Preparing to say goodbye

Today was... strange.

On all the other days that I was here I had a certain glow about me.  I was back in "my country" with the people I love in the place I know as my second home.  I was happy.  Incredibly, incredibly happy.

But today, a certain funk fell over me.  The funk of knowing that I would be leaving tomorrow and there was nothing I could do about it.  Not that I don't have people and things to look forward to in Fort Worth - I do.  It's just not here. I don't know how to explain it fully. I don't know if I ever could explain it fully unless you saw how I am when I am here with you own eyes.  I am alive.  I am free.  I am plugged into my deepest passions.  Although there are certain luxuries that you live without, there is much joy here.

Tomorrow will be incredibly difficult.  At 6:30 a.m. I will hug all of my Guest House friends and say "au revoir."  At 7 a.m. I will load into one of the Guest House vehicles and ride to the airport with Oge.  And at 7:30 a.m. I will give Oge a hug goodbye and walk into the American Airlines terminal.  I will cry.  I will probably cry a lot.  Leaving half of your heart behind is a difficult thing to do.

But!  Because so much was accomplished towards moving Bracelets of Blessing forward on this trip I am hopeful that another visit will be needed before the end of 2012.  I am crossing my fingers and praying fervently that I might be able to make it back in December of 2012 to help with the transition into the new program.  I don't think I could go another year without getting to Haiti again - both for the sake of my soul and for the true establishment of Bracelets of Blessing.

So anyway, because of the funk I was in, today just felt a bit off.  Even Oge kept on saying, "You're leaving tomorrow.  I can't believe that.  This visit was too quick."  Too quick, indeed.  But this morning we had the opportunity to visit La Tremblay church and that was wonderful.  La Tremblay was opened about two months before I left and I had a hand in preparing it to be ready for teams and such.  I feel connected to that site quite a bit.  I also got the opportunity to visit it in October so I was so excited to see the progress now - a little over one year after it had begun.

It was a great sight.  If I come to visit in December I think it will be fully completed by then, which is great news.  This congregation has been worshiping underneath a big tree, rain or shine, since the earthquake.  What a wonderful blessing for them to be able to worship in a building again!  And a safe one at that!  I'm excited for them and for the day that I'll be able to see the building completed.

Beyond that, it was a pretty quiet day.  Oge and I picked up a team from the Baptist Mission, too, and ate lunch at the Epi d'or, but that was about it.  I also got to catch up with Tom a bit tonight which was fun to hear all the stories from the past few months as well as catch up on what TV the crew here had been watching. :)  Just kind of a poze day... which is probably appropriate as the other days seem to have been go-go-go.

And with that... I better sign off.  Time to get some rest and prepare for a long day of travel tomorrow.  Sending love to all of you.  And to you, Ayiti cherie.  Mwen renmen ou anpil.

Blessings,
Beth

Bracelets of Abundant Blessing

Today was a hodge-podge of a day in many ways, but it was excellent none-the-less.

This morning we said goodbye to Sarah.  Although she's not COMPLETELY moved out (she'll be back on the 29th to finish that job), she did leave for Martinique this morning and she is officially no longer employed by VIM.  I tagged along with her to the airport and we chatted about a whole slew of things. I'll certainly miss her here on future trips, but I'm sure I'll see her again at some point. :)

When I returned, I tagged along on a trip to Giant Market with Belorne.  She was shopping for a team and told me, "Beth, you do the shopping that you always used to do."  I panicked a bit as I didn't think I remembered most of the shopping that I used to do... but as I walked through the aisles, I remembered a great deal of it.  That was kind of fun and Belorne was very thankful for the small bit of help.

Also, Oge called his wife and daughter as they were walking home from his daughter's school and asked them to meet him at Giant Market.  They did and I got to see "Little Laura" once again.  Although now, I would say, she is no longer little.  Haha.  She's seven years old and starting to get taller and taller.  She's grown up so much!  It was wonderful to see her again, even though it was just for a brief moment.

After that quick hello, we headed back to the Guest House but we stopped at Rebo on the way.  I had been promising to get Rebo for Oge all along but he hadn't been able to make it on any of our other trips.  Thankfully, today worked out.  Also, I was able to purchase a Rebo'ccino Glace (Haitian frappucino) for Belorne.  She hadn't had one since I lived in Haiti so that was fun to treat both of them to a special drink. :)

This afternoon we just hung out for a little while as it was pretty quiet and calm.  Around 4 o'clock, though, the bracelet kids stopped by.

I got the opportunity to interview most of them and ask them about the program and why they appreciated it.  I also got to ask about their hopes for the future of the program and what their lives might be like without the program.  It was inspiring and humbling to hear some of their stories.

Some of the kids would be OK without the program, but life still wouldn't be particularly easy.  They would be able to pay for school and food, but they might not have money to pay for a tap-tap to get to school or good clothes for school, etc.  Most of the kids, though, told me today that their lives would be dramatically different - they would not be able to afford school, they would not be able to afford food regularly, and they would have very little money for clothes or shoes.  Hearing those stories, I was thankful.  This is a blessed program.  God is absolutely at work.

I also got the opportunity to interview Oge and talk to him about the program.  Oge has been with me in this journey from the beginning and his passion for Bracelets of Blessing is as deep as my own.  His interview was... perfect.  When I get home I will post it to Youtube, unedited, so you, too, can hear his powerful words.  It gives me goosebumps when I listen to it.

I also got the opportunity to pray with the kids today.  That was also a neat moment.  We stood in a circle and I prayed for them.  I thanked God for them and their energy, joy, love, and hard work.  I prayed the program would be blessed and would continue to grow and thrive.  It was wonderful to pray with them and for them.  What a special gift.

But then, the best part happened.  You see, I mentioned at the beginning of the week that something exciting might be happening with the bracelet program and if things moved forward then I would report it here.  Well, things are moving forward. :)  Today, I got the opportunity to introduce Jean Claude to the kids.  Jean Claude is one of the interpreters that we use here for the UMVIM program.  He is just an awesome, responsible, friendly, lovable man and he is officially going to be the director of Bracelets of Blessing.

I had been trying for too long to try to be the director myself, even though I am in the US now.  It just wasn't working and I decided before I came down to Haiti that I wanted to hire a Haitian person to run the program and be the person in charge.  I will still serve on the Board of Directors and I will provide whatever leadership and assistance I can, but I will not be the one in charge.  I was thrilled to introduce Jean Claude to the kids today as that means that the program is moving forward.  I think it's hit a critical mass at this point and it's really poised to enter the next phase.  I am SO excited to see what God might do in this next year.

After that excitement I had a quick dinner (and Jim Gulley arrived so it was great to see him again!) and showed Ronda and Chelsee (the two members of the HP team that stayed behind) some awesome Sara Groves songs.  At a certain point, though, I was ready to head back to my room and shower and work on this blog and such.  I started walking back to my room, but as soon as I entered the Swiss House, Danette stopped me.  "I have to talk to you," she said.

So we started chatting and she told me that she had a friend in the States who is in the advertising business and she was telling him a bit about the expansion of the bracelet program.  He has been to Haiti three times and so he knows about the bracelets and he was instantly interested.  He said, "You know, I'd be really happy to do some pro-bono advertising work for them... like do some campaigns with churches, set up a website, all that good stuff."

Uhhhh... what??  How awesome is that!?!?  God is absolutely at work.  I got the opportunity to talk to him tonight as well and he got really excited about the vision for the next phase of the program.  He's really excited to create an advertising campaign for us and he started to share all of his ideas for growth for the program. Wow.  Just... wow.

I started to tear up when I was talking to him.  It was the only reaction I had.  These kids will have a true future because of this program.  I just don't even know how to describe how... awesome, terrifying, and humbling that is... all at the same time.  But I am thankful.  I am so, so thankful.  I remember that when I was still living here I would lay in bed and worry about what would happen to "my boys."  I worried that I would lose touch with them and that they wouldn't get to go to school, or that they might be constantly jumping from tent to tent, never finding a secure, safe place to live.  But I don't have to worry about that anymore.  We are helping to build a true future for them - a promise for a better tomorrow.  A promise for a better Haiti.  Thanks be to God for that.

Tomorrow will be my last full day in Haiti.  I'm already heartbroken over it.  How can I say goodbye to this country once again?  Please, if you think about it, say a little prayer for me tomorrow and/or Wednesday.  I'll need it as I prepare to go back to the US.  However, I think that tomorrow is going to be another really great day - I'll get to see La Tremblay church and, as always, have dance parties in the car with Oge.

Until I blog tomorrow,
Beth

Sometimes I preach in Haiti

The only way to describe today would be "special."  Very, very special.

When Oge first asked if I wanted to preach this morning, I was... unsure.  (Obviously, if you've been reading this while I've been here you know that already.)  I talked to my mom that night, though, and asked for her advice (as she preached five sermons in Tanzania last summer).  She gave me some verses that she thought were good and she said, "Why don't you just try to write something tonight?  If something comes to you and you find it's easy to write, that might be a good indication that God is at work and you'll have something worthwhile to say."

I took her advice and easily wrote the sermon in about an hour. I didn't know if it was any good, but I figured that Oge would be honest with me and say "It's not really what they're used to" or something like that if it wouldn't work well for his church.  I had him read it yesterday, though, and he said "It's really good!"  I prayed that he wasn't lying and went to bed last night still feeling a bit anxious about it.  I had never met any of these people... I had no idea what to expect or what they might think of me.  I just hoped the Holy Spirit would show up and all would be well.  Haha.

Well, I will say... the Holy Spirit showed up.  Oge arrived this morning with a tap tap he had borrowed from a friend (so we wouldn't have to pay for transportation - w00t!) and we took the winding trip up the mountain to his mother's church.  (She is the lay pastor of that congregation.)  It was neat to go into this back area that not many "blan" (foreigners) travel to.   It felt like the real, authentic Haiti.

We arrived a bit late, but quickly found a seat and joined in the singing.  WOW.  I have been in many Haitian churches, but they sang two songs this morning that were... so energetic, so loud, so joyful, that I couldn't help but smile when I was singing it.  (Even though I didn't know what the lyrics were saying!)  They also do a neat thing where the person leading prayer would say "Okay, we're going to pray for ___________.  Let's all pray together."  Then, each person would pray, out loud, their own prayer.  That was a Holy Spirit moment for me - hearing all of their voices lifted up to God all at once.  It was a holy noise.

As the last part of the service, I was introduced and Oge and I walked up to the front.  My main theme of my message was that God has not forgotten Haiti.  God remembers Haiti.  It was somewhat of an emotional sermon for me to preach in some ways, but it was just... awesome.  Having the opportunity to talk to a whole room of Haitian people and to say, over and over, "YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN," was special.  I can't really explain it.  I just felt so blessed.  I didn't get video of the sermon, but I do have the sermon written down and I'd be happy to pass it along to anyone who wants to read it.

After the service, I said hello to Oge's sister again (as I had met her once before) and I met Oge's other sister, brother-in-law, nephew, and mother.  That was also joyful for me.  I had heard so much about them and it was exciting to put a name with a face.  Oge's brother-in-law also has a lot of leadership within the church (and he speaks English!) and he told me, "I hope this is not the last time that we'll see you."  I told him that I was sure I'd be back to visit sometime and he said, "Good, you can preach for us again.  We were happy to hear you this morning."  Whew!  God showed up!  And how fun to have a standing invitation to preach at a Haitian church? :)

Once we had taken a few photos and greeted everyone, Oge and I went back down the mountain to visit the site for his new home.  He is currently living in a rental home, but he thinks this permanent home will be finished in September.  And I'll tell you, I believe it!  It's two stories high - 3 bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room and a kitchen.  It doesn't have the roof on it yet, but the frame is there.  I'm THRILLED for him and I think the design and location of the house is really great.  I'm hopeful that it will be done by September for him to move there with his family.

Oge and I completed our "Sunday of fun" by having lunch at Brasserie Quartier Latin, one of my favorite places in Petionville.  We were going to go to Karibe Hotel and go swimming and such... but as we had heard the weather was going to be gloomy, we changed plans.  We had a lovely lunch out on the back patio area where there was a live jazz trio.  It was cool, relaxing, and just... lovely.  Pizza, chocolate mousse, amaretto sours, live jazz, and good company... what else could a girl ask for?

It was just a wonderful, special day.  I feel blessed to have such a close Haitian friend that welcomes me in as part of his family.  Sometimes I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.  I am already dreading the goodbyes that will happen on Wednesday.

Also, tonight is Sarah's last night.  She leaves tomorrow morning.  :(  Sarah was my replacement when I left and I have been BEYOND thankful for her and her hard work here.  It is thanks to her that things like the bracelet program have been able to continue and thrive among other things.  I am grateful.  It will be sad to see her go, but I am certain that Danette is going to do an amazing job in this position as well.

Beyond that, not much else has happened today.  Tomorrow will probably be a pretty "down" day, too, but I will HOPEFULLY be able to see Oge's daughter, Laura, which will be a special treat.  Also, the bracelet kids will be back to meet Jean Claude which is great.  There's always something in Haiti. :)

Blessings to each of you,
Beth

Reunited and it feels so good!

Joy.  Deep, unbridled joy.  That would be the word to describe today.

So this morning was a little crazy... we had 3 UMVIM teams plus one extra team hanging out at the Guest House and none of them were leaving early in the morning.  There were lots of folks hanging out for quite some time.  However, it was thanks to this that I got to see my dad's best Haitian friend, Marc Anny.  Marc Anny just visited the US and so it was great to catch up with him and hear about all of his experiences.  He had a wonderful trip and it was so much fun to catch up with him briefly.

After that, I tagged along on yet another trip to the airport with Oge so I could really hide from seeing the boys.  As several of them show up early, I wanted to be sure that they wouldn't see me.  I REALLY wanted it to be a surprise. :)  However, when I was waiting for the team to get fully loaded, Michellet and Dolison came by.

Their faces lit up when they saw me.  It was not like it was last time I was here, but it was similar.  I was instantly greeted with big hugs and exclamations of "M kontan we ou!" (I am happy to see you!)  They did not let go until I had to leave. It was so special to have that brief greeting with them.  I have missed them so much.

When I returned from the airport, the boys were all off playing soccer so I was able to sneak through easily and get all the materials needed for a fun afternoon with them.  My mom gave me the great idea of playing parachute games with the kids and Wendy, Tom's (the director of UMVIM Haiti) wife, had brought a parachute down a while back for their mission in Furcy.  Thankfully, I was able to borrow it.

Finally, it was noon and I got to go and see my boys.  I feel like they were almost dumbstruck to see me... almost like I was a ghost, a hologram in front of them. :)  Soon, though, they were each coming up to me, giving me hugs and kisses on the cheek.  It was wonderful to be reunited. Sarah and Danette came out with Nathalie and began passing out some health kits, snacks, and, of course, their money for the week.  It was a big exciting week!

At that point, we pulled out the parachute.  I had found several parachute games online that I thought would work well with this group and I got the opportunity to play all of them.

I didn't know if parachute games would be great for all ages or not.  I know that I had played parachute games in elementary school and I loved them, but I didn't know if teenagers would enjoy them or not.  I hoped, though, that the new-ness of the experience might make it worthwhile for everyone.

Well let me tell you... they LOVED it.  I had this moment, while I was watching them play when I was struck by just... the complete joy that they all had and I started to tear up.  This is what I miss.  This is what I love.  I love making the day of a child who has very little.  These children struggle regularly, but in those two hours, they didn't struggle at all.  They just had fun.  They were just kids. Laughing, playing kids.  If you want to see some of that joy, go here.

It was just such a blessing to witness that.  I can't really explain it.  It was a moment worth savoring though.  I want to remember this day for a long time.

It was kind of a sad time for the kids, though, as they had to say goodbye to Sarah who has been working here for this past year.  I am certain that she'll be missed.  The kids also got the opportunity to meet Danette, though, who will be taking Sarah's job.  It was kind of interesting/fun to have "3 generations" of people in the same job there at once.  It was a party!

Beyond all of that, I took another trip to Rebo today with Ronda and Chelsee who are members of the Haiti Partnership team (but they stayed behind to help fulfill part of Chelsee's college requirements.)  It was, as it usually is, enjoyable.

Also, the plans for tomorrow have been up in the air for a while so I wasn't sure what was going to happen.  Plans were so up in the air that I wasn't even sure if I'd be going to church, much less preaching.  At this point, though, it looks like I will be going to Oge's mom's church and I WILL be preaching.  Whoa!  I'm a little nervous about it, but Oge read my sermon today and said it was "really good" so I am hopeful/prayerful that all goes well tomorrow.  I'm praying that the Holy Spirit is an active presence in worship tomorrow. :)  I'll try to get some video or photos of the experience.

And with that, I suppose I'll log off.  Oge and I were supposed to also go swimming and get some good lunch at a hotel tomorrow, but it looks like it is going to be storming all day.  If that's the case, then we'll just go out to eat somewhere nice.  Look forward to my installment tomorrow about preaching, stormy weather, and delicious food. :)

Blessings,
Beth

Soaking up the Haitian Sun

What another great day.  Have I mentioned that I really like Haiti!?

This morning I went to Mellier with Oge.  Mellier was the first opened work site that I visited when I first arrived.  There had only been two teams there and we went to drop off the third team.  Very little had been done, but it was obvious that there was a lot TO be done.  This is a compound where both the school and the church needed to be demolished and rebuilt.  It was estimated that Mellier would also likely be the longest running site because of the amount of work needed.

When I left Haiti, temporary school buildings, a security wall, outhouses, and the trenches for the foundation had been completed.  Now, the site is WELL on it's way to having a church where there was once mud.  It was such a joy to see.   It's going to be a HUGE church and obviously a great blessing to that community.

While I was there, I also ran into Boss Weche, our most-utilized site boss for our work sites.  It was joyful to see him and he was so proud of the work being done at Mellier. (As he should be!)  That was a wonderful extra surprise for me.

We were just at Mellier for a short time and then we drove back to the Guest House so the team we picked up could unload their luggage before getting back in the vehicle for sight seeing.  I went with the team and we journeyed to the Baptist Mission up in the mountains.  Sometimes, people don't believe me when I tell them that Haiti is a beautiful country, but I think it's pretty hard to argue otherwise when you're up there.  It's beautiful, green, and just... lush.  Also, it's a bit cooler up there so we got a slight break from the searing heat. (woo hoo!)

However, it was a bit difficult to figure out how to eat vegetarian there.  (While I'm at home I try to eat vegan (plus fish) but as eating vegan is NEAR IMPOSSIBLE in Haiti, I decided I would at least be a vegetarian here.)  It turns out that almost every dish offered at the restaurant there has meat in it.  Thankfully, though, I realized that it had a cheese pizza so I figured that would work.  :)  (This is a rather minuscule frustration, but it is interesting coming to Haiti with these new dietary habits.)

Oge and I also walked by the vendors outside the Baptist Mission and I ended up purchasing a new painting for the living room in my apartment.  (Lindsey, if you're reading this, it's not EXACTLY what I wanted... but it is a really neat painting and I think you'll like it. :) )  I also got some brownies because I found out that Oge had never had brownies.  That just boggled my mind and I decided it would be my mission to make sure he would get the opportunity to try one.  He was not disappointed. :)

We also stopped by the look-out (my dad's favorite spot) on the way back down the hill to get a nice view of Port-au-Prince, Petionville, and Carrefour.  It's really, really neat up there and, again, it's nice and cool.  (At least, compared to what it is in the heart of the city.)

I updated my Facebook profile picture today to a photo that Oge took of me while we were waiting at the Baptist Mission for our food.  I thought it was a nice photo of me and I needed to change my profile picture anyway (as I was wearing a scarf in the last one and it is not winter weather anymore) so I put it up.  It has been funny to me that the main comment seems to be, "You look so happy."

I think that's true.  I think I am just generally very, very happy while I'm here.  Going to Haiti is not a chore or a depressing excursion.  It is a life-giving trip for me.  I think I will leave here refreshed and renewed with a new vision of what my life in ministry might look like.  Although I don't have a significant agenda here, I think I need trips like this as it just makes me... happier.  It is my deepest wish that all of you might find the place in which you feel this happiness.

It is also my deepest wish that all of you reading this blog might eventually get to experience Haiti in some way.  Whether it is hosting a speaker at your church, or going on a mission trip, or even just trying some Haitian food... I hope that you at least get a small taste of what this beautiful country is all about.  Also, if you are interested in coming to Haiti, I am prayerfully considering leading a group sometime within this next year.  If that is something you would be interested in, please let me know.

With that, I suppose I will close this entry.  Tomorrow will be a big, exciting day as I will get to see the Bracelet Boys again. :) :)  I am BEYOND excited about that.  I haven't been posting many photos (mostly because it takes a long time to do that here), but I have been trying to post at least one photo a day on Facebook and a few here on the blog.  I'm almost can't wait to see what photo I might post tomorrow!  Hopefully I'll be able to sleep tonight!

Blessings,
Beth

Another day in paradise. :)

What a wonderful day!

It started off fairly slow this morning, but there was a team here from Dallas that was going home so I spent some time chatting with them.  It was fun to swap stories about the DFW area and they were really friendly people.  It was a great way to sort of ease into the day. :)

Then I went with Oge to drop that team off at the airport.  We had another great chat as we always do and I once again marveled at the lack of rubble around.  There are still some collapsed buildings that have not been taken care of yet, but the streets are clear and in most places it is difficult now to tell that there was ever an earthquake.  That's WONDERFUL to see.

After we got back, I sat ate some lunch and chatted with Sarah and Danette, Sarah's replacement as she will be leaving this week.  (Sad day!)  We chatted about the bracelet program and it was just... such a GREAT conversation.  We carried it over to Rebo Coffee Shop in Petionville, which is like Haitian Starbucks... a truly wonderful oasis in Haiti.  (And the baristas recognized me and exclaimed how happy they were to see me. ... That should tell you how often I went there. :)  I don't like coffee or anything... ;) )

Anyway, the conversation was great and I feel like I have even more direction for the bracelet program.  We figured out today that it will probably take a little over $10,000 to cover start up costs for a year.  We're hoping to find some investors to help us reach that goal so that we can expedite the transition of the program.  I am thankful for their help and I am thankful that more and more things seem to be falling into place so that my dream for Bracelets of Blessing can become a reality.  Praise God!

When I got back from that, I thought I would just have a lazy afternoon, but then Oge found me and asked if I wanted to tag along on a trip downtown.  I said yes, of course, as it had been a very long time since I had seen downtown.

... It was... amazing.  I think I cried, I was so happy.  The vast, VAST majority of the tents near the palace are completely gone.  They just aren't there anymore.  This picture may not seem like much, but this is the yard/park across the street from the Presidential Palace and it used to be COVERED in tents.  I seriously did not know that the park looked like this.  I actually thought it was all concrete... who knew there was grass underneath!?!?  If you don't believe me, go here.  That photo is facing the Presidential Palace, but it's the same plot of land... crazy difference, right!??!  It was really, really wonderful to see.

Up in Petionville it was the same story.  One area that was a fairly large camp was now functioning as a park again with people chatting and children playing.  I told Oge, "This is why we work as hard as we do for Haiti.  For things like this.  We want to see Haiti rise up, we want to see Haiti move forward.  This is such a great example of Haiti doing just that."

Unfortunately, I don't have many pictures because my camera's battery is DEAD.  I am hoping to borrow someone's camera tomorrow, though, so I can take some better shots at Mellier and some better shots downtown.  If I can't do that, then I guess my camera phone will just have to do.  I guess it could be worse!

Also, the Haiti Partnership team is at the Guest House!  I adore Haiti Partnership teams as they really understand Haiti and how to "go with the flow."  They are just really great people.  Also, Holly is on that team!  Holly was on the very first team that I met when I came to Haiti.  When I first arrived in Haiti, I got off the plane, walked out in the pouring rain and met Oge for the first time, went to the Guest House, met Mike and Doug, and then went to the Epi d'or for lunch with the Haiti Partnership team that Holly was on.  It was great to see her again and re-live some of those early memories.

Oh, and Oge invited me to preach at his mother's church this Sunday.  Whoa!  Part of me wants to as it would be super fun to tell that story of "that one time I preached in Haiti" and I enjoy preaching (and Oge has never heard me preach!)... but it's also kind of intimidating.  I mean, what does a suburban white girl from Kansas have to say to Haitian people?  Would anything I say actually be meaningful?  If you have any advice for me, let me know as I am unsure.  (And I better decide quick or else I'll have no time to write it!)

To end this, I suppose I'll just say that being here has just reaffirmed my call to international work and particularly to Haiti.  This just feels like home... even now after I have been gone for a year.  I keep on expecting things to feel unfamiliar, foreign, different, unfriendly... but it hasn't happened yet.  I still don't know what doors may open for my continued work in Haiti but I am prayerful and hopeful that I am able to return.  Until then, I'll just keep plugging along and keeping my eyes and ears open for possibilities.

Sending love to all of you,
Beth

I made it! Whew!

It feels strange to be back in Haiti but normal at the same time. Strange in that I'm not very busy because I don't have much of an agenda while I'm here... but normal in just about every other way.

Yesterday, all morning and afternoon before I arrived I was feeling... anxious, almost. I knew it would be a great visit, but it had been such a long time since I had visited... I just hoped everything would go well and that I wouldn't get in the way. As soon as I landed and entered the Port-au-Prince airport, though, it felt as if I was coming back to work after a long vacation almost. It just felt so normal. It's really good to be back.

After getting through immigration and customs (quickly, I might add!) I found the porter for the Methodist Mission here, Jackson, and he called Oge to figure out the best place to find him. Soon, I saw a white Isuzu D-Max turning around the corner with my closest Haitian friend behind the driver's seat. We piled my stuff into the truck, exchanged a hug, and then took a photo so I could post it on Facebook and say "See! I'm really here!" (The photo has 41 likes, by the way... I feel so loved!) The drive home was great. I had made a CD for Oge and I to jam out to and he specifically requested that I have that CD ready and waiting for us to listen to when he picked me up... but we barely listened to it because we talked too much. Haha, we had a lot to catch up on!

Arriving at the Guest House was wonderful as well. I got to see the vast majority of my Haitian friends as well as the UMVIM staff and it was like reuniting with old friends or extended family. Most of them knew that I was coming, but, strangely enough, Erick (a driver and general maintenance man for the Guest House), missed that I was coming. When he saw me at dinner that night he gave me the biggest, most enthusiastic hug that I have probably ever received. Well, maybe not EVER... but it's likely up in the top five. :)

I was EXHAUSTED last night so I went to bed fairly early and attempted to sleep through the music blaring from the "disco" down the street. Wow. I forgot how noisy Haiti is at night. Between the disco, barking dogs, and crowing roosters... it's hard to catch any silence! Thankfully, I found some earplugs so I should be set for the rest of the week.

Today was pretty laid-back. Oge showed me a magazine that Haiti is starting to produce and hand out to visitors arriving at the airport that's all about tourism in Haiti. That was really fun to look through and see what restaurants and hotels and beaches they recommend and to see which ones we had already been to before. I definitely found some places to add to my list of "things to see/do in Haiti."

Oge and I also dropped a team off at the airport in the tap-tap, which most of our teams lovingly refer to as the "paddywagon." I expected to see a lot of improvement/newness since October, but on the route we took not much had changed. However, (my dad will be glad to hear this) it seems as if almost ALL the rubble around Port-au-Prince is gone! That is HUGE and definitely something worth rejoicing. I will be going to Mellier, one of our longest running sites, this week so I'm sure I'll see big signs of change/improvement both on that drive and at that site. I am SO EXCITED to see it! It's been at least a year and I hear that it's plugging along at a great pace.

After that, Oge and I enjoyed a simple lunch at the Epi d'or... a place you HAVE to go to at least once if you're staying in the Petionville area. I basked in the air conditioning. I am definitely already missing that the most. Wow, is it HOT here! (And the humidity is through the roof!) Beyond that I just spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing and playing a few rousing games of Speed with Oge and catching up with some of the Guest House staff. Daniel, one of the drivers here, showed me some of his new jazz piano skills which was a lot of fun and I got opportunities to chat with Erick and Maxo, too.

Of course, I suppose that I should also add in one more thing... :) Oge and Sarah decided not to tell any of the boys that I was coming so it would, once again, be a surprise. I was not expecting to see any kids (besides the ones that live at/near the Guest House - Jessica, Belle, etc.) until Saturday. This morning, though, Robenson came by to drop off some books for his mom. That was such a joy getting so see him. He's 14 now and he's starting to look like a real teenager which is just so crazy to me. But he is healthy and doing well in school and that was all such wonderful, wonderful news. I am so excited to see him again on Saturday along with all the other kids... it will be great! Also I had a brief meeting today about the bracelet program and it could be an exciting new development! If plans begin to move forward this week, I'll be sure to report it on here!

I feel like I don't have much to report, but that's mostly because I always forget what's worth reporting! If you have specific questions or whatever, don't hesitate to ask!

Blessings, Beth

If you have never read my blog before, you should know:
1. I lived in Haiti from May 2010 to May 2011 and I worked for the United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) program here. This program is stationed out of the Methodist Guest House in Petionville, Haiti... a suburb of Port-au-Prince. I lived at the Guest House. I am staying at the Guest House again this week with all of my friends. :)
2. There is no air conditioning in any of the rooms. Also, you do not flush the toilet unless "it is brown." You throw your toilet paper away in the trash can.
3. There is no hot water. Which at times can be chilly, but in these incredibly hot months, a cold shower is truly a divine blessing from God.
4. I "accidentally" started a program called Bracelets of Blessing and I am working to legally establish it. It is quite difficult to do when I live in the US most of the time... but I try!

Back in Haiti - Day 7 - Fini

What a day. What a seriously great day.

It started off super slow. No real plans this morning. Oge and I picked out some songs for his last CD but that was about it. I talked to Sarah about wanting to do something fun for my last day but not knowing what that should be. She and Tom put their heads together and decided it would be a great idea to go to lunch. Sounds good to me!

We went to Bouchara, a great Haitian place with reasonable prices, air conditioning, and great food. It was a relaxing lunch. Wonderful to share stories and experiences with each other - comment on places we've been and places yet to go. It was a nice way to spend the afternoon.

After that, Oge had scheduled for the two of us to meet with some lawyers to discuss the possible establishment of the Bracelets of Blessing program. Unfortunately, Oge had a family emergency that he needed to deal with so Peterson helped me for the first half of the meeting. Thankfully Oge came in at the end to best understand the whole process.

I found out that it is entirely possible to establish the organization in Haiti AND I have an actual plan of action after speaking with the lawyers. It was SUCH a helpful conversation and I am so thankful for all the prayers over this meeting. It was really an important and necessary step towards establishing the program officially and moving it into its own separate entity. I am excited to start the process and work with folks here and in the US to make this program into everything it can be. I am just so glad that I was able to have this meeting before I went home.

Home.

Tomorrow I go home.

I am definitely feeling sadness over that. I really wish I could have stayed longer - spent more time with my family here. However, I suppose all good things must come to an end and there is a whole slew of things waiting for me back in Fort Worth that I need to attend to.

Just because I'm leaving, though, doesn't mean I'm not taking part of Haiti with me.

I'll leave with sounds of "Poupe" (my nickname) still ringing in my ears. I'll leave with the memories of hugs from great friends filling my mind. I'll leave with wonderful Haitian food still filling my body and soul. And I will leave with the knowledge that I am not forgotten and that in many ways, I am still part of the tapestry that is Haiti. My fingerprints are still here. My life and my presence has been important.

I'm sure I will cry again tomorrow, though, as I did when I first arrived. When I arrived they were tears of joy - so glad to be reunited. Tomorrow they will be tears of sadness - frustrated that land, water, money, and time must separate me from my friends here. However, I am certain I will be back, and depending on my financial situation... I hope it is sooner rather than later.

Bye Bye Ayiti. Mesi pou bon semen. Na we...

Back in Haiti - Day 6 - Poze

Another wonderful, relaxing day in Haiti!

This morning Oge and I traveled to La Tremblay to pick up a team. La Tremblay is a site that opened while I was in Haiti in January so I was excited to see how far things had come in the 5 months I had been away for. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint.

You know, I get asked all the time, "Is anything actually being done in Haiti?" My answer is always a loud YES. Unfortunately, the media does not always paint that picture. Yes, there are still collapsed buildings. Yes, there is still rubble around. Yes, the rebuilding process has been slow and tedious. However, that does not mean that there haven't been improvements. The roads have gotten better (and seem to be mostly rubble free!) The mood seems to be lighter. There aren't near as many tents as there was before. Seriously, so much is happening in Haiti. It's truly wonderful.

La Tremblay is one of those wonderful things. It was cool to see a partially completed two story building (as it will have a balcony to be sure and hold all the people) and workers hard at work. Also neat was that this site has a cement mixer so the work was super efficient. It was SO COOL to see their process in action. I have never seen anything like it, but it was a blast... and so quick! Basically, being there made me incredibly optimistic and proud of the work that is being done here. It is awesome.

Oh, and of course, my ride with Oge was fantastic as always. Car dancing and laughter included.

After that visit (which was pretty quick because of what little traffic there seems to be now...) Oge and I hung out a bit and then Oge, Sarah, and I went out to lunch. We decided to go to Fior di Latte which is a European bistro in Petionville. I had gorgonzola stuffed ravioli with a pesto sauce and we all shared a chocolate ice cream ball for dessert. YUM. It was wonderful to have that time to poze with the two of them and hear some of the stories of life around here.

You know, on this trip, I have realized just how much I really miss being here. However, I have to keep on reminding myself that I am in divinity school so that I can CONTINUE to be in places like Haiti and working towards the betterment of the world. It is such a tough thing to remind myself of at times, but I also know that I have a ton of fans here waiting to see my graduate and become a pastor. (I've already had several people ask me when they can start calling me Pastor Beth. So fun.) I just need to remember that once I'm back in Fort Worth.

Beyond that, I had a nice chat with Pastor Paul this afternoon (although I couldn't help him much with what he talked to me about.) It was good to spend some time with him, even though it was brief. It was also good to sit in his air conditioning.:)

This afternoon I also had the opportunity to visit Giant Market with Belorne once again. You know, before I left Haiti, Oge told me "Haitians never forget." I believed that, but to a degree. I mean, I knew that the people at the Guest House would not forget me, but I figured that most others would. I'm finding that I was also wrong about that.

At Giant, I always used to exchange money there from US dollars to Gourdes when we went shopping for teams going out into the field. It always seemed to be the same guy at the counter and eventually it became almost a running joke - "same amount?" I didn't know much about him, but it still felt like tradition to say hello to him each time I was there and request an exchange.

Well, today, when I was there, he was there, too. He saw me and waved excitedly and motioned me over. He said, "It has been so long since we have seen you!" "Yes, I went back to the United States. I've been gone from Haiti for about 5 months now... it's been too long!" He then smiled and said, "Wow, 5 months!? I can't believe it! Well it is very good to see you." We chatted for a little while longer before I departed to find Belorne, but that was really, really neat. While you're here, you don't realize the people that you've left an impression on. Once you return, though, they seem to come out of the woodwork to say hello and tell you that they've missed you.

To end this entry, I will just say this: I love this country. I am so glad to be here. Only one more day left and then I have to say goodbye. It is going to be extremely difficult. Prayers appreciated.

Back in Haiti - Day 5 - Bon Bagay

Today was pretty neat. Spent the morning on the road with Oge to go pick up a team in Arcahaie. Arcahaie was the first community (outside of Petionville) that I visited when I first came in Haiti. It was nice to see the community again and some old friends. It was also nice to see the site and re-live some wonderful memories there.

It was great riding in a car with Oge today, too. I can't even tell you how much I missed our road trips. I made him a new cd and so we enjoyed some car dancing. Good times, as always.

This afternoon was pretty "poze." (Relaxing) I mostly looked at some theology homework and hung out a bit. At 4, though, the boys came with bracelet materials so I could take some photos of their work in progress. I took some great shots and I'm excited to compile them into resources that churches and other communities can use to tell their story.

Also fun was when I remembered that my camera has HD video. I got some GREAT footage and I'll be sure to upload some of those videos as well as (hopefully) an edited piece. I'm so excited for this possibility. It was a great day to see them and talk with them and see the bracelet process in action.

My time here is already coming to an end. So strange. However, I think once my time here is over I'll be anxious to get back to Fort Worth. I've done SOME studying since I've been here... but not enough for the 3 papers and 2 mid-term tests that are coming up next week. Yikes! So much to do, so little time.

Tomorrow Oge and I are headed to La Tremblay in the morning and in the afternoon I will meet with Pastor Paul and maybe take another trip to Rebo with Sarah. We shall see!

Have a great night, everyone!

Back in Haiti - Day 3 &4 - Right at Home

These past two days have been pretty low-key, but very nice.

Yesterday Mike Willis came back to Haiti. Mike was my first boss in Haiti and it had been a while (I think since February...?) since I had last seen him. Always good to be reunited!

We stopped for lunch at a nice place near the airport - La Maison. It was just Oge, Mike, and I which felt strange and wonderful at the same time. The old crew back together again. We chatted about a few things and just had a nice, relaxing lunch hour.

After returning to the Guest House, Mike attempted to get some work done to prepare for his trip to Les Cayes and I attempted to work on studying for my Theology mid-term. It sort of worked except streams of kids kept on coming by to say hello to Mike. As Mike was here the entire time the tent city was on our campus, he has a lot of friends outside the Guest House that are always anxious to see him.

After dinner, I spent about a half hour with Belorne showing her how to scan documents onto the computer and attach them to e-mails. She was so happy to learn how to do that and I felt blessed to have the opportunity to teach her. It was wonderful watching her light up with joy whenever she proved to herself that she could do it.

I also got the opportunity to watch a few episodes of The Office with the UMVIM crew (plus Mike) last night. Good times filled with lots of laughter, that's for sure.

Today was also pretty low-key. Mike left very early in the morning for Les Cayes so I didn't even see him leave. I said my goodbyes last night. We have a team here, though, that is working in Duplan and I decided it would be fun to tag along to see the site. Duplan looks wonderful and lively. Great to see the kids utilizing the new spaces that were created for them. Oge and I also got the opportunity to visit again during recess today and it was a joy to see all the kids dressed in their adorable yellow and grey Methodist uniforms smiling, laughing, and playing with each other.

Of course, as it always in Haiti, the kids were mesmerized with my camera and once it was discovered that I was taking photos... each child wanted a picture. It's cool, though, because I had a ton of fun taking pictures. I've also been working on taking pictures of each member of the Guest House staff so that's been fun for me, too.

After that brief visit, Oge and I stopped for lunch. We were going to try to do a nice meal out (as we were originally supposed to go to the beach today but that didn't work out due to it being kind of a rainy/dreary day) but all of the nicer places are closed on Mondays. (I tell ya, Haiti is a whole different country! :) ) I asked Oge where he wanted to go instead and he said, "I think we should go to Rebo again." I was happy to oblige. Rebo has really great sandwiches and, of course, coffee. :) We had more great chats there. Have I mentioned how wonderful it is to hang out with him again? It's really wonderful.

This afternoon I also saw Pastor Paul (the President of the Methodist Church in Haiti) and that was fun. (Although he was upset with me for not telling him that I was coming back to visit - whoops!) He wants to meet some time this week so it will be good to sit down and talk with him.

Beyond that, I just chatted with Oge, Erick, Maxo, and Peterson. Also, since I showed Oge how Skype works on Saturday I've had a few requests for help with setting up Skype for others. That's also been fun. I'm happy to expand their communication possibilities by adding Skype into their lives! :)

Tonight I'm going to a place called "Hang!" for dinner with the UMVIM crew. Although, if it keeps on raining, then we might be going somewhere else instead. I've heard it's a fun place with great music, though, so I'm excited to try it out. Could be good!

I called this entry "Right at Home" because that's truly what it feels like. It feels like coming home. Also, it's been fun for me stepping into my old role here in small ways. I've enjoyed having the opportunity to assist in whatever ways are most helpful. It has been good to re-live that time of my life in small ways this week.

Anyway, I'm off - tomorrow's going to be a big day, though... trip to Arcahaie in the morning and bracelet making in the afternoon. Exciting!

Back in Haiti - Day 2 - Remembering the Kids

Another lovely day in the same magical place.

Today was so much fun. Relaxing. Wonderful.

It began by seeing more friends of mine as they came and went - Johnny (one of our beloved drivers), Caz (a great interpreter), and Jammes (the accountant), for example. However, as you could probably guess, the best part was seeing Oge and all of my boys.

I saw Oge this morning and gave him one of the biggest hugs ever. (Almost cried, but was able to hold it in this time. :) ) Oge and I have kept in touch over the phone every now and then... but seeing him in person is... awesome. I've really, really missed him.

We spent the morning chatting and sharing stories. I showed him some photos from Europe and of the new apartment in Texas. I also introduced him to Flat Oge (his "mini me" that went around Europe with me.) That was hilariously awesome. Several members of the Guest House staff cracked up when they saw Flat Oge. I also set Oge up with Skype so I'm excited to use that with him once I leave Haiti.

Then, at noon, the bracelet kids came for pay day. For the most part, word had spread that I was back... but not to everyone. The surprised faces were way too much fun. During Pay Day, I was able to take some great pictures and the kids are coming back again on Tuesday so that I can take some pictures and video of them actually making the bracelets. I am beyond excited for that - it is going to be wonderful to finally have shots of that process in action... as well as maybe getting some interviews from the families about how the program is impacting their lives.

Especially wonderful today, though, was seeing Michellet, Robenson, Robenson's Mother, and Schnyder. Seeing every kid was wonderful... but throughout my time here I built special relationships with those four. So great to be reunited again.

However, I do have to put out a plea.

Due to a lower volume of teams (and therefore, fewer donations), the staff here has not been able to provide any assistance to the bracelet kids and their families for school this year. It's not that they don't want to help out, it's just that there isn't enough for everyone to get an amount that would be helpful so the money that they are able to give is just going towards things like food or clothes. In Haiti, It costs around $200 - $500 for a child to go to school for an entire year. For some it is more, and for others it is less. $200 is probably the average amount that they would need to pay the inscription fee and for the first quarter or trimester.

If you or your congregation feels led to give, PLEASE DO. I know that some already are (big shout out to Don, for example, for his continuous giving) but unfortunately, with such few people donating... there just isn't enough for the money to go far. (And in Haiti, you can't really give to one and not the other... so that adds a whole other dimension in terms of what is and is not possible.)

If you are able to give and need information about who to send money to... please contact me this week at bethisinchina@yahoo.com. I will get you all the information you need.

Seriously, I asked the boys how school was going... and too many told me that they were not in school at all this year because they could not afford it. It is heartbreaking to me that such intelligent, driven, wonderful kids would not be able to get an education. I am hopeful that their situation will change soon... but at this point, the future (at least the immediate future of the next few months or year) looks pretty bleak.

There are 24 kids in the bracelet program now. If we can raise at least $4800... then that could/should be enough to at least get the kids in school, with the hope that with bracelet income they'd be able to pay the rest of the money for the year.

Anyway... beyond the sadness of that reality... it really was a great day. I even got to go to my favorite coffeehouse for lunch (Rebo!) with Oge and that was wonderful. I also got some studying in for Christian Theology and had a brief opportunity to chat with Tom for a while.

Have I mentioned how awesome it is to be back? Because it's really, really awesome. M renmen Ayiti ANPIL! (I love Haiti a lot!)

Back in Haiti - Day 1 - One of the most joyful moments of my life

Today I traveled back to Haiti.

Reading week/fall break is this week and I wanted to take advantage of it. With my parents help, I made the plans to come back here about two months ago. Since then I have been looking forward to this day. Dreaming about it, praying for it, hoping that the reunion would be everything I wanted it to be.

But instead, it was something greater than I ever could have imagined.

I got a text from Oge earlier today telling me that he wouldn't be able to pick me up from the airport. I was bummed about that, but he said that he'd try to see me later at the Guest House. I started to wonder if today wasn't going to be the big deal that I was building it up to be. I mean, I knew that it was going to be so good to see every one and that they'd be happy to see me... but was it really going to be that big of a deal?

Anyway, so I arrived in Haiti to a MUCH IMPROVED airport and, believe it or not, Martelly (Haiti's president) also happened to be there. He waved to the crowd saying "Bonswa toutmoun!" (Which means "Good afternoon, everyone!") So that was pretty cool.

Then, as I was walking out of the airport, I saw Jackson, our head porter. He gave me a big hug and called me "boss" like he always has. I tried to remind him that I was never really his boss and I'm REALLY not his boss now... but he decided he liked calling me that just the same.

After that I met up with Daniel at the tap-tap. It was so good to see him. We caught up a bit and he was also so happy to see me. Needless to say, I was already feeling extremely welcomed. There were also some other porters that I used to run into now and then with team pick ups (back in the day) and they also recognized me and came over to say hello.

Driving back to the Guest House was also a joy as I got to experience all the sights, sounds, and smells of Haiti again. Although, I will say, I think that traffic has improved quite a bit. I mentioned this to Daniel, though, and he said "No, it hasn't." I'll be paying close attention to that to see if it really is better... or if it was just a fluke. Haha.

Back at the Guest House is where it really got good. I think some people knew I was coming, while others did not. I was greeted by Tom and Sarah... wonderful, of course, to see both of them again. After that, by happenstance, I ran into Pastor Ralph and said hello to him.

And then... I saw my favorite ladies in the kitchen... which started a whole bunch of rounds of hugs. First Marie Claude, and then Claire, and then Vivienne (who literally screamed when she saw me), and Tantnette, Ysmeus, Belorne, and Ruth. That was a moment. Seeing all of them, hugging all of them, and having them welcome me back like family... I can't even fully describe what that felt like except to say that it felt like putting on a warm snuggly blanket on a freezing winter night.

However, after saying hello to them, I noticed that something (besides Oge) was missing... there weren't any boys around. I thought for sure that they'd be there to greet me as they had at almost every other occasion... but they were nowhere to be found.

Then Sarah called for me and said, "I think I see some of the boys." She told me that they hadn't told them that I was coming because they wanted to make sure that they just came during the Saturday pay day time and she knew they'd see me then. However, since they happened to be around, she figured that she'd surprise them.

We walked to the end of the Guest House driveway and opened the gate just a tiny crack to see if they were still there. Sarah spots them and says, "Yep, they're here. Timoun!" (Kids!) Then they turned around and saw me.

What happened in that moment is a memory that I will probably replay for the rest of me life. Especially on those days when I wonder if what I do means anything. Their faces said it all.

Instantly all four boys had their eyes bugging out of their heads, shocked to see me, which changed suddenly to faces overcome with joy as they practically tackled me with hugs. I admit that I cried. I cried like a baby, so joyful myself. These are my boys... and so they shall forever be. It was wonderful to hug them, to talk to them, to tell them, "M tre kontan we ou!" (I'm very happy to see you!) I am so excited to see the rest of them tomorrow. So flippin stoked.

During that time I also saw Gregory, one of the artists who sells work in the street, Jessica (Erick's daughter,) Nathalie (Claire's daughter,) and Erick.

Basically it was a homecoming not to be forgotten. One of joy, laughter, and blessing. Seriously, how blessed am I to have such an amazing Haitian family!?!?

And that's what it's felt like... coming home. Spending the vacation with my extended family. I kind of expected this place to feel foreign, different, new. But it doesn't. It feels like the same Haiti... the Haiti I fell in love with... the Haiti I still strive to serve.

Anyway, even though I still haven't seen Oge yet (bumma! - hopefully tomorrow) it's still been an amazing day. Thanks for the prayers. Please continue praying for this trip - that it may be a time of renewal, new possibilities, and friendship.

Bracelets of Blessing

So I know that I've talked to some of you about the Bracelets of Blessing program, but I figured I'd take the time to explain everything here as a reference point.

In August of last year, when I returned to Haiti after my family's summer vacation, a few of the boys living in the tent city on Freres campus began making me bracelets. They were small, macrame bracelets, but they were pretty cool looking. I noted that they could probably sell them to some of the American teams coming through the Guest House and make a little bit of money.

That next week about 5 boys gave us a few bracelets to sell. From there, more and more kids joined in and the bracelets became more and more ornate. The small business had become quite successful!

Now the program has grown to 23 kids. For some, the money they receive from the bracelet program is the only income their family receives. Pay day is every Saturday at noon, and each kid lines up with their parents to receive their income for the week and dump off their new bracelets to sell.

I cannot fully explain how life-changing and life-sustaining this program has been for these families. I will say, however, that God has truly been at work and that blessings have been abundant. So abundant, in fact, that I feel like, unfortunately, the program has hit a plateau and cannot grow any further without more structure put into place.

With this in mind, I have created (with help and input from others) a vision Bracelets of Blessing that I really hope to accomplish. Here's the basics of the plan.

1. Create an after school program for the kids to visit
2. Only accept bracelets made during program time and in the program space - to ensure that parents do not begin forcing their children to make bracelets and stay home from school. (For some families the bracelet business has become so lucrative that this truly is a concern... I want to make sure all kids go to school!)
3. Offer other life-enriching opportunities during the program time - free English lessons, tutoring, organized sports, choirs, etc.
4. Have staff in place to allow for the expansion of the bracelet market. (AKA: Begin selling bracelets in the States, not just at the Methodist Guest House in Haiti.)
5. Have more quality control, while still allowing for creativity and for the kids to create at their own pace and by their own will.
6. Offer more opportunities for community among the bracelet kids and their families.
7. Offer educational seminars for parents on things like hygiene/health issues, family budgeting, etc.
8. Allow for more children and families to get involved in the program.

Before I left Haiti, we briefly explained to the kids and their families what this new vision was and the response was EXTREMELY positive. The families really want this and I think there is definitely a need for the program.

As of right now, I am still in the process of trying to get the program established as an actual entity so that people can donate to it, we can hire employees to run it, and there can be better financial oversight. However, I am meeting a lot of road blocks here in the US. When I visit Haiti soon, I am hoping to meet with a lawyer to see what possibilities there might be to establish the organization in Haiti instead of the States. I will also (hopefully) look at a possible location to hold the after school program and I might be meeting with some possible program directors... depending on how well the meeting with the lawyer goes.

Everything is still in the early stages. I really hoped it would be further along at this point, but like I said, I've met a lot of road blocks here in the States. I am hopeful that I can move forward with plans soon, though. In the meantime, prayers are certainly appreciated and needed!! :)

Oh, and if you want to see these beautiful bracelets, and some of the kids that make them, go here.

Grieving

I had a rough night last night.

It seems that now I have returned from Haiti, I am finally able to grieve the disaster that was the earthquake. And it kind of sucks.

When you're in Haiti for a long time, your mentality shifts. You get to a point where you recognize that everything that Haiti is dealing with is just the reality. You want to do as much as you can to make that reality a bit better... but things that would normally be terrible just become... normal.

You expect to see crumbled buildings. You expect to see kids begging for money and/or food. You expect some of the people you meet to still be living in a tent. It seems (somewhat) normal.

Sometimes you are faced with elevated circumstances within that normal that make you sad... make you want to fix it. For example, when I was first in Haiti and I would travel to the UMCOR NGO office, I would see this flattened hospital. Thinking about the trained medical professionals and the patients inside was... heartbreaking. Right outside the hospital was this haunting, abandoned red car that had obviously been there since the earthquake. What happened to the owner? Moments like that make you want to weep... when you're met with such a harsh visual.

Or, for example, that first time that we really talked with Robenson's mother. When we found out that in the 35 seconds of the earthquake she lost her husband, income, and home... and that she had been working tirelessly for the past 6 months after the quake to put food on the table. She couldn't afford anything else, though... and, at times, she could barely afford the food. Moments like that also bring deep sadness to your heart. A moment when you re-commit yourself to helping kids go to school, making sure they have enough to eat, and making sure that they're living in a safe, secure place.

But since I've been home (this past week or so especially) I have found myself truly grieving. For Haiti. For my friends. For the disasters upon disasters that strike the country and for the people who have no time to grieve, no time to stop because sending their children to school and putting food on the table is more important.

I recently watched a show called "World's Deadliest Earthquakes" in which the Jan. 12th earthquake was the first one mentioned. I re-watched footage of Haiti during and immediately after the quake. I saw people screaming and weeping in the streets. I saw my Haitian brothers and sisters trying so desperately to get their friends and family out of collapsed buildings. I saw a dead body in the street covered with a worn sheet.

I admit that I cried. I felt that moment all over again... but this time, it felt personal. The people screaming on the TV were my friends... not people from a random, far-away country. They were those that had welcomed me, arms open. Who cared for me. Who supported me. They are Oge, and Belorne, and Claire, and Marie Claude, and Johnny, and Daniel, and Maxo, and Peterson, and Jean Claude, and Ruth, and so many, many more.

I don't know where I am going with this really. I suppose I just wanted to make the reality of that disaster real for you again, too. To remember that the work is not done. To remember that there are missionaries and NGO workers that are there working tirelessly to bring healing and comfort to Haiti. To remember that there are still people in tents. There are still kids who go to bed hungry. There are still parents without income. There are still people who shift through the rubble.

And now that I'm separated from it... now that I'm having a chance to process all of it... I remind myself that while it may be Haiti's currently reality... it shouldn't be their reality forever.

Haiti is important. The people are real. We need to continue to respond - through prayer, advocacy, and donations.

And we need to keep telling their story. To continue to remind people that they're still there. There is still work to do.

I blogged...

Just not here.

Sorry!

I'll attempt to blog more as my time in Haiti comes to a close. Here is my blog on a different blog:

http://mannafeast.tumblr.com/post/5378198994/i-often-think-about-this-little-girl-i-wonder

Enjoy!

Gudu Gudu (Earthquake)

I haven't updated in a while.

I always seem to start out these entries this way lately. But so it goes sometimes.

Anyway, I have been back in Haiti now for one week. I went home and visited my family for 3 wonderful, refreshing weeks and now I am back.

It's good to be back.

As soon as I arrived I was greeted with hugs and to-do lists. I am a part of the fabric now. A little Beth thread woven in to so many stories and situations and families. When I was in Kansas City, I kept on finding myself referring to Haiti as "home." As in, "I go home on Jan. 2." I caught myself every time and attempted to correct myself, but truly... Haiti has become home in so many ways. It was wonderful to be reunited with my Haitian family again.

Tomorrow marks an important anniversary for Haiti. One that is bound to be extremely emotional.

I'm not quite sure how I am going to handle it. You see, I had never been to Haiti before the earthquake. I never met a single one of the lives lost. Although my heart was distraught watching the images on my TV last Jan. 12, there was no real connection. Just a longing to heal and to love on this tiny, hurting nation.

But now I have become entrenched in the Haitian world.

I can imagine that tomorrow I will be grieving. I will be grieving for my Haitian brothers and sisters whose lives were cut short, whose families will never be able to hug them again. I will particularly be grieving for the friends and family of my Haitian friends who won't ever attend another family dinner, or call them up on the phone just to say, "Hey."

After living here for 7 months now (I know! Time flies!) I cannot imagine that tomorrow will be easy. But I also cannot imagine, even still, what tomorrow will feel like for my Haitian brothers and sisters. They've experienced... just... too much to even fully comprehend, let alone understand what their emotions might be on the anniversary of one of, if not THE, most horrific day of their lives.

Although it's not been announced as an official holiday, it essentially is. Businesses will be closed, schools will be closed, and churches will be holding services all day to honor the dead and to come together for worship, mourning, and friendship.

We will be attending a memorial service at 6:30 a.m. outside the palace. It will be a multi-denominational service with even some of our own speaking at it - most notably, Jim Gulley, the "miracle man" who survived the earthquake spending many days stuck in the collapsed Hotel Montana.


After the service, a few of us will be going to the grounds of the Hotel Montana to mourn the lives of those lost there - particularly the lives of Clinton Raab and Sam Dixon. We will also be there to remember that there is hope and to remind ourselves of our commitment to continue to be a healing presence in Haiti. It's important, worthy work... even if the costs are sometimes quite steep. It's going to be a beautiful service.

Please, if you would, pray for the Haitians that will be experiencing great fear and great grief tomorrow. Please also consider a monetary donation to UMCOR, UMVIM, or Week of Compassion so that these worthy organizations can continue to respond to this great, devastating disaster. There is still so much to do.

Blessings to each of you as you find your own small ways to remember Jan. 12, 2010 in your hearts. Thank you for your constant love and support. I feel it surround me every day.

Beth

Election Time is Comin

Friends,

I just wanted to let all of you know that I am safe. Much violence broke out across Haiti yesterday with the results of Haiti's presidential election. There will be a run-off in January between two folks: Mirlande Manigat and Jude Celestin.

The people are happy about Manigat, but quite angry about Celestin. Supporters of a man named Michel Martelly are particularly upset, saying that the election was rigged and it should have been Manigat and Martelly in the run-off. Martelly supporters have blocked roads and gathered in groups to shout protests and march through the cities.

We are staying inside the Guest House and staying tuned to news reports. We are also in contact with our friends (interpreters, cooks, drivers, etc.) who are away from the Guest House and might have a better assessment of what's going on in the streets. Everyone we know is also okay and staying inside today.

If there are any further updates, I will let you know. Needless to say, this is definitely going to be a story I'm going to be able to tell for the rest of my life!

Praying for peace,
Beth

Foosball: A Photo Story

Today we went to the Ibo Lele hotel for a little R&R and for Barry's "last hurrah" before he heads home next week on Sunday. I've been to Ibo Lele several times and I always have a great time. During these visits, we've discovered that Sunday afternoons are the best time to visit Ibo because they have a bar area open with American football on the TV, two pool tables, a foosball table, and (of course) alcohol.

The visit today was quite nice - good food, good company, and cooler (73 degree) weather.

However, after lunch is when the real fun began. Oge and I went downstairs to the bar area and played foosball.



Oge has never played foosball so it was fun teaching him how to play. It was an instant hit, though, and soon the competition was on!



I won the first four games. :) Yeah!



Oge was a little confused - why wasn't he winning?? :(



Even though he wasn't winning, he was still having a pretty good time. Lots of laughter, that's for sure!



But then, on the very last game, when we were neck and neck - 1 point needed for each of us to win... he won. :(



Anyway, I thought you might enjoy seeing some of those photos. I think sometimes people back home have the impression that I am suffering and enduring many hardships to do the work that I do here. This is not to say that there aren't difficult times because there are. This is also not to say that I don't meet my fair share of "cultural bumps." However, this is to say that I have moments of "luxury" and fun in this country as well. You just gotta look for the right places.

Lastly, I thought I would share this little bit. As many of you know, I am constantly amazed at what money can pay for here. I still remember when I found out that Robenson got kicked out of school briefly because his mother couldn't afford $32 for 4 months of schooling. Today was another one of those moments.

Tonight I handed out money for 8 boys to take their school exams (yes, they have an exam fee AND if you're in certain grades they make you pay to get the certificate saying you took the test as well), 4 boys to get new sandals, and 3 boys to get some food for themselves and their families. Total, all of this cost less than $75. CRAZY. Anyway, I thought I would pass along their big smiles and loud "THANK YOUs" to all of you as well. God is good!

For now, I'm off to bed. Sending love to all of you. See some of you in a week from tomorrow! :)

Beth