Introduction

So, here is an introduction to this blog:

I took a 6 day trip to Carrefour, Haiti (which is about a 30-40 minute drive, west of Port-Au-Prince). Where we went: we have limited electricity (about 4 times total when the city would turn on power), no telephone service and no internet. We lived in a host-house that belonged to a guy named Michael, 23, who was also 1 of our translators and roommates. The house was 3 stories (counting the rooftop) and we lived in the top 2. The bottom was occupied by local neighbors.

The second floor had a large outdoor porch with 2 couches and a chair and was kind of a general social quarters that overlooked the street. (for a bit of a 3D view from the porch, click here:

In the house, there was 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a kitchen.

The kitchen had a refrigerator in there and a table for the dishes & food. It also had a 3 level shelf for our food storage. On the other wall, it had a stand for our water (think: kentwood jugs) and next to it was a table with 3 tubs that we'd fill with water, bleach and soap to wash dished after each meal.

Of the 3 bedrooms, 1 was a "girls room" and 1 was a "boys room". They were empty rooms and served as a place for us to put our belongings.

The third bedroom was also empty and served as the "donation room" which filled with items each of us had brought for donation.

Continuing to the back of the house, you would find a concrete stairway that led to the rooftop which was basically a simple roof and we had tents set up all along them. (for a peek at the rooftop view, see here:

Ok, I think I've set the scene enough...also, let me remind you that this was a Mission Trip. So - though I make no apologies for my own personal beliefs - I just know that I share a lot of the same concerns as many of my friends have concerning the activities of Missionaries within impoverished/developing nations......so, I am conflicted with some things as well...and so, I guess I'll just leave it at that.

Lastly, I just want to extend my warmest and deepest gratitude for all the people in my life that helped me make it to Haiti...from family to friends to people I've only met on Facebook...to people I've never met at all....your contributions, and encouragement, and prayer have meant SO very much to me!!

On with the show....since there was limited electricity and no internet service, live-blogging was clearly not an option. Instead I did it old-school and "dear diary-ed" my way through the trip (haha). So, I am now going to type out my journal entries in chronological order (this means, read the oldest post first (towards the bottom) and work your way up to the this 'introduction' blog that will remain at the top).

:-)

Conclusion..

So, in conclusion of the trip…and now that I’ve had a few days to digest the whole thing….

When I first heard about this organization and read up on what they’re all about (if you don’t know by now, I went through a Mission group called “Adventures In Missions” (AIM)… www.adventures.org ) …I was first turned off. I read certain ‘buzz’ words which didn’t “mesh” with the type of help that I wanted to offer. I read about Evangelizing and giving Testimonials, etc. I said “NO” faster than I could say anything. Yes, a complete knee-jerk reaction. You likely may figure this out by now, but I come to these situations in a very humbled way….Humbled that my brand of help might not be the ‘right’ type of help….humbled that my belief and faith could very well be wrong….but recognize that this is what strong faith can admit, and still be faithful. So, my first impression was “no way in Haiti, am I going to go to people that are malnutrition, neglected, homeless and oppressed…and start preaching to them about how great life is on the high-horse that I live on”. Then a little voice spoke to me….Some call it your “conscience” some call it “intuition”…I still don’t give myself enough credit to think it came from me….So I believe that God spoke to me while I was having my knee-jerk dismissal of this group, AIM, whom I had only just heard about. And the little voice basically said: “just do it! Get out of your comfort zone…stop looking for the million excuses to NOT do it, and…just. Do. It. Who knows, it could make you a better Christian”. I swear to you…that exact message came to my head. And, while sitting on the bed with my wife & looking at their website on the laptop – I said “let’s do it” and began to fill out the application. Moral of the story, I guess: how many times do we find ourselves criticizing things that we’ve never done or shoes that we’ve never walked in? And how many times do we discourage ourselves with the billion reasons *not* to do something? You can tell me that you want to help an old lady cross the road and I can tell you a million reasons why you shouldn’t (you could get hit!...she’s going to make you late in your schedule…what if she has a sickness?...maybe she’s a ninja disguised as an old lady and will rob you!...lol, ok, I threw the last one in to make sure you’re still awake!). But you see my point? We are so programmed to discourage action with the billion reasons NOT to do something…..but that’s easy….everyone can do that. Challenge yourself to sift through the billion “discouragements” and find the seldom seen “encouragements”. Don’t be lazy here….you will find that your life can be richer this way.

So, onto the ‘Mission’. I decided to do it. I knew, going in, that I would probably be in situations that made me a bit uncomfortable or that I was at odds with. But I was determined to not allow them to be a factor in exploring this experience. …and let me tell you: I’M GLAD I DID IT! Just like many places that I’ve been plugged in with (Uganda, Nepal, Eritrea/Ethiopia) – there is still so much to be done in Haiti. I’m hoping some good can come of the upcoming elections and they can start taking some wider action on some of the issues plaguing the area. Massive rubble pick up and a consistent waste-management systems are the biggest immediate needs right now, as far as I can see. I remember asking one of our translators, Carl, of the possibilities of a Recycling center (as we were picking up trash in the neighborhood…it’s amazing how much plastic and metal cans we picked up) and his response was “you and I should start one!” ….lol, I LOVE that attitude! Yes we should, Carl, yes we should. And who knows…perhaps we will. I think if there was a consistent waste management system from the government, people won’t be tossing their trash in the rivers, which was so depressing to see. Also, if there was a solid recycling center that perhaps offered a refund for recycling drop-offs, based on weight, we’d likely set up a wide spread grass roots efforts of Haitians recycling for extra change, and thus blasting the area with a huge cleanup effort (not sure the pigs and goats would be so happy about this effort. Lol)

The people of Haiti were incredible! Perhaps it’s because we were in Carrefour – but all the hype about crime in Haiti has been a little over-sold. There wasn’t a moment that we saw any acts of crime or ever felt unsafe or in need to watch our bags/cameras/etc that were laying out and unattended at many times. The people and their families were always welcoming and courteous…the hospitality shown across the board was incredible. The children were always so curious and honest…just as all children are…but moreso, perhaps because of their circumstances, they were so much more mature and advanced it seemed.

I left Haiti wanting to come home, scoop up my family and go right back. They gave me a new perspective on the work that needs to be done around the world. I want to be able to work with Haitians and incorporate them into the ever-growing worldwide network that I’m assembling to bridge the gaps on world problems and promote progress from the ground level. Did I leave the trip completely changed? Well perhaps not…I was still at odds with certain practices of Mission groups, but it certainly forced me to put down the broad brush and not be so jaded when I think about them working the ways that they work – as it is just as necessary and valuable as the work that I’d like to be a part of and take lead of.

So, I don’t come back with some Divine message for you – or with some smug sense of accomplishment. However, I come back to you with another reminder of how humble we must be and how our problems of bills and debt and traffic are not comparables to people who wake up working to eat for the day – or to pick up a pick-axe and continue cracking away at the endless pile of rubble that used to be ‘home’. It further humbled me that: here are people with so much less than me…so many more reasons to be angry with God or fed-up with faith…and instead they are more spiritually rich than I can dream to become. If that doesn’t speak volumes that I don’t know what does.

Moving forward, I hope to stay in touch with Michael (who had hosted us in his house), Pastor Jean-Philip (who’s church was our home away from home), and Son Of God orphanage so that I can possibly coordinate a trip with them for my wife to share in the experience early 2011. Then, I’m hoping to be able to collaborate with people (perhaps Carl, even!) to start some grass-roots solutions, starting in Carrefour, to help things progress forward.

I look forward to what the future holds! :o)

Saturday

In the morning, we awoke at 4:30am.

We all began gathering our things ready for the bus, waiting on the front porch. We continued to triple check that we were leaving Michael's place neater than we had found it. Pastor Jean-Philip came from across the street to see us off and wish us safe travels. I gave the 2 letters to him and he had promised to give them to Defronzy & Esther.

We all convened on the porch where pictures were being taken and last minute contact information was being shared. The bus took the early group and the other 6 of us loaded up in a van on way to the staff house. Let me just say that I was expecting the staff house to be similar to the one we stayed in. Uh-NO! lol. It was converted from what was originally a honeymoon resort. AKA: really really nice. Oh, and did I mention: air conditioning and wi-fi service? wowzers! :-)

We spent about 2 hours there, sharing stories until the bus came to pick us up and we were off to the airport. I had gotten some video from the bus on the way. But it was from my phone, so I hope it turned out well.

Stacey, Preston, Hope and I were the group hanging at the PAP airport for about 2 more hours. Arriving in MIA 2 hours later was an entirely different challenge! Can you say "custom's officer"??

They had me "detained" for about 1 hour...needing "verify some things on my passport", whatever that meant. Part of the wait was that there was a big storm in Miami and they couldn't get the luggage from the plane....and part of my being chosen, meant getting my bags checked. So they held onto my passport and had me sit in a "guest room" that was more like a holding cell...had to use the restroom and got escorted by 2 officers (i guess making sure that i wasn't dumping anything in the bathroom). Finally when the luggage came out, I grabbed my bag and the custom's agent went through everything. He asked many questions, that i guess they ask everyone they check (where you coming from? why were you there? who were you with? what did you do? etc etc etc). After answering all his questions and letting him go through all my stuff....he gave me back my passport and said I'm clear to go...without any explanation for the last hour. I even asked "if you don't mind me asking, what was the reason for a lot of this? was there a discrepancy on my passport?" he simply replied "no there was no problem with the passport" and pointed me to the exit.

That bugged the crap out of me...but i'm glad it was only a minor inconvenience and nothing more.

Home now and thinking of how God will want me to change things in 2011 to commit myself and my family fully to doing His work.

More later.

Thanks for reading my ramblings.

What an incredible trip......if you can, I encourage you to go.

Friday Evening...

Later that evening we had a youth group meeting at the church with the youth of the town. There were about 40 of theme and "youth group" there meant about 14-24 range of ages. Some elders also attended, as did Paster Jean-Philip. We each had to share a verse or story and speak to the group (via interpreter) for about 5-10 minutes each. I spoke on the very first passage I started this journal with while I was on my flight over: Romans 12:6-8. I think it was well received and fit in with the overall theme which everyone else coincidentally covered as well. After service, their group prayed over us. Afterwards, 5 of the elder women gave a presentational plaque to our group leading, Carrie, as a "thank you" for all of her hard work across the weeks. They then unveiled 2 tables STACKED with deferent fruits (melons, bananas, mangoes, papayas, etc) and sugar cane. And they said these were a gift for us. It was WAY more food than we could eat and certainly we felt guilty even taking this from them...but they insisted so we each bagged them up with intentions to donate to Michael's house and others. They were under the impression that we'd be able to take them with us to the US and were unaware of custom's laws. We returned to the house at dark and there was cake and dinner and guests there to celebrate Michael's 24th birthday. His parents came to celebrate, as did his younger sisters and his brothers. Knowing that this was our final night with these people, you could feel the energy of everyone trying to take in every second. I spoke with a guy named Daniel, who was Michael's childhood friend. He's 28 and we were talking about my family....I asked where are his kids and wife. And he said he lost his fiancée in the earthquake inside of the university. I asked if he'd still have kids later and he only replied that he would see his love when he dies. Broke my heart to hear that.

After everyone had left from the birthday celebrations, we had 1 final meeting as a group. It was a meeting to reflect on the overall trip and the positive feedback that we had for each member of the team. There were some touching moments of sharing and everyone was quite candid with one another. Because we were a decent sized group, coupled with the ever consistency of A.D.D., the meeting went a little long. By the time we were finished, we needed to head to bed, because we were to wake up for 4:30am to be ready for the bus at 5:30am to take the morning flights (all but 6 of us) to the airport and the other 6 of us to the staff house until time to head to the airport. As I laid down I thought about how 5:30am would be too early for the 2 neighbor children, whom I had gotten to know, to be awake. So, I realized that I would be leaving without saying "goodbye" to Defronzy & Esther. This actually bothered me so much that I couldn't sleep. So, I got up to retrieve my notebook and wrote both of them individually lengthy letters. I will really miss our daily interactions: my soccer games & mathematics & creole lessons with 10 year old Defronzy and my discussions about our families with the ever-glowing smile that belongs to 14 year old Esther. 2 very wonderful children. I slept like a rock after writing these letters.

Friday

Awoke this morning at 5am to watch the sun rise and the town awake, again. It is great to see a 40 minute span of darkness-to-light and quiet to all different noises of the town at work. Just read the following quote:

"God doesn't comfort us to make us comfortable. He comforts us to make us comforters"

^Read that a couple times over...it is deeper than it's 1-sentence-structure suggests^

We mustn't focus on a selfish ambition of comfort. Yet it is important that we are capable, willing & practicing in being comforters to others - using God's comfort for us and our lifestyles as an assignment to be comforters to others and not as simply an award to grant us comfort.

Went to the coast line for 1 hour to have 4 members in our group baptized. It was a good experience.

Along the coast you can really see the effects of the earthquake in the forms of long, deep cracks along the sidewalks and docs.

There are fishermen on row boats casting nets to capture fish and boys standing along the broken concrete deck with long fishing wire wrapped around plastic bottles - casting out their lines with hopes of catching fish. Didn't seem like they were getting any bites - though, 1 boy did catch an eel which seemed to get quite a rise out of the group. Also saw a teenage boy in a wet-suit and scuba equipment. He was hunting fish with a makeshift spear projectile which basically consisted of a long rusty spear rod inside of a long silver cylinder rod that he had rigged up with rubber bands (the type you see in a gym) to act as the force of the shooting spear. It was actually very impressive. He had his ankle tied to his little canoe, which held his captured fish (which, unfortunately, wasn't much).

After the baptisms, we took a cab - known as a "tap tap" - back to the house. A 'tap-tap' is basically a pick-up truck that has bench seating built along the sides of the bed and metal walls & roof to protect from the weather, with windows. Think: small school bus with bench seating. Very hot. Very stuffy. They decorate them nicely though. :-)

When we returned and ate lunch, our group leaders (Megan and Carrie) asked us to do one last "listening prayer" to plan the rest of the day. I suggested that I was feeling moved to NOT relax and spend out last day in rest - instead: to sprint to the finish and dedicate ourselves to either trash or rubble clean up. (Both of which are highly necessary). The group seemed to be in agreemnet but we wanted to make sure that a group of "blancs" walking around the neighborhood picking up trash would not be an insult to the people...as we didn't want to send the wrong message of looking down our noses at the people of Haiti. Fortunately it was confirmed through some of the translators that it would be no problem at all. We assembled a group, gloved up, and grabbed a bunch of trash bags. We cleaned trash and litter in the streets around the house and along our 5 minute walk to the church - then picking up around the surrounding streets of the church. We got occasional laughs from people, wondering what the heck we were waisting our time for. But soon enough there were groups of neighbors helping us pick up. And, in fact, I began seeing down some streets we didn't go down that people were starting to do the same. We started a ripple effect on Friday and I hope it lasts long after we are gone. I think just as it is important for us to help our fellow brothers & sisters spiritually, it is also important for them to see us putting our faith into action and helping them physically. We didn't come to Haiti with much on the ability to help them financially or to solve all of their problems - however what we can provide in abundance is: our prayer, our compassion, our empathy, and out blood/sweat/tears!

One more thing, Thursday...

Carl

Also, quickly: One of our translators, Carl, just had a baby 1 week ago. Because he doesn't live nearby we can only hear of his wide and baby. So I asked if he had any pictures to which he responded that he simply doesn't make enough to afford taking pictures. So (brace youtself Bini, whom lent me his camera - lol) I let him take the camera home with him tonight and he will return tomorrow with pictures of his family. Hope he's able to work it and care for it well. We will see tomorrow.

Here are some of the pictures he brought back:

Thursday afternoon...

After lunch, I played soccer with Defronzy for a little bit. He is 10 and it got mighty competitive. We called it a game at a 3-3 tie - as we needed to head to church to meet with other church members for prayer walk...yes, more prayer walk. :-)

--Wait...let me rewind, again...

This morning we went back to the orphanage and was overwhelmed even more that the previous day there. I'm really not sure if I can put the moments into words. We spent about 3-4 hours with the children in such priceless moments. Games and skits were played and I bonded with some of the sweetest children that were so thirsty for affection. 3 boys named Peterson, Evanson & Gustave around the ages of 12 were closest with me. They stayed by my side an interacted the entire time.

Peterson & adorable 4y/o

Evanson

Gustave

I pulled out my notebook and all the kids were coming to write their names. I was also giving them mathematics lessons.

Gustave did me the great honor of giving me his picture which looks of wallet sized school picture.

These kids...I swear to you...there are no words to express. There was also a 4 year old that was pants-less and completely smitten by me. As I sat, he stood between my knees just as my daughters do. He would turn and smile up at me with the largest smile that he could make and his soft eyes....just like my girls. I piled every ounce of my emotions from missing my wife and children and hugged and kissed these children tightly to fill their void and my own. We were a bonded family and I had even taught them the "goooooo TEAM!" cheer that my girls and I do all the time (like a little league baseball team would do by putting all hands in the center of a circle). I wished that they could have been there to be sisters to these children and partake in the affection. If I never spent another day outside of an orphanage with my family, I would never want for anything.

During our time, the children were aloud to take pictures with the camera freely which probably produced better pictures than I could. This was clearly where I belonged. Where I belong.

some of their drawings/writings:

Later in the evening we came to eat super (goat..mmmmmmm). I spent more time with Defronzy...we played more soccer, played with the camera a bit and worked more on his math. A neighbor girl named Esther came by and we talked more with her. She, Defranzy, me and a girl named Chris-Love all sat at the top of the stairs and drew stick-men of ourselves and our siblings. Then I drew stick figures to represent my wife & 3 daughters to tell about them.

I went to get my phone and showed them pics of my 3 girls and wife. Then remembered that I have video of the 3 girls. The kids were amazed and loved the videos. They paid special attention to their long hair. One last thing: when Esther first made it over to the house, she re-introduced herself then said "Elizabeth and...and...Christina". It caught me off gaurd as I had forgotten that I had shared this info with her yesterday - and she had remembered. Nothing crazy, but it brought a smile to my face to hear her recite that out of the blue.

A storm is blasting through now and it's dark, dark out. I'm sitting on the chair on the front patio with a flashlight. Oh, how I long to be back at that orphanage. I can't communicate the incredibly deep deep pull that I have to this place. It is breaking my heart right now just thinking of them and knowing we won't be returning. I need to commit with Yordanos when I get back to the US, to both make a commitment to come to THIS orphanage and go to more. I need for her to see & feel this...and meet these wonderful children. I need to share this with my family. I want to come specifically for this orphanage...perhaps not a mission trip next time...but full time with the orphanage. I need my family to share in this incredibly important experience. I will find a way to get in touch with this orphanage directly to coordinate a trip. For coordinating goods and resources, I will only feel comfortable having a third party coordinate it here in Haiti as there are some concerns that the current resources are being abused (clothes, meds, etc) and not all are getting to these children.

This is a commitment that I must fulfill.