Haiti’s future

When out walking it is common for me to hear, “Foto! Foto!”. Seeing my camera the children call to me asking to have their photograph taken. I have learned that immediately after taking the photo I need to turn the camera around and show the children their picture. There is great delight and often laughter when the children see their image. You see, there are few mirrors in Haiti and the children don’t often get a glimpse of themselves. Small children can easily identify their friends in the photograph but are somewhat surprise to learn they are the person standing next to their friend …the awe and wonder of self discovery.

Computer Class

One of my ministries here in Jean Rabel is teaching a computer class three days a week. Many Haitian people are curious about computers and very eager to learn how to use them. Unfortunately, access to computers is very limited. We requested and received permission to use the computer lab of one of the local high schools for the class. The computer lab includes fifteen desktop computers with Microsoft Office 2003 software. With access to a computer lab I was able to enroll over a dozen people in the class, including men & women of all ages. Each student was asked to contribute 250 gds ($6.25 US) to cover the cost of the gasoline for the generator needed to provide the electricity for our twelve classes. Each day before class I would listen for the sound of the generator. Once I heard the generator I would throw the circuit breakers in the computer lab and class could begin. These past few weeks the students have made great strides in advancing their keyboard skills and their knowledge of Word & Excel. However, what is even more exciting is their increased self confidence and self esteem. 

Celebrating the Women of Haiti!

As part of "International Women's Day", March 8th, we celebrate the women of Haiti in pictures!

school cafeteria cook

neighbor in Gros Morne

Church ladies

laundry down at the river

micro-credit group

Christmas party

crossing the river at Port de Paix

mother & child in Sunday best

making patterns in the sewing workshop

Follow the river to the sea

The sea is a two hour walk from our house in Jean Rabel.  If you follow the river you will find the sea. Initially you walk on the dirt road that runs alongside the river. After an hour of walking past houses and banana plantations you turn onto “river road”. River road leads you down into the river bed. This time of year the river is a small stream winding its way to the sea in the expansive river bed carved during the rainy season. You must ford the river a half dozen or more times before you reached the sea. This time of year the water is shallow, just up to my ankles. When you are about twenty minutes from the beach you round a turn and come upon a spectacular sight; the place where the river meets the sea.

where the river meets the sea

I’ve made this trek a couple times; once alone and again with friends. There is always plenty going on along the river... and after a two hour walk it is refreshing to …wade in the shallow warm water …watch the fishermen …and listen to the surf.

Home sweet home

Traditional construction on the left with the concrete house on the right

Five or six years ago the area around Jean Rabel was ravaged by hurricanes. As part of the relief efforts a Spanish organization gave $100,000 to build houses for the people. The RJM Sisters in Jean Rabel helped facilitate the project and were able to build 20 houses with the original grant. Through their connections with the local community they continue to identify families who they feel would most benefit from a house. Families with special needs children are given priority. Large families are also given priority. The family receiving the house is asked to contribute about $1000 while the remaining $5000 is provided through various grants. To date the Sisters have been involved in the building of approximately 500 houses in the Jean Rabel area. The walls are constructed of rocks taken from the area or concrete block. The roof is tin. The houses are very simple, often two or three rooms; about 400-500 square feet.

Home owner and a friend in front of his house made from local stone 

A family (plus one neighbor child) and Sr. Rose on their front porch

 I have visited a number of the homes the Sisters helped build. The people take great pride in their homes and are much appreciative. A sturdy home in Haiti provides not only shelter but helps boost self esteem and economic stability. 

peal the bell…peals of laughter

Sunday I arrived in Jean Rabel; the third stop on this three stop tour. In Jean Rabel the Religious of Jesus and Mary live on the second floor of Saint Mary’s school; a “national” primary school for girls, first through sixth grade. I have a bird’s eye view of the school yard from our balcony. The school is located next to St. John the Baptist Catholic church.

My room is the last one on the right, half the house is hidden by a large tree

St. John the Baptist Church, Jean Rabel

The days In Jean Rabel are punctuated by the sights and sounds of church and school. A little after 5 AM the church bell rings, a wakeup call! Around 6 AM the bell rings again, a call to 6am mass. After mass we have morning prayer followed by breakfast. At 8 AM the school day starts with a flag raising, the singing of the national anthem & prayer. Throughout the morning I can hear the girls reciting their lessons in French. Around 10 AM there is recess …and you hear peals of laughter and the shouts of little girls at play. Jump rope seems to be a favorite pass time. Around noon the girls can be seen taking their lunch in shifts, by class. At 1 PM the students leave for the day. Shortly thereafter another group of students arrive. There is an alternative school in the afternoon for the restavek children; the children who work as domestic servants. The Religious of Jesus and Mary were instrumental in establishing the alternative school for these children whose life situation generally prevents them from attending school. By 5 PM the school yard grows quiet. At 6pm, the church bell rings the Angelus. No real need for a clock in Jean Rabel!

St. Mary's girls at play

Bon Fèt La Chandeleur!

On February 2^nd you may have celebrated Candlemass , the feast of the Prurification of Mary, or perhaps Ground Hog’s Day. Here in Gros Morne on February 2^nd we celebrate the Feast of Notre Dame la Chandeleur, the parish patronal feast. The feast runs for nine days with a novena to Mary, under the title of Our Lady of Light. Every night for over a week you would hear singing coming from the church until about 11pm. On Thursday, February 2^nd, three masses were celebrated; pilgrims & parishioners filled the church to over flowing for each.

The gate to the church courtyard

The feast spilled beyond the church to encompass the entire community. People return to Gros Morne for the feast, making it a time of “home coming”. Pilgrims from the surrounding areas also come to town for the feast. Tents sprouted up alongside the road and in the church courtyard to accommodate the many visitors.  Vendors also flocked to Gros Morne for the feast, so the market was greatly expanded this past week. Over the nine days there were many “special events”.  A soccer tournament was played over the course of a few afternoons which included teams as far away as Cap-Haitien. One evening a concert was held featuring a professional Haitian band.  Even the street lights were left on Thursday night to light our way as we walked home after the 6pm mass!

street vendors in Gros Morne

May ManMan Mari continue to shine her light on the people of Gros Morne.

Labadie

I recently had the opportunity to visit Labadie, on the north coast of Haiti. To reach Labadie we drove about a half hour north of Cap-Haitien, where we boarded the water taxis for the final leg of the journey. You see, Labadie can only be reached via boat. Once you arrive in Labadie you truly feel as though you are on a “secluded island”. The green mountains rise out of the “Caribbean blue” sea; small beaches dot the coast line.

Water Taxis arrive at the pier in Labadie, fishing boats in the fore ground

Labadie differed in many ways from other areas of Haiti I visited. This small coastal town has a population of about 5000 people. However Labadie has many amenities I associate with large cities; a central source of both electricity and non-potable water are available. All the children I encountered appeared well fed and in school. There is an elementary school in Labadie, but the children must go into Cap-Haitien for high school. The people of Labadie find employment on the water or in the tourist industry. I’m pretty sure I saw the watermen bring in the lobster Sunday morning that I dined on Sunday evening! Labadie is a far cry from the tent cities of Port au Prince. 

Life "off the grid"!

You don’t have to travel very far outside Port au Prince before you find people living “off the grid”, outside the power grid that is. There are no power lines in the villages, no gas or water lines either. In many ways a walk through the village is a step back in time. The people live as they have for generations; kerosine lanterns provide light and charcoal fires are used for cooking.

women buy & sell charcoal in the market 

Here in Gros Morne we live “off the grid”. For that matter, our house needs to be self sufficient when it comes to all our utilities: electricity, gas, & water. Unlike the villagers we do not rely on kerosene and charcoal. Our primary power source is 15 of solar panels on the roof of the house. Many of our energy needs are in the kitchen. Our solar refrigerator and freezer have a battery “back up” system that insures electricity 24/7. Our stove is fitted with a propane tank. Other household electricity needs include indoor & outdoor lighting …bedroom fans during the summer months …and a plethora wall chargers for, but not limited to, computers, cell phones, & iPods. In addition to the solar panels we also have a diesel generator. We run the generator approximately 45 minutes a day to supplement the solar power during our peak usage time; when the non-potable water is being pumped from our well & cistern to the roof for use throughout the house. Keep in mind the house has no central heating or cooling system …no hot water heater …no dish washer or microwave …no clothes washer or dryer …no TV. So far I’ve not experienced any power outages …although I have had a couple opportunities to change the gas tank on the stove.

Larger of two solar arrays on the roof

Solar freezer with battery back-up

Our house is not the norm in Haiti. Unfortunately, solar power is still beyond the means of the average person here in Haiti. Hopefully, as the technology becomes more affordable the Haiti people will have greater access to healthy, environmentally sound, sustainable energy sources.

We see from where we stand!

There is a Haitian proverb which says, “We see from where we stand.” Two years after the earth quake struck Haiti I find myself standing shoulder to shoulder with the Haitian people, praying …

Sacred Heart Parish, Port au Prince

Compassionate Jesus, you give us the mandate to alleviate the suffering of others.

Give us a new heart and a new spirit.

You told us to reach out to the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the ill,

the imprisoned.

Give us a new heart and a new spirit.

Help us to reach out to those in pain–friends, neighbors, and even total strangers.

Give us a new heart and a new spirit.

Teach us to join our efforts with those of others, to take actions whenever we can.

Give us a new heart and a new spirit.

Kaypòv

Shortly after I arrived in Gros Morne I heard about the Kaypòv. Kaypòv is Creole for “poor house”. The name conjured up for me images of the Dickensian institutions of the 19^th century which instilled fear into the hearts of my Irish ancestors. Much to my relief I learned that the Kaypòv is a long term homeless shelter for men and women, primarily the elderly who have no family to care for them. The structure itself is a one story, “U” shaped building constructed in stages by volunteers. There are dorms for both men and women; about thirty people call this building home. There is a pump in the courtyard, where the entire “neighborhood” comes to pump water.  The kitchen is in a neighboring structure, two meals are served daily. Behind the building are latrines and a concrete slab where the people do their laundry. Around the side of the building, affording a little privacy, is another concrete slab where people take their “bucket bath”; bathe with the water from a five gallon bucket. The Kaypòv is not simply a shelter it is a home that provides all the necessities of life.  

On Christmas Day we visited the Kaypòv, sang Christmas Carols, and served cake and soda.

Fortunately, this 21^st century poor house proved to be a kinder gentler place than the 19^th century institutions whose name it shares. In December a woman arrived in Gros Morne who needed a place to stay. She wasn’t pregnant, but she did need medical attention. The long term volunteers with whom I live took it upon themselves to care for the woman until we could find someone to provide the extensive medical care she needed. The temporary solution was to secure a “private room” for our friend at the Kaypòv. Although the woman was grossly disfigured by her injuries the people of the Kaypòv welcomed her into their community. We would go daily to administer her medication and help her bathe, but it was the people of the Kaypòv who provided her meals and kept a watchful eye over her throughout the day and night. In this case the community of the Kaypòv provided a temporary home for a person not only economically poor but also poor in body, mind, & spirit. 

Bònn Ane! Jou Endepandans!

January 1st is not only New Years day in Haiti it is also Independence day.

We stand to face the future;

God behind us in the past

Christ before us; the way ahead;

Christ beside us in this moment;

Christ beneath us in our weakness;

Christ above to shield us –

beneath the shadow of his wings we are safe;

Christ between us to bind us in the unity of his love;

Christ in us, equipping us with his all sufficient grace.

Thus armed and guided, and protected we face the new year.

Now we arise and go forth on the journey before us,

knowing that, where Christ leads, life is a journey home.

Therefore we travel in faith, in hope, and in love,

in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

May the blessing of God be upon us all this year and into eternity.

Amen

A New Year Blessing from the Iona Community, Iona, Scotland

Happy New Year! Happy Independence Day!

Jwaye Nowèl !

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, and

brings good news. (Isaiah 52:7)

 Jwaye Nowèl !

Merry Christmas!

Holiday travel

In the days leading up to Christmas I am reminded of the story of Joseph and Mary leaving Nazareth and heading to Bethlehem in response to the census being taken by decree of the Emperor.  Recently as I was wandering the donkey trails and dirt roads of the mountains of Haiti I was contemplating Joseph trying to find transportation for Mary. Of course this story is often illustrated with Mary riding on  a donkey, being led by Joseph. Joseph would have no problem finding a donkey for the journey in Haiti today.

However, there are a few more options in 21^st century Haiti. Joseph might go down to the market and hire a “taxi” for the journey. Most of these taxis are small motorcycles (125 cc). Surprisingly, I have seen entire families of four on one of these motorcycles. Joseph and Mary would probably both be able to ride with the driver. A ride to the next town would cost about $4.

If a “taxis” wasn’t possible Joseph might have chosen a “tap tap”. “Tap taps” are often little pickup trucks that have been fitted with benches in the back. They are brightly painted and often have religious or biblical sayings on the side. The “tap taps” have a set route of about a mile or so, the fare is about 25-cents, steeper routes are a bit more.

Finally, Joseph might have friends at one of the NGOs and be able to arrange a ride in an SUV. The ride in the SUV is far from smooth and flat tires are common, but this would probably be the safest way for Mary to get to Bethlehem.

Safe travels to all this holiday season!

O prosper the work of our hands!

Recently I’ve spent a lot of time working on the chicken coop. One of the tasks at hand was to set two metal brackets in about two cubic feet of concrete each. The metal brackets were designed to help stabilize the building in the event of a hurricane. In Haiti concrete is mixed on site. The unit of measure used in the concrete recipe was a five gallon bucket. To the best of my recollection we needed three buckets of gravel, two buckets of sand, and two buckets of water for every two buckets of concrete. We started by sifting the sand. Then all the ingredients were combined and mixed with shovels. At which point we used the five gallon buckets to carry the concrete to the designated spot. Four of us worked as a team and were able to complete the job in one day.

As I helped sift sand and carry buckets of concrete I ponder all the things that are done by hand here in Haiti. At the construction site hand saws were used to cut PVC pipe, wood, and iron re-bar. Nails were driven with a hammer not a nail gun. Ladders were fabricated from scrap lumber as needed. In Haiti the hands on approach goes beyond the construction site and seems to be applied to all aspects of life. Water is pumped by hand. Car repairs are all done by hand; including engine work, body work, and patching flat tires. The baskets, trivets, and coasters in our dining room were all hand woven. Our juice is fresh squeezed by hand. Furniture is handmade, including the tables and chairs in the preschool. The children’s school uniforms are all individually tailored and hand sewn. I am amazed at what the Haitian people are able to accomplish by hand. O prosper the work of our hands! (Ps. 90:17)

preschool students in uniform, complete with aprons

water, rocks, & trees

The River Marcelle is about a fifteen minute walk from where I live in Gros Morne. The local people tell me that 50 years ago River Marcelle was a small stream. Today however the river bed has spread out considerably.  During the rainy season houses have even been lost to this river. The erosion and flooding is the direct result of deforestation. I learned of a two prong approach that has been implemented in an effort to stop the erosion. A number of groups have come together in support of a ravine project which slows down the water cascading down the mountain and lessens the severity of the erosion. People are also planting trees.

Recently a group of took a field trip down the river to see the progress that has been made in trying to stop the erosion.  The ravine project is very impressive. Basically, the people follow the path the water has cut in the side of the mountain and build a series of walls across it. The walls stem the flow of the water by allowing it to collect in pools between the walls. Not only is the force of the water lessened, the ground also has more time to absorb the water so less water actually reaches the river bed. They say the sediment in the little pools is very good for the garden.

The ravine we visited was half a mile long. Near the river the stone walls were about nine feet apart.  In places where the incline is steeper the walls were placed closer together. The rocks used to construct the walls were taken from the river bed. I understand that when the walls were being constructed there was a human chain, passing rocks up the hill. Once the rocks were on the hill side twenty people were assigned to construct each wall. At the height of construction 1000 people were involved in the project. The people involved were primarily people from the neighboring villages and they were paid with food. The very same people continue to look after and maintain the walls. The ravine project is an engineering wonder, constructed from readily available material, with a lot of sweat equity.

Slowing down the water is only half of the equation. Trees are needed to help hold the soil in place. There are a couple tree nurseries in the area that have been set up to supply trees to be planted along the ravines and throughout the area.  At the tree nursery we saw seedlings for a variety of trees including: mango, avocado, and lime. As they mature the fruit form the trees is also good source of food for the people. Last year about 25,000 trees were planted in this area. The goal is to plant 80,000 a year. When I spoke with the local agronomist at the tree nursery I was reminded of Johnny Appleseed, the legendary apple seed sower I sang of as a child growing up in Ohio. May Guy Marie’s efforts be as long lasting and far reaching as those of John Chapman.

Down the river and up the donkey trail …to the chicken coop we go!

Saturday morning I went out to the site of the future chicken coop with a couple of the Religious of Jesus and Mary volunteers. The three of us rode the four wheeler. It took us less than half an hour to drive out of town, down the river bed and up the donkey trail to the chicken coop which is situated about 15 miles outside of Gros Morne. Saturday morning is “laundry day” and the river was bustling with activity. We were cautious to avoid not only the people washing their clothes, but also all the clothes drying on the rocks. Quite a colorful sight!

The chicken coop is a 1500 square foot “egg laying facility” that is currently under construction. This project grew out of a business proposal formulated by one of the RJM volunteers a few years ago. Most of the eggs in Haiti are imported from the Dominican Republic. It is estimated that once this chicken coop is up and running it could supply 15% of the local demand for eggs, not to mention a number of jobs for the local people. From this business proposal “Hens for Haiti” was hatched (sorry, couldn’t resist the pun), a non-profit organization that has been set up to acquire funding for the project and to work with the local people to see that the project comes to fruition (www.hensforhaiti.org ).

On Saturday we constructed a model feeding station for the chickens from a two-by-four and an eight foot section of four inch diameter PVC pipe using a hand saw. Other components of the facility that had already been constructed including: nesting boxes, a water stand, & water troughs. Before the hens can come to roost solar panels will need to be installed. Apparently hens require a lot of light in order to lay eggs, available natural light is insufficient for most of the year. So this chicken coop will run on solar power. The hope is that the chicken coop will be self sustaining within a year of completion.

I continue to be amazed by the dearth of what I consider basic foods here in Haiti. Certainly, I never gave much thought to where the carton of eggs in the refrigerator came from or how much care and feeding is required in order for the chickens to produce the eggs. All these factors are further complicated in Haiti by the lack of a stable infrastructure. It is edifying to see the dedication of the young adults who continue to work on this project in an effort to empower the people of Gros Morne and provide them with a local source of eggs.

Bonswa Gwo Mòn!

Saturday evening I arrived in Gwo Mòn (Gros Morne). It took us about five hours to drive up from Port au Prince. We had a couple stops to make along the way, most notably ...one stop for fried pork and plantains …another for the driver to buy six live ducks which will eventually find their way to his plate! For most of the trip we were on the National highway; a ribbon of macadam about two lanes wide that follows the coast line for a while and then weaves its way through various towns and market places.  After two months in the congested city of Port au Prince the sea and the mountains were a sight for sore eyes… as was the house in a grove of trees at the end of the road.

The house of the Religious of Jesus and Mary in Gros Morne is at the end of a road about a five minute walk off “main street”. The road up to the house seems to pass through a forest. They tell me that when the Sisters first arrived about 14 years ago there were no trees here, and now some of the trees tower over the house. The house itself is very large, I think there are nine bedrooms. In addition to two professed Sisters many volunteers with the RJM call this house home. Alumni of the volunteer program are also known to visit… as are family and benefactors. Based on all the people currently here and those expected in the next couple weeks I get the distinct impression that Gros Morne is the place to be!

The Haitians having a saying, “Dye mon, gen mon” … which translats to ”The mountains beyond the mountains.” Here in Gros Morne as I wander down the road it truly seems as though there are mountains beyond the mountains.