A study in Transportation

I know I mentioned in other blogs some of the unbelievable ways that "goods and services" are delivered in Haiti, but I will just mention a few and then when I get home, post some pictures. Even those don't truly do justice to transportation in Haiti.

I have seen:
Motorcycles- with 3 kids and a dad. Moms and babies riding with a driver. Packages hanging off both sides with accompanying passengers. Evidently, if one of these drivers should run into you because of their recklessness, it is still your fault and they expect all resulting injury to person or property to be paid for. They are a major threat on the road and a major source of accidents. (I've cleaned up a few casualties).

Tap Taps- these can be smaller trucks with raised toppers or beat up vans. They carry considerably more passengers than what is even remotely safe or comfortable, but it is the main means of transportation for most Haitians. Mothers, kids, babies, students, workers, etc. If they break down, (which is common) you just hop out and hail another one. They are entertaining in their colorful painting and sayings on them. They usually have some sort of religious reference such as "Jesus save us"or something like that. I have ridden in them a couple of times when either there was no other option or when our own truck broke down. It is not for the faint of heart believe me and there are so many people squished in that even if you stop quickly, you aren't going anywhere! Being tall and white is generally a curiosity for the kids who rarely see "blancs" out and about. Some of the little ones are afraid of me, but most will smile when I try to engage them.

School buses- there is a central area for school buses that load up each morning about 4:00am and go to Port au Prince and then return the same afternoon. It is about an 8 hour harrowing trip each way over the mountains on roads that are little more than dirt pathways filled with pot holes and erosion. Each bus is packed with people, and cargo, including on the top. It is cheaper to ride on the top with the large cargo, but honestly, I don't know how they keep from falling off!

Large Trucks- these are large like a dump truck but with open railings to hold in the cargo and people. They can be packed very high with people literally dangling off the top. Trips in from Dominican Republic can be packed in that way as there are more things to purchase in the DR for resale in Haiti

Vehicles- There are a few "cars" which act as taxi's, but most vehicles are either SUV's or pickup trucks. Other vehicles just can't hold up to the wear and tear. The big organizations will drive around in nice SUV's and are usually white for some reason. It seems rather impractical to me. And you will have a variety of other SUV or trucks which are personally owned by either missionaries or wealthier Haitians. Most missionaries will have drivers, at least at the beginning, because of the new realities of the road, but eventually some braver ones will venture on their own, at least in the rural areas.

Farm Vehicles- I have seen very few tractors here, but one in particular that we pass on a regular basis is pulling 7 very large carts, filled to the top with either straw or some such thing. How he negotiates the roads, I have no idea.

The Cart- The cart is an amazing thing to see. They are wooden about 12' long with an additional 4' of handle. The men who push these carts must be Herculean in strength because the cargo is always heavy and enormous! Occasionally, you will have a guy in the front, mostly just to direct, and then the guy in the back (usually a thin, wirery guy) is in the back pushing well over a ton under his own strength up and down hills and through potholes. It is absolutely amazing!

Bicycles- several people can ride one bike. They may sit on the bar in the front, or the handle bars or the back. I have seen 2yr olds riding on the front, Mom peddling and perhaps a 4 or 5 year old on the back. They drive along side the road, but are pushed off often as approaching vehicles honk to warn them to get out of the way. In the food chain of transportation, the bike is only superior to the walking pedestrian. (They are at the bottom of the food chain.) I have seen very young children on bikes not appropriate for their size, riding on main thoroughfares on their way to school. It is frightening to see. I am looking forward to taking Doug (my husband) to the bike repair area of town to see the incredible amount of used "pieces" that they have to repair and build bikes. As he used to be a competitive cyclist in his younger years, he may find this interesting.

It have contemplated as I have been here now for almost 5 weeks this trip, how normal some of these things have become compared to when I first arrived. It is just a reality to Haitians and a fact of life. There is definitely an art to walking in the city which most of us Americans are not used to. In the states, the pedestrian has the right of way (at least theoretically!) But not so in Haiti, you must constantly be vigilant and aware as you walk!
Even when I am out with Hanania, she is watching giving me instructions "OK cross, or No wait." I feel like I'm back getting instruction from my Grandma Eleanor when I was 5! But that's alright with me. In a new culture, you never learn if you don't embarrass yourself sometimes! And besides... there are plenty of verses in the bible about being like a child, right!!!!

World Cup Frenzy!

Many of you received the email I wrote about the "Football" hysteria here with the World Cup! Brazil remains the clear favorite and the city stops when they play! I even heard a marching band in the street a few days ago after their win.
For some reason I can not cut and paste the email into this format so the rest of you can understand the extent to which Haitians will go to show their dedication to the team, but maybe when I get back to the states and have a better internet connection, I can post it.

Suffice it to say, that the frenzy continues... the erruption of cheering is city wide.... and Brazilian flags are everywhere!

I emailed to my Brazilian friends this occurance and they were very pleased. Even as I write this, I can hear the buzz of radios, TV's and cheering/talking as the world cup is on. Rich, poor, and inbetween all are interested. In front of the house, every afternoon starting around 4:00 or so there is a soccer game played by the young men of the neighborhood. I watch quietly from the balcony sometimes as I don't want to disturb them. They are serious!!! The "field" is a dirt road about 18-20' wide with concrete fences on both sides. The ball will occasionally get kicked over the gate into the yard, but I just keep the gate unlocked so they can run in quick and get the ball. One time, it came way into the yard and I yelled to them that I would get it...which I did....but, I think it embarrassed them so now I keep a low profile, and just let them get it.

It is interesting to me to think about how alike Haitians are to Americans in some ways (love of sports for one thing) and yet how different too. It is a testimony to how we are all created in the image of God and when everything else is stripped away, we all need Him.

...it's the little things....

The electricity remains off, the solar is down to charging for about 15 minutes a day, the generator is also "broken", something about wires that are not properly connected. I knew I was going to have a challenging weekend on my own with no electric and only the ability to use the computer to communicate for a very short time. But... I woke up saturday morning thinking, "Oh good, I can maybe have a second cup of instant coffee this morning before I get started." So... I headed to the kitchen ..got the matches.. lit the match and turned on the gas. Nothing...tried again...nothing..no sputter, sputter, no flash, just nothing. So being the inquisitive one that I am, I checked the line into the stove (well, truthfully, I tentatively checked the line with out moving things too much, knowing there are a variety of creatures, furry and otherwise that make their home under the stove and I preferred not to disturb them). Not seeing a problem, I followed the line outside next to the house to see if someone had inadvertently shut off the valve...no, it was open. Evidently, MaLouie had used the last of the propane on friday and it had not been mentioned.
Then came the time of decision...do I call Hanania or Edrick for help...or do I just wait until Monday...I opted to wait. I wasn't going to starve eating cold food .....I'll just miss the coffee!

So here I was, no electric, no generator, minimal solar and now no propane to cook. I had hoped to get computer work done for work and be able to skype with the family or at least email, but it seemed as though these activities would be at a minimum. I guess the Lord is teaching me to be independent in lifestyle, dependent on Him and content in all circumstances!

Or maybe, He just wants me work more on my creole!

FYI: For those of you like me who REALLY LIKE COFFEE...I found an alternative....Instant coffee, powdered milk, sugar and cold water...stir vigorously! Not bad...really!

Busy Week!

My first full week in Cap Haitien was a busy one. At the clinic I was mostly in the pharmacy either working on writing the computer program or trying to inventory the medical stock. We visited the orphanage and also visited a Pastors facility where we may have teams stay when they come in to work on wells or other activities. FYI: It is beautiful and definitely would NOT be roughing it. Just a heads up to any of you who may wish to come down and help out!
I helped with the English class and worked on the health education program. The evenings were spent with visitors coming over and with working on creole. It was very hot and I was still adjusting to the rooster serenade at 4:00am. By the time friday got here, I was tired!
So....here I was squeezed in the back of the pickup with three other good sized Haitian ladies, purses and computers, the radio was blaring, another radio in the car was playing the world cup game, we were sitting in horrible traffic (again) with all the horns honking, people yelling... and I am dozing off! My head kept banging against the window. I am such a wimp! I am going to pray that the Lord will give me much more endurance!

June 9th-visit to Children of the Promise

Children of the Promise is an orphanage that was started by a couple who live in Wilmar, MN. I had visited there last year. It is out in a rural area essentially south of Cap Haitien. They have very nice facilities both for staff and for the children including class rooms, large kitchen, and a nice play area with swing set. They take in babies and children up to about 5 years old. Some of the children are orphans, but a good number have parents who for any number of reasons can not take care of them. Some of the children are eventually reunited with their families, others are put up for adoption. Each child has a Haitian "mommy" who cares for them. And then, volunteers come to assist and to work with special needs children. Before the earthquake they had approximately 50 children in their care. During the chaos that followed the earthquake, 40 of the children who were in the process of being adopted were allowed to leave and go to their adoptive families. Including one child who's parents rented a helicopter in Dominican Republic and flew in to get their child. (FYI: the well drillers were staying here during this time and assisted in guiding the helicopter down!) They are now back up to around 30 children. The very nice young couple who are directors, have received permission to take their adopted children out of the country (2 1/2, 2, 1 years old, and surprise, a baby to be born in October!)

I visited the facility again this trip because they had had a diesel spill and we are going to try to get a water sample analyzed in a lab in the states. Doug has worked out the lab, but the into and outof the country is still being worked on! We should have it together by July so Doug can go and check it out to be sure their well water is not contaminated.

If anyone is interested in volunteering to help here for a week or two or even longer, let me know and I will get you the information. It is very reasonable to stay there and the children are so wonderful! They also facilitate adoptions as well and it sounds like from what I have read that the Haitian government is allowing adoptions to proceed of children whose parent's either can sign the paperwork or can be verified as deceased.

If the Lord speaks to your heart, listen.....

Construction in Haiti

One of the very big differences between Haiti and the US is that in Haiti everything is paid for at the time of purchase... including houses. What this means in practical terms is that people must save money...buy land...save money...buy cement...save money...buy rebar...save money...hire workers (or do it yourself) etc. There are no mortgages here! But then again, once it is purchased, it is yours. A house is really an investment for people, it is something they actually own. People will put their life savings into their home, slowly building, adding on for additional family members, making it sturdier. This is why the earth quake has been so devastating for so many people... not only did they lose family members... they lost the only real thing of value that they owned and there is no insurance or FEMA for replacement. They must start completely over.

To build in Haiti, generally, you start completely from scratch. You buy a piece of land and have sand delivered to it (or do it yourself). You buy bags of cement, Each bag can make about 32- 35 good quality bricks, although some people make more which is one of the reasons why so many buildings crumbled in PAP. The sand is mixed with some cement and water and shoveled onto itself over and over to get the right consistency. Once it is correct, it is put in a form, patted down, smoothed over and carried to an open area. It is then dumped out and left for at least three days. The blocks are periodically "sprayed" with water and as they dry and the cement cures, they become hard. It is slow, difficult work!

After blocks are made you are ready to begin building. A good house will have a foundation which is dug in at least 3 feet into the ground and built up with rock and cement. The floor is poured and spread by hand and leveled. Then the courses of block are ready to begin. The blocks are tied together with rebar "columns" which are filled with concrete. You will see houses in MANY stages of completion in Haiti! People live in them as they are and when they have additional funds, they buy more cement! Some of the masons do beautiful work with arches and columns etc. but most are pretty basic. After the house has walls, you can begin a second floor using rebar as support or you can just tie in a roof. Since the earthquake, it seems like many people are opting for wood (or stick) rafters and Metal roofs. Less weight. Quite honestly, after seeing the pancaked houses in PAP, I think it is an excellent idea.

Hanania and her husband are building a nice home fairly close to where we will be living. It will house the three of them and 6 others. I would estimate it's square footage at about 1000. They need to move in the end of this month, but it will not have a well for water, or bathroom yet (they are building a latrine). It is just cement blocks at this point. Hopefully, it will have the roof (they are waiting on some funds to purchase some sheeting)! This is how it works in Haiti though, you do what you have to do to get by!

It has been interesting to me to talk to various people regarding the "build as you go" housing as opposed to the "mortgage" concept we use in the US. Everyone I talked to said they preferred the Haitian way...where they owned the house and land outright and did not have to worry about making payments or having it taken away. Maybe they are on to something!

Days in Cap Haitien

Life in Haiti is bizarre in some ways. It is busy, exhausting, long days and short nights. Yet you feel like for all the "work" that goes forward, there are two steps that go backward! It is like there is always something conspiring against you to not allow you to get done what needs to be done! It is challenging each day and yet at the end of it, it is difficult to really quantify the results or progress. It is more of an intangible sense of peace at the end of the day, knowing that you did your best inspite of the many obstacles; no electricity, car problems, traffic, no money at the bank, no diesel, inadequate supplies, very hot and muggy and of course, waiting ...for everything! You just have to laugh sometimes and say, "OK Lord, it's in your hands!"

Most of the time in Cap Haitien, I have spent working at the clinic. I was able to get an inventory program going and it seems to be functioning well. The staff is understanding how it works for the most part and since I will be back in July, I'll be able to assess how it is going. I've been working with the Nurse and the Doctor to get a sense of the challenges they face and to see if there are ways to help. Magarette showed me the technique for sterilizing the small equipment like scissors and clamps. It is like being back working with Florence Nightingale. First she washes the items with soap and water, then she wraps the utensils in a rag, begins water boiling and then puts the utensils in a steaming colander and allows the steam to heat and sterilize the items. Another technique is to put the utensils in a metal container, add rubbing alcohol and light it. I am sure this is better than nothing, but a far cry from having a true sterilizing oven. Unfortunately, as soon as the items are "sterile" they go back into dirty drawers or cabinets. Doing wound care is particularly interesting! There is certainly the attempt to remain sterile while doing the dressings, but usually it is a losing battle. I will say that Magarette is much more aware of the need to maintain a sterile environment than some other clinics I have seen because she used to work in an OR, but it is still very difficult. The Doctors use stethoscopes that can be bought for about $6.00 here, not professional ones. They sometimes have to be very creative to help patients as the resources are so limited. Patients will come to us when the hospital will not see them because they don't have money, but sometimes there is just nothing we can do.....

I've also been looking at the Health Education program and ways to make that more effective. I have met with the Association (the Board) and discussed ways to utilize the staff 's talent better and get information out into the community. In general, just did what needed to be done and tried to be helpful. I'm not going to discuss the things I've seen as it would gross you non medical people out! Let's just say, I've seen some "interesting" things!

On Wednesdays, when the clinic is not open, I have been going with Hanania and Edrick to get the many things done for Global H2Ope that need to be accomplished. Let me recount one of our days! A task I was to accomplish was to get information on the process to become an NGO in Haiti. So... Hanania called someone (she knows MANY PEOPLE) and set up an appointment for us at the Government office of Social Service. We arrived on time to the building, but the person we were to meet with was not there. So, we went back outside and waited for a while. Eventually, Hanania saw the person we were to meet with approach the building so we went back in. They let us in the barred gateway and up the stairs to some chairs. There were already quite a few other people waiting to discuss their problems or ideas. We sat for a few minutes. Of course I was the only "blanc" in the building so I got a number of stares. FYI: I have seen very few other foreigners except at the OMS mission compound and when the Missionary flights plane comes in to bring the mail. There are a few Italians managing a road construction project and the UN Chilean troops, but that's about it from what I can see! Anyway, eventually we went into a long room with 3 long tables. Each table had an employee on one side and then chairs lined up on the other where the person could state their problem, ask a question or whatever. There was a clear power differential between the government employee and the person coming to request something! Although, it seemed for me, they were more accommodating. I asked my questions, Hanania translated, the government worker answered and Hanania explained back to me what I didn't catch. I was hoping to have things laid out in a process, but alas, they do things one step at a time and you don't get to find out about step two until step one is completed. Thankfully, I know that Pastor Steve is going through the same thing but is a step a head in PAP so I have a slight advantage, but clearly, I can see that working with the government can be a frustrating process!

Following that meeting we went to see if Pastor Henoc Lucien was at his school. He is an EFCA endorsed Pastor and has a number of ministries through Vision of Hope. His school is large and very nice. They even have school buses to pick up the children. I was glad to be able to meet him as I had been by his facility outside of CAP near Milot last year, but he was not there when we passed by. He will be a good contact to have for the future.

Following this meeting, we drove out to where the house is that we will be renting when we move here in November. My first trip there, we could not get in (a long story which I won't go into) but this time the neighbor knocked on the gate and got the cook to come to the door.
It is a simple rectangular cement block home with 3 bedrooms and two bathrooms. It is currently owned by a career missionary in his mid 70's and lets just say, it could use some "updating and TLC"! The yard is large and has many fruit trees which will be wonderful! I got some pictures to show the family when I get home, but hopefully we can work on it when Doug and I are in Haiti in July! Even to just get the minimum done and then complete the rest once we move here. It is right next to the international school which is wonderful as the kids will be attending there. Since Doug is a teacher and I can help out, they are going to work with us on the tuition. They use the ABBEKA curriculum and it is a very small school of only about 20-25 children K-8. It will be a safe and nurturing environment for the kids. Living very near to us are a missionary couple with MFI Missionary Flights International. MFI is the lifeline for most missionaries in Cap Haitien and will even shop for you in Florida and send it over on their flights. They charge $1.50 a pound for cargo and bring mail into Haiti twice a week for those affiliated with them. I flew with them last year and we will probably do the same when the family comes and we will have cargo. They will even take the dog! Anyway, I think the area will be perfect for the family, the school will be great, and we will be close to other organizations and missions that have experience in the area. It seems like God is preparing the way for us!

This is a long blog!!! But hopefully you get a sense of the days and the intrigue of the culture. It is a remarkable place, with remarkable people!

Life at Dorothy's House

Life at Dorothy's has been a tremendous learning experience for me to prepare for our families move to Haiti.

The Mission house is large, not fancy, but functional. Dorothy has a dedicated staff who have been helping me to keep everything going and also to learn both practically and culturally the unspoken rules of life in Haiti.

I have already told you about a couple of staff, Hanania and Edrick. Both have been a tremendous help!
Edrick has shown me how to run the generator, the solar inverter, the water purifier, the water pump, the propane tank for the stove, and many other things which I would have been lost without knowing! About 2 days after arriving, the Haitian electric stopped working, it was later determined that the meter was "gone" and the wires disconnected. So, I have had no electricity except for the solar and occasional generator once a week while pumping water. It has caused me to think about all the things we use electricity for! I have figured out a system to charge my computer battery to almost full with the solar each evening before it runs out. I have no light after about 6:30pm when the sun goes down, so I use my flash light (although that has now burned out) and a camping head lamp that I bought before I came after seeing the many uses when I was in PAP. I walk around the house like a coal miner at night! It works though and is part of the "flexibility" that is needed in this culture!
Hanania has been the "cultural interpreter" for me. She speaks English very well and is very insightful. She has included me when she has gone to church and to a Wedding. She also has shown me how the shopping works. A very different process here! I will blog about that later! She is very talented and has clued me in on a number of cultural issues which are difficult for "blanc's" to know how to deal with. For example, begging, if the little kids come running up asking for money, she will shoo them away telling them "do not beg". But, if a couple of kids come up to us asking to wash the car (essentially wipe it down) she will work out a price and let them go a head. She never gives money to people on the street that she doesn't know, but she will help people who she knows are actually in need. There are many issues related to "helping"and when our "helping" actually hurts the culture more than helps. It is a difficult issue to grapple with when essentially 99.9% of the population has very real practical needs. It takes alot of discernment and prayer.
There are also some staff who work at the house. Gabo is a 60+ year old grounds keeper. He is stronger than most men half his age and it is clear he has had a harsh, hard life. Dorothy has him come each day to clean up leaves, sweep etc. (I think she wants to be sure he has food money to survive and some dignity in his old age) Nana comes 2 times a week to clean house. She is younger probably in her mid 20's with a family. It is unbelievably dusty here and the soot from burning trash and other pollution gets on everything. Nana bleaches out the bathrooms and floors to prevent mildew and mold and to attempt to keep the bugs at bay! Nadia, also younger, comes once a week to do laundry. Clean clothes are extremely important to the Haitian people. Very few Haitians have washing machines, it is all done by hand and hung out to dry in the sun. They have a very strong soap and will scrub until the clothes are spotless! Then there is Ma Louie. She is a very gentle, sweet older women who cooks the evening meal. She has been very excited to cook for me since I asked her to cook only Haitian style, not American. She has made some wonderful food for me! There are lots of fruits and vegetables and of course rice and beans. It has been GREAT! She does all the food shopping as well which quite honestly would be impossible for me at this point. It is all done at the open market and you really need to know what you are doing!

Each of these house hold staff is expected and imperative if you are a foreigner living in Haiti and actually most Haitians have people who they hire to do these things for them. Even ones who we would consider poor. It takes a long time to do the activities of daily living here and this is a system developed to help give employment to the more unskilled laborers and young people. It allows them meaningful work, but also allows the employer (or the missionary) the ability to do their job. If a foreigner does not employ at least some of these workers, they are thought of as cheap and not willing to help improve the country. It is a very different view than how we as Americans see having household help. Most Haitians want to work and are very thankful for the means to support their families.

At the house there is almost always the background noise of a church service, music, people working or talking, it is a constant buzz. As I have mentioned, people (and animals) are up early and so am I. I usually make some coffee and have some fruit and peanutbutter on bread for breakfast, before heading out to the clinic. I usually don't eat again until about 5:30 at night after we have gotten back and I've been able to get things put away, checked email etc. Sometimes people will come by to visit but usually by about 6:15, I lock the front gate before it gets dark. I spend the evenings either working on projects from the clinic or Global H2Ope or emailing or skyping with family. The connection is not always very good, but at least I can check in and see the faces and voices of Doug and the kids or my sister and parents. My computer can't last more than about 2 hours on battery so around 8:00, I go get a cold shower (which actually is fine with me because I have been sweating all day!) and then read a bit before falling asleep under my mosquito netting around 9:30 -10:00pm. I am usually awakened at least once a night with music or the neighborhood dogs barking, but by 5-5:30am, I am up and ready to begin another day!

English Class

As I mentioned before, the clinic serves as more than just a medical facility, it also functions as an educational center. Learning English is an important thing in Haitian culture, both from a status aspect, but also, for potential employment opportunities. There are a number of Missions, NGO's and short term teams who come in that need interpreters. Those who can speak and understand English well have a good chance at making some income.
At the clinic, Eve serves as the Agronomy and English Teacher. He speaks well and is a very good teacher. He is strict! No one messes around in his class! I have been helping him on Fridays to work on pronunciation in the advanced class. It is really fun and quite challenging to me! I never realized how many exceptions there are to every rule! And since Creole is based on French, the sounds are different for the letters than they are used to. For example, r's are pronounced more as w's in French so "Row, Row, Row your boat", comes out as "whoh, whoh, whoh, youw boat". I had them growling like a lion to get the R sound. It was very difficult for them! (similar to how it is difficult for me to make the creole sounds!) They want to learn so badly. The students ages are everything from a 11 year old to a 60 year old. Most are in their mid 20's. Several of them have asked me to come and speak to young peoples groups on leadership. Many of the churches have organizations that are trying to mentor the young people into leaders for the community and country. It is very impressive. They all know their country has many problems and that the government is inadequate to take on those problems so they are starting with their own families, communities and themselves to take responsibility. These young people take nothing for granted and are very thankful for every good thing that comes their way.
Our class meets out under a very large mango tree with a chalk board that is nailed to the tree. We sit on rough, wood benches carried over from the clinic. Evidently, when the clinic was first built there was a VERY LARGE Boa constrictor that lived in the tree and everyone was afraid to go over there! At some point over this past year, someone was brave enough to "remove" the snake and now this tree has become the educational center for the clinic. It is a beautiful setting, so simple, yet so profound. The teacher writes everything on the black board and then the students must copy it onto a notebook. This means they must have a notebook and pen. It is a sacrifice for students to purchase those items to attend. Again, an example of the dedication to education that is prevalent in Haiti.

Clinique Medicale la Pistere

The clinic of Pistere first opened last year when I was here with the well drillers. The other nurse and I helped get the rooms, pharmacy, lab etc. set up and they had their first clinical days while we were there.
This past year the clinic has grown it's client base and has seen many hundreds of patients. It is open 4 days a week for patients and also offers community education classes. Every morning begins with a hymn, the Lords Prayer and someone on the staff saying a prayer. Everyone is given a number and they wait to be registered, wait to have vitals done, wait to see the doctor, wait to have lab work done, wait to see the doctor for results and wait to get prescriptions from the pharmacy. It can be a many hour process as there is only one doctor and one nurse. But, if you have been following the blogs at all you probably have noticed that the Haitian people do alot of waiting for many things so it is not uncommon. All clinics are set up like this and it is accepted. At most clinics, payment is expected upfront even before you see the doctor, but here, patients pay 25 goude after they see the doctor (about .75 cents), if they can not pay, it is free. Prescriptions are the same way, you pay what you can or nothing. The clinic must purchase the medications for the most part, so this is definitely a ministry and not a money making venture!
People in this area are very poor and in general most are malnourished. It is especially difficult to see the children come in so thin, but they are dressed in their Sunday best and scrubbed clean. Parents do the best they can, but it is a real challenge. Dorothy is hoping to be able to start a nutrition program and get food from the world food program, but there are always hoops to jump through. For now, she has hired a teacher who offers classes in "agronome" , (gardening), and has set aside land to use as a sample plot.
The cases that come into the clinic vary from high blood pressure and diabetes (both very common) to Malaria and Typhoid (also very common). There are colds, skin conditions, asthma, eye infections, and many other ailments. I have seen some pretty nasty wounds usually from machete's and a variety of other conditions needing attention! Healthcare in Haiti is pay as you go, so if a case is too much for us to handle, they are referred to the hospital. Unfortunately, many times people don't go because they can't pay the fees. So... the infections get worse, the fever gets higher, the diabetic goes into a coma, the baby gets dehydrated ...and they die. It is sad, but all to often true. This is why prevention and education is an important role that medical clinics must play. It is hard work and very challenging, but also rewarding when you can see someone recover or know that a child will get proper care.

My first project at the clinic is to write a computer program to track the inventory and the monthly reports for the board and to hopefully be able to supply the various nutrition and other agencies with the data necessary for them to begin providing assistance to the clinic. It should help to streamline the current hand written tracking that is going on in the pharmacy too.

The clinic is an important part of the community and will continue to grow and develop over the years. It is a little haven of hope in an area long forgotten and neglected.

June 1st- Off to the clinic!

The Clinic staff showed up at the house at 7:30am, I was pretty tired after essentially no sleep, but was excited to get started. Hanania, Enock (very quiet accountant for the clinic) and I hopped in the red F250 Heavy duty truck with Edrick driving. We negotiated our way out of the "neighborhood" avoiding the children walking to school, parents going to work, motorcycles with passengers and cargo and of course the ever present potholes. At the bottom of the hill we picked up the "pharmacist" and "lab tech" and continued on our way. It is very busy on the road most of the time, but especially so in the morning. There are many Tap Tap's (smaller trucks with a lifted topper and a wooden plank on each side in the back for people to sit on. Usually 6-8 on a side and then people hanging off the back.) This is public transportation in Haiti. It is highly questionable at best, but there are no other alternatives for people. Any way, we continued on... horns honking, large trucks heading straight for us and then swerving at the last second, driving on both sides of the road to avoid potholes, having motorcycles weaving in and out all around us ...while simultaneously avoiding bikes and pedestrians. I have seen some amazing feats on motorcycles... it is not uncommon to see a dad with two or three children (little children too) on the motorcycle navigating their way to school. I have seen the driver and two more adult passengers with their large shopping bags on a single motor cycle. The cargo that is hauled is incredible, huge bags of charcoal 5' long and a diameter of 20+inches. 4 or more on the back. I have pictures of a motorcycle with two 12' by 14" planks, crosswise on the back of the motorcycle trying to get through traffic. Never has the statement "where there's a will, there's a way" been more true than in Haiti! I could tell you many other stories, but I'll leave it for another blog!
We continued on our way into Cap Haitian. We then stopped and picked up the Nurse and the Doctor as we squeezed alittle tighter. (This is 8 people in the cab of the truck if you are counting and FYI, no air conditioning) The air is dusty, smelly and in general would never be allowed in any city in the US, but... this is Haiti. We eventually make our way out of the city area and move into the more rural. Edrick stops at one place where there is an air compressor by the roadside to have the front tire inflated more... we continue a little further onto
another smaller town and we pick up the garden/English teacher...(up to 9 now)...and then we look for what seems to me to be mounds of straw, in reality they are ice chunks for the coolers at the clinic. We pick up 2 chunks and move on. Our last official stop is for bags of water (yes, bags...they are called Culligan and it is purified water in an 8oz bag. You bite the corner to get it open and then squeeze.) Now we are out in the more rural countryside between smaller towns. The road has been paved here in the past two years and there is a speed limit of 50 which is routinely ignored. They put in speed bumps (called Dos Dane which literally means Dead Policeman) to periodically slow the traffic as there were many fatal accidents when they first completed the road. There are official traffic signs which picture two cars, a red one on one side and a black one on the other to remind drivers to stay in their own lane, also largely ignored. The honk, "I'm coming" serves as warning to the many pedestrians, bikers, and motorcycles who also share the road. Another interesting road sign pictures two children running, yes, running across the road. (I hope to get a picture of it onto this site as it is classic.)
People will stand on the side of the road, wave their hand in an up and down motion and we will pull to the side as they scramble to hop in the back of the truck for a ride to the clinic. (this is also how you hail a Tap Tap) We generally stop 2-4 times to pick up additional passengers. We finally make the turn to head out on the dirt road to the clinic. It used to be very bad, but the Mayor put new dirt on it when the clinic opened. We pass by the huts, the donkeys, the kids waving by the cactus fence that serves as their yard marker until we come upon the clinic. A simple, but functional building that has brought healthcare to thousands of people who otherwise would have nothing. We are greeted by the neighbors and the security guard (if you can call him that!) and the patients sitting on the porch waiting for our arrival. It is now about 8:40am and time to start the day!

May 31st- Cap Haiten, Haiti

Just for reference, Cap Haitien is in the Northern part of Haiti and was the original capital of the country. For many years it was considered the resort area for wealthy Haitians to vacation. I can't tell you what the population of the area is now because it increased somewhere between 200 and 300 thousand after the earthquake. Some folks returned to PAP others remained here. It is now the second largest city next to Port au Prince, but because of the difficulty of road transportation, it does not have the same resources for supplies and employment that PAP has.

I am staying at Dorothy Frederickson's Mission House for "Soaring Unlimited". Dorothy is currently 71 years old and has been in Haiti as a missionary somewhere around 20 years. She manages many projects and partners with a variety of Haitian Nationals to provide a variety of important and life changing services including schools, English classes, and the medical clinic where I will be working. We met last year when I was in Cap Haitien. The "well drillers" have helped her with numerous tasks through out the years. Hanania and Edrick are both married, have young children and are in their late 20's. Hanania has worked for Dorothy since she was 12 years old and helped her with housekeeping. She is very talented in organizing and assisting Dorothy to get her projects up and going with in the Haitian culture. Hanania has a 5 month old daughter and her husband is a police officer in PAP. He comes home one weekend a month to be with the family. Edrick and his wife have a darling 3 year old boy. Edrick does all the driving for Dorothy and for the staff of the clinic. He is also an amazing maintenance man and can can repair virtually anything! This is a HIGHLY VALUED SKILL here in Haiti where parts and resources are limited! Edrick's wife is in school for social development, so their child lives with his Grandparents and they see him most weekends. This is a couple who are already saving and planning for their child to be able to attend college in Canada. Both Hanania and Edrick represent the best of Haitian culture, strong Christian faith, dedicated, full of integrity and they take responsibility for their lives and their families.

Dorothy is in Michigan this month doing support raising for her work but she is allowing me to stay in her very large house just outside of Cap Haitien. Hanania and Edrick are helping me to keep everything going and working!

After being picked up at the airport, Hanania and Edrick took me to Dorothy's and showed me the basics. Where the clean water was, where the solar power switch was, how to work the stove, and all the locks. We planned to meet the next morning at 7:30am to head to the clinic. My first night here was quite interesting. I was tired so after I got settled in, I decided to go to bed early. At 2:30am there was this loud and I mean LOUD music playing from the neighbors house. It was all in French of course, but I did recognize Celine Dion! I couldn't believe how loud it was... I thought, this is going to be a long month if this happens every night! I attempted to plug my ears and tried to sleep as much as possible until the roosters, dogs, people etc . started getting up as well! I prayed God would give me strength to get through the day and prepared for my first day at the clinic.

Devotional by Oswald Chambers

I am going to interupt the daily format I have been using to write this blog and share with you a devotional that is meaingful to me since my family and I seem to be living this experience. It is by Oswald Chambers from his book, "My Utmost for His Highest", May 30th. I hope you find it meaningful as well.

"Yes, --- But....!"
"Lord, I will follow you, but..." (Luke 9:61)

Suppose God tells you to do something that is an enormous test of your common sense, totally going against it. What will you do? Will you hold back? If you get into the habit of doing something physically, you will do it every time you are tested until you break the habit through sheer determination. And the same is true spiritually. Again and again you will come right up to what Jesus wants, but every time you will turn back at the true point of testing, until you are determined to abandon yourself to God in total surrender. Yet we tend to say, "Yes, but--suppose I do obey God in this matter, what about...?" Or we say, "Yes, I will obey God if what He asks of me doesn't go against my common sense, but don't ask me to take a step in the dark."
Jesus Christ demands the same unrestrained, adventurous spirit in those who have placed their trust in Him that the natural man exhibits. If a person is ever going to do anything worthwhile, there will be times when he must risk everything by his leap in the dark. In the spiritual realm, Jesus Christ demands that you risk everything you hold on to or believe through common sense, and leap by faith into what He says. Once you obey, you will immediately find that what He says is as solidly consistent as common sense.
By the test of common sense, Jesus Christ's statements may seem mad, but when you test them by the trial of faith, your findings will fill your spirit with the awesome fact that they are the very words of God. Trust completely in God, and when He brings you to a new opportunity of adventure, offering it to you, see that you take it. We act like pagans in a crisis--only one out of an entire crowd is daring enough to invest his faith in the character of God.

Blessings to you all, Susan

May 31st- PAP to CAP!

After being dropped at the commuter terminal and convincing several "assistants" that I was very capable of handling my luggage on my own, I proceeded to put my very large piece of luggage, which now contained my former carry on luggage and all the additional things I needed to get to Cap Haitien to stay for a month, onto a screening table that looked rather inadequate for the task. I walked through, grabbed the enormous suitcase on the other side and searched for the correct counter. Not that there was that many, it was just hard to focus with everyone wanting to "help"me since they were "official" and all. I spotted Tortug air ( Air France affiliate) at the end of the building (about 30 feet from where I was standing, it was not a big place). I was about 4 hours early for my flight because Pastor needed to catch his AA flight at the large terminal and believe me, you don't want to drive to this airport any more than absolutely necessary! Any way, I went up to the counter and presented my print out which the online site had said would act as proof of payment. In reality, they just asked me "did you pay", I said, "Yes" and they hand wrote a receipt. They also had me put my luggage on a scale which was questionable at best. It was determined that I was 5 lb over weight. Fortunately, I had strategically placed food items, nuts, dried fruit, etc. in places I could get to them, just for this situation. I told them, I would need to open it up and remove the food items. Eventually, someone in the back said "no problem" and just took my suitcase. I was rather unclear why they were loading my suitcase onto a plane going out before my scheduled flight though! I finally was told "don't you want to go sooner", I said, ..OK!.. As it turned out, the flight was very late leaving anyway and I am guessing my scheduled flight was cancelled. Praise the Lord for divine intervention again! The plane we were to take landed in PAP and the pilots got off. Younger guys, one clearly French and in desperate need of a cigarette it appeared.
As I waited in the sitting area, I spotted some "t-shirt teams" which I had talked to members of earlier in the day out on the street while we were waiting to approach the airport. (Or at least I tried, they had the deer in the headlights look which most new visitors to Haiti experience.) Anyway, I began a conversation with a couple of young guys to see where they were from and where they were headed. Pennsylvania to Port au Paix to "work on a school and orphanage and stuff". The Haitian man seated next to me spoke English and I assumed he was some kind of a professional doing business in PAP. He began to tell us about his son who he was going to be visiting in the states in a few days. His son had been accepted to Penn State and they were going to tour the school. The excitement and pride was nearly bursting out of him. He explained that he worked as a cabin attendant for Royal Caribbean Cruises, 6 months at a time on the ship with a couple weeks off before starting again. He cleaned 19 rooms everyday. He explained how he felt it was important to make the people feel comfortable and special and how each night he would make a new animal out of towels to be waiting for them when they returned after dinner. He shared how it was hard work, but he did it to save enough money to support his family and to send his son to college. He stated he wants his son to have an easier life than he has had and he is so thankful for the blessings that God has given him. He also talked about how the Haitian people must take responsibility for making their country better and he was hopeful for the future. Again... inspiring.
Anyway, back to the plane. It was a 19 seat commuter plane, in rather questionable condition at least from an aesthetic point of view. There were about 10 of us, 9 Haitians and me. The pilots reboarded and we were off! I was alittle nervous but ultimately we don't control our fate, God does, so I just looked out the window at the beautiful mountain ranges. And then we hit turbulence! It was rather disconcerting. The Grandmotherly Haitian women sitting kitty corner from me kept looking back at me like, "is it OK?" I just gave her a reassuring smile and prayed! Everyone clapped when we touched down 25 minutes later (yes, 25 minutes by air, 8 hours by vehicle! The road are horrible!).

The French pilot made a bee line off the plane with just a quick nod as I said "Merci" as he passed. I got off and saw him lighting up his cigarette with an anxious motion. We then headed for the door of the terminal. It is a very small terminal. Cap Haiten can only have small planes land and since we were just coming from PAP, we did not need to go through customs. So the 10 of us waited for our luggage to come over. I don't know if I can explain this well enough for you to get the true feel of how this works, but it is a true Haitian moment. They brought the luggage over on a cart to the door we just entered. We could all see our luggage sitting on the cart. But, the workers wanted to put it through a hole in the wall designated for luggage. Unfortunately, this arrangement did not allow for the checking of tags by the designated employee ..so....we waited while they discussed the problem, the 10 of us inside, the luggage guys outside and the checker yelling through the hole in the wall. Eventually, the Grandmotherly women I mentioned earlier got fed up and opened the door to the outside and grabbed her luggage....well, this started others thinking that they to could by pass the "rules" and just take their luggage without having it first pass through the hole! A large argument ensued between the employees and some of the passengers with strong language involved I am quite certain! I stayed in the background with another young man who was just shaking his head. We looked at each other and laughed. Finally, the checker gave up and the door to the outside was opened as we all just picked up our luggage and continued outside. What should have taken 5 minutes, took about 25 minutes. I am guessing there will further discussion on "proper procedure" when the next flight comes in!
Anyway, I walked outside and since I was put on an earlier flight, I had about 1 1/2 hours to wait for my ride. There is a covered walk way before you go out onto the street. There were far less "merchants" and children looking for "one Dah-lah" than last year when we landed. Probably, because it wasn't a flight from the US. But, since I didn't want to deal with any of it and since the dark clouds we flew through were approaching, I decided to just wait in the covered area for my ride. As I settled in to wait, I looked up and a white dove flew by the front of the building in plain sight. Two times in fact. I felt like this was Gods message to me that He was with me and that He was going to watch over me for the next month. It also symbolized to me that we, as a family, were following His direction, even though it has seemed irrational at times.

I visited (as much as you can when you don't speak the language) with the older gentleman who evidently keeps order when people exit the terminal and with a younger man who's first words to me in broken English were, "are you a Christian?" to which I said, "Yes, I have Jesus in my heart". He was very pleased and we talked about mutual acquaintances in Cap Haitian (again with my limited creole). It poured rain at one point, then cleared and about that time Hanania and Edrick showed up. All the workers knew Hanania and Edrick so after a round of greetings, we threw my suitcase in the back of the truck and headed for Dorothy's house!

May 31st- Grace Worship Center of PAP

I was up fairly early this morning, as I still had some packing to figure out. I needed to get a smaller suitcase to fit into a larger suitcase and still fit the things I needed to bring to Cap Haitien. This all needed to weigh under 70lb. The limit for Tortug Air (a french commuter plane). I did the best I could and went to eat breakfast with Pastor Steve. Again, very good food!
We left for Pastor Absalons house about 8:30am. Pastor Absalon and his wife live in a very crowded and poor area of PAP. He had worked as a Math teacher and as the Pastor of Grace Worship Center up until the earthquake which destroyed his school and killed several students. After the earthquake, he spent countless hours helping people find food, shelter, medical care, act as a mediary with aide organizations and just be there to comfort the grieving families. (The area has been highly affected by the earthquake and the clean up is next to impossible due to the narrow winding roads.) He was married last winter and his wife is expecting a baby girl in October. She is a sweet, caring young women who has been through alot over the past few months. Together they make a powerful ministry team. We met in their rented flat which is simple but sturdy. The Pastors and I went over to the new Church building to check on the progress. The last time I was there it had people living in tents in the court yard, this time most of the tents were gone, but now there was a high school meeting outside on benches with black boards attached to trees and walls. Since Pastor Absalons school was destroyed, he offered to let the classes continue in the court yard so the students could graduate to the next grade. While not ideal, it was certainly appreciated by the students and their families. One of the young girls about 12, had lost her leg in the earthquake, but was now back at school studying. Life is especially difficult for those with disabilities in Haiti, little resources and little opportunity. Getting a good education is one of the only ways this young girl will have to give her a future so she is not doomed to a life of abject poverty.
Also at the church was Elizabeth! I was so happy to see her!!! For those of you who have seen my pictures, Elizabeth is the most talented childrens leader I have ever seen. She can hold their attention, get the "wiggles" out and engage them in learning like few I have ever known. Pray for Elizabeth as she faces many cultural challenges being a single women in Haiti. Her love for God and the children is evident. She is an inspiration.

After the visit, we headed back to Absalons house to discuss the planned school opening in the fall and to have lunch together. A meaningful occurance in Haiti where food is limited and expensive. I won't go into all the details except to say that there is a hope to open a K-3 primary school in the fall if funds can be raised. As I've said in prior blogs, education is hugely important to the futures of kids here. The children in the neighborhood where the church is located have few if any opportunities to attend school because of the cost, so Grace would like to open that possibility to students in the area by offering a very low cost or no cost program. There are many things to consider, but if God wants it to happen this fall, the support will come in. The Church is also growing tremendously. There were 325 people at the last service on Sunday. God is really working here! So...after a very productive morning, ( and a few other stops) we headed to the airport and they dropped me at the commuter area.

It was a wonderful, challenging, insightful and blessed trip which I thank God that I was able to be a part of. Haiti is a facinating country with a rich cultural heritage. It was valuable in so many ways to be able to reach into that culture even alittle deeper to understand these people whose lives are so difficult but whose faith is so boundless.

May 30th- The long road back to Port au Prince!

I was up bright and early at 4:15am to get ready and get packed for the LONG trip back to PAP. We left the compound at 5:00 and went to pick up Pastor's cousin and son. As it turned out there were going to be quite a few others joining us as well! It was actually quite comical getting all the luggage and an additional 5 or 6 people for a total of about 10 or 11 in the truck with luggage... all the way to PAP! Quite honestly, I was concerned about the safety issues of having all these people in the back of the truck on such a long, bumpy ride, but to them it was "no problem". I have seen (and experienced) some intense overcrowding before, but never for such a long trip! To the Haitians, it was just a normal means of transportation to get from one place to another and they were thankful not to have to take a Tap Tap the distance! I did ask Pastor to drive more slowly though as I did not want anyone flying out of the truck! And so began the 4 wheeling adventure back to PAP.

It is quite beautiful overlooking the ocean and following the coastline. We passed through small villages literally located on the beach areas with people living in thatch huts.

At one point, there was a group of "fishermen" who were returning from a morning of fishing. Pastor stopped to talk to them. I think there were about 6 of them and the youngest was holding a box. Inside were 4 little fish that looked in pretty rough shape at that point. The days catch I gathered. In their village, they fish for the community. All the proceeds from selling the fish go into a common pot and it is distributed evenly throughout the community. The other businesses do the same, this ensures that the more vulnerable members of the group are taken care of adequately. Pastor invited these young men to ride in the truck to their destination about 5 or so miles up the road...so...6 more hopped into the back of the truck to make it now about 17 bumping along the potholed, eroded, dusty, road.

As I have already described challenges with the drive in previous blogs...lets just say, it was the same going back! We did have one minor problem which thankfully the Lord intervened for us. Part of the front bumper had become detached (I'm surprised more pieces did not fall off!) and someone in the back noticed it. We happened to be going through a village and stopped right in front of a "repair shop"! A quick negotiation, alittle welding and noone would ever know the difference! We were on our way again in about 1/2 hour!

We drove by the areas where rice was being dried in the sun on cement slabs or sometimes just sheets. The salt mines are quite interesting as they allow the ocean water to come in and then drain it. As it dries they gather the salt. Once we were closer to PAP, we stopped along the road by the ocean and broke open a watermelon that had been brought along. It was SO GOOD!!! and I was able to rinse my hands in the ocean, what a treat! Eventually we made it to the locations were all the other passengers were going. I asked Pastor how these folks were going to get back to Bombarde and he said they would find a way. I realized that this is kind of the Haitian way...take the opportunities now while they are available and figure out the rest later!

Eventually, it was down to just Pastor Steve and I and we headed to the hotel where we would be staying that night. When we got there, it was beautiful! (Alright, I was perhaps a bit partial since I was looking forward to a shower, but really it is very nice!) The hotel is being built by a Haitian chiropractor who Pastor Steve knows from Fort Lauderdale. We checked in, cleaned up and I reorganized my luggage for the plane trip tomorrow. We had dinner in a very nice room and the food was excellent! While we were eating, the staff came in to tell us that the owner had heard we were staying and wanted us to have the suites! So...we moved to the upper level to rooms that had a huge bedroom, TV, furniture, and a separate kitchen area with a microwave, and dishes and a very nice modern bathroom! It was a great respite after a busy couple of days!
Tomorrow would be another busy day..so I got to bed fairly early and did not wake up till morning. I was very thankful that the Lord had protected us and kept our vehicle working well.

May 29- Part III

We returned to complete darkness at the compound where the staff, family members and the Haitian board for RH4CM was awaiting our return. While the generator was being set up, I tried to communicate with some of the people there. I was moderately successful, (my creole needs alot of work!) I gave out the little bottles of shampoo, soaps etc. that Dee Dee from Hair Fusion had sent with me (THANKS DEE DEE!) and gave out the little toys and hair accessories that Tina Lindquist had sent along. The glow sticks were a huge success, even the young men were fascinated by those! (THANKS TINA!) The children's medicines and other meds that were donated will be left at Pastors house to be distributed in July with the medical team.

A meeting was held for the Haitian board of RH4CM where Pastor discussed plans, prayed together and collected the ID's of the members so he can bring them to the Government office in PAP to get RH4CM recognized by the Haitian Government. The bureaucracy of getting anything done is amazing. It takes real perseverance to move anything forward in Haiti!

We had a lovely dinner of boiled sweet potato, banana and mannya (not sure of this spelling). I visited with Pastor Renal and his family before cleaning up in a basin of water and headed to bed.

We were leaving the next morning... Pastor Steve said 4:00am ...I said how about 6:00am.... we compromised on 5:00am! I think I got to sleep around 11:30pm.

FYI: Sleeping in Haiti- It is good to be a heavy sleeper when you are in Haiti or else bring ear plugs! Night can be very noisy whether you are in the city or in the country. For some reason, roosters begin crowing at about 3:30am which gets the donkeys going, which sets off the goats, chickens and dogs! Haitians begin getting up around 4:30 in order to begin work early and avoid the heat of the day. The sun is out by about 5:00am. So...the sun is up..the animals are up..the people are up.. so I am up too! I don't think I have ever slept past 6:00 in Haiti. It's just a different rhythm of life!

May 29-Part II

After visiting the school, we headed to the Village of Bombardopolis. It is about 17, long, miles from Pastor Steve's house. We traveled through a few small communities on our way. At one village, since it was a saturday, there were many people gathered at the outdoor community center to play dominos, watch Rooster fighting and just visit with one another. Many people knew Pastor Steve and they were clearly thrilled to see him!

We were asked to be interviewed on the radio station so Pastor Steve and I were guests on Vista FM 90.5. It broadcasts throughout the NW region. I had never been on the radio before and let me tell you this was quite an experience! We were in a tiny booth area, with an equipment person and two interviewers. It was EXCEPTIONALLY HOT!!!! We were all dripping with sweat!! They would ask a question, Pastor would interpret, I would answer, he would interpret. It was quite a process! I think I did OK for a novice, it was clear that Pastor had much more experience and was quite a natural at it. We were on air about 25 minutes (which was about as long as any of us could take the heat!) When I came out of the booth and walked outside I could hear it was being broadcast over loud speakers out to the community. They asked us to come back the next day to be guests at a planned celebration, but we needed to leave early.

(the plywood box in the corner is the "Studio")
After visiting several families and walking around meeting and greeting folks, we continued on to Bombardopolis. Every 20-30 feet it seemed we were stopping and talking with people.
Everyone wanted to see Pastor, I think I was a novelty, especially to the children as very few "blanc's" ever make it to this part of Haiti! We met mothers, fathers, MANY cousins, everyone from laborers to the Mayor of Bombarde came to see us. Even the Representative for the area to the Haitian Parliment in PAP made an effort to find Pastor and greet him!

In the Village is also a 19 bed hospital that serves the entire area of about 50,000 people. I have been following their work on the internet for about 3 1/2yrs now so it was great to finally get to go there. The Leech's have worked in Haiti for about 15 years and raised their 4 children here. The last one will be going off to college in the fall. When we met, "Mrs. Steve" as they call her was holding a 2 1/2lb. premature baby born at 29 weeks. She had survived her first week so there was hope she would make it. The Leech's are the only missionaries left at this facility and they direct the hospital and Steve drives the ambulance (after seeing the roads, this is amazing!) They gave me advice for the mission trip in July and will hopefully be able to let a Haitian Doctor work with us one of the days. They are truly special people to stay so long in such a remote place and manage such an important facility. While there are short term teams who will come into the area occasionally, there are VERY FEW missionaries who will stay longer term. (FYI: they have an available house on the compound!)

After this visit, we headed back to Pastors house...stopping every 20 feet or so...to meet and greet! The homes in the area are simple but vary from thatch huts to fancier concrete structures. There were a few compounds that different denominations built such as the Baptists which can house teams, but most homes are very quaint. People were out working in their gardens and yards. (It has been dry so there was great concern regarding the crops) Some homes had businesses in the yard such as charcoal production, wood working, etc. There is a lot of varied vegetation from fruit trees to cactus to corn. It seems that the land will grow pretty much anything given the right circumstances. We eventually made our way back to Pastors home after negotiating our way in and around the potholes, rocks and ditches formed from errosion that make up the roads!
(to be continued.....)

Saturday, May 29th, Part I-The School

It rained a good part of the night. I'm sure it wasn't that hard, but the tin roof made it sound a lot worse! It continued to rain into the early morning hours which was actually OK with me as I had a SEVERE headache which was making me nauseous. I think all the bouncing and jostling in the truck had taken its toll on me. But, once I got some Excedrin and some great Haitian coffee I was good to go! Unfortunately, the rain the night before had gotten my clothes wet while they were in the back of the truck. Most were moderately dry now. (Hopefully I didn't smell too bad!) The rains ended about 8:45 and we were off about 9:00am.

Another 4-wheeling adventure to say the least!!!! Pastor had about 5 young men come along to ride in the back of the truck to give us "extra weight." Pastor Renal also came along. He is the Pastor for both the church at the house and the church/school we were driving to "Reaching Haiti 4 Christ Ministries" (RH4CM). Pastor Steve is the senior Pastor for these two and the church in PAP. Pastor Renal is a very dedicated man and full of integrity. He does whatever is needed to help his congregations both Spiritually and physically. Pastor Steve had brought in envelopes of money and letters from family members in the states. He then passed them along to Pastor Absalon and Pastor Renal to deliver to the intended people. There is alot of trust and responsibility put on these Pastors by the church members. None of them are not paid by the churches, they all must have other jobs to support their families, but they feel a call to preach the gospel and to help their communities. This to was inspiring to witness in action.
As I mentioned before, the ride was again VERY CHALLENGING!!! So much so that it was humorous at times! We would be in and out of the truck as it negotiated its way up steep, eroded roads. Pastor Steve is an amazing driver! No wonder he was hired to drive school bus in Florida! Of course, all along the way people wanted to say Hi and they were very excited to see him!

Once we finally made it to the school, the children and their families were already waiting. They had been there since 8:00am our intended arrival time, but it was now about 9:45. The children who had school uniforms (very important in Haiti) wore them. We had a short meeting where a "band" played a song. One of the young boys about 12 had made a very impressive drum set out of cans, plastic, bottle tops, etc. It sounded great and he was very good at playing! It was another example of Haitian creativity. (If anyone has a drum set they would like to donate, this boy would really love it! He has real talent!) They had a microphone available that day because it had been a Revival Week and they kept the generator for an extra day. Pastor Steve spoke, I gave a greeting and then the families asked questions and made comments. One father talked about how thankful he was that the Americans will be coming to help them fix the school and make it better for the children. There was unanimous agreement.
(For some of you who don't know, there will be a team of about 12 of us going from Alabama & Florida and then Pastor Steve and I. We will be entering PAP on July 17th, going to Bombarde to do construction and a medical clinic and then fly out of PAP on July 24th. I will go to Cap Haitien, the rest of the team goes back to the states.)
The school/Church will definitely take some work!!!!! Much more than we can accomplish in the few days we will be there in July.
1. There are structural issues with the supporting beam.
2. The peak of the wall holding the roof is bowing out due to after shocks from the earth quake.
3. The walls need patching as the rock and cement is very thin in some areas (or gone altogether)
4. The floor needs to be leveled and cemented. It currently is filled with large gravel.
5. Two rooms must be added to accommodate all the children.
6. A new latrine must be built over the newly dug hole.
7. Doors are needed for some of the buildings.

The community is gathering the sand and gravel in order to make the blocks, but we need to supply the cement. You can make 32 -35 blocks out of one bag of cement and it is a very labor intensive process. (I have seen it done and have pictures!) If anyone is interested in helping to purchase cement, please let me know! The community is hopeful that we can get alot done and that they can finish what we don't.

There are 112 students at RH4CM in K-8th grade. There are many more who would like to attend, but because of funding issues for additional teachers and supplies, they can not. Space is also a problem. The building is probably about 20 x35-40 so it is very crowded. In addition, because these children come from very poor families they do not pay to attend school here. Unlike in the US, education is not provided free to every child in Haiti. Parents will sacrifice almost anything to get their child in a school and pay for it. This includes sending the child to live with relatives or strangers far from home. I have talked to many fathers and mothers who are working as laborers or working several jobs doing what they so can to make enough money so their child is educated and will have an easier life than they have had. The depth of the commitment to educate their children is amazing. As is the pride in the parents voices when they talk about the educational accomplishments of their child. The children in turn see school as a privilege and as such study hard and do not mess around. They recognize the importance of education to their future employment and earning potential. They also understand that as their parents have sacrificed for them, they will then be responsible to care for their parents in old age! (No social security here!) For the children attending RH4CM school, this is a life changing experience and they are very aware of it at an early age.

Blessings, Susan

Pastor Steve's Family Home

The area of Bombardopolis is very remote, but also very beautiful. The land on which Pastor Steve's father built his ministry is about one acre or so. There is a Church and a school along with the home on this property. Pastor Steve's father was a highly respected Pastor in this area. He developed a ministry which reached out to many hundreds of people in the surrounding area. Sadly, Pastor Paul passed away last winter and many thousands of people came to his funeral. Pastor Steve now takes on this responsibility along with his Reaching Haiti 4 Christ Ministry and the Church in Port au Prince. He also maintains a Church in the Fort Lauderdale area as well as working full time. His energy is amazing! Fortunately, he has some very capable leaders that he is mentoring to help him grow and continue his work in Haiti.

Pastors home is very classic Haitian. It is a simple cement block structure with rafters that have been crafted from long sticks. It has an open ceiling and a tin roof which makes even a light rain sound like a torential down pour! There are two bedrooms and a dining area, a storage area and an additional larger room which currently houses a mom and her 4 children. She had been the cook for Pastor Steves father, but recently her husband was killed so Pastor Steve is trying to help her until she can figure out what to do.

The kitchen is a separate small building which holds a small table and an iron. open grate stand which holds the charcoal. There is an area to put a pot on to boil or to fry food. It is basic, but efficient.

Because I was coming, gas was brought to power the small generator so we could have lights at night. Usually, the Haitians are in complete darkness or have small fires to give light. It is dark by 6:30 pm and light at about 4:30 - 5:00 am. It is a different cycle of time than we are used too in MN. Early to bed and VERY early to rise!!!!

The bathroom situation in Haiti is limited everywhere and in Bombarde it is no different. There is a latrine built up by the school and church about 50yds or so from the house. It has three stalls, one of which has a seat! The latrines are kept under lock and key and are used only for certain people or occasions. ( My visit being one of those occasions!) Not to be too graphic, but anti bacterial wipes were kept in the stall with the toilet seat along with toilet paper. But I learned it was also prudent to either wiggle the toilet seat or flash the flashlight into the hole to cause the rather large cockroaches (2-3 inches) to scurry on their way before attempting to be seated myself. Once I got the routine, it was pretty easy. As long as we are on the topic anyway just an FYI for any travelers to Haiti, especially the women. In general, there are no public bathrooms as we know them. You leave the house in the morning to go do your work and do not use the bathroom again until you return home in the late afternoon. (7:30am - 6:00pm) It is difficult to correlate that with "you need to drink plenty of water"! Anyway, as I said just an FYI.
Clean water is also a very limited commodity in many parts of Haiti. This is especially true in the mountainous regions of the North West. Some people have the resources to build cisterns to collect the rain water. In the villages around and in Bombarde, most have a large community cistern which is controlled by a mayor or commitee. The closest deep well to where Pastor Steve has his house is about 3 very difficult miles. Most people go there every day or so to collect the water in plastic jugs or buckets. It is a long hard walk for a very precious resource. When I first was learning about the Bombarde area a few years ago, I thought, why don't they just go in and dig more wells? After talking with well drillers and others and especially now seeing the difficulty of getting to the area, I can see why cisterns have become the option of choice. Drillers have been in but are rarely successful due to the depth needed to reach ground water and the difficulty of accessing an appropriate site. The Hospital in Bombarde has trained Haitian workers who will go build and install cisterns for families if the funds are available or the family has the resources to purchase a cistern.

Bombardopolis is a lovely area blest with many fruit trees and agricultural opportunities, if the weather cooperates. It has very gracious and giving people who understand the importance of community, family and working together. They also understand in a very tangible way, that their survival depends on the grace of God and they are so very thankful for every little blessing that comes their way. Seeing Pastors home and the area brings a perspective to life that is often lost in our busy American lives. While certainly there are problems related to the poverty in the area, the people show a resilience and strength of character that is rarely found in most US communities. It is inspiring.

Blessings, Susan

Elbow Lake,MN to Bombardopolis, Haiti!

Greetings to Everyone!

My trip started on Thursday morning, May 27th, going from MPLS to Chicago and then into Fort Lauderdale. I had thought I would just stay in the secure area, but at around 11:00pm they kicked me out! It was fine in the public are though, as several others were also "hanging out" waiting for morning. At about 4:30am, I went through security again and met Pastor Steve Exantus (a Haitian Pastor I have been working with) at the gate about 5:00am. We flew into Port au Prince and arrived about 7:30am.

Thankfully, Port au Prince airport was much less chaotic than it was in February! This time they actually had a small beltway to move luggage...but it was still a free for all! :) Once we made it out of customs, we met Pastor Absalon (the Pastor of Grace Worship Center in PAP) and we made our way to the truck rental facility. It was clear that the locals around the airport were perfecting their "guidance" of all the teams coming in to do relief work. (You can always tell a new team because they come out of the terminal with matching t-shirts and a very anxious, bewildered look on their faces.)
Anyway, we made our way to the truck rental facility and after some waiting, negotiation, more waiting, discussion on the condition of the truck, more waiting, (are you sensing a pattern here) it was finally finished and we had a mid size truck with a back seat. Next, it was off to pick up the supplies: water, bread, crackers and to get Pastor Steve's cousin, who would drive us to Bombarde, and his teenage son. As a side note, when we stopped at the Deli Mart for bread, I saw the "Jesus in Haiti" van (Tom Osbeck's ministry that I had visited in Feb/March) When I walked in, there he was! It was amazing! He was looking much more rested than the last time I had seen him.
So......after arriving in Haiti at 7:30 in the morning, we were finally aready to start our 9 hour drive at about 1:30pm ... and what a drive it was!!!!!

Let me give you a quick rundown of the rules of driving in Haiti....there are none. Essentially, it is a race where the biggest vehicle wins. The roads are potholed and more suitable for an ATV than a car. Even off road vehicles are challenged here. If you know the geography of Haiti at all, we left PAP and headed along the coastline up to Gonaives. It was EXTREMELY BUMPY AND ROUGH, and as we went up higher into the mountains the roads became worse. Up and down we went! It was very picturesque above the ocean. We traveled in the low lands, in the agricultural areas, in the salt mine areas, in the rice areas, ...we just kept going! Eventually, we made it to Gonaives. You may remember that this was the area where the hurricanes hit in 2008. It is still recovering, and there are still a number of aid organizations working there. Pastor Steve gave me a quick tour. He spent most of his educational time here. He was separated from his parents and would study under a street light as the house did not have electricity. He knows many, many people here and when they saw him, they would come to the truck to greet him. Haiti is a harsh place to live, but family and friendships are highly valued. Pastor Steve is clearly respected, loved and admired through out Haiti.

(on the way to Bombardopolis)

Then...on we went! The roads got worse after Gonaives (is that even possible?) If it rains you can not get through and you can be stuck for a long time. (We're talking days!) As there were dark clouds behind us, we forged ahead! Needless to say, I was praying that God would hold off the rain! Up, down, hair pin turns with no railing, the occasional motorcycle and very large trucks filled with charcoal going to PAP would approach and the driving "dance" would happen to avoid each other. (Honestly, I don't know how the trucks make it!) It started to sprinkle as we entered the Bombarde area, and rain as we made our way through the dark, through the 3 districts to get to Pastor's house. We arrived at our destination at about 10:00pm. I was exhausted, but Pastor Steve was clearly excited to be home! Rustic, simple living, back to nature, would all describe the home and facilities at Pastor's family home. I'll get into that at a later time, for now, I was just happy that God had guided us safely to our destination and that the bumping had STOPPED!!!!!

Blessings, Susan

I made it to Haiti!

Greetings to Everyone!

I am finally able to try to get this Blog up and going for those of you who are interested in following what I have been doing and updates on the family back in Minnesota.

Although, I have been in Haiti for about 2 1/2 weeks now, I have been having some "technical difficulty" in using the computer for any length of time. (Minimal electricity) I also have very limited band width and speed on the internet connection I am using. I am going to post what I have been up to, but the pictures will have to wait until I get home....unless there is some Divine Intervention!

I appreciate all the prayers and support that have been going out for me and for the family. I have felt the "bubble of God's protection" many times since I have been back in Haiti.

Blessings, Susan