Road Blocks

Today I unpacked a bag that I didn't really use.  It was hard, discouraging and made me feel like I had never really left MN at all.

I packed it last week with anticipation, excitement and the normal smidgen of anxiety and arrived in Port-au-Prince on July 6 around 4:30pm.  I have been making this trip once or twice a year since 2010 and, for the first time in awhile, I had 3 teammates with me.  Jenn, Sarah and Kristen had taken a leap of faith to travel with me to Haiti to help lead seminars at our annual teacher training.  None of them had been to Haiti before, but felt a strong calling to work with the teachers in Williamson.


Shortly on our journey towards Arcahaie and Williamson we came to a stop along Route National 9 due to what I assumed was daily traffic.  Then we saw the bus turn sideways along the road and people started stacking tires.  We got a phone call from Alexis to turn around.  Thanks to quick thinking, Jamil drove us safely to Visa Lodge which would become our home for the next 4 days.

Long story, short, we never made it to Williamson.  In fact, we barely made it outside the walls of the beautiful hotel which, to some, may have been a relaxing vacation!  I am grateful to have made it safely to this oasis, but it was not the trip we had planned.  

Haiti is country full of unfortunate realities.  They have a history and current issue with political corruption.  They have a unwanted, but ever present dependance on foreign aid versus a sustainable trade model and many of their citizens lack access to basic education and health care.  All of these factors came to light last Friday around 4:30pm when citizens revolted against a terribly unfair hike in gas and diesel prices that can only be described as ludicrous.  Road blocks made from burning tires, large stones and turned over cars and buses were set up all around the country.


The media and the U.S. Embassy has a way of bending the truth a little, however, the situation  (as Jamil always called it) was nothing short of unstable and travel to our final destination became unlikely.  As a team we decided to find an early flight home.

As discouraging and disappointing as this was, I am home now reflecting and feel more deeply convicted about my role in this whole Haiti thing.

     It was the wake up call I think I needed.

On Doing And Being

I have had this complex lately.  A feeling of not being enough, of not doing enough.  I’m telling you it is toxic and not how god wants us to live. 

On a recent trip to Haiti I had these same feelings.  I was there, meeting with people, connecting with potential new partners.  During the same week a group was there hosting medical and soul care clinics, women’s, men’s and pastor’s seminars and doing a lot of stuff.  The first few days I felt useless, unnecessary and to be honest, a little like a fraud.  I felt this extreme sense that their work was more valuable, more impactful, more necessary in some way.  To be honest, it felt yucky and depressing and part of me just wanted to turn around and go home. 

But then Monday came and I was reunited with old Haitian friends.  Our connections give me purpose.  Our mutual love and respect for each other is enough.  I remembered that I can be who I am and make a difference.  One of the main reasons I continue to travel to Haiti is to remind people that they matter.  To make sure all are seen and heard and their voice is valuable to the change they want to see in their country.  I would love to see more being on this little island.  It’s the being that leads to the doing by Haitians.  Empowerment, community, connection.

Body Image

Being in Haiti has a way of helping you rethink things.  Sure the normal things would be: how much excess you have, how much faith it takes to totally rely on God to meet your basic needs and how little time we take on seeing and hearing people.  I have experienced these many times.  But I have an example from this short trip that is a little different.  This time I was able to rethink myself and my purpose. 

On Sunday, we had the pleasure of going to Pastor Joussaint’s church in Williamson.  I have known him and his family for 7 years and it is always good to reconnect with them.  After church his second oldest daughter came over to me and said, “Do you remember me?  I do not think you remember me!” I looked her in the eye and said, “Yes, Jose, I remember you.  I have known you since you were a little girl.”  “Ok,” she said, “Ou gwo!” which literally translates to “You fat!”  Now, this is not the first time I’ve heard this, so it doesn’t phase me much, but what she said next changed my perspective and is still resonating with me today.  Through the help of an interpreter, she went on to tell me that she feels like I have finally grown into my body and it is beautiful.  In Haiti, being a curvy woman with little padding is something desired and appreciated.  However, her way of expressing this also made me feel whole, confident, complete, matured.  Now, I firmly feel like everyone should constantly be learning and growing, but every once and awhile it’s nice to hear you have arrived.  This was not just a compliment this was recognition of the woman I have become.  How’s that for body image?!  This is the whole body god gave me: heart, mind, soul and flesh, and it is my job to nourish, protect and use it to help others.  In a world that is often driven by people who are louder, pushier or let’s face it, powerful men, it was a reminder that I can and will have a voice and can and will continue to fight for others to be heard as well. 

Williamson, part 2 (PICTURES!)

Williamson Training, July 2015

Large and small group instruction

Topics: Child Development, Goals and Objectives, Review of how to use the National Curriculum 

Donations from Normandale French Immersion in Edina, MN! The teachers loved the maps and science materials in French and are starting a school library for the books! 

Pastor Training via Skype with Pastor Dave from Iowa.  

These pastors from Williamson meet on the second Thursday of every month to discuss a variety of ministry opportunities and to share god's word. 

Williamson, 2015

It has been great to be back in Haiti, a country that has really become like a second home.  I am continually blessed to see old friends and meet new ones.  I am continually impressed by the progress I see in their country.  And, I am continually humbled to be received and welcomed which such grace, humility and genuine spirit.  I knew in my heart that working in Haiti was a long-term call for me and one that would take patience and a willingness to let our program work itself out from the ground up.  I feel good knowing that we are continuing to create a sustainable and empowering professional development program as true partners based on the specific needs and desires from each community I work with. 

It is gratifying and reassuring to talk with people here and to have them tell me that working with me is different, because their opinions matter and are valued.  No decision, even financial ones, is made without discussion with our Haitian partners. 

During my 2 weeks here I have had the pleasure of hosting two teacher seminars, one in Williamson and one in Thoitte.  These communities are both committed to doing anything and everything in their power to strive for a bright future.  There are great Haitian leaders in each of these areas that are starting to come together as a cohesive team to brainstorm, hope, dream and act on real, attainable goals that will hopefully improve and sustain their local education system, economies and the overall health of their citizens. 

Williamson’s training was held July 9^th and 10^th and we had 42 teachers from 8 different schools.  This year, by some amazing feat, we came in under budget at about $900.00!  Even with a significant inflation in the exchange rate that started a few months ago.  This year’s focus was on the psycho and social development of children and how it affects how they learn.  We discussed psychologists like Bloom and Freud and I wish we had more time to explore more.  Understanding development and how students learn is such an important, often overlooked part of being an effective teacher, even in the U.S.  We also had a review of how to effectively use a curriculum and the importance of having clear and detailed goals and objectives to ensure that you are checking for understanding and scaffolding the content for your students throughout the year. 

This year the trainers gave a short exam to access the teacher’s retention of the concepts we have been learning over the past 3 years.  Unfortunately, many of the teachers were not able to successfully complete this exam.  This brought a new area of support to the forefront of this program.  A constant request from every teacher and school director here is to have more days, more trainings and more support.  So, our planning team met after the seminars and, god willing, we are going to try to have 3 training sessions for the 2015-2016 school year in Williamson.  The goal is to try to support teachers throughout the school year as they implement the strategies and concepts they learned this July.  We will try to have a one-day seminar at the end of the 1^st and 2^nd trimesters and then a 2-3 day training the following summer including some sessions presented by American teachers like myself.  I hope and pray that the funding will be available to make this a reality and that I can form a small team to travel with me next summer to help with the training. 

Unfortunately, I forgot the cord to upload pictures from my camera (should have just used my iPhone!) so I will post pictures from Williamson when I get back to MN!    

Thanks for reading and for all your support!

Field trip to Leogane!

Manno is a good friend of mine in Haiti who I originally met through WWV as he sometimes works as an interpreter and is very good at finding cars and canters (bigger vehicles) to transport large groups around Haiti.  We have continued to stay in touch through the wonders of Facebook and have now worked together on a teacher training program in his home town of Thoitte. 

He is one of those guys who just knows everyone and everything and to top it off, he has a huge servant heart and is truly doing his part to help his community and his country.  This man is a smart, kind and ambitious man of god. 

During my short week here he invited me to come to see a new project he just started working on.  Hands of Friendship (a ministry out of New Prague, MN), has taken over a huge ministry that includes a children’s home (with almost 100 kids), a school, guesthouse, gardens and meeting center.  I wasn’t quite sure what to expect but I was blown away when we arrived. 

Guesthouse

dining room 

roof top!

First of all, their land is huge!  The complex is beautifully kept and everything is in good repair.  There is a playground and a soccer field and spaces to hang out outside and then separate houses for the boys and girls and a nice dining hall.  The guesthouse is a short walk away and has a gorgeous roof top and space to sleep 30.  Their dining space is like a café and their food was delicious!

I spent quite a bit of time just hanging out at the school with a few kids and it was amazing how much Creole I actually know!  We were able to talk and sing and teach each other new things.  They loved looking at my pictures of things in the US – my family and friends, snow and snowshoeing on the lakes some videos of the students at my school. 

school (grades Pre-k thru 6)

daily schedule

silly boys having fun!

classroom 

Although school was not in session, it was really great to see each class had posted a schedule of their daily activities and when I asked the kids, they knew what each one was and what they do during that time.  I am hoping to return to this school and help out with training this summer.  Just like our other communities, the teachers are always hungry for more knowledge about their profession.    

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HANDS OF FRIENDSHIP PLEASE GO TO THEIR WEBSITE OR CONNECT WITH THEM ON FACEBOOK!

http://www.hofmissions.com

https://www.facebook.com/handsoffriendshipmissions