this one was us chillin today. I gave her my sunglasses to wear during our visit.
I also had a great conversation with John about my schedule today and we added a couple things like possibly helping Jonas, the man who teaches kids from the tent city by the church, twice a week. It was great to get my weekly schedule clarified and have some more fun things added.
That's my blog post for now, sorry it's been so long since my last! I'm trying to get better!
Love,
Thomas
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Friday, February 10, 2012
Kinda-Sorta Peaceful
This post was from a week ago but I was having uploading problems. Check it out anyway! :)
Wow, the last couple days have been awesome! The teams that were here the last couple weeks were gone by Sunday and we had a whole four days of staff family time!
Tuesday we went for a beach day. We drove around an hour and half north along the coast to resort called Wahoo Bay. It was completely gorgeous there. We swam, sat on the beach, ordered Haitian style cheeseburgers and french fries (Yes!), and I even found a seashell to keep (Don't tell US customs).
Most of you saw the pics on Facebook but here's a little taste:
Yesterday I started teaching English with the 2nd & 3rd mix classes. Pastor Debbie came and helped me which was a total blessing because I had no idea what I was in for. It was a lot of fun but definitely chaotic.
We went over greetings and goodbyes. It was hard not to laugh while they were repeating the phrases over and over again.
From now until I leave I teach English for the 2nd/3rd grade class on Wednesdays and the 4th/5th grade class on Thursdays.
The older kids class is more fun because they already know some english and their a smaller class.
Yesterday evening Debbie and I went to go check a store for poster board for a project we were working on but we didn't make it far. The UN had blocked off the main road from one UN compound to another. An armed officer was telling cars to turn around, and so we just went back to the house. It turns out the president of Brazil was visiting the UN compounds.
This afternoon I went up to Petionville with Pastor Mark, Aaron and Frantz to get measurements of Pastor Cadet's meeting area for his church and school which is held on his roof. Right now the area only has cement walls on three sides with tarps for a roof. The back wall is the one missing and the ground drops off the side of the house and down into the neighbors lot, because all the houses in Petionville are built going up the side of the hill on top of each other. Here's a pic of the view from Cadet's meeting area:
The plan in a couple weeks is to build a wall for the back of the area and put up a lasting roof. Most likely it will all be of wood. Possibly tin on the roof.
Tomorrow another team is coming in and it's going to get crazy again, but it's nice to have a time of some-what peace. :)
Thanks for praying for me! The first week or so was really difficult, but now I'm settled more into what I'm doing here and adjusting more to life in Haiti, so it's getting better. Aaron had a word at group devos the other morning about how God gives us the tools we need to accomplish the tasks He sets before us and I'm learning to trust that He's equipping me and to be confident in the tools I already have.
I love you all!
-Thomas
Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Wow, the last couple days have been awesome! The teams that were here the last couple weeks were gone by Sunday and we had a whole four days of staff family time!
Tuesday we went for a beach day. We drove around an hour and half north along the coast to resort called Wahoo Bay. It was completely gorgeous there. We swam, sat on the beach, ordered Haitian style cheeseburgers and french fries (Yes!), and I even found a seashell to keep (Don't tell US customs).
Most of you saw the pics on Facebook but here's a little taste:
Yesterday I started teaching English with the 2nd & 3rd mix classes. Pastor Debbie came and helped me which was a total blessing because I had no idea what I was in for. It was a lot of fun but definitely chaotic.
We went over greetings and goodbyes. It was hard not to laugh while they were repeating the phrases over and over again.
From now until I leave I teach English for the 2nd/3rd grade class on Wednesdays and the 4th/5th grade class on Thursdays.
The older kids class is more fun because they already know some english and their a smaller class.
Yesterday evening Debbie and I went to go check a store for poster board for a project we were working on but we didn't make it far. The UN had blocked off the main road from one UN compound to another. An armed officer was telling cars to turn around, and so we just went back to the house. It turns out the president of Brazil was visiting the UN compounds.
This afternoon I went up to Petionville with Pastor Mark, Aaron and Frantz to get measurements of Pastor Cadet's meeting area for his church and school which is held on his roof. Right now the area only has cement walls on three sides with tarps for a roof. The back wall is the one missing and the ground drops off the side of the house and down into the neighbors lot, because all the houses in Petionville are built going up the side of the hill on top of each other. Here's a pic of the view from Cadet's meeting area:
The plan in a couple weeks is to build a wall for the back of the area and put up a lasting roof. Most likely it will all be of wood. Possibly tin on the roof.
Tomorrow another team is coming in and it's going to get crazy again, but it's nice to have a time of some-what peace. :)
Thanks for praying for me! The first week or so was really difficult, but now I'm settled more into what I'm doing here and adjusting more to life in Haiti, so it's getting better. Aaron had a word at group devos the other morning about how God gives us the tools we need to accomplish the tasks He sets before us and I'm learning to trust that He's equipping me and to be confident in the tools I already have.
I love you all!
-Thomas
Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Friday, January 20, 2012
Kids
Such a great day today! I went with a team of a few to the orphanage in Sarthe near Cite Soliel.
We connected halfway with a team of four nurses/doctors, who were joining us at Sarthe to conduct a medical clinic. They had been staying at a very large hotel near the airport and we picked them up there. We were also joined by two armed Haitian police officers on four-wheelers who were escorting us.
The guy in charge of the clinic came to Haiti a week or so after the earthquake and started his relief work providing medical aid and prosthetics for families of police officers. So basically he had it in with the local police and was able to call in an armed escort favor.
It was crazy watching the officers weave in and out of traffic on those four-wheelers motioning for cars to stop so we could get by. Personally, I felt it was ridiculous to have an armed escort. I understand that Cite Soliel is the roughest part of town, but it didn't sit right in me that we would make ourselves look more important and stand out like that. And they have been sending people to the Sarthe church and orphanage all the time and there's never been an issue. My heart is more to blend in and be one with the people.
Sarthe itself is an area with the worst conditions I've seen. Not only the orphans living arrangement that I mentioned in a previous post, but there is a small 6ft wide canal running in front of the church property that is filled with gross sewage water, dark green, smelly, with garbage and unknown floating in it. This canal overflows every rainy season on to the church property with all kinds of stench and bacteria.
It was great to be with a team of people with the means to address health issues in the kids but some of the news broke my heart. I sat behind two of the nurses as they did exams and talked with them.
They checked out all 15 orphan girls and then since school was going on in the church at the same time, they examined a couple of the school kids that the pastor knew were sick. So two boys came to the lined and the first one brought me to tears. His name is Ceant, he's 7 years old and right now has a perforated ear drum, and sinuses issues that are keeping him from talking very clear or a lot. He mostly spoke very quietly. He also has impetigo (I think is how you spell it) and had two good sized open sores on his arm. He didn't even flinch when they rubbed alcohol swabs on his open sores and put Neosporin on them. They gave him some kids ibuprofen for the sinus and ear pain, and some decongestant.
The picture below was taken with him right after his exam. I promise you the kid smiles a lot. He actually laughed and smiled before and after the picture were taken but I think he just wanted to look stoic and cool for the photo cause his friends were around him.
But I was so glad to have that experience today. I know we do a lot of good things like teach classes, build orphanages, and the like, but I really want to be more involved with meeting the health needs of these adults and kids who have nothing.
I also wanted to include this photo. This is one of the Sarthe orphanage girls. She kept making different funny faces at me so I asked her if she'd do one in a photo with me. I think it's pretty funny.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
We connected halfway with a team of four nurses/doctors, who were joining us at Sarthe to conduct a medical clinic. They had been staying at a very large hotel near the airport and we picked them up there. We were also joined by two armed Haitian police officers on four-wheelers who were escorting us.
The guy in charge of the clinic came to Haiti a week or so after the earthquake and started his relief work providing medical aid and prosthetics for families of police officers. So basically he had it in with the local police and was able to call in an armed escort favor.
It was crazy watching the officers weave in and out of traffic on those four-wheelers motioning for cars to stop so we could get by. Personally, I felt it was ridiculous to have an armed escort. I understand that Cite Soliel is the roughest part of town, but it didn't sit right in me that we would make ourselves look more important and stand out like that. And they have been sending people to the Sarthe church and orphanage all the time and there's never been an issue. My heart is more to blend in and be one with the people.
Sarthe itself is an area with the worst conditions I've seen. Not only the orphans living arrangement that I mentioned in a previous post, but there is a small 6ft wide canal running in front of the church property that is filled with gross sewage water, dark green, smelly, with garbage and unknown floating in it. This canal overflows every rainy season on to the church property with all kinds of stench and bacteria.
It was great to be with a team of people with the means to address health issues in the kids but some of the news broke my heart. I sat behind two of the nurses as they did exams and talked with them.
They checked out all 15 orphan girls and then since school was going on in the church at the same time, they examined a couple of the school kids that the pastor knew were sick. So two boys came to the lined and the first one brought me to tears. His name is Ceant, he's 7 years old and right now has a perforated ear drum, and sinuses issues that are keeping him from talking very clear or a lot. He mostly spoke very quietly. He also has impetigo (I think is how you spell it) and had two good sized open sores on his arm. He didn't even flinch when they rubbed alcohol swabs on his open sores and put Neosporin on them. They gave him some kids ibuprofen for the sinus and ear pain, and some decongestant.
The picture below was taken with him right after his exam. I promise you the kid smiles a lot. He actually laughed and smiled before and after the picture were taken but I think he just wanted to look stoic and cool for the photo cause his friends were around him.
But I was so glad to have that experience today. I know we do a lot of good things like teach classes, build orphanages, and the like, but I really want to be more involved with meeting the health needs of these adults and kids who have nothing.
I also wanted to include this photo. This is one of the Sarthe orphanage girls. She kept making different funny faces at me so I asked her if she'd do one in a photo with me. I think it's pretty funny.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Fitting in!
Today was a great day! We went to church, which always fun. It's hard to keep yourself from nodding off while the pastor is just going for it in Creole and talking so fast that you can't even pick out the words you know.
I got to see Roberto today at church. He was our interpreter for our team the first time I came to Haiti in 2010. There's no greeting like a Haitian greeting. They never seem to forget a face. More likely than not they don't remember really who you are, but they will freak out as if you're their long lost twin. Really makes you feel loved and remembered.
Pastor Rosinel is a tailor and so I might be getting some custom made black slacks from him soon. And my new Haitian brother Frantz's mom sells clothes so I might get a nice shirt from her and some shoes. All because I realized today that I didn't bring nice enough attire for church. :) Its amazing how some of these families live in mud and tents but on Sunday they are in pristine condition: pressed suits, beautiful dresses, ties, and hair done.
After lunch we went to the tent city to put up a couple tarps. The tent city is a 5 min walk from the church. I had already been there earlier in the day because Pastor Mark and I went this morning to pick up people for church. It was great to see people again and talk with them. A man named John runs the tent city, as more of a community leader. He's a great man, and so very appreciative about what Foursquare is doing for the people in his community.
People are shocked when they hear me speak Creole because they're so used to teams of white people coming in and leaving and not speaking much Creole. But I do have to warn them, "Mwen pale Creole piti piti." which means that I only speak a little Creole. :)
The kids there are my favorite part, true for everywhere I go, but I also love the old ladies. You just call em, "mama," speak some Creole, kiss them on the cheek when you shake their hand, and they just love you!
I had a mama in Torcell, which is the site of a new orphanage that's being built this week, come out and ask, of course in Creole, if everyone was strong or weak, cause we had all just got done carrying lumber from the truck to the job site. And when she got to me, the last person to be asked, I just said I was weak in Creole and she nearly fell on the ground laughing hysterically. Now every time I go to Torcell, I poke my head over her gate and call out, "Where are you, mama?" in Creole and she comes running out to say hi and jokes about me being weak. The last time I was there we compared muscles and hers are bigger than mine! But that's pretty common of the Haitian women. They work just as hard as the men.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
I got to see Roberto today at church. He was our interpreter for our team the first time I came to Haiti in 2010. There's no greeting like a Haitian greeting. They never seem to forget a face. More likely than not they don't remember really who you are, but they will freak out as if you're their long lost twin. Really makes you feel loved and remembered.
Pastor Rosinel is a tailor and so I might be getting some custom made black slacks from him soon. And my new Haitian brother Frantz's mom sells clothes so I might get a nice shirt from her and some shoes. All because I realized today that I didn't bring nice enough attire for church. :) Its amazing how some of these families live in mud and tents but on Sunday they are in pristine condition: pressed suits, beautiful dresses, ties, and hair done.
After lunch we went to the tent city to put up a couple tarps. The tent city is a 5 min walk from the church. I had already been there earlier in the day because Pastor Mark and I went this morning to pick up people for church. It was great to see people again and talk with them. A man named John runs the tent city, as more of a community leader. He's a great man, and so very appreciative about what Foursquare is doing for the people in his community.
People are shocked when they hear me speak Creole because they're so used to teams of white people coming in and leaving and not speaking much Creole. But I do have to warn them, "Mwen pale Creole piti piti." which means that I only speak a little Creole. :)
The kids there are my favorite part, true for everywhere I go, but I also love the old ladies. You just call em, "mama," speak some Creole, kiss them on the cheek when you shake their hand, and they just love you!
I had a mama in Torcell, which is the site of a new orphanage that's being built this week, come out and ask, of course in Creole, if everyone was strong or weak, cause we had all just got done carrying lumber from the truck to the job site. And when she got to me, the last person to be asked, I just said I was weak in Creole and she nearly fell on the ground laughing hysterically. Now every time I go to Torcell, I poke my head over her gate and call out, "Where are you, mama?" in Creole and she comes running out to say hi and jokes about me being weak. The last time I was there we compared muscles and hers are bigger than mine! But that's pretty common of the Haitian women. They work just as hard as the men.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Beginnings
We're here!
The plane rides were long and annoying. I confess, around the time of our flight from Miami to Port Au Prince, I began thinking, "I don't want to do this! This is nuts! I could turn around right now!" but as soon as we landed and got off the plane those thoughts all melted away.
Reggi, a Haitian whom we met on our last trip, was just outside of customs waiting for us. I didn't quite recognize him till he smiled. Reggi works at the airport and has been "hired" by Foursquare to pick up teams that are coming in and get them to the staff that are there to pick them up. If that doesn't make sense, once you come out of customs after picking up your checked luggage, you come out of the airport building into a fenced area where tons of Haitian guys are waiting to offer you taxi's or to carry your things for money and they're relentless! Then you walk down a long covered pathway to the parking lot. It's great that the base has Reggi to go and help people get through the chaos to where they need to go.
We got to the base, unpacked, and had some orientations to the base camp.
Today we talked with Mark, and it looks like Stephen and I will both be facilitating teams, which will be fun! Our first teams come in on Saturday. As facilitators, it will be our job to instruct the teams on what they will be doing, where they will be going, and making sure they have the tools they need during their stay. We are responsible for casting the vision for the project the team will be working on, and it's long term impact for the Haitian people.
A big element of being a facilitator is driving the team to and from wherever the project is. That means I have to not only learn to drive manual, but in crazy traffic on barely paved roads!
Today Aaron, one of the other facilitators who's been here for over a year, took me around the back roads by the church and I drove around for a while. I was laughing hysterically, and so where all the Haitians standing in the road watching, as I stalled it over and over again, until finally I started to get the hang of it and drove around for a while. I'm sure I'll get the hang of it soon.
I'm at a loss on how to end this post so I'll say this, "pa gen pwoblem - (pah geh pwoe-blem)" which means, "No problem" in Creole. :)
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
The plane rides were long and annoying. I confess, around the time of our flight from Miami to Port Au Prince, I began thinking, "I don't want to do this! This is nuts! I could turn around right now!" but as soon as we landed and got off the plane those thoughts all melted away.
Reggi, a Haitian whom we met on our last trip, was just outside of customs waiting for us. I didn't quite recognize him till he smiled. Reggi works at the airport and has been "hired" by Foursquare to pick up teams that are coming in and get them to the staff that are there to pick them up. If that doesn't make sense, once you come out of customs after picking up your checked luggage, you come out of the airport building into a fenced area where tons of Haitian guys are waiting to offer you taxi's or to carry your things for money and they're relentless! Then you walk down a long covered pathway to the parking lot. It's great that the base has Reggi to go and help people get through the chaos to where they need to go.
We got to the base, unpacked, and had some orientations to the base camp.
Today we talked with Mark, and it looks like Stephen and I will both be facilitating teams, which will be fun! Our first teams come in on Saturday. As facilitators, it will be our job to instruct the teams on what they will be doing, where they will be going, and making sure they have the tools they need during their stay. We are responsible for casting the vision for the project the team will be working on, and it's long term impact for the Haitian people.
A big element of being a facilitator is driving the team to and from wherever the project is. That means I have to not only learn to drive manual, but in crazy traffic on barely paved roads!
Today Aaron, one of the other facilitators who's been here for over a year, took me around the back roads by the church and I drove around for a while. I was laughing hysterically, and so where all the Haitians standing in the road watching, as I stalled it over and over again, until finally I started to get the hang of it and drove around for a while. I'm sure I'll get the hang of it soon.
I'm at a loss on how to end this post so I'll say this, "pa gen pwoblem - (pah geh pwoe-blem)" which means, "No problem" in Creole. :)
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
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