Morning in Haiti - Reflection

I arise to the sounds of the world around me.

Chickens peeping and crowing that it is morning.

Close your eyes and imagine that nature surrounding you.

You hear pitter pattering of feet as they head to the well and still the sun has not rose yet.

More voices are added as neighbors come and buy a small amount of sugar.

Sweet coffee and a piece of bread for breakfast.

 The family has woken up and you hear a baby crying in the distance;

Then the sound of the men working in the field,

Now the other birds have begun their morning song.

Haitians singing with the birds gives joy to my heart.

It is morning in Haiti.

Just Some Observations on Differences in US and Haiti

I have been thinking a lot about quantity and quality lately. I was wandering around Sam’s Club twice in the last week with my mother, shopping for things for the new house. I found myself memorized by all the choices of things to buy and the size and quantity of various items left me speechless. I used to shop at Sam’s Club sometimes but now the thought of a double 24 oz of ketchup just seems silly. Now obviously there are business reasons for shopping this big or maybe you have a family of 8 who love their hotdogs and French fries.


But as I wandered through the aisles a small smile came to my face as I think about my neighbor Edna who comes over to the ‘grocery store’ every morning around 6 am or earlier and says “Pa gen moun” – [Is anyone there?], “Vini achte” – [I have come to buy.] She comes over every morning to buy sugar or rice or 1 bouillon cube for the day. Many people come and buy that days food. I used to think maybe it was because they didn’t have enough money to buy 2 days worth of food. But that is not it. It is just the way they do it in Haiti. I don’t understand it, but know I also don’t understand buying a year’s supply of ketchup.

I hear so many people say “we are so blessed in this country” when they hear me tell stories of Haiti.
I am not so sure that I would call a year’s supply of ketchup a blessing.
Are we blessed?
Maybe we are blessed with ThinGs!
Too many things maybe, maybe spoiled with all the comforts of life we lose sight of what is really important. When you have an over quantity of stuff when do you lose sight of quality of life.

Oh Water.

I tried to thoroughly enjoy running water while in the states. I also really appreciated having it for about 2-3 weeks, when I first came back to the states. I was sort of amazed and said a little prayer every time I turned on the faucet. But after a good month I lost some of the gratitude and amazement of this magical thing called water. I still was pretty impressed with water fountains and with ice cold water, hot showers and of course ice makers. The last few days I was trying to prepare myself for the return to no running water again in Haiti.

I fell right back into the rhythm of Haiti though. I filled up the 2 gallon jug, to put in the cooking pot to wash the dishes in. I filled up the gallon jug by dipping it in the large drum of water and using it to fill the 5 gallon bucket to take a sponge bath. As the water level in the drum gets lower and lower, I wonder when someone will go and fill it up and if we will have it in time for showers later in the day. I know we will and if we don’t someone will go get it when we arrive. Water is such a blessed thing! It really is, I don’t even think we give it a second thought in other countries. So the next time you turn on your faucet say a prayer for the people in the world that walk for miles to get a gallon of water. And see what you might do to help all people of the world have clean drinking water.

Last Spring our ‘Group of 20’ Poverty Intervention team wrote grants for water distribution and wells in their communities. Whenever you ask Haitians what one of the greatest problems they see in their community is; they will respond ‘lack of clean water’. This summer the artists in the area did a art show based on water. These are some of their paintings.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150848063272434.381405.171990932433&type=3

Artist: Jean Baptiste Gere


Artist : Georges Dinipy


Artist:  Astrel Joseph

I will keep you updated on what becomes of the grants. There was also a water filter distribution too made from donations from a team in the U.S. Thank You to all who think about their water and do something about water for everyone in the world. We have to continue to work together on this problem so everyone can have water and have clean water to drink.