This is the second in a series of entries I am writing on my experience in Haiti. Many have asked how they can help. Please visit the Haitian Timoun Foundation's (HTF) website, ( http://www.htflive.com) where you can sponsor a child and view other ways you can get involved and SAVE lives! If you have not read the first entry in this series entitled, 'Immersion Vs. Mission' I ask that you do. This is my attempt at telling you from my own perspective how I experienced this 'event.' Not sure many of you will get my humor, but I am not trying to offend anyone. Read and know that I am coming from nothing but pure admiration, and love for my Haitian brothers and sister!
I could start the trip when we landed in Port au Prince, and initially I did, but as I thought about it, the trip started before that with a meeting in the fall where we were handed a large printed packet front and back about details, do’s and don’ts, which shots to get, requirements such as obtaining emergency evacuation insurance (reassuring right?), and our tentative schedule while in Haiti. The next ‘meeting’ was the Thursday before we left. It was a get together, bon voyage sort of thing where the group, spouses and family all gathered at one of my fellow traveling buddies homes. This was used for ‘last’ minute details, questions and concerns. Since everyone but the Pastor and one other person from our group of 16 had never been to Haiti, those present at the ‘party’ (some of the spouses had already gone on previous immersion trips) gave us suggestions and ‘advice’. One such piece of advice was “don’t worry about wearing make-up. You don’t need it.” There were about three of us who looked around at each other as if we were told some really bad news. Other details included information regarding mosquito nets, clothing (no shorts, especially for woman, pants and skirts only), details about the lack of running water and flush toilets (yellow let it mellow, brown flush it down, with a bucket of water held waste high and a quick flick of the wrist, “flick and swish” AND unless the stuff comes out of your body, it gets thrown into the garbage can). A person can really get stuck in minute inertia of the details rather than the experience it-self. Thank goodness Owen was with me and he needed to get home. After all it was a school night. And thank goodness for the flowing Prestige (I only had one that night, but made up for my lack of consumption on the trip). The Prestige (Haitian beer) and my child kept the edge off and kept me grounded. Besides, I figured someone already did all the thinking for me and why worry about things that were out of my control. I decided right then, I was still going to bring my make-up.
I’m not sure if it was my ‘lack’ of urgency that had me procrastinating until the very end to gather the needed supplies and clothing, or my schedule. I didn’t mention this earlier, but I knew I would be gone one week and I decided to take the work after the trip off. Since I work with children and my schedule is flexible, I doubled up on my treatments the two weeks prior to going on the trip. I was sick the week before we left. Full head and ear stuffed cold. I started taking every over the counter medication I could to ‘clear’ my ear and head. In fact at the Thursday get together, people were asking how I was feeling and it was suggested by several people I should not go because “Haiti is NOT the place you want to be sick.” Not so reassuring. I looked at my illness as a possible sign from God NOT to go. Up until Saturday, I seriously debated on whether I needed to call Pastor and pull out of the trip. BUT I kept hearing my promise to Jackie, Maya and Verbo that I would come to Haiti on the next trip HTF took. It was that promise that had me praying to God to get rid of the upper respiratory thing I had. I was almost mad, thinking, “God you can get rid of this, so do it. If you want me to go, you will get rid of it, just tell me what to do to make it go away before I leave.”
The night before we left (Saturday) I was pulling out of my drive way to buy lottery tickets as a present for a friend of mine’s 40th birthday. We were attending her party in a few hours when I a neighbor was walking her dog. We began talking and she told me how she had been sick that week and she used some Nasonex etc. Like a slap in the face, I remembered the following summer Tanner’s allergist gave me some sort of spray that ‘opens’ the passage from the inner ear and throat. Needless to say, I took the spray and by morning, my ear had miraculously cleared. This was the sign I needed from God. It was if he was saying, “Go my child, go!”
At service that day the immersion team was blessed as our fellow congregants laid their hands on us and prayed. After service I was handed a piece of paper with the child that our family sponsors. On it said his likes. “Likes throwing a ball and playing with his friends.” I had packed Legos. How presumptuous of me to think that a child in another part of the world would like what kids here like, Legos. Tom, Owen and myself went for a quick lunch, my choice, so of course I picked Mexican (Those of you who know me, know why I put that detail in here). Next to the restaurant there was a tennis shop. And well, in tennis shops there are balls! I went in and asked about used balls or cheap balls. I didn’t need professional tennis balls and certainly not a sleeve of balls. Luckily there was a bin of soft or softer tennis balls, so I picked up three of those. The young man who helped me seemed kind of impressed with my story, but the two middle aged white ladies gave me some look that clearly let me know I was crazy. I left there feeling a little uncomfortable, but happy that I was going to be able to hand over some balls to the child we sponsor, because he likes playing with balls. How many of you are laughing at the amount of times I used the word balls? J
Family good byes were exchanged and I later learned that a few of the husbands of the wives going on the trip asked the other men to “look after her ” or “take care of her.” I am sure it will come as no surprise that those of you who know my husband, no such sentiment or favor was asked on his behalf for me. I could be upset, but how can I? I trained him that way. I mean, I am the independent “I don’t need any kind of help or support kind of gal.” It probably never crossed Tom’s mind. He knows me too well J
The usual happenings of 17 people checking in with 17 pieces of carry-on luggage and 17 extra pieces of luggage to check posed no other difficulties than 17 people carrying 17 carry-ons and 17 checked pieces of luggage would pose. I know you are now saying wait! Seventeen people, I thought there were 16 people going. I failed to mention that one of young adult/youth also traveled with us to Haiti, but left us immediately to volunteer for three weeks at one of our partners (Wing of Hope. You will hear much more about them in later entries).
Most of the group sat together on the plane. I did not sit with anyone from our group. In fact I don’t recall sitting next to anyone. That was because I used Tom’s frequent flyer miles to purchase my ticket. There is an upside to all of his traveling. Meaning ‘free’ airline tickets, not the not sitting by anyone in our group statement. I just want to clarify that. The plane trip to Miami was short. We debarked, picked up our checked baggage and tried to have them rechecked through to Port au Prince. No such luck, so we checked into the IN THE AIRPORT HOTEL! Hey it’s in all caps, because I have never seen one, let alone stay in one. I’m trying to convey my enthusiasm over the IN AIRPORT HOTEL, which was way convenient since we had wake-up calls at 4 AM to check our baggage and ensure we had enough time to make it to the gate. Afterwards we all went to eat. Have you ever tried to corral 17 people into making a decision on where we should all eat! I will let that sit with you a while.
Dinner set the tone for the trip. There was no talk of fears, expectations or anything of the sort. We were all just ‘present.’ Present to our environment, present to each other and present to the spirit beginning to flow. Now we can go deeper and say, all sorts of spirit was making its way around, including the spirit of ale. Lots of laughter ensued.
Four in the morning came rather quickly. Happily, although searching for the nearest open coffee stand, we checked our luggage, went through security, ate breakfast and made it to the gate in plenty of time. I guess you have to make sure there is plenty of time when traveling with a large group like ourselves. Especially the group I was with. One person in particular tended to end up missing-(it’s a joke and I am giving that person a hard time J).
Again, I did not sit with people in my group. I sat with a gentleman from Haiti. He wasn’t just any man from Haiti, I found out through our conversation that he works for the Haitian government. Did I mention he smelled really good? (That my friends was a thought bubble that popped). He now lives in Miami and travels to Haiti often. He is married, but does not have children. His wife is a first generation born American Haitian. I asked him many questions such as,” are you going to move back?” “What do you miss most about Haiti?” “What are some misconceptions people have about Haiti?” “What do you want me to know about Haiti?” I learned much from this conversation. I must admit I was rather leery speaking to a ‘government’ employee or official from Haiti, since we know the history of the government and its treatment of the people. I gathered that he would like to move back to Haiti, however, he is doing more here for his country than he could do from there. He wanted me to know that Haiti is a safe place and other Caribbean countries (he named them, but I will not) have a higher crime rate than Haiti. He told me that the Haitian people will not sit around waiting for someone to give them work. They will go out and make themselves a job and that all the people selling goods is their way of trying to make a living. He told me what he missed most about Haiti is the sense of community and family. Interesting, he said that. I think most of us when asked what do you miss about a place, we come up with a place or a restaurant. At least that is what I do. He then said he misses the beach. I asked him to tell me the biggest difference he has seen between the United States and Haiti. He told me that people in the US seem to be continually connected to their technology. They have phones, games, televisions. That technology is ‘our’ entertainment. In Haiti, people are the means of worth and community. Absorb this statement. Let me help you absorb it a bit more. I too think technological advances are key to our existence, but have we become so over involved with our smart phones, computers, televisions, video games that we have lost the essence that we are spiritual beings as well that have a NEED for human contact and deep relationships with other humans? It’s ironic since I am using a laptop to type this, and posting the link on a social network. Where do we draw the line? Just askin’.
We landed in 90 minutes, short flight. He turned to me (yes I know his name, if I told you, I would have to kill you) and welcomed me to his country. We debarked. All 17 pasty people, 1 for sure and 13 others, I am guessing a little timid and anxious for our experience to begin (at the time we didn’t realize it started long before we even landed). At this point I need to pee. However, the immigration line was rather long and I was assured there was a restroom on the ‘other’ side of the immigration station. Can I tell you there was NOT a restroom on the other side? And if there was, I certainly did not see it.
Instructions before we ever left Georgia were clear. “After we get through immigration do not allow anyone to take your baggage. Do not show your money or give anyone money or you will be swarmed. Stick together. Do not take any picture of people unless you ask them first.” I imagine if you have not traveled to other parts of the world you would not know this. Leaving the Port au Prince airport was nothing I had not experienced in other countries. There were many people asking to take our bags and even people begging for money. The shock came after we left the airport and began our drive to Jacmel, Haiti (approx. 2 ½ hrs. from Port au Prince). A little injection of humor at this point. I am on a bus. I am seated over the wheel well. My right leg practically in my chest and I still have not used the restroom. I am about to embark on a 2 ½ hour bus ride. It’s one thing when you are in your 20’s pre kids. Remember I am 40ish, post kids. My bladder is not as effective as the younger adults.
Pulling out of the airport parking lot we saw UN trucks with armed men in the back of them. It was a convoy. If memory serves me correctly they were from Bolivia or Columbia. Traveling further down the road we started to go into parts of the city. It was crowded with thousands of people. When I mean thousands, I am not exaggerating when I say thousands. We drove past the Presidential Palace. There it still remained crushed. Two years after the earthquake, it has been destroyed even more by nature. It is still surrounded by a large imposing fence. I did not notice any people inside of the large compound. There were people all around the parameter of the fence and across the street was a tent city. There was incredible amounts of garbage and the smell, there are no words to describe the smell. The only thing that came to my mind as we were driving with the windows closed as the smell made its way into the bus was if Hell smelled, this was what it would smell like. People were living, cooking on and next to the mounds of garbage. This was shocking to me, to say the least. I could have gotten ‘stuck’ on the initial sights, sounds and smells I observed, BUT these quickly became just minor details to the hope, joy and enormity of blessings and life the rest of the trip gave me. It’s funny how many times those of us who ‘have’ lots of stuff, material wealth etc, believe we will be the ones doing the giving. In an ironic twist, we realize, what we have to give, the material goods and finances are a far less valuable than the spiritual gifts we receive. I don’t know why we are surprised by this, since Jesus speaks of this quite often in the New Testament. The hope, joy and people who are full of life begin to emerge in the next blog entry. As the trip continues the devastation, smell and garbage I saw become a fast and very small detail to the brilliance of the smiles, happiness, pride and hope in the people I meet, the way the live and pure thanksgiving and praise for God himself. I was with and saw people who actually are replicating The Walk of Jesus. It was incredible. Wait until I tell you about that!
