fellowship

Today may be the best Sunday since I have been in Haiti. The last couple of months in Haiti the only time I really get homesick is on Sunday. Back in the US, Sunday usually is my favorite day of the week. I used to live in the church building in the apartment next door. So I would wake up and go over to the church early before anyone was there, often in my pajamas. Sometimes I would decorate the altar in the sanctuary and make coffee for the Sunday school class and the early arrivers to church. Then I would go get ready and return again before Sunday school class. I loved just sitting in the fellowship hall and being able to greet everyone as they came to the church, and of course let them know that there was coffee. Sunday school class was a small group of adults, of whom I know well and have a great amount of respect for. They are a wealth of information, and almost all of them were or are teachers. In waiting for church to start I would hang out in the kitchen and help prepare for after church or go in the sanctuary and visit with people. As I sit in the sanctuary I look around to see if all my ‘family’ is there in their pews. I can still see them in their spots in our open aired worship area in Haiti. Where most Sunday’s I sit and pray I can understand more Creole soon as I struggle to know what the service is about.

However, this morning though before church I talked with my Haitian family over breakfast of pumpkin soup and homemade bread. Most the time they are all coming and going and so not everyone eats together, often time in fact I may be eating alone, because of all the buzz of activities. After we ate together I went over to the church, where they were having Bible Study. One of the people helped me find the verse they were talking about in English, so I could understand some of what they were talking about. When church started I sat with ‘my two girls’ and they shared a hymnal with me so I could follow along with the music. When it came time for the scripture, Eddy gave me that to. After church we went and visited some people that were sick. We walked and talked as we traveled to three different houses. It just seemed like many of the things I usually miss on Sunday mornings came together. It was a great day.

the Critters in Haiti

I have been meaning to write about all the fun little critters in Haiti, since I found a giant frog in my house one evening. I had left the window open and there he was on the wall beside the window just hanging out. I tried to swat him out the window with a broom. He jumped behind my headboard. I tried to smash with my headboard and he jumped to the other wall. He just sat there on the wall and I decided he could stay I didn’t want him on my bed – I would just go sleep on the couch. The next day there was no sign of him. I had my host family even come look for him, no luck. Joana just said, “Oh, he’s here. He’s watching you sleep. You can’t see him, but he can see you.” – Thanks Jo – that helps! About a week later I see him in the corner of the dining room just after my friend Papi had left. I yelled for him to return and he got him out of the house by swatting him with a broom. But then once he had him outside he stomped on him in the grass. I yelled no, I don’t want him dead just not in my house.
So other little critters in Haiti; crickets, mosquitoes, lighting bugs, mice, rats, cockroaches – none of these you see very often. And yes I have seen a tarantula but only twice in the total of 5 months I have been in Haiti. But the chameleons or lizards are always running all over my house inside and out. They finally don’t startle me anymore. But why did I finally decide to write about the critters in Haiti. Because this morning as I was locking my outhouse, there in the crack of the door I finally saw a snake. By the time I went to get my camera and returned there was no sign of him.

I saw an angel.

Today in church there was a beautiful voice singing. It was a delicate as one of theose music boxes you open and see the little balariena dancing. Then I looked around at the faces in the crowd listening. There was a woman with her eyes closed her arms wrapped around her swaying to the music. I smiled and a tear came to my eye as I thought I just saw an angel. As I continued to watch her with black braids wrapped around her head like a halo. Her dark eyes opened and she began to sing with that delicate voice herself. She wasn’t singing loud just feeling the music in her heart.

What can we do?

Yesterday we went and looked at house repairs that are needed in the Mizak area and in Shilo. This task is virtually endless, many of these homes were damaged in the hurricanes a couple years ago and now with the earthquake many of them are inhabitable.
Somehow – and I really can’t understand how the Haitians continue to survive through all the disasters. We went to one of the houses to get an estimate for repairs. I remembered this house well because the beautiful children were all here and there in the yard. Previously, we also sat with the lady and had some bread and coffee with her. She seemed delighted to have company and was grateful for anything we might be able to do for her and her family. As we looked at her house, I knew it was a replacement not a repair. The front wall of the house was bowing inward, looking as if it could fall in at any minute. The area by the roof was missing many rocks that had already fallen in. The family of 10 has been sleeping in a little 4 man tent since the earthquake that has holes and tears in it, next to the house. I just kept looking at the house and looking at the house, knowing we already had our 2 houses chosen that would be replaced this spring and we don’t have teams yet to replace more. I wondered how we could ‘fix’ something so that this family could have a home. I just didn’t know. I also tried and listen to the construction guys to see what they were saying, they were trying to figure out something too but kept shaking their heads and saying ‘pa bon’ (not good). Finally Paul turned to me and said, “What can we do?”. My heart sunk as I just shook my head and choked back tears. “I don’t know. This just breaks my heart because there are so many homes that need repairs and replacements. The house needs replaced but we already have our homes that are being replaced. I just don’t know” I said again as I shook my head. We continued to look and assess the situation and it is possible for them to just replace the one wall that is caving in and replace the parts of the roof that are leaking. And with these repairs they would be able to continue later with a replacing the rest of the home. The devastation in Haiti is overwhelming. I feel this way in the mountains and don’t even face the destruction that happened in Port-au-Prince. It is easy to ignore because it has left the news in the United States. We also ignore it because it is just too overwhelming, - How can we really make an impact? I agree – it is overwhelming and all too easy to forget, but you can help that one family with the 8 children sleeping in a tent for 4. Or the family of 8 that one of the women sleeps in a small pup-tent while her children stay with her mother. I know the list is endless but we have to start with one family and make a difference there. It is what we can do.

knowing the joys of a teacher

I always admire teachers; they are the keys to our future. They literally hold the potential of the world in their hands. But I didn’t feel like I could ever possibly to this work. This is a great gift that God has given many but not myself. However, recently my neighbor, the other ‘blan’ in the neighborhood went back the United States for a visit. He asked if I could help by being the ‘native English speaker’ but I wouldn’t have to teach just pronounce the words. I thought it would be a great learning experience and also maybe enable me to learn a little Creole in the process. It has been a great blessing to help with the classes and I have been more and more comfortable with being able to do so. I listen as the students struggle and struggle with certain words. You wouldn’t know this but there are no ‘th’ sounds in Creole, this makes many, many words in the English language difficult for the Haitians to pronounce. But they continue to work so hard. Then suddenly they will have it! A break through and they get the sound. It is just such a blessing to help with this process. I will hopefully continue to help with classes even after Lee returns. There is also a class in teaching reading and writing to those that can’t and I may help with that. Education is a truly amazing thing, it can change the world if you let it.

Do you have to work for your water?

This morning I woke up to the sound of drumming. At first in my groggy state and ear plugs I wasn’t sure what it was. But it was persistant and right near my door. Suddenly I knew what it was. It was my little neighbor boys, that Paul’s family have named ‘petite Angelica’ (my children). I opened my door and stepped outside and it was indeed them beating on empty gallon jugs. They were going to fill up the water for the day. The older boy Frensi, 7years old had 2 gallons and the other Chadson, 5years old had 1 gallon. I am not sure how far they have to walk for the water. I will find out next time when I am not in my pajamas. They were drumming along because they wanted to tell me Bonjou. I talked with them for a minute and then they were on their way. Shortly after that when I was ready to brush my teeth I realized my canteen of water was empty. I stooped down on the floor to pour some water from my large 5 gallon culligan to my smaller bottle so I could brush my teeth. It’s definitely become normal – not a big deal at all. But I thought about my bathroom back home where I simply turned on the faucet to brush my teeth. And then I thought of my boys again, who knows how far they were walking to get water. But I do know they walk that path at least twice a day. I had visited a friend of mine yesterday who was getting ready to take a bath after working a long day moving rocks. But first he had to go get the water down to the well. But it is all just part of the day; along the way to get water you will greet your neighbor and listen to the roosters crowing and thank God for another day.

Report on the basics - food in Haiti

After talking to my brother on the phone the other day, I realized I haven’t shared much of the everyday events with you. My brother asked me – “what have you been eating?” I also received a bunch of food from the church in Vermillion. Which I am blessed, but given the amount, maybe they think I don’t eat down here. Or they know me all too well and know I will share the food with my brothers and sisters in Haiti. So what do I eat in Haiti?
Breakfast – We have homemade bread almost every morning with homemade peanut butter (which is just delightful very much all natural – don’t know how I will go back to store bought peanut butter). Some days we have eggs – they are either boiled and cut in half with an onion, pepper, and vinegar mixture on them or they are scrambled with peppers and onions and a slice of spam in the middle like an omelet. About once every 2 weeks we have oatmeal – it is very good, rich and sweet with cinnamon.
Perhaps my favorite thing for breakfast in Haiti – Spaghetti! Yup that is correct, sometimes there is a little red sauce on the noodles, just enough where it doesn’t stick together, or we put ketchup and sometime mayo on it and a dash of Tabasco. Also, there are sometimes fried chucks of spam served with it.
Lunch – lunch is sort of hit and miss – sometimes there is lunch and sometimes there isn’t. We may have a little rice and beans with red sauce. Or a piece of bread with peanut butter and a piece of fresh fruit. Or some Potato/Bread soup – which is wonderful. And of course my favorite pumpkin soup! If nothing is served or I am away from the house I have a granola bar of some fun snack the folks from the United States have left here or sent for me. About every other Sunday Aimable makes cake in the solar oven too – which is Amazing! It basically beats any cake I have had except maybe a few wedding cakes.
Dinner – Rice and Beans! – Not every day but A lot!  there are several different ways that the rice and beans are prepared, sometimes together and sometimes separate, sometimes more of a white rice and different kinds of beans – right now Congo beans are in season (I am not sure but I think it is that, that gives me terrible gas – I know too much information ;) but you wanted to know.) Sometimes the beans are boiled down into more of a sauce. Other days there is a corn (mayis) dish that is served with the beans instead of rice. Served with the rice and beans is a red sauce with chicken, fish, beef, or goat. We often have cooked carrots and beets with it. Sometimes fried potatoes and plantains. The other day we had something very, very close to potato salad. It reminded me of 4th of July with my family. Once in awhile we have popcorn with dinner – all natural very good! And there is almost always some sort of fresh fruit juice served with dinner – that is fantastic although of coarse just a touch too sweet for me.

Comfort

The last time I wrote I was talking about our comforts in life. I just returned from a trip to PaP and was staying in a friend’s house – a very nice house. I was judging the home in Haiti I stayed at. I was thinking of the people who have made their homes in tents and wondered how someone could have a home so beautiful when people are suffering. But I decided I should never judge others and I would enjoy my little ‘vacation’ I found myself in, in Haiti. The next night I stayed again in the PaP area this time in Carrfou. I was in an area I didn’t know in maybe an average (for Haiti) income home. My friend who I came with had to run errands in different location in PaP so he left me with his cousins at the church. I would be safer at the church since it was after dark. He warned me I would have to introduce myself to the church in Creole, as no one I was with spoke English. So I was with people I didn’t know, in an area I didn’t know, with no English speakers. I was uncomfortable! I was frustrated with my friend for putting me in this situation. However, the worship service was very good. The music was alive and the people were warm and welcoming. After church, we walked back to the house to wait for my friend to return. I spoke English with the children; they practiced all the words they know. I was getting very hungry and tired wondering where my friend might be. He finally arrived and we went to another house where we would be sleeping. Again, arriving at the house, after dark staying at someone’s house I have never met. Then my friend was maybe going to stay back at the other house. But by the evening I was staying in a bed with a mosquito net, and the lady of the house even wanted me to use her night gown. As I laid there and listened to music and thought about my discomfort from the day; I realized I had already found my comfort zone in my home in Mizak. It was good for my ‘comfort’ to be challenged. I realized I need to practice challenging my comfort level a bit more. I think we all probably need to take this challenge to continue to grow in life.