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!