A Rainy Week Tale

The hum of electricity is in the air - a welcome sound if only for a brief time. Roosters and voodoo drums compete for airspace. For the first time in 9 days and nights - no patter of raindrops singing harmony. Hopefully we can begin to dry out, clean up the mold and mildew growing everywhere and gather garbage tossed around by high winds. Nature gave us a swimming pool, but it's too cold to enjoy it.

Our swimming pool- note the mold on the 'miray' (privacy wall)

We are just a microcosm of the macrocosm. Outside our gates, misery magnified. We had just recovered from the November floods - replaced textbooks, eyeglasses, uniforms, shoes, stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs - you name it - lost because there was no place to put them. Yesterday Lusnot had revizyon and all but one cancelled due to flooding. Budget? An exercise in futility.

Petitans and Fosenmichel are both flooded again - we have more
than a dozen students in each area.

Watching the water level rise - waiting for the inevitable

Everyone who is able still has to make a living. Most take off
their shoes and keep on going.

People have to go places - even in the rain. Some tap-taps
cover up with a 'prela' (tarp).

Our young people in Cap-Haitien have the luxury of a tap-tap for 5 gourdes. When they drop in to the center or come for a study session, we give them travel money. Change very difficult to find and we are constantly looking for 'mone' (change).

Melane and Celine arrived in shower caps. School was cancelled .

3rd yr. nursing student Edwina huddles
over her computer . Small comfort from the damp.

Classes cancelled due to flooding for Brunel-
he huddled in the library

Classes cancelled for Paudeline. She checks out
her new solar lamp - which requires sunlight.

Most Lycees in the country remain closed and on strike. While my sympathy lies with the teachers who need to be paid for their services, I regret seeing our young people lose valuable class instruction. Here in Cap the hospital remains on strike as well and many private schools have closed due to flooding. Paudeline took advantage of the free time and again went to the hospital for test results after her beating and rape the first of December. They did release them this time, probably because of her persistence. Everything was negative but retesting suggested in 3 months. So those 3 months are almost up if they mean 3 months from the original test date. 

If you have a heavy sweater or hat, you cover up.
If you are eating, there will probably be a dog nearby.

The mountainside was awash with misery as well. There are no tap-taps to move people so everyone is on foot unless they can score a 'wulib' (free ride) with someone. The 2 boys helped us out covering the holes in the DonDon/SenRafayel bridge so we took theme home. They had been out gathering firewood for cooking.



Unfortunately the cab was full of perishables but
our passengers didn't mind. They weren't walking barefoot.

This barefoot gentleman and his 3 dogs had also been out
scouting firewood (machete under arm). We thanked him for his advice with a
large tin of dry dog food.

Everytime we caught a glimpse of the river it was swollen past its banks and there were waterfalls where no waterfall had been just a week before.

The river had crested at every turn, flooding gardens. Too much, too fast.

I counted at least 3 new fairly large waterfalls

No taps-taps on the mountainside

Sen Rafayel was facing the same challenges, but no schools were functioning. Auguste and Dieugrand went to the market and bought as many long sleeve jackets as they could find. Very few have cold weather clothes so we distribute. Nothing is new but nobody minds - its warm and dry. Orina made her way to the center after hours but I opened for her as she presented symptoms of mosquito borne Chikungunya. She is the first case since Christmas. This new rain will bring another round of mosquito borne ailments, all debilitating.
In addition to strikes, other forms of violence disrupt life. The convent in Sen Rafayel was broken into early Friday morning (2 am) and 3 elderly nuns were beaten as they had no cash on hand. These women are friends of mine, in their 70's and 80's. Incomprehensible. We paid a visit when we heard and all were coping. Village police refused to help -- fear is everywhere.


Students/dogwalkers Junior and Isaac try on jackets.
TiKe waits but its too muddy for a walk.

 

John-Steevenson, Dieuner, Sterlin and Gasnel share a meal.
We eat, read, study, converse, laugh, sometimes cry.

New stove delivered and set up, staff oriented to its workings, we head down the mountain late Sunday. We have several stops along the way to deliver dog food.  

On the mountainside: The dogs have to be faster than the chickens as
all are hungry.

Mountain families - hard working, resilient, courageous.

It is now 8:49 on Monday morning and a weak sun is mounting the horizon. I began to write at 5 am. Staff arrived at 8 and Fatia has arrived for breakfast because her school is flooded. But that's another blog.

Stay safe

Sharon

PS If anyone has connections with a pet food company, please let me know. Animal welfare is becoming a priority with us.



One Starfish, one family part 2

Today marks the 5th anniversary of the earthquake that devastated Port-au-Prince and the South Ouest of Haiti on Jan 12, 2010.

On this day, we remember our Starfish Frandzy who died too young. He is our personal loss and a reminder of the magnitude of the losses suffered by the country and individual families. N'ap sonje - we remember.

Frandzy 26.01.86 - 12.01.10

The following year, many young people arrived on our doorstep, looking for support to resume 'normal' lives after surviving the trauma of the 'heartquake', as student Francois Marrion wrote in his letter - a tranbleman deke (heartquake) rather than a tranbleman dete (earthquake).

We admitted as many as funds would allow, knowing that it is a multi year commitment for each. Myriame was one of those who arrived shaken, introverted, afraid to go to sleep, speaking only in a whisper. We can never know the horrors she and every survivor witnessed.

Our kids did what they do best - welcomed the newcomers and the seniors who had suffered through the trauma while in universities in the Port-au-Prince/Leogane area and gave them support, friendship and space when needed.

Myriame has come a long way in 4 years, now a second year university (Nursing) student. When her mother died Nov. 19 2014 followed by baby brother Daniel. Dec. 6, it was Myriame who found the strength and courage to pull the family together, gathering 6 surviving siblings from relatives and friends and finding a relative who would give them space.

With limited funds and the assurance of the uncle in charge that if we finished the space for the kids they could live there rent free as long as they wanted, we contacted every mason/carpenter team we knew. Not many available to start a couple of days before Christmas. But we lucked in, and after meeting with the team and getting their list of materials needed and the cost of their labor (men dev) we headed for the hardware store as there are no deliveries. Needed: 160 concrete blocks, 30 bags of cement, one truck load of sand.

Everyone (here Marielle) helped unload the blocks -

the bags of cement we left to the guys.

A wall in a day  - 160 blocks



Then 'krepissaj' covering the blocks in order to
protect and allow us to paint.

I was just starting to think we could get it done when the Boss Mason called and asked to see us. It had rained the night before and the ceiling was leaking in several places. There goes the budget for materials and labor. So, more cement needed.

The Bos Mason points out the leaks.
Bos is a term of respect for an experienced tradesman.

We delivered more cement, doors and 2x4's, appointing
12 yr old Mikenzy in charge of the materials until the bosses arrived.

5 of the 7 together - and smiles!!!
Myriame,Mikenzy,Mildrede,Fatia and 4 yr old Maniella

The Bos Charpenter who made the door frames (chambrun) and installed the doors, did not do windows, so we had to find another tradesman who could step in.

Doors installed

Auguste checks --Leaky roof repaired

There are still 2 drop in centers to operate,  150 students and 20 staff in need of supplies so while windows were being made and installed, we loaded up the truck and headed to Sen Rafayel. As the grandmother lives in the village, we dropped the kids off for a visit and returned next day.

Then pick the kids up at Granma's and head down the mountain in the hopes of finishing the project.
Windows were almost finished when we arrived, so early start the next morning with everyone pitching in to paint. They had never mixed paint, held a paint brush etc... Auguste, Rosema and I had put the base coat on the walls before the windows were installed one day when everyone was out. We wanted to include them in as much as possible so the last 2 days were marathons.

Everyone took turns mixing the 'ble pal' (pale blue) colour
they had chosen.

We started with the gallery as the ceiling tapestry was
being hung inside. Everyone had a 'style', from 12 yr old Mikenzy
to 4 yr old Maniella.

22 yr old Myriame, 18 yr old Fatia - all business

We had enough paint for an interior wall, so headed back at noon truck loaded, to complete the decoration. The kids asked if they could paint half-way up. Seemed like a good idea - made the paint go farther - if we could just create a straight  line!

Maniella,Mildrede, Fatia - half way up!

Mikenzy finished the gallery and joined us inside

Rosema was finished with the ceiling so lent a
hand to finish off.

It's just one room - but it's a home. It will be different from anything they have known because they have beds. They have to share them, but it beats sleeping on concrete. Mikenzy posed on his roll away cot. We found sheets with soccer balls on them. And the best part - he doesn't have to share. We will partition off with curtains but one thing at a time.

Mikenzy posed on his  first ever bed

Maniella bounced.

 

Maniella, Mildrede, Fatia - first beds

In about 3 weeks time, we went from the original unfinished long cold room to a cozy, safe, inviting space for 6 kids. Geraldson will stay in Sen Rafayel with Grandma. But there will be room for him when he visits.

Although not completely finished, it is a space to call home. With 150 students registered, there are always projects like this. It takes a team, not just in Haiti but everywhere in the world our sponsors call home.

There is so much pain and sorrow on this planet. It is an absolute gift to me to be able to participate in such a joyful, positive project. One Starfish, one family.

 

Thank you to everyone who helped make this possible.

 

At this time of remembrance in Haiti, we hold all of those who have suffered loss in our thoughts.

Je suis Charlie

Sharon



Lakay Jasmine in Sen Rafayel - A full house and a New Year's greeting - from our house to yours. Chaos and laughter - the joy of community.



One Starfish, one family Part 1

After my first trip to Haiti in 1998, I was invited to share the experience with several community and church groups. I struggled with the absolute, grinding poverty I had witnessed. The story of the  Star Thrower resonated with me and became my 'sign off'' message at the end of each presentation. It brought some solace in that the message of doing something positive for one was doable. I could lend a hand to  one --  one  starfish.

But Starfish don't spring into the world by themselves - often there are siblings with basic needs as well - housing, food, emotional comfort and support. Infrequently, there are also parents in need.

So it is with Myriame. Home visits are part of the contract we sign with our young people. The idea stems from my days as a pilot teacher for the Junior kindergarten program in London, On, a lifetime ago. Those visits gave me insight into the kids I would be teaching and provided a level of comfort and familiarity for those entering my classroom. It works much the same way here in Haiti. As we had visited Myriame's tikay (little home) and met her family when we admitted her to our program in 2010, we did not revisit when we took on her younger sister Fatia. Myriame was suffering PTS from experiencing the earthquake, Fatia was just poor.

With the death of their mother Guerda this Nov.19 due to complications from childbirth, it was important for us to  know where our 'starfish' were now living and in what conditions. After the funeral of manman, Myriame ( 2nd year university nursing student), as the oldest (22) had begged a relative for a place to reassemble her 6 brothers and sisters, ages 4 to 20.

After the final exam, schoolmates Fatia and
 Stephen compared notes.

We made a randevu (appointment) with Fatia for the end of exams, and visited the new residence in Petitans.  Although still in Cap-Haitien it is a fair distance from their original home in Sitedepep, and now requires taking 2 tap-taps instead of a half hour walk. There is no money for taptaps so everyone walks many hours.

The allotted room is about 6X8, and contains an old 2 seater sofa with no back cushions and a single, rusted fold away cot. The floor is concrete. Along one wall stands a wooden cabinet about 4 feet in length 6 feet high, 18 inches deep. It takes up precious space and  they are not allowed to use it as it storage for hymn books. I peeked. There are 4 books inside. It would have made great storage for clothing.

Home for 7 kids between ages 4 and 22.Although mosquito infested
it is a roof over their heads, more than many have .

It doesn't take long to look at one small room. The family had nothing - no plates, glasses, silverware, storage containers, shelves etc. Everything from the family 'home' had gone to Sen Rafayel for the funeral and remained there. So - with Fatia's help I began yet another list of basics needed. We deposited food and supplies we had purchased, looked at the bathroom everyone in the lakou  (courtyard) shares (including a small preschool building) , and prepared to leave.

Preschool on left, community toilet/shower on right

Fatia said that there was a larger space they could use but it had no security. Would we like to see it? Twist my arm. It wasn't enough that we had made our way to the back of the lakou by placing stones in the standing water, now we had to traverse  more swampy, infested water to get to the staircase to see the space.

With Fatia (still in school uniform) leading the way, we made it across.
 More rain  fell that night, exacerbating the problem.

Once upstairs, we were shown a long, unfinished concrete block room. It was storage for garbage - broken chairs, desks, rusted rebars, someone had slung a clothesline. Fatia thought that they could use one third of the space so we called her uncle to find out exactly what was available. We made an appointment for the next day.  The preschool was just letting out as we made our way across the 'pond.'

Preschool across from the swamp was just letting out.

The children pursued us as I am a novelty - a blan. (stranger) With cheve blan (white hair) to boot! Two of the munchkins bravely approached me. One young lady pinched the skin on my arm and asked my if I was gate (gah teh - spoiled, rotten as garbage) I burst out laughing but the laughter turned silent when the little fellow beside her asked me for a kado (present.) What would you like? I asked innocently. Zarm (a gun) he replied. Why?  I had to ask. Tire et tiye (to shoot and kill). I told him I didn't have a gun (zarm) but I could be his friend (zanmi). A new friend is better than a gun, I posited.  As we were shaking hands on the new friendship, Princess the courtyard dog came up to sniff us. She had given birth to 7 puppies earlier in the week and was in need of food and water. Love those teachable moments -respect for weapons, friends and animals.

New mother Princess emerging from the filthy
shed which houses her 7 offspring.

Home visits are about so much more than the physical structure. After leaving the small tin of dry dog food we keep in the truck and filling a makeshift bowl with potable water, we took our leave.

There was no time to go to town shopping, so Saturday morning I raided the kitchen cupboards and enroute we stopped on the roadside to purchase an iron baker's stand for supplies, 2 planks of mango wood and a dozen concrete blocks . Wading through swampy water is not my idea of how to stay healthy. 

Fatia was doing the laundry for 7 while Mikenzy
looked after Manuela. It was the first time I had seen Fatia
smile since her mother's death.

In addition to household  supplies, we brought bowls, water and dry dog food for Princess. Mikenzy took charge of the dog food sak and promised to give her food and water each day. He accepted the responsibility with great pride and determination. We have been back many times, and Princess looks like a different dog now.

Dieugrand and Rosema were with us to help clean up, if we were satisfied that there would be adequate space for the kids and they would be allowed to stay indefinitely. The meeting with the Uncle began cautiously, with a space not much larger than what they had being offered. When I pointed out that it was not worth our time and money to create a space that would leave them still cramped with no personal or communal space, the allotted space was doubled then another 6 feet tacked on to provide another door and window. We agreed and clean up began, our staff , the kids and uncle. We had come with work gloves, mops, pails and brooms. First job - carrying out the garbage. Second job - sweeping -ceiling, walls, floor. Many hands do make light work. We included the kids because it will be their home.

Dieugrand, Rosema, a lady who had installed a clothesline,
Marielle and Fatia. Everybody worked, even the youngest.

Now we could see what had to be done, the mason and carpenter arrived  and more lists were made: buy 160 concrete blocks, 30 bags of cement, 2 doors with hardware and 2x4's for door frames (chambrun). We agreed upon their price for labor (men dev). Donation to our GENERAL FUNDS at work. We are going to put in real windows with screens to keep the mosquitos at bay, so a stop in town at Jehovah windows for an estimate (ProForma). They installed Lakay Jasmine in Sen Rafayel for us.
Before heading out on our buying spree, 2 bridges to install and cross.

 

 

Bridges installed, we were off to purchase building materials while life went on for the kids. Fatia and Marielle slugged water to continue the laundry, while Mikenzy supervised. 

Lending a hand can change many lives - the life of the one extending and the one receiving. This Saturday morning was merely the beginning. On to purchase and deliver building supplies for the bosses( foreman), find food money for the family and show them how to make a budget. Admit sister Mildrede to our program as her mother died before paying fees. Document the progress of the facelift, paint the space with the kids and move them upstairs, keep tabs on them along with the other 146 students we have. It keeps me young.

In one of his last  reflections before his death in 1996, Henri Nouwen talks about how we grow:

When a child is born, friends get married, a parent dies, people revolt,

or a nation starves, it's not enough just to know about these things and to

celebrate, grieve, or respond as best we can. We have to keep asking ourselves:

What does it all mean?

But are there any answers?

There are but we will never find them unless we are willing to live the questions first and trust

that as Rilke says, we will without even noticing it, grow into the answers.

During this holiday season, please give a thought to this little family and ask what can you do for them. I wish you growth.

Sharon

Part 2 Coming soon.