Friday, October 31, 2014

Cite Soleil

Today, we spent our entire day in Cite Soliel, the poorest slum in the western hemisphere.  The population is 800,000 in an area of 8.42 square miles.  The place is filled with unimaginable trash, goat and pig families, crumbling structures, canals of sewage, roads that look like dried riverbeds, and lots and lots of people.

Our first stop was Elder School (primary and secondary education) with enrollment of 500 children.  It was crowded, noisy, chaotic, but was essentially a happy place.  We wondered if we were catching the kids between classes as the pace never slowed down while we were there.  It was gratifying to see the children being fed FMSC food as a midday meal.  In the midst of this terrible part of town, the school appeared to be an oasis of safety and hope.  As we saw in other schools, each child was in a crisp, clean uniform and we had great interaction with them despite the language barrier.  The school director and founder, Elder, welcomed us and told us about the school.



From Elder School, we picked up a water truck, a big truck with a water tank carrying 3500 gallons with hoses attached.  We followed the truck in our tap tap (people cage on wheels) to our first water distribution location in the middle of a neighborhood. We were greeted by a crowds of children and adults who were there to get water.  Upon opening the tap tap door, children leaped into our arms, literally, while adults (mostly women) carried all manner of receptacles to the truck for water.  It was clear that many of us were providing childcare while women (mostly) or older siblings filled their water buckets.  Long lines, LOTS of children in various stages of dress (or not), impromptu “showers” taken, and general water play.  It was essentially an organized process.  We helped women lift these five gallon buckets onto their heads so they could carry them home.  We returned to the compound for more water and then onto delivery to a different part of Cite Soleil. The climate changed at our second stop and there was a heightened sense of urgency, longer lines, more people, arguments amongst those in line, and need for more of our help.  Many of us worked the truck while the rest of us held and loved children, often two or three at a time.  We paused for a moment to pray at the site of a new church and school.  Construction is planned as soon as funds are raised.




The final destination was a beacon of hope.  The Haitian Soccer Initiative is an after school program for 250 boys and girls.  Many of you know of the Haitian Soccer Initiative and the boys who participate in the World Cup Soccer Tournament in Blaine, MN.  We watched the drills and practice of the 10-13 year old athletes and while we didn’t think they’d be playing on turf, we were not prepared to see them practice of rocks and rubble, in extreme heat, with no water breaks.  Amie, Scott, and Dave K played assistant coaches and kept up with the kids admirably while the rest of us cheered them on.  Following practice, the kids were served a generous FMSC meal which we had prepared earlier in the afternoon from food packed in MN and IL.  What a gratifying experience to see it all come full circle and to be thanked by the kids eating the food.


As we reflect on the day, we come back to our group’s Words of the Day: Sensory-overload, shocking, trash, refreshing, kindness, perplexed, refuge, thank you, schools, gracious, “hey you” = lift a bucket, soccer, relieved, one, Lipson (the name of a child).  We continue to be reminded of a terrible, sad, and perplexing place where there are moments of hope.  We’re making a difference, one child at a time.

Becky & Gerry


Wednesday, October 29, 2014


EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED....  Heavy rains the previous evening prompted a change in itinerary for our day... water truck day was off the schedule since all the rain buckets were full.

Grace Village:  This compound, created by the founders of Healing Haiti, currently has 400 children enrolled in school (36 living on site), a clinic, an aquaponics facility and a facility for bread making.  Within mere moments from unloading from the TAP TAP, our arms and laps were filled with embraces from smiling children in their crisp and colorful uniforms. They clung tightly to each of us they adopted and flowed with us throughout our tour of the facility.




Elder Visits: We were blessed to have opportunity to spend time in community with 6 of the elders, ranging in age from 62-104, as we visited each of them in their humble dwellings tucked off the roadsides in the village of Titanyen.  This time of sacred interaction was enhanced by music leadership from Patrick on his guitar and Gerry on her violin.  We alternated roles of presenting food and hair oils, providing therapeutic massage with lotions and sharing in hymns and prayer. The images of joy and appreciation are imprinted in our memories.



Mass Grave Site:   After the January 2010 earthquake,  a mass grave  was created for the remains of tens of thousands who perished.  This area has been designated as a National Monument and construction has begun on a memorial.  Our guide, Brunet, shared his experience from the day of the earthquake.  Our prayerful visit concluded with the melody of "Amazing Grace" on Gerry's violin.




Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) food distribution:  As we exited the walled Grave Site, we encountered families from the neighboring hillside who were gathering in the vicinity of our vehicle with the hopes of receiving FMSC food.  Disorganization evolved into a method of two lines in order by height, beginning with the smallest child.   As we created an assembly line for placing three packets of food into the hands of each person, it was a joy to see the distribution process come full circle.  In our evening reflection time, we felt we had experienced an opportunity to "Turn Hunger into Hope" for God's Children we served today.

Don and Martie


Tuesday, October 28, 2014

"Whatsoever you do for the least of my brothers, that you do unto me."

Words are inadequate to describe all that our group of 15 saw, felt, heard and experienced today.   At day's end, our individual "word of the day" included hope, dehydration, eyes, blessed, impressive, kids, conflicted, acceptance, roller coaster, incremental, precious, progress, remember, improvement and Ronaldson (name of one of the children).

Being an earlier riser, Dave woke up this morning before sunrise to the sounds of chickens and sight of sparring goats in the open lot next to Guest House #2 where we are staying this week.

Our day started with a delicious and large breakfast of scrambled eggs, pancakes, as well as avocados, mangoes, oatmeal, fresh squeezed juice and coffee.

Our first stop was at a home for approximately 60 sick and dying children.   These babies and children are brought to this facility for physical care.   Parents come to visit, hold and play with their children throughout their stay.  We spent several hours just being with the kids in hopes of making life a little easier for them for at least a few hours.



The "tap tap", our mode of transportation, took us through the streets of Haiti to the "Apparent Project" where the results of one person's efforts are making a huge difference in the lives of 300 Haitian employees and their families.  Through a business that makes and sells handmade crafts, Shelley Clay's goal is to provide an income sufficient to allow employees to keep their families together.





Our third and final stop was at General Hospital where we distributed care packages to families with sick children in the pediatric section of this hospital.  Most of the children were being treated for severe dehydration.  By Minnesota's standards, this hospital would be closed down.  However, for the people in our group who have experienced Haiti previously, the pediatric section has made significant changes in the past year.  The children are housed in a new, enclosed structure with clean floors and air conditioning.  Evidently, last year the sick children were housed in a horse stable-like building, not enclosed and with hot, humid, small, dirty partitions.

Our devotional this morning seemed apropos as we felt the presence of God throughout the day.

"And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."  Matthew 28:20

Written by Joy and Dave





Monday, October 27, 2014

Perspective

Ever have people tell you they just want the 30,000 foot view? They just want to see the top-line view.



Today as we were flying in into Port-au-Prince, we had that 30,000 foot view coming in over the mountains. Flying in over the very green carpeted mountains, blanketed by fluffy white clouds with Caribbean blue background from the sea to the sky. Port-au-Prince off in the distance looked like a typical coastal town. As we descended, the little towns and villages turned into small buildings with rusty roofs. The fields were spotty brown and green. As we came in closer to the one short runway airport, we flew over many concrete structures, most only partially there. People and cars everywhere, in and amongst the concrete grid. Even the airport itself, repaired after the earthquake, is still in some disrepair. All of our senses were inundated the moment we stepped out of the terminal -- from the heat, humidity, orchestrated chaos, sounds and smells.





So, what is that perspective we're looking for? Certainly not what it seemed at 30,000 feet. Seeing as we've arrived in Haiti, our perspectives will be formed and reformed over this next week.





- Dave K. & Michelle