Haiti eMi Fall 2010

What Will Be Your Story?

How did this trip measure up to the last one? We’ll let’s just say there were a lot of ironies with this visit versus my time spent in Haiti during the summer. 

I loved my fellow team member's (Daniel Blaise's) shirt

This time around, I didn’t cry they way I cried over the summer.  I think there was less shock value on this trip because I has already experienced Haiti, and it wasn’t the first time.  However, I found myself asking WHY a lot more because the inequalities were ever so present.  I guess in my naive mind, I was hoping to see signs of better economic development in the northern part of the country since it was not affected by the earthquake, but unfortunately, it was just a glaring eye-opener of the despair and tumultuous existence of the country; I could now see why it’s considered the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. 

This trip gave me a renewed since of purpose to help in any way that I can.  While I think it is important for the world to see the beauty that Haiti has to offer, far too many Haitians living in Haiti don’t get to enjoy their beautiful land.  There is an abundance of beauty that the least of these will never know is in a treasure in their own background.  I want Haitians to see their own beauty, and to take pride in their country that has so much to offer if only it were more economically developed.  How do you teach the masses to appreciate their land and develop it into an economic driving force for prosperity?

Despite my constant whys, I will continue to say that Haitians have a spirit and “Joie de Vie” like no other I’ve encountered.  I’m proud to say I have Haitian blood running through my veins, because I don’t doubt that it’s my Haitian heritage that’s given be an unshakable spirit that never loses inner joy no matter what the difficult circumstances might be.

Here are a few highlights of this trip:

Cockpit with no door

Arriving in Cap-Haitien

• I learned while meeting with the university’s steering committee that I’d be working with two older brothers of my sister’s friend Sarah.  I grew up being the annoying little sister to my sister Rodeline and her friends, and I can’t believe so many years later, that I’m actually working alongside Sarah’s family to help realize such an amazing vision.  The world is such a small place, and you never know how those degrees of separation might play out.
• I flew on a small plan from Port-au-Prince to Cap-Haitien; the cockpit had no door, and a few prayers went up to God, when I saw the duck tape holding things together in there.  There are just a few things one shouldn’t see when flying.

Pastor Henoc's youngest son, Matthew; he liked picking his boogers

w/ kids from the community

Project team at future site in Berard (Cap-Haitien)

• I got to interact with a few boys in the community (in and around Berard) who didn’t come from stable homes; they would hang around the Lucien yard (Pastor Henoc Lucien and family were our gracious hosts) and run around all day because their family doesn’t have the means to send them to school; I called them “The Lost Boys”.  A few were mischievous, but children just need love and attention to help steer them down the right path.  That doesn’t always work, but it better than nothing.  I hope they appreciated my random moments with them as much as I appreciated hearing them (even when it was lies to get even more sympathy… they definitely knew how to tell some tall tales, but I figured I wouldn’t call them out on it).
• After our presentation of the schematic design to the community, I hugged and took pictures with a lot of the children from Berard.  Although some were dirty, had snotty noses and tried to swindle me out of half everything I had on that day, their smiles are infectious and you can’t help but love on them (even if I risk having to wash off all types of bacteria from lord know what they’ve played around all day.
• I survived a Cholera outbreak in Haiti that experts fear has not even come close to the severe impact it might have of fragile Haitian lives.
• I left Haiti feeling highly sought after.  I had two marriage proposals, and I’m pretty certain the Lucians were serious when they said they were going to arrange my marriage to their nephew.  I was so embarrassed, but what can a girl do.  At least I now know where to go if I need an ego boost.
• I made some awesome friends from my project team.  It amazes me how God know how to assemble just the right group of personalities to help carry out his master plan.  Let’s just say I’m happy he’s got it all under control.

Working hard... Pastor Henoc's dining room was a good office

Awesome team members

I don’t know when I’ll be back to Haiti, but I’m sure happy God’s blessed me with the opportunity to use my professional skills to help others in such a very real way.  On to the next one…

Why Haiti?

I wish I could answer that question with some level of intellect that makes sense, but the simple answer is that I can’t.  Why do I feel obligated to Haiti, why does Haiti hold a special place in my heart, why did I first go to Haiti, why did I return to Haiti so quickly, can I actually help Haiti and a whole host of other self-reflective questions come to mind, but the truth of the matter is that it is not about me; it’s about doing my part to continuously raise awareness about a country that has been in desperate need since its inception and remains the same ‘til this day.

I just returned from my second design mission trip to Haiti volunteering through an eMi project team.  This time around, my project team was master planning the site for a new university near Cap-Haitien, which is in the northern part of the country.  The university is the brain child of Henoc Lucien and is being spearheaded by the Vision of Hope Ministry (VOHM).  Just like the NGO from my previous trip this summer, VOHM is committed to the people of Haiti and improving the quality of life for Haitians. 

When I was invited to participate on this project team in late September, I didn’t immediately say yes, because I was concerned about how I was going to finance my trip costs and the amount of time I’d have to prepare myself for the trip that would be happening in a less than three weeks time.  But after a few days, it was quite clear to me that God intended for me to return to Haiti, and I just had to trust and believe in the fact that he wanted to use me for a specific purpose of that team.  After interacting with VOHM and being in Haiti, there was no doubt in my mind that I was supposed to be in Haiti again, even if I didn’t know where all the financial support would be coming from.

Unlike my previous design mission project, this project required interaction with a board of stakeholders from the US and Haiti.  This project was larger than my last and involved a lot more specific planning, which meant a lot more meetings involving a lot more people and a lot of personalities to work through.  Despite all the factors involved, I could see VOHM’s heart for this project, and I easily bought into the vision. 

While in country, I wanted to keep up with a blog like last time, but there was just way too much going on, and I had a much tighter timeline to work with for this project.  I was once again a part of the architect team and had an amazing time interacting and creating with that small subset of our larger 13 person team.  It took me no time to get comfortable with the rest of the team (especially since I was working with the same project leaders and one other person from my previous Haiti project). 

Once again, I felt completely comfortable with people, and had no problems adjusting to my surroundings.  Don’t get me wrong, there were some comforts (mostly hot showers) of home that I missed and the mosquitoes seemed to be biting with a vengeance this time around, but complaining about that seems useless when I’m just inconvenienced for a short period and knowing that the work we did in country has the potential to help so many Haitians and change their lives for the better. The new university would bring work to local artisans and laborers who would be involved with construction. It would offers students throughout Haiti another alternative to higher education than simply heading to Port-au-Prince, which is where many college students died in the earthquake.  It would also offer community development and most importantly, a new sense of pride to Haitians in Cap-Haitian and the surrounding areas. 

Some might say the vision is too grand, or that there is no way to successfully accomplish the large task ahead, but like one of the members of the university’s steering committee members pointed out “If you are going to dream, dream big”. What’s the point of dreaming the possible, when it’s the impossible that truly changes lives. He got me hook, line and sinker with that statement. 

eMi Haiti Trip Slide Show

Picture slideshow chronicling my time in Haiti...

Haiti Mission Possible: (Until We Meet Again)

So I left Haiti 2 days ago, and I can’t actually believe my 12 day trip is already over. It didn’t take long for me to get accustomed to my surroundings while in country; I’m a little torn coming home, but I know we did good work for the Real Hope for Haiti ministry. Ironically enough, despite all the hard work we as a team poured into planning the ministry’s future site, I think our entire team would say the ministry gave us far more than we gave it. The people and stories I encountered were eye opening and very touching; I can’t say there was anything I did prior to going to Haiti that adequately prepared me for the emotional roller coaster ride. As I leave, the only thing I am certain of is that this is not the last time Haiti will see me. The big question is in what capacity I come back. I leave Haiti a better person and stronger professional; I thank everyone for all the support and prayers during my time away. Take a chance to view my slideshow including many pictures that tell stories I could not adequately capture in words through this journal. Hopefully, my experience has touched you in some way. To Haiti I don’t say good-bye, but rather “see you later”.

Haiti Mission Possible: Day 11

Tuesday, July 6, 2010 – Today, I helped out around the ministry by babysitting Darlenz (DaDa); he’s one of the rescue center kids that require one-on-one attention because of his unique case. A long-term volunteer from the states, Anna (she is 21, and this is her second long-term trip as a volunteer in Haiti within three years), has been giving him that care, but she also serves as a home-school teacher to Licia’s three sons and today she was needed to focus on the boys, but she was also reluctant to leaving DaDa in the rescue center, because he is so weak. I’m so happy I volunteered to take on the assignment for a few hours.

DaDa is the most adorable boy, but his story is so sad. He was brought to the rescue center after the earthquake; both his parents were killed during the earthquake and an aunt brought him to the center to get him the proper help (apparently he was malnourished even before the earthquake). That aunt has not been back since and a 16 year-old sister has been by to visit him once in the 5 months he’s been there. They believe DaDa is 3 years old, and only weighs 16 pounds. He’s only gained 5 pounds since being at the center (he was 11 pounds when he arrived), and they do not believe he is going to make it long term. They believe his problems are far more than just the malnourishment, but they have not come up with any specific diagnosis. In just a few hours, I grew attached to this little boy; he has the greatest smile and is so loving, but it breaks my heart seeing how sick he is.

I also got to spend some time with Denny (I talked about him in a previous post) and Joel; they are the two oldest kids currently in the rescue center. They often get overlooked for attention because they appear pretty normal on the outside and there are plenty of little kids that need holding. They were jumping all over me, and though I was tired and they were heavy, these few minutes of being uncomfortable paled in comparison to the joy that was on their faces because I was focused on them. They are just one of the many reasons why this project is so important and needs to be made a reality. The ministry wants to give them and all the children a better facility, and I’m so happy to be a part of realizing this vision.

I was so excited about coming here to Haiti, but on the eve of my return home to the U.S., I’m a bit sad…I’m not sure I’m ready to go. Yes, I can’t lie; I want to get home and see my family and friends, eat ice cream, continue my job search, take a shower, wash my hair and watch T.V., but I’d be willing to stay longer. I don’t believe I’ve gotten everything I’m supposed to get from Haiti yet; there’s still so much I have to see and experience…

Haiti Mission Possible: Day 10

Monday, July 5, 2010 – Today we wrapped up our technical work on site and took the opportunity to lend a helping hand around the ministry and take in the community, but unfortunately the day started out with some bad news, two of the kids in the rescue center had died (which is actually not abnormal considering some of the severe sickness they suffer from); these were the first to die while we were on site. Though I had not directly interacted with the two children who’d passed, I still felt a sense of sadness come over me; these kids did not die because they were born with a disease or a deformity, they died because they had been severely malnourished for so long, and the rescue center just didn’t have enough time to reverse the health damages that had been already done. There was also a stomach virus going around that made most of the children sick and there was an outbreak of chicken pox that spread to 7 of the 60 kids at the center.

In that moment of hearing this information, I thought about my niece Natalia, my acquired nephews TJ and Lennox and all the children who are a part of and will enter my life in the future. These children are happy, healthy kids who can go on about the business of being children without the worry of not having their basic needs provided for. I can’t even imagine them not having food to eat or being severely malnourished. A large number of the center’s kids suffer from a form a malnutrition call Kwashiorkor (Kwash).  When a child has Kwash, they are lacking protein in their diet which first stunts their growth and then eventually causes swelling on certain parts of their body. When I first arrived, I noticed some of these children because they are so small and appear to be in so much pain; a lot of them have to have feeding tubes and/ or placed on oxygen to survive. But the most shocking thing is that these children, who appear to be infants because they are so small, are actually toddlers and young children ages 3 to 5 who can actually speak and understand conversation.

If one even spends a minute in the rescue center, you can clearly see the need for a bigger building/ facility where they can adequately care for these sick children. The ministry does the best they can with what they have, but it doesn’t mean they should accept that as the best and final solution for the needs of these children. Once again, I am amazed at the work they do with the facilities that they have. They are meeting the needs of Cazale and the surrounding communities in ways that can only be fulfilled by the grace if God.

Haiti Mission Possible: Day 9

Sunday, July 4, 2010 - After our presentation yesterday, we took the evening off and went to a nearby beach where we spent the night. Licia & Lori (Real Hope for Haiti ministry heads) suggested we take a little time to enjoy some rest and relaxation at a nearby beach; they thought we’d worked so hard yet had only been exposed to extreme poverty; they wanted us to see that Haiti had much more to offer aside from the devastation and scarce resources prevalent in the media. I was hesitant about leaving the center and village for an overnight trip at a resort because I didn’t want to indulge in excess while so many people I’ve seen all week had been struggling just to get by. I guess I felt guilty because I’d get to go and enjoy something the majority of them will never have the chance to partake even though it’s so physically close their own town.

Ultimately, I joined the rest of the team and we spent the evening at the beach. We stayed at the Kaliko Beach Club; the accommodations were nice, and though guest services were a bit shaky, the beach was beautiful. Although I was hesitant, I’m happy I could actually take a shower, wash my hair and properly groom after 8 days of not being able to do so. I woke up this morning feeling physically refreshed, but my heart and mind kept drifting back to Cazale. I didn’t complain about the housing arrangements we had at the ministry; most Americans would find the accommodations less than ideal, but to the Cazale villagers, I was living like a king. I had access to a generator for electricity; I had convenient access to clean drinking water; I had a bed with a mattress to sleep on and a flushable toilet to use. The basic necessities we covered, yet I kept asking myself, what would I do if I had to live like this forever; could I really do it or am I able to do it because I know I’ll be enjoying the comforts of home in just a short while? Why can’t we live in a world where everyone has access to basic essentials needs? Why can’t we live in a world where the difference between the “haves” and the “have nots” is not so drastic? I know everything can’t be perfect, but I was so conflicted as I sat on the sand taking in the beautiful beach.

When we got back to the ministry, the ladies had prepared a traditional American barbeque meal for us to enjoy. I almost forgot it was the 4th of July; but I’ve never felt so blessed more than now to call the United States home. I am so grateful for the many freedoms we enjoy and the governmental process (though frustrating at times) that will ultimately always protect and provide for our basic needs.

Haiti Mission Possible: Day 8

Saturday, July 3, 2010 - There were smiles all around today. After hours of work and many revisions, we had the opportunity to reveal the polished and refined plan to the ministry, but they’d already seen most of what we’d been working on throughout the week, it wasn’t until we presented the model we built to the client that we got a spirited reaction. You could tell in Zack, Licia and Lori’s reaction that the model somehow represented all the hopes and dreams they’ve had for the past eleven years. As simple as our model was (it was made from cardboard and random items we found lying around), it was a clear indication that God was moving their plans forward; it was a stepping stone that was the transition from dream to goal. At once, they all smiled from ear-to-ear, which was something they had not done during any of our previous meetings.

My favorite part of the model was the rainbow we added at the last minute over the property. When we first arrived, and Zack was driving us from the airport to the ministry’s home, he stopped by the future site and we all piled out of the truck. He saw a rainbow on the horizon and told us that was a sign from God that our team would surely be a blessing to the Real Hope for Haiti (RHFH) ministry. Throughout the week he kept referencing that rainbow, and we knew it would be a neat idea to make it part of the model. We got the biggest grin, laugh and smile from him when he saw the rainbow.

In that moment, we’d somehow brought them once step closer to fulfilling their hearts’ desire and God’s will for their ministry. It’s an indescribable feeling, that feeling you get when you know you’ve tapped into a source of true happiness for someone else.

Haiti Mission Possible: Day 7 (Beautifully Yours)

“No I am not dressed up and yet I’m beautifully yours; cause I’m showing my praise to you.  And this is no vain pursuit, and there’s no need to be cute, I’m a beautiful soul in you.   
When I appear to complain, all this world brought me was pain, I was left to love myself.   
But when I looked in your mirror, Lord I saw things much clearer I’m wonderful in your sight.
Beautifully yours, your love from inside me pours, there is no average or ugly in me…”

Those are a few lyrics from a song called “Beautifully Yours” written by my friend Hakeem. I’ve loved this song from the first time he Iet me hear it, and I often listen to it as a reminder of the beauty all of us have in God’s eyes. Today I want to reflect and talk about some of the people I’ve met during my time in Haiti thus far. There have been so many great people with beautiful stories that I’ve encountered here in Haiti; these are a few of their stories.

Denny – is a 6-year old Haitian boy who lives in the rescue center. He was born with hydrocephalus (a condition that retains water in the brain); the condition takes on many different forms in various children depending on how quickly the condition is detected and operated on. Denny was about 2 years old when his family abandoned him at the gates of the rescue center. A team of doctors from the University of Miami and various philanthropic organizations banded together to perform the surgery of Denny, but it had been untreated for far too long, which caused Denny to have an abnormally large head from all the water swelling. He can live a long life with proper care and so long as the shunt does not shift; if it shifts, he can die instantly. He’s lived in the rescue center since he was left here 4 years ago; the clinic has not sent him to an orphanage because of his condition, but they have tried to work with various orphanages to try to get him adopted; there have been many initial interest about adopting him, but for one reason or another those proceedings have fell through. He has such a magnetic personality and seems to have taken a liking to me (although I’m sure he wouldn’t mind anyone who would shower him with love and attention). I give him as much love as I can on my short stops at the rescue center daily. Despite his physical deformity, he’s beauty shines through every time he smiles.

Yves – is a RHFH staff who does random odd jobs around the facility and basically serves as a right-hand to Zack (the ministry patriarch). Yves was born and raised in Haiti, and has worked for Real Hope For Haiti (RHFH) for a quite a while; he is faithful and has an infectious personality though he is shy and quite. I’ve chatted with him a few times (I’m been practicing my Creole so much since I’ve been here). The thing that strikes me the most about Yves is that he seems to think he is not good enough to interact with our team because he is a RHFH worker. A few of us were taking a ride the jobsite and there was room in the truck’s cab, but he stayed outside the cab’s cage and held on to the outside, we asked him to come on in and he said he couldn’t because he was just an employee. After a few more pleads, he agreed to come in and sat off to the side. I think that was my first time holding an entire conversation with him; we talked about our families and discussed various topics surrounding Haiti, the earthquake and his hopes for the future. If you ask Yves if he thinks he is beautiful, he’ll probably say no because he’s focused on the outward beauty, but I say his beauty is his wisdom and his willingness to be of service. He has a warm spirit that puts all at ease; and that beauty beats out any outward appearance any day.

Jess – is a college student from Minnesota who decided to come to Haiti as a volunteer to RHFH after finding their blog and donating supplies and goods to their storage distribution center in Minnesota after the earthquake. She contacted the ministry and asked about volunteering and arrived here in May after her semester was over and will be here through the summer. I think back to what I was doing during my summer term at 21 years-old, and it comes nowhere near the level of compassion and willingness to serve that she displays. At such a young age, she recognized a need and immediately answered the call. Her heart is amazingly beautiful, and is meeting a specific need with such joy in her heart.


These are just a few of the people I had the chance to interact with since being here. They all radiate beauty in such unique ways, which makes me wonder how I exude beauty in my everyday life…

Haiti Mission Possible: Day 6

Thursday, July 1, 2010 – Today was yet another long day of work, but the long days seem like nothing compared to the long days most Cazale villagers spend going about their daily business of living life. I didn’t feel good most of the day due to a stomach virus, but complaining about my ailment seemed unwarranted when there are hundreds of people who walk long miles and many hours just to get to the clinic for their health care needs. Real Hope for Haiti’s clinic (The Good Samaritan Clinic) is the only source of medical care for Cazale and many surrounding villiages. After interacting with a couple of locals and reviewing the process by which all these people are serviced, there is no doubt that this ministry needs a bigger facility that is actually designed as a medical facility for meeting their basic functional needs. Currently, the clinic operates in a large house that is modest compared to even most houses in the states.

There is one occurrence this week associated with the clinic that sits atop the many moments of awareness that struck a chord with me this week. This happened since Monday, June 28th, but I didn’t know how to verbalize what I felt in the moment; 3 days later, I’m finally able to attempt to describe the situation. The clinic operates 3 days a week (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) to treat a variety of non-life threatening medical cases to at least 350 people per day, with Tuesday being the busiest day because of the break in between treatment days. The clinic services on a first-come-first served basis, but recognizing critical cases and pushed them to the head of the line as needed.

People coming for service are handed a ticket number at the beginning of the day outside of the clinics gates and 50 at a time are let into to clinic gates to sit in the waiting area at a time to wait to be triaged and ultimately serviced. People come from near and far to receive care and thus are willing to get to the clinic gates a day before to start lining up to receive a number to ensure they will be seen during that day before the clinic closes at 6pm. They sleep overnight outside the gates in the elements just to make sure they can get medical care. They don’t have camping chairs or sleeping bags or a soft surface to help make their (12- 18 hours) wait more comfortable.

As we, the project team, were walking back to the guest house on Monday night after our nightly devotion and technical debriefing meeting, we had to go through the clinic gates (because the guest house is next to the clinic and our work areas is in a house 2 doors down the street). What I wasn’t prepared for was all the people lined up on the ground in front of the gates sleeping on the ground in front of the gates. They were literally lined up on the exposed ground piled on top of each other sleeping amidst the dirt and trash lined street. We could not get into the gate without having to break through the human chain on the ground and stepping over people.

In that moment, I wanted to run away and get back to my comfortable American life because the scene was too difficult to bare, but I had no choice but to step over those people in the middle of the night with our flashlights (there are no streets lights so it is pitch black) all the while thinking why them Lord, why not me, what did they do to deserve such a bleak fate, what did I do to deserve the comforts of my American life? Are they not humans too, why are they to be made to live in such sub-human conditions? That moment was the hardest human moment I’ve ever experienced because it was clouded with my personal guilt because I knew once I stepped over them, I would be going inside and sleeping in a bed; I also felt guilty because I knew I wouldn’t even for a moment trade places with anyone of those over 200 people.

I saw it with my own eyes and I couldn’t even image what it feels like being that person on the ground with lights flashing in your face as you’re trying to sleep with these supposedly better people trying to get by. Did they feel shame, did they feel less than human, did they think we thought we were superior to them; did they look at me and think why I wasn’t subjected to their conditions? I was one of 2 black people on our 12 person team; I looked like them, but I got to go into the gates and live with the white people “blancs”, so was there something better about me versus them? God I don’t know what to do with this feeling at the pit of my stomach that makes me want to scream. I know life’s not far, but we as humankind have to do better for the less fortunate. What are you trying to teach me in this moment? Because right now, I feel overwhelmingly powerless. For the first time in my life, I can actually say Maya Angelou’s book “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” makes sense, and the book's message can apply to many different types of life experiences…

Haiti Mission Possible: Day 5

Wednesday, June 30, 2010 – Today was another long work day. Sarah worked on the site’s master plan, while Phyllis worked on the designing the work team facility and I worked on space planning and determining appropriate square footage allotments for the clinic & hospital. When Bob (our eMi project team leader) told me I’d be on the architect team, I didn’t really know how my skills (as an interior designer) were going to be put to use on the project; designing basic needs facilities in third world countries is far different from what I’m accustomed to working on in the states. I knew that my space planning skills could be used, but aside from that there is no priority placed on interior finishes and materials on such a project; we aren’t designing to attract business, we’re designing to fill a basic need for the less fortunate.

Both Sarah and Phyllis have both previously participated on eMi projects and were both architects; I didn’t know how the team dynamic would work. After 3 days of working together thus far, I’m pleasantly surprised at how we’ve all come together to fill specific technical needs on this project. I also garnered a stronger sense of respect and appreciation for what architects do. It wasn’t until working with Sarah and observing how she had to effectively communicate surveying and civil and structural engineering concepts to even begin properly planning the site and building locations and design. She has to have such a strong understanding of all related disciplines to do what she does.

This trip has afforded me the opportunity of reflecting on my attitude towards some of the behavior attributed by architects I’ve had to work within the past. It’s now a matter of perspective for me and not about trying to make them understand my importance on a project. I can now make an effort to better relate by understanding their challenges and needs, which will ultimately lead to reciprocity of their offering the same consideration to me. Who knew I’d learn such a lesson while in a rural village in Haiti. God never ceases to amaze me on how he chooses to reveal himself to us!!!

Haiti Mission Possible: Day 4

Tuesday, June 29, 2010 – Today was a hard work day; Sarah, Phyllis and I basically stayed in our work area glued to our laptops programming, space planning and planning the site. After meeting with the client for a brief planning update, I think it dawned on all of us just how much work needed to be done on this master plan before we leave. Despite the work, I did get to pull away for a few moments to observe the ministry’s work.
Currently, there are three pieces to the ministry’s work in Cazale; a medical clinic, short and long term medical rescue services for infants and children and community development activities. Our work space is right above the rescue center so we have to walk past the children every day. The rescue center is a place the Cazale and surrounding area residents can come and bring their children to receive medical care for various health issues that need to be medically addressed for longer periods of time. Most of their issues are related to malnutrition during the mother’s pregnancy or after they are delivered; some kids are there for just a few weeks and some are there for a year. Some parents are excited about picking up their children after they are well, while others abandon their children because they don’t know how to or don’t want to deal with more severe ailments.


Today, as I was walking downstairs, I witnessed a father picking up his daughter from the rescue center. He was grinning from ear to ear with pride because he could now say his daughter was healthy. She was about 4 years old and suffered from a form of malnutrition. Her body was retaining a lot of water, which is a sign that she lacked protein in her diet; the catch to her story is that she also has “Down’s Syndrome”. Here in Cazale (and most of Haiti) Down’s syndrome is not recognized as a disability; there is no wide recognition or information available about the disease. Licia (one of the Zachary’s and she runs the rescue center) told me they didn’t tell the father that his daughter had Down’s Syndrome because he would not recognize what to do to manage his daughter for the rest of life. They made this decision because unlike a lot of parents in the area, he truly wants to take care of his daughter and wants to push her to do well and succeed. If he knew she was disabled he might become discouraged and lose the joy he seems to hold on to so dearly.


I chatted with this father about his family learning that he had seven other children and proudly proclaims that all seven children are from the same mother (which is not always the case); he boosts about how he’s work extremely hard to make sure all his children go to school and get an education. He told me he wants to send his daughter to school, but he hasn’t done so because she won’t talk. He thinks his daughter is just a late bloomer, and one day she’ll start talking and he can then enroll her in school. Although my heart broke because he doesn’t understand the severity of his daughter’s disability, I was honored to be in the presence of a man who loved his children so much and wanted the best he could provide for them. He kept telling me how grateful he was for the rescue center and how there was no way he could have paid for the care they provided his daughter. He just continued to shower them with “Thank yous” and “God bless yous”. Once again, the work that Real Hope for Haiti does for this community is awe-inspiring and completely grace-filled because they have the ability to be a blessing to so many people.

Haiti Mission Possible: Day 3

Monday, June 28, 2010 – Today marked the official start of our technical work for the Zachary’s mission. We broke off into our separate work groups and began our assignments. I’m part of the architect team with Phyllis and Sarah who are both architects. Our primary roles is to master plan the site and design the buildings for the first phase of this project; my individual role is to act as support to the architects by programming and space planning for different facilities that will be on the site.

This morning we met with the key members of the mission’s board of directors to get a better understanding of their vision for each facility on the future compound. After about 3 hours of programming, we’d gathered enough information to move forward and begin some loose site planning. During our time spent with the board members, I was so amazed by their desire to serve the people of Haiti and minister to the islands’ many disenfranchised. How does one tap into that part of their heart that enables them to have an attitude of complete servitude? Where do they gather the strength to give of themselves wholeheartedly without personal expectancy or obvious reward? The only thing they expect is make a difference in the quality of life and health of the community’s people, which is ultimately spreading God’s gospel through action.

I also spent some time this afternoon visiting the future site with the civil engineers and observe the surveyor’s work thus far. Jeremy (a board member visiting from Indiana) and Carmelo (Licia’s 13 year old son – Licia is one of the Zachery’s, and she oversees the rescue center piece of the mission). I tagged along to this side trip to just observe and get a better understanding of my project team members’ specific disciplines and to walk the entire mountainous terrain since I could complete the entire hike in my dress when we were there on Sunday.

What I didn’t expect to experience was a true appreciation into all the work that goes into effectively analyze a piece of land (20 some odd acres is a whole lot of land especially when you’re walking it. During our trek back to the mission’s existing facilities, Carmelo walked us through the woods. On that walk we got to see the people who live in the bushes. There were little shacks throughout hidden among the trees. These shacks were smaller than most bedrooms in the states, and entire families lived in these tight spaces.

I enjoyed my fair share of saying “Bonsoir” which is the way to say “good afternoon” or “good evening”. One Haitian man even took the opportunity to salute us with a more welcomed response, and I decided to take the chance to practice my Creole and have a more detailed conversation. He told me about the deep ravine in front of his shack that prevented them from taking the shortcut into the village. He showed me where they’re previously constructed a bridge to the other side with trees; he had recently dismantled the makeshift bridge after a tree broke off and his son fell into the ravine. He told me he couldn’t accept the risk to his children and the other village children, and were it not for the grace of God, his son might not have made it.

All I could think while speaking with him (I’ve since forgotten his name since I’m writing this entry 2 days later) is how in the midst of his disparity and near loss, he praised God for his grace and not once complained about his circumstances. He went on to share some more information about his family; I think he simply wanted an outsider to listen to him who understood the language and appreciated his human circumstance.

At the time, I really didn’t think there was anything extraordinary about my listening to and speaking back to his circumstances, but after sharing the story with Pat (one of my team member’s I was with) said to me that I’d just done something very powerful in my 5 minutes spent with that man. I’d ministered to him and circumstances by simply taking the time to find out more about him, recognizing his human needs and offering conversation which could have been responding to a specific spiritual need he might have been waiting on. I wanted to cry, but I held back the tears, because at that particular moment, I didn’t want the tears to overpower my ability to show hope to the villager I’d just spent time with; but the tears would eventually come as I later lay in bed and reflected on the day’s occurrences.

Haiti Mission Possible: Day 2

Sunday, June 27, 2010 - Today started off early. After a quick breakfast, our team decided to visit church with our client. To my surprise, the church located in Port-au-Prince was English speaking. Church was a great experience because the Praise & Worship was much like that at home and they played familiar tunes. It was also nice to see young Haitians mixed in with American missions group all experiencing their faith in such a real way.

After church we headed back to Cazale, and although the sun was beaming hot, the 2 hour ride was bearable because of the wind coming through the truck’s uncovered cage where we sat (by the way this is the norm in Haiti; passengers are loaded up unto the back of trucks and sit on benches or stand while packed as tight as possible). This ride was a bit difficult to stomach because of the earthquake rubbish that was still very present along the city streets. But to the natives, it has become a part of their day-to-day lives. I’m not sure how I would feel if this was my reality, but I guess you assimilate and go on (or do you?).

On the way back, we were able to stop by the site we would be planning. Real Hope for Haiti had recently acquired 23 acres of mountainous land in Cazale where they intend to build their desired facilities. The client gave us a rundown of the site and where they envisioned placing the various planned facilities. The site’s natural landscape was just gorgeous, but posed some interesting master planning challenges. I made it up one of the mountains on site in a dress (since we’d just come from church and Haitian culture expects that women wear dresses/ skirts when going to church) and some shoes that definitely were not intended for mountain climbing. But that’s the beauty of this trip; I’m being flexible and learning to manage circumstances that may be less than ideal.


Despite the fact I was visually and emotionally shocked by earthquake shattered buildings in the city, almost tumbled down the mountain once or twice and got stung by bush thorns and awed by the beauty of Haiti’s natural landscape, all I could focus on was how happy and full of spirit most Haitians I encountered today appear to be. It’s a deeper joy than most of us can tap into in light of insurmountable odds.