What am I going to “DO” when I am in Haiti?!

This is what I have been asking myself and asking myself, for the past year knowing we would be returning to Haiti again.  And others have asked me that.  I also need to know so that I can define why I am requesting money to help support myself and my family living there.  As Americans we always have to be busy doing stuff!  Many people work 8-5 and then fill their lives with so many things they are always busy!  Well nothing has come to me on what I should be ‘doing!’….well not exactly.

One of my favorite movies ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ talks about this (I have also read the book).In Italy they have a word for the art of doing nothing - “Il bel far niente”   In trying to figure how to express this I looked up some articles and blogs.  This is from ‘bemorewithless’ http://bemorewithless.com/how-to-cultivate-dolce-far-niente/

“We have to let go of the guilt for not planning, producing and consuming.  While this may be cultural, I think people around the world experience the pressure to measure the success of their day by what they’ve accomplished. If that is the case for you, it’s time for a new measuring system. Instead of number of appointments you’ve made, rooms you’ve cleaned, miles driven or shopping accomplished, try measuring your day by the number of times you smiled about nothing, watched the grass grow, or measure success by how long it took you to linger over dinner.”

The idea that keeps coming back to me is ‘being with the people’.  I have spoke on Haiti many times, sharing a variety of stories.  But the story and team that stick out the most was a few moms from the United States that wanted to come and just ‘be’ with the moms of Haiti.  The BIG thing they wanted to accomplish while coming to Haiti was to live the life of a mom in Haiti.  And so we did. We went to about 3 different family houses and just spent time with one other.  I am sure that sounds a bit strange to you.  Or you may be thinking is that All they did?  Well the Haitians thought the same thing.  “They just want to hang out with me and do laundry and dishes with me?”  But there was so much value in this.  1^st of all everyone were equals and these Haitian moms felt that what they do everyday is important and they were were given validation.  Also the American moms learned a tremendous amount from this experience that I am sure is with them still today.

           

So right now I am working through the idea that I won’t be ‘DOING’ some BIG thing.  But my plan is to be with the people and learn.  My plan is to be a mom and experience what it is like to have a baby in Haiti.  My plan is to explore my own artwork at my house and invite my Haitian artist friends to come create with me.  My plan is to learn more about the countryside and people and what it is to really ‘live’ in Haiti from day to day.  Trying very hard to not feel ‘guilty for not planning, producing and consuming….or accomplishing something.” And try and measure my day by the number of times not only I smile about something but how many times someone else smiles with me. 

            One of the goals (because lord knows we do in fact have to be doing something!), is to share these experiences with you, that we might all learn from these experiences.  I hope to invite you on this journey of exploration with me. 

The other day I was working through this in my head on how it all would work and struggling.  But I had the opportunity to share with the local United Methodist Women about the women and children in Haiti over coffee.  One of the ladies was in awe that I would do something like this.  Just give up things like a washing machine and just live with the people.  It was what I needed to hear!  To me it isn’t that big of deal, (it is but it isn’t) and if I can tell the story so others can experience another culture I am more than happy to do just that!  It makes me smile, it made those ladies smile and I hope this makes you smile!

What's in a name?

It is so important to know people's names and parents take great efforts in choosing their babies' name.   I have been thinking about this a lot lately ready to name my own baby. They say your name is your favorite word.  It sounds a little self-centered maybe, but it is attached to our identity - it is part of who we are.

In January of 2014, I helped lead the team from Peace Lutheran Church from Sioux Falls, SD with Helping Hands for Haiti.  The church has been connected to Haiti for many years and makes a voyage down to the little island every January.  It is rather a nice to time to go in January in the Dakotas.


Half the team was people who had already been to Haiti and couldn't wait until the day we went to Jumelle to see the smiling faces of all the children they met the year before.  One of the gentlemen on our team, Brian was looking forward to seeing one particular face Bebe.  He had found a special place in his heart for Bebe the year before as she has a glowing smile, it would seem you can almost see her pure heart of gold and she is maybe a little mischieveous.  Brian may see himself in her a bit.  However, Bebe also happens to be deaf and mute.





This could be a challenge to overcome in any country.  In the United States people who are born deaf or become deaf later in life have amazing opportunities.  There are schools specifically for the deaf, there is assistance within the public school systems and medical resources to help.  However, in a county like Haiti where your 'average' person struggles to survive there are more obstacles for a person who is deaf.

I appreciated hearing the compassion of the team and especially Brian of this young woman.  I also shared with them her name was not Bebe.  The group was all surprised.  But in Haiti almost everyone who is unable to speak is called Bebe because this is the word for baby.  The next day Brian was on a mission to find out this young ladies name.  It is Celentcia.  They also met many of her family members and learned one of her brothers is deaf and another is hard of hearing.  It was great to reach out to the family.

I am always excited when a new team arrives in Haiti.  Each person has their own gifts and graces in this life and if we can find a way to share those talents, where there is a need - that is where I think God exists and really shines!  This group from Peace Lutheran had a couple unique individuals on the trip. Kayla and Tyler both grew up with English being their 2nd language.  This seems a little atypical in Sioux Falls, SD.  But it probably isn't what you think - their first language was sign language.  Both of Kayla's and Tyler's parents are deaf.

This lent to a particularly beautiful moment in Jumelle, Haiti.  Everyday while most of the team was working with all the children on a Vacation Bible School; Kayla having a real heart for people, sat down with Celentcia and started working with her on learning sign language.

While the others were working with some locals on building furniture for the school.  Kayla and Celentcia worked on the alphabet and colors in sign language.  We spent 4 days there at the school and by the end of the week it seemed Celentcia had learned her colors.  It was exciting for the whole team to check the progress.  Not only that but the local children were amazed at what Celentcia had learned.  They had assumed because she was deaf she couldn't learn as well as the other children.  You could see that Celentcia had a lot more confidence too.  The other children were calling her by her name Celentcia and not just Bebe.

The last day of the week we had a large celebration.  There was a variety of games for all the children. We painted finger nails, taught baseball, played soccer, shared new games of bean bag toss and ladder golf, and played with the parachute.  As well as little hand slapping games.  Such as you see below.






You get in a circle and slap the persons hands next to you, while you sing a song.  If the song ends and your hand is the last slapped you are out. Celentcia not only had the confidence and support of her peers to participate but she ended up winning the game!  It was beautiful.
         






A month later another team went down with Helping Hands for Haiti and delivered books for Sign Language and flash cards to continue to help Celentcia and her family.  One of the members of that team, the pastor of the church also knew Sign Language and could communicate some with Celentcia.
It was a continued moment of grace.

Drinking Water

Sometimes water is a challenge at my house.  Actually this is probably a huge understatement in general about the water in Haiti.  This is bathing water and drinking water.  I buy drinking water in 5 gallon jugs from Jacmel which is a city that is a half hour down the mountain on a bad rocky dirt road about 1/2 hour.  The family that I stay with, often share the water too, at least for the little one.  Often times it is gone before I realize it. Sometimes it has been a day or two until I could buy some more.  I don’t go without, I drink local filtered water which is safe – but really does not taste very good.  Or I go to neighbor's house and borrow some or buy bags of water or a bottle in the street ‘downtown’ Mizak.  But we get by and then go and buy some more in the city; lugging a 5 gallon jug up the mountain tied to the back of the motorcycle.  “Se la vi” That's life.
So say a little prayer when you experience this - it really is a blessing!

On the way home, God hit me with inspiration....with a flat tire.

On Sunday, Raphael and I drove to Sioux Falls to be there while the group that I went to Haiti with in January presented to their church about their experiences.  It is always a great joy to be with folks who have a mutual love for Haiti and also to share about experiences in Haiti.

On the way home, God hit me with inspiration.  Just as we pulled onto the interstate I heard a strange noise.  It sounded like something was banging up against the side of the car.  We pulled over, I opened my door, and there it was; the back tire was flat.  We were now on the interstate, pulled over to the side of the road.  I have changed tires before, so we stepped outside.  It was VERY COLD!  The wind was blowing - to make that cold cut through you like glass.  Car after car went whipping by us.  It reminded me of a blog, my friend Lee shared about the differences between people helping you on the side of the road in Haiti vs. the U.S. http://thegreenmangoblog.com/2013/02/23/car-troubles/ and I thought no one is going to stop so we better get to it.  (In Haiti someone would have already stopped and a dozen more people would have asked if everything was ok.)

                Most the time when I pull over with road problems, I end up getting help; one of those advantages of being a woman I will take.  But Raphael was out there with me, so I had no hope of anyone stopping.  We got the tire and the jack out.  Then had to take a break inside the car, it was so cold!  Finally we stepped back out and Raphael was under  the car, trying to find a spot for the jack.  All of a sudden, I see an older man with long wild crazy greyish hair blowing in the wind walking toward us.  My first thought is he looked like a man who could have been living out of the his car.  I looked at his car and he had a woman in the seat beside him and a bumper sticker indicating he might be a Veteran.  I felt bad for being judgmental but just as in 'giving' the people who are most likely to help are those that have been there.

                He immediately grabbed a ‘real jack’ (instead of the crappy ones that come with the car) and started helping Raphael.  After giving Thanks and more thanks; I wrapped my scarf around Raphael .  I was going to wait in the car and let the men handle it (after all I had a skirt on).  When I thought they were about done, I popped out of the car again – thanking the man profusely!  He let us know the ‘donut tire’ was low and the Canton exit was only two miles down the road, we could get air there.  Next thing that happened; Raphael looked up at the tall crazy haired stranger and said “HUG!” in his heavy accented English.   It brought tears to my eyes.  The gentleman then said, “I don’t normally stop for people anymore but God said maybe I needed to this time.” 

“God Bless You!”  Raphael and I both said.

                As we proceeded back on the interstate going 45 miles an hour with our hazards on, I found this new found stranger (our Angel) following us also going 45.  Now this is what the Haitian would have done – gone one step above and beyond.  You might get lucky and find a stranger to help you.  You might even be that stranger that helps someone.  But do you go the extra 2 miles at 45 (when you could be going 75) and take the exit with this stranger you decided to help just to make sure they got on their journey.  Our Angel came over to the car and told us where the air pump was at the gas station.  We both exchanged “God bless You’s” and then he headed back to the interstate.  A stranger, an angel that blessed us that day and made a difference in 2 people’s lives; not only changing a tire – but by helping restore my faith in humanity.