my growing boy
12 years ago
Sunday, October 16, 2005
Crazy Trip to Cap-Haitien
Time here in Haiti is beginning to draw to a close, but not without a plethora of more new experiences and lessons learned. Most of the week Carolyn, Beth and I we worked outside taking data and harvesting various crops. We currently have a number of variety trials on the HAFF properties that are almost finished producing. Therefore, we are working to harvest the seeds for each of the different varieties, get them cleaned and stored before leaving for the states. The process seems long, yet we are more than half done now, so that is a blessing.
This past week HAFF hosted a work team from Chattanooga, TN. The team was scheduled to fly out of Cap-Haitien on Tuesday and Carolyn, Beth and I had told Tim that we would like to visit Cap-Haitien some day before we left if that was possible. Tim told us that he was planning on traveling with the work team on Tuesday to pick up some building supplies in Cap and that we were welcome to come too. We asked the work team if they would mind making room for a few more people, and they said they would love for us to come with them. So it was decided and we planned to leave at 4:00am, allowing time for the 4 hour drive and the work team to stop at the tourist market before catching their plane at noon.
So we all headed to bed early and rose around 3:30am. We loaded the truck and were on our way by about 4:15. We drove for about an hour and a half and made it right outside of San Raphael when one of the barrings in a back wheel started to make noise. The HAFF driver, Elizer, was taking us, and he stopped to check it out. He came to the conclusion that we needed to get a hold of Greg Van Schoyck, the director of the HAFF mission, and have him bring us some tools and another barring before we could continue on. Luckily where we stopped his cell phone actually got service.
Side note, isn't that crazy to think that they have cell service in a country that doesn't even have electricity in most places!
We got a hold of Gregg and he said he would be on his way. So that meant about an hour or more wait plus the time to fix the barring. I was getting antsy sitting, so Carolyn, Beth and I decided to walk farther down the road. We know that just outside of San Raphael there is a river crossing and we wanted to see if the river was passable after all the rain we have received, another one of our worries for the day. So we started walking and praying that the work team would catch their plane.
We walked for about 40 minutes before we reached the river. When we got there we found a huge truck stuck in deep mud horizontally across the road. When crossing the river there is a hill on either side, so this truck got stuck trying to climb the hill into San Raphael in about a foot of mud. They had guys out there with pick axes and rocks trying to help get the truck out, but there were 4 or 5 trucks behind him waiting to come up the same hill.
My next thought, "This doesn't look good at all. Even if we can get our truck fixed, maybe we won't be able to get across the river." The day quickly became a day of prayer. Praying for the truck, praying that the work team wouldn't miss their plane, praying that we could cross the river, etc. As always, God is faithful.
We started to walk back to our truck and were met about half way by another missionary who lives in Pignon. He was on his way to Cap and stopped to pick up as many members of the work team as he could. We told him what we saw at the river and he said that they might as well try it before turning around. I agreed. I like the "lets make sure it’s not possible before we give up" attitude!
They went on and we kept walking. We made it back to the truck to find that Greg's son had arrived with the tools and the needed parts and that they almost had the barring changed. They finished and we got back in the truck and again headed toward Cap-Haitien. I think our total time broken down was two and a half hours.
When we got to the river they had gotten the truck out and to the top of the hill. The truck with the rest of the work team wasn't in sight, so we knew they had made it across. We slipped down the muddy hill, crossed the river, up the muddy hill on the other side and proceeded to make our way to Cap.
The overall ride was really bumpy and rough because we were in a hurry to catch the plane. Elizer hit a lot of the ruts and bumps pretty hard and my arms and legs were tired by the time we arrived at the airport. We got to the airport just as the teams airplane was landing, so God was good to get us there in time.
We said good-bye to the team and waited for HAFF's mail. We loaded up the truck and then headed into town. Cap-Haitien is a coastal city in the very North of Haiti. I was amazed by the number of people who lived there and the conditions that some of them live in. We saw run down shanty houses next to the river and huge piles of trash along the sides of the road. It was very eye opening to see the urban poverty in comparison to the rural poverty that HAFF most commonly deals with.
In Cap we stopped at the bank, a lumber yard, and a small store that carried all kinds of American goods (Cinnamon toast crunch, Mac and Cheese, Cheerios, etc.).
When this was all done we hit the road for the 4 hour drive back to Bohoc. I was gearing myself up again to feel beat up by the bumps, but Elizer drove slower this time, taking each of the bumps and holes more carefully. Well, for a while anyway. Half way up the mountain between Cap and San Raphael it started to rain. We stopped the truck and pulled the tarp over the back so that those of us in the back wouldn't get wet. This made the ride a little harder because we had to sit the rest of the way, and again Elizer drove fast so we could beat the river outside of San Raphael.
Good news is, we beat the river and returned to HAFF at about 8:30pm. We unloaded the truck and I headed home to take a shower and go to bed. I felt tired mentally and physically. Many praises to God who protected us the whole drive there and back and provided the strength to endure the journey.
Well, there you have it. That was my exciting visit to Cap-Haitien. Now I can say I have been there and seen it. It really did give me another perspective on Haiti and the developing world considering the problems facing the urban poor. I am thankful to God for the experience and the many answered prayers throughout the day. I am grateful for the things he continues to teach me about his heart for the world and the role of His children in His grand plan.
I ask that you would continue to pray for God work here in Haiti through both ECHO and HAFF. Please pray that He would continue to provide the resources that are impacting this community and sharing His name with those who do not yet know Him. Pray that the missionaries would have good health and energy to handle the difficulties of life here and the stamina to love with the Father’s love far beyond their own human capabilities. I also ask that you would pray for Tim, Carolyn, Beth and I as we will be returning to the states in another week and a half. The time is drawing short and we are beginning to say good-byes and wrap up loose ends. Pray that the Lord would guide us in the relationships that have been made here and the transition out of this community that has slowly become home, even for a short while.
Again I thank you all for you prayers and support. They are so important and appreciated. God is good and working in amazing ways. We are so blessed to partner with Him in His work and be His hands and feet. Praise be to God!
This past week HAFF hosted a work team from Chattanooga, TN. The team was scheduled to fly out of Cap-Haitien on Tuesday and Carolyn, Beth and I had told Tim that we would like to visit Cap-Haitien some day before we left if that was possible. Tim told us that he was planning on traveling with the work team on Tuesday to pick up some building supplies in Cap and that we were welcome to come too. We asked the work team if they would mind making room for a few more people, and they said they would love for us to come with them. So it was decided and we planned to leave at 4:00am, allowing time for the 4 hour drive and the work team to stop at the tourist market before catching their plane at noon.
So we all headed to bed early and rose around 3:30am. We loaded the truck and were on our way by about 4:15. We drove for about an hour and a half and made it right outside of San Raphael when one of the barrings in a back wheel started to make noise. The HAFF driver, Elizer, was taking us, and he stopped to check it out. He came to the conclusion that we needed to get a hold of Greg Van Schoyck, the director of the HAFF mission, and have him bring us some tools and another barring before we could continue on. Luckily where we stopped his cell phone actually got service.
Side note, isn't that crazy to think that they have cell service in a country that doesn't even have electricity in most places!
We got a hold of Gregg and he said he would be on his way. So that meant about an hour or more wait plus the time to fix the barring. I was getting antsy sitting, so Carolyn, Beth and I decided to walk farther down the road. We know that just outside of San Raphael there is a river crossing and we wanted to see if the river was passable after all the rain we have received, another one of our worries for the day. So we started walking and praying that the work team would catch their plane.
We walked for about 40 minutes before we reached the river. When we got there we found a huge truck stuck in deep mud horizontally across the road. When crossing the river there is a hill on either side, so this truck got stuck trying to climb the hill into San Raphael in about a foot of mud. They had guys out there with pick axes and rocks trying to help get the truck out, but there were 4 or 5 trucks behind him waiting to come up the same hill.
My next thought, "This doesn't look good at all. Even if we can get our truck fixed, maybe we won't be able to get across the river." The day quickly became a day of prayer. Praying for the truck, praying that the work team wouldn't miss their plane, praying that we could cross the river, etc. As always, God is faithful.
We started to walk back to our truck and were met about half way by another missionary who lives in Pignon. He was on his way to Cap and stopped to pick up as many members of the work team as he could. We told him what we saw at the river and he said that they might as well try it before turning around. I agreed. I like the "lets make sure it’s not possible before we give up" attitude!
They went on and we kept walking. We made it back to the truck to find that Greg's son had arrived with the tools and the needed parts and that they almost had the barring changed. They finished and we got back in the truck and again headed toward Cap-Haitien. I think our total time broken down was two and a half hours.
When we got to the river they had gotten the truck out and to the top of the hill. The truck with the rest of the work team wasn't in sight, so we knew they had made it across. We slipped down the muddy hill, crossed the river, up the muddy hill on the other side and proceeded to make our way to Cap.
The overall ride was really bumpy and rough because we were in a hurry to catch the plane. Elizer hit a lot of the ruts and bumps pretty hard and my arms and legs were tired by the time we arrived at the airport. We got to the airport just as the teams airplane was landing, so God was good to get us there in time.
We said good-bye to the team and waited for HAFF's mail. We loaded up the truck and then headed into town. Cap-Haitien is a coastal city in the very North of Haiti. I was amazed by the number of people who lived there and the conditions that some of them live in. We saw run down shanty houses next to the river and huge piles of trash along the sides of the road. It was very eye opening to see the urban poverty in comparison to the rural poverty that HAFF most commonly deals with.
In Cap we stopped at the bank, a lumber yard, and a small store that carried all kinds of American goods (Cinnamon toast crunch, Mac and Cheese, Cheerios, etc.).
When this was all done we hit the road for the 4 hour drive back to Bohoc. I was gearing myself up again to feel beat up by the bumps, but Elizer drove slower this time, taking each of the bumps and holes more carefully. Well, for a while anyway. Half way up the mountain between Cap and San Raphael it started to rain. We stopped the truck and pulled the tarp over the back so that those of us in the back wouldn't get wet. This made the ride a little harder because we had to sit the rest of the way, and again Elizer drove fast so we could beat the river outside of San Raphael.
Good news is, we beat the river and returned to HAFF at about 8:30pm. We unloaded the truck and I headed home to take a shower and go to bed. I felt tired mentally and physically. Many praises to God who protected us the whole drive there and back and provided the strength to endure the journey.
Well, there you have it. That was my exciting visit to Cap-Haitien. Now I can say I have been there and seen it. It really did give me another perspective on Haiti and the developing world considering the problems facing the urban poor. I am thankful to God for the experience and the many answered prayers throughout the day. I am grateful for the things he continues to teach me about his heart for the world and the role of His children in His grand plan.
I ask that you would continue to pray for God work here in Haiti through both ECHO and HAFF. Please pray that He would continue to provide the resources that are impacting this community and sharing His name with those who do not yet know Him. Pray that the missionaries would have good health and energy to handle the difficulties of life here and the stamina to love with the Father’s love far beyond their own human capabilities. I also ask that you would pray for Tim, Carolyn, Beth and I as we will be returning to the states in another week and a half. The time is drawing short and we are beginning to say good-byes and wrap up loose ends. Pray that the Lord would guide us in the relationships that have been made here and the transition out of this community that has slowly become home, even for a short while.
Again I thank you all for you prayers and support. They are so important and appreciated. God is good and working in amazing ways. We are so blessed to partner with Him in His work and be His hands and feet. Praise be to God!
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
Saturday, October 08, 2005
Planting Seeds...Physically and Spiritually
Wow, another week of new experiences. Things have quieted down a little bit with one of the ECHO interns, Jenny, and the ECHO-Haiti Director’s wife, Paige, leaving for the states on Monday. We drove them out to the Pignon grass airstrip and said good-bye leaving four of us for morning devotions and meal times for the remaining weeks here.
Tuesday and Wednesday I worked on a Visitor’s Packet for the HAFF mission. HAFF often has churches interested in their ministry or sending a work team. To better communicate the mission’s ministries and guide teams interested in coming down they needed an updated packet with information about the mission, traveling here, staying here, the culture, etc. I actually thought it was a fun project to work on because, again, it showed me how much I have learned over the past two months. When I was preparing to come to Haiti I really didn’t have any idea what to expect. Now I feel very comfortable here and can even communicate in the native language. What an encouragement to look back and see all God has done, both physically in teaching me, but emotionally and spiritually as well.
I finished the packet Wednesday afternoon and sent copies to the director of the mission and the stateside mission office. Hopefully they will make comments and changes to make a truly complete packet!
Thursday, Carolyn, Beth, Tim and I went out to a local farmer’s field to plant sorghum. We recently finished a sorghum variety trial at HAFF and showed the different varieties to some local farmers, as talked about in previous weblogs. The farmers shared which varieties they were interested in and would like to try growing in their own gardens. The problem now is how to supply all those farmers with enough seed to try these successful varieties?
HAFF does not have any land next to water and in the next few months Haiti will begin to shift into the dry season. This is a problem for the sorghum. HAFF does have some irrigation, but it would not produce enough water for the sorghum to grow well and produce seed. To solve the problem we rented some land from a few local farmers who own land next to the river. We will plant this land with the sorghum varieties that were successful and let them produce seed. We will harvest the seed and then distribute it to the farmers who are interested.
Friday was a really fun day! This week HAFF has a work team from Chattanooga, TN visiting. They are a fun group of 8 people who truly have a heart to serve for the week they are here. There is a doctor and a nurse on the team, so they have been volunteering in HAFF’s clinic most days. Yesterday, a large group of us loaded up a truck with medical supplies and drove out to a town called Labadu for an outpatient clinic.
The drive there was an adventure within itself, as are most trips here. Again the road was muddy in places and we almost got stuck twice. Our drive finally ended when we did get stuck in a huge bog of mud at the bottom of a hill. Luckily the church where the clinic was supposed to be held was just up the hill and around the corner, maybe a ¼ mile away. We all unloaded the truck and carried the supplies and things the rest of the way.
By the time we got there, there were already about 30 people waiting to be seen. Who knows how early they must have gotten up to walk there just to see a doctor? For many, this may be their first and only time to see a doctor in their lives. That is such a crazy and humbling thought for me.
The church was an open structure with no walls and a tin roof. Inside they had set up two rooms by tying sheets in between poles. Inside each sheeted off room was a bed and a chair. The doctor from the work team saw patients in one room, and Dr. Jerry, who is an American dentist that works with HAFF six months out of the year, saw patients in the other room. It was a pretty crazy set up, patients seeing the doctor on one side and Dr. Jerry pulling teeth on the other side.
The nurse had a small table outside of the two rooms and she would take blood pressures, heart rates, listen to people’s lungs, and get their complains before they went in to see the doctor. Beth and I started the day playing with the children. There were so many kids! We had bubbles that we blew and the kids would run around to catch them, and long balloons that could be blow up and twisted into dogs and hats and other things. The kids really liked this.
After about an hour, the nurse said that she needed more help and wanted to know if anyone else knew how to take blood pressures. I do, so I went and helped her! This was the highlight of my week! I would call the next patient in line, sit them down, take their blood pressure, write it down, and wait for the nurse to tell me what she got for their heart rate and lung sounds. I would then write these down. We also worked with a translator, which was a huge help because I am severely lacking the Creole vocabulary when it comes to medical terms. The translator would ask what their complaint was and I would write that down. Then we would move the patient to another chair to wait for the doctor and call the next one in.
It was so fun to get to work as an assistant. Also, toward the end of the day the nurse said she needed a break, so I got to take the heart rates and listen to their lungs as well! Oh it was so cool! I can’t tell you how good it felt to connect with each of the patients one-on-one and to help them. Other members of the work team would pray for people as they finished visiting the doctor. I believe God really showed up in this outreach!
The clinic finally ended in the afternoon and we saw the rain clouds coming. After they pulled the truck out of the mud in the morning they left it at the bottom of the hill. So we grabbed our stuff and headed back down the hill to the truck. All the Haitians at the clinic helped carry stuff and walked us down to the truck. After the truck was loaded and we started driving off, we could turn around and see the street filled with Haitians waiving us good-bye. It was a powerful moment.
Tuesday and Wednesday I worked on a Visitor’s Packet for the HAFF mission. HAFF often has churches interested in their ministry or sending a work team. To better communicate the mission’s ministries and guide teams interested in coming down they needed an updated packet with information about the mission, traveling here, staying here, the culture, etc. I actually thought it was a fun project to work on because, again, it showed me how much I have learned over the past two months. When I was preparing to come to Haiti I really didn’t have any idea what to expect. Now I feel very comfortable here and can even communicate in the native language. What an encouragement to look back and see all God has done, both physically in teaching me, but emotionally and spiritually as well.
I finished the packet Wednesday afternoon and sent copies to the director of the mission and the stateside mission office. Hopefully they will make comments and changes to make a truly complete packet!
Thursday, Carolyn, Beth, Tim and I went out to a local farmer’s field to plant sorghum. We recently finished a sorghum variety trial at HAFF and showed the different varieties to some local farmers, as talked about in previous weblogs. The farmers shared which varieties they were interested in and would like to try growing in their own gardens. The problem now is how to supply all those farmers with enough seed to try these successful varieties?
HAFF does not have any land next to water and in the next few months Haiti will begin to shift into the dry season. This is a problem for the sorghum. HAFF does have some irrigation, but it would not produce enough water for the sorghum to grow well and produce seed. To solve the problem we rented some land from a few local farmers who own land next to the river. We will plant this land with the sorghum varieties that were successful and let them produce seed. We will harvest the seed and then distribute it to the farmers who are interested.
Friday was a really fun day! This week HAFF has a work team from Chattanooga, TN visiting. They are a fun group of 8 people who truly have a heart to serve for the week they are here. There is a doctor and a nurse on the team, so they have been volunteering in HAFF’s clinic most days. Yesterday, a large group of us loaded up a truck with medical supplies and drove out to a town called Labadu for an outpatient clinic.
The drive there was an adventure within itself, as are most trips here. Again the road was muddy in places and we almost got stuck twice. Our drive finally ended when we did get stuck in a huge bog of mud at the bottom of a hill. Luckily the church where the clinic was supposed to be held was just up the hill and around the corner, maybe a ¼ mile away. We all unloaded the truck and carried the supplies and things the rest of the way.
By the time we got there, there were already about 30 people waiting to be seen. Who knows how early they must have gotten up to walk there just to see a doctor? For many, this may be their first and only time to see a doctor in their lives. That is such a crazy and humbling thought for me.
The church was an open structure with no walls and a tin roof. Inside they had set up two rooms by tying sheets in between poles. Inside each sheeted off room was a bed and a chair. The doctor from the work team saw patients in one room, and Dr. Jerry, who is an American dentist that works with HAFF six months out of the year, saw patients in the other room. It was a pretty crazy set up, patients seeing the doctor on one side and Dr. Jerry pulling teeth on the other side.
The nurse had a small table outside of the two rooms and she would take blood pressures, heart rates, listen to people’s lungs, and get their complains before they went in to see the doctor. Beth and I started the day playing with the children. There were so many kids! We had bubbles that we blew and the kids would run around to catch them, and long balloons that could be blow up and twisted into dogs and hats and other things. The kids really liked this.
After about an hour, the nurse said that she needed more help and wanted to know if anyone else knew how to take blood pressures. I do, so I went and helped her! This was the highlight of my week! I would call the next patient in line, sit them down, take their blood pressure, write it down, and wait for the nurse to tell me what she got for their heart rate and lung sounds. I would then write these down. We also worked with a translator, which was a huge help because I am severely lacking the Creole vocabulary when it comes to medical terms. The translator would ask what their complaint was and I would write that down. Then we would move the patient to another chair to wait for the doctor and call the next one in.
It was so fun to get to work as an assistant. Also, toward the end of the day the nurse said she needed a break, so I got to take the heart rates and listen to their lungs as well! Oh it was so cool! I can’t tell you how good it felt to connect with each of the patients one-on-one and to help them. Other members of the work team would pray for people as they finished visiting the doctor. I believe God really showed up in this outreach!
The clinic finally ended in the afternoon and we saw the rain clouds coming. After they pulled the truck out of the mud in the morning they left it at the bottom of the hill. So we grabbed our stuff and headed back down the hill to the truck. All the Haitians at the clinic helped carry stuff and walked us down to the truck. After the truck was loaded and we started driving off, we could turn around and see the street filled with Haitians waiving us good-bye. It was a powerful moment.
Sunday, October 02, 2005
Two months in Haiti, Visit to Bwadlorens, and God’s Leading
Wow! Two months in Haiti! As I write this blog entry I am preparing for my final three weeks in Bohoc and all that the Lord has in store. Reflecting over the past two months has been both encouraging and challenging. This past week has been a great marker of growth while in Haiti and God’s leading.
This past week Jenny, Beth, Carolyn and I visited Brian, a former ECHO Intern, who works for the Mennonite Central Committee here in Haiti. Brian grew up in Haiti as a missionary kid and has been working for MCC for a little over a year. MCC has a number of projects going all over Haiti, but lately Brian has been working with a project helping local communities cap springs for fresh drinking water. This project is part of what we visited Brian to see.
Brian came and picked us up on Monday and we loaded into his Toyota LandCruiser and headed for the hills. Bwadlorens, where Brian lives part of the time, is a rural farming community up in the mountains, which takes nothing short of off-roading to get there. We climbed hills that you would never think were part of the road, and covered in mud. Brian's driving skills were quite impressive! I think I would have gotten stuck in two seconds!
Although Bwadlorens and Bohoc are only about 20 or 25 miles apart, it is a three hour drive, traveling in true Haitian style. On the way up we had 14 people and three children in a car that is supposed to carry about 10. This was really amusing. Everyone crams in until they can't hardly move, along with all their stuff (bags from the market, clothes, luggage, etc.) and of course, a chicken. It was quite an entertaining experience.
Tuesday, is market day in Bwadlorens and the busiest day for Brian. Many people come into town for market day, so Brian had visitors the whole day long. Not wanting to be in the way and needing groceries for the week, Carolyn, Jenny, Beth and I went down to the market and bought food for the rest of the week. The market was smaller then the one in Pignon, which I appreciated, and everyone was very friendly. I quickly fell in love with this small little community on the top of the mountains. It was also a terrific feeling to be able to walk down to the market by ourselves and buy everything that we needed for the week. I remember the first time I went to the market in Pignon and how overwhelming that was, and how intimidated I felt of having to some day visit the market without help. Bwadlorens was an encouraging reminder that we can stand on our own two feet here and all that we have learned (communicating and being comfortable) over the last two months here. I was greatly encouraged by the experience.
In the afternoon Brian went out to visit some people and Carolyn and I joined him. We walked around the town and visited some different people and stopped by the dispensary (small clinic) in the town. It was fun for me to see the local health system and the need for improved health within the community. I will share more thoughts on this a little later.
After our short walk, Brian asked if we wanted to go swimming. Our response, or course, was "yes". We grabbed our stuff and headed out for a half hour hike to a waterfall. Once we reached the waterfall we had to scramble up some rocks on the bank to get to the highest pool of the series of falls. Once we got there, we were in the water and having a great time playing in the current and finding rocks to jump off. It was a really fun time. After swimming for about half an hour we noticed that storm clouds were closing in. Trying not to get caught in a down pour, we decided to head back to the house.
Wednesday, Brian was going to visit a couple of guys who are working to cap a spring in the area. We woke up, got ready for the day and hiked about an hour to get to the house where we were to meet the "bosses" of the project. At the house they grabbed some tools, bags of cement, and we headed to the spring. The community had found a spring where fresh water was coming right out of the mountainside. The community then applied to MCC asking them to come and cap the spring. A number of years ago MCC helped send a Haitian man to a spring capping seminar in Port-au-Prince (I believe). This man returned to his home town and began working with another man who was trained in masonry. Together, these men began working with MCC capping springs in the area. Soon the demand to have springs capped began to increase so each of these men took on an apprentice, teaching them their skill. The men then split, each older man taking one of the apprentices and creating two spring capping teams.
At the spring they were in the process of building a holding tank for the water coming out of the spring with cement, sand, and rocks that have been dug out of the mountain side. The way the partnership works is that MCC pays the men who cap the spring and supplies the cement (which would be far to expensive for the local community to supply themselves). The community is then responsible for supplying the sand, rocks, and other labor that is needed. Talking with Brian about this reminded me again how important it is for the community to have a hand in their own project. There needs to be ownership. We spent most of the day watching the bosses mix cement, measure level against the hillside, and build the first wall for the cap of the spring. It was amazing to see these men working with the simple tools that they had and creating a straight wall out of rocks of every shape and size. Definitely a skill!
Thursday we woke up early and packed up our things to head back to Bohoc. We had some pretty hard rains the two nights before, so we weren't exactly sure what the roads would be like, but as always, God was good. The roads were really muddy and slick in some places, but we made it back to Bohoc safe and sound.
All in all, the visit to Bwadlorens was a great break from HAFF and the Bohoc community and helped me to see another side of Haiti that I haven't seen yet. It was funny to think that this whole time I thought I was in a pretty rural part of Haiti, and after visiting Bwadlorens it's quite clear that Bohoc is kind of a suburb of Pignon. The two communities of people are very different as are their living situations in so many ways. It was an interesting new perspective.
Also while in Bwadlorens I prayed that the Lord would just open my heart and my mind to what he would want me to see, learn, and hear from him. I also wanted to spend some good down time really thinking about my time in Haiti so far, what I have learned, and what I am going to do with all that God has placed on my heart here. I prayed that the Lord would show up and guide me, and as always, he is faithful and showed up!
Many times throughout our time at Brian’s I was able to ask Brian about the community and culture, the needs and the groups striving to meet them. Again and again, Brian came back to the need for improved health, education, economy, so many things. The thing that kept pulling at my heart though, was the community’s health. Bwadlorens is three hours away from the nearest hospital and there is one nurse who works at the local dispensary. When Brian, Carolyn, and I went up to the local clinic a number of people were waiting to be seen by the nurse. My heart wished that I could jump right in and begin to treat these people, to have the knowledge to help, and the language skills to communicate better. This feeling was so motivational, but also brought back memories of other times that God has moved my heart in this way.
Have you ever felt like God has been moving you in one direction for a long time and yet you continue to go your own way? All along walking your own way, he continues to nudge you down another path?
This moment at the dispensary reminded me of years in High School studying Anatomy and Physiology, Sports Medicine, working as an athletic trainer, and getting excited about studying Medicine in college. It reminded me of going to college and starting on the Pre-Med track, the disappointment of not feeling like that fit and wondering what else I could do. It reminded me of working as a nursing aide in the retirement facility my first year of college and the many experiences had there, of spending days in the hospital when my little sister Lacey had her back surgery, watching the nurses, taking care and spending time with Lacey, and the desire to serve in a similar capacity. It reminded me of switching to nursing in college only to find that I wouldn’t graduate in four years, being impatient, and deciding to do something else. And then at this moment, the feeling came back again. The question: Lord, do you want me to become a nurse? Should I return to community health in some form?
I’m not quite sure. This time in Haiti has opened my eyes in so many ways and changed my heart along with it. I have been greatly inspired by the missionaries and development workers I have met here and their desire to glorify the Lord by loving His people of all nations, tribes, and tongues. My heart goes out to the many people who do without education, good health care, or even enough to meet their basic needs for living. So much has been placed on my heart! My next thought is, “Lord, what part would you have me play in all this?”
I am so thankful that the Lord if our faithful and trusted guide, who often speaks in a whisper, but speaks none the less. Now I will tackle these many questions with prayer and watch what opportunities and doors the Lord opens up. Please pray with me that the Lord would grant me a clear heart and mind and wisdom to follow Him wherever he may lead. Your prayers and support are so appreciated!
This past week Jenny, Beth, Carolyn and I visited Brian, a former ECHO Intern, who works for the Mennonite Central Committee here in Haiti. Brian grew up in Haiti as a missionary kid and has been working for MCC for a little over a year. MCC has a number of projects going all over Haiti, but lately Brian has been working with a project helping local communities cap springs for fresh drinking water. This project is part of what we visited Brian to see.
Brian came and picked us up on Monday and we loaded into his Toyota LandCruiser and headed for the hills. Bwadlorens, where Brian lives part of the time, is a rural farming community up in the mountains, which takes nothing short of off-roading to get there. We climbed hills that you would never think were part of the road, and covered in mud. Brian's driving skills were quite impressive! I think I would have gotten stuck in two seconds!
Although Bwadlorens and Bohoc are only about 20 or 25 miles apart, it is a three hour drive, traveling in true Haitian style. On the way up we had 14 people and three children in a car that is supposed to carry about 10. This was really amusing. Everyone crams in until they can't hardly move, along with all their stuff (bags from the market, clothes, luggage, etc.) and of course, a chicken. It was quite an entertaining experience.
Tuesday, is market day in Bwadlorens and the busiest day for Brian. Many people come into town for market day, so Brian had visitors the whole day long. Not wanting to be in the way and needing groceries for the week, Carolyn, Jenny, Beth and I went down to the market and bought food for the rest of the week. The market was smaller then the one in Pignon, which I appreciated, and everyone was very friendly. I quickly fell in love with this small little community on the top of the mountains. It was also a terrific feeling to be able to walk down to the market by ourselves and buy everything that we needed for the week. I remember the first time I went to the market in Pignon and how overwhelming that was, and how intimidated I felt of having to some day visit the market without help. Bwadlorens was an encouraging reminder that we can stand on our own two feet here and all that we have learned (communicating and being comfortable) over the last two months here. I was greatly encouraged by the experience.
In the afternoon Brian went out to visit some people and Carolyn and I joined him. We walked around the town and visited some different people and stopped by the dispensary (small clinic) in the town. It was fun for me to see the local health system and the need for improved health within the community. I will share more thoughts on this a little later.
After our short walk, Brian asked if we wanted to go swimming. Our response, or course, was "yes". We grabbed our stuff and headed out for a half hour hike to a waterfall. Once we reached the waterfall we had to scramble up some rocks on the bank to get to the highest pool of the series of falls. Once we got there, we were in the water and having a great time playing in the current and finding rocks to jump off. It was a really fun time. After swimming for about half an hour we noticed that storm clouds were closing in. Trying not to get caught in a down pour, we decided to head back to the house.
Wednesday, Brian was going to visit a couple of guys who are working to cap a spring in the area. We woke up, got ready for the day and hiked about an hour to get to the house where we were to meet the "bosses" of the project. At the house they grabbed some tools, bags of cement, and we headed to the spring. The community had found a spring where fresh water was coming right out of the mountainside. The community then applied to MCC asking them to come and cap the spring. A number of years ago MCC helped send a Haitian man to a spring capping seminar in Port-au-Prince (I believe). This man returned to his home town and began working with another man who was trained in masonry. Together, these men began working with MCC capping springs in the area. Soon the demand to have springs capped began to increase so each of these men took on an apprentice, teaching them their skill. The men then split, each older man taking one of the apprentices and creating two spring capping teams.
At the spring they were in the process of building a holding tank for the water coming out of the spring with cement, sand, and rocks that have been dug out of the mountain side. The way the partnership works is that MCC pays the men who cap the spring and supplies the cement (which would be far to expensive for the local community to supply themselves). The community is then responsible for supplying the sand, rocks, and other labor that is needed. Talking with Brian about this reminded me again how important it is for the community to have a hand in their own project. There needs to be ownership. We spent most of the day watching the bosses mix cement, measure level against the hillside, and build the first wall for the cap of the spring. It was amazing to see these men working with the simple tools that they had and creating a straight wall out of rocks of every shape and size. Definitely a skill!
Thursday we woke up early and packed up our things to head back to Bohoc. We had some pretty hard rains the two nights before, so we weren't exactly sure what the roads would be like, but as always, God was good. The roads were really muddy and slick in some places, but we made it back to Bohoc safe and sound.
All in all, the visit to Bwadlorens was a great break from HAFF and the Bohoc community and helped me to see another side of Haiti that I haven't seen yet. It was funny to think that this whole time I thought I was in a pretty rural part of Haiti, and after visiting Bwadlorens it's quite clear that Bohoc is kind of a suburb of Pignon. The two communities of people are very different as are their living situations in so many ways. It was an interesting new perspective.
Also while in Bwadlorens I prayed that the Lord would just open my heart and my mind to what he would want me to see, learn, and hear from him. I also wanted to spend some good down time really thinking about my time in Haiti so far, what I have learned, and what I am going to do with all that God has placed on my heart here. I prayed that the Lord would show up and guide me, and as always, he is faithful and showed up!
Many times throughout our time at Brian’s I was able to ask Brian about the community and culture, the needs and the groups striving to meet them. Again and again, Brian came back to the need for improved health, education, economy, so many things. The thing that kept pulling at my heart though, was the community’s health. Bwadlorens is three hours away from the nearest hospital and there is one nurse who works at the local dispensary. When Brian, Carolyn, and I went up to the local clinic a number of people were waiting to be seen by the nurse. My heart wished that I could jump right in and begin to treat these people, to have the knowledge to help, and the language skills to communicate better. This feeling was so motivational, but also brought back memories of other times that God has moved my heart in this way.
Have you ever felt like God has been moving you in one direction for a long time and yet you continue to go your own way? All along walking your own way, he continues to nudge you down another path?
This moment at the dispensary reminded me of years in High School studying Anatomy and Physiology, Sports Medicine, working as an athletic trainer, and getting excited about studying Medicine in college. It reminded me of going to college and starting on the Pre-Med track, the disappointment of not feeling like that fit and wondering what else I could do. It reminded me of working as a nursing aide in the retirement facility my first year of college and the many experiences had there, of spending days in the hospital when my little sister Lacey had her back surgery, watching the nurses, taking care and spending time with Lacey, and the desire to serve in a similar capacity. It reminded me of switching to nursing in college only to find that I wouldn’t graduate in four years, being impatient, and deciding to do something else. And then at this moment, the feeling came back again. The question: Lord, do you want me to become a nurse? Should I return to community health in some form?
I’m not quite sure. This time in Haiti has opened my eyes in so many ways and changed my heart along with it. I have been greatly inspired by the missionaries and development workers I have met here and their desire to glorify the Lord by loving His people of all nations, tribes, and tongues. My heart goes out to the many people who do without education, good health care, or even enough to meet their basic needs for living. So much has been placed on my heart! My next thought is, “Lord, what part would you have me play in all this?”
I am so thankful that the Lord if our faithful and trusted guide, who often speaks in a whisper, but speaks none the less. Now I will tackle these many questions with prayer and watch what opportunities and doors the Lord opens up. Please pray with me that the Lord would grant me a clear heart and mind and wisdom to follow Him wherever he may lead. Your prayers and support are so appreciated!
Sunday, September 25, 2005
Ag Development and the Garden of Eden...
This past week was filled with a number of blessings from above. God continues to open my eyes to his creation (both people and plants) while providing outlets for development and service.
ECHO's Executive Director, Dr. Martin Price, and his wife, Bonnie, came to visit this past week. They arrived last Friday just in time to settle in for a quiet weekend before hitting the ground running on Monday. Dr. Price came to visit the Small Farm Resource Development Project and begin planning for future years with Dr. Motis. It was really educational to listen to Dr. Price and Dr. Motis dream for the future of the project and the difference it could make first, to the local community of Bohoc, and eventually the entire country of Haiti and ECHO's extended overseas network. Since most Haitians rely on agriculture for their own subsistence, improved crop varieties and techniques have a high potential of improving their livelihood.
With this thought in mind, many of the trials and experiments which we are conducting on the farm are designed to find improved varieties and techniques. So the question then arises, what do we do once we have found a variety that may produce better than the local varieties? Well, we need to know if the farmers like it and if the community would accept it. This is what has made the Open Field Days with the farmers so interesting. Last Friday 14 farmers came to look at one of our experimental gardens and give us feedback about what crop varieties they liked and why they liked about them. It was a lot of fun to see the farmers examining all the different varieties and getting excited about ones they liked and have never seen before.
We repeated this event this Friday by inviting four groupma (sp?) leaders from the Bohoc area to tour the garden. In Haiti all the farmers are organized into groups called groupmas. This is a terrific system because each of the groupmas has a leader and they share information with the other members in the group. By inviting these four leaders, getting their feedback and ideas, and beginning to build relationships, the doors are opening to share information and plant materials with groups of farmers that may help to improve their livelihoods. I feel so blessed to be here at the time when ECHO is beginning to make these steps to partner with the local farmers in this way.
Thursday I was blessed to see another example of the mark that agricultural development is leaving on the community here. Thursday afternoon Dr. Price, Dr. Motis, Ely (HAFF's farm manager), Jenny, Carolyn, Beth, and I loaded into a HAFF pickup and headed into Pignon to visit a local farmer named Ivois. Ivois attended an agricultural school in Haiti and has since worked with a number of ECHO interns and staff that have come through Haiti. Ivois also acts kind of like an extension agent for this area of Haiti.
We arrived at Ivois' house and were greeted by him. He led us around to the garden behind his house and we all sat down. The garden behind the house was filled with banana and coffee trees with sweet potato growing on the ground and even some hibiscus plants with beautiful pink flowers. It was very green and shaded and I couldn't help but think how nice it would be to have a garden like this in the states. Ivois began with a devotion about how God gives good things to His children and a prayer before we left to see the other gardens. I was struck by the kind face and gentle manner of Ivois as he spoke about the beauty of God, His creation, and His provision. So beautiful!
We left Ivois' house and walked down the road and down a short hill to the gate of his first garden. We entered the garden to see trees of all different kinds. He was growing citrus, papaya, banana, coconut, and much more. As we walked a little farther we came across a small nursery. Ivois explained that he takes cuttings from his own plants, puts them in bags, and either sells or gives them away to different groups in the area that need plant materials. I was so amazed that not only does he farm all this land, but he is providing plants for others who may need them. Such a neat ministry!
After walking through this garden I thought we were done. We returned to the main road and began to walk back toward Ivois' house. However, we took a turn and walked up a small path to the left of the road. We walked along the path for a little bit and eventually came to the beginning of another garden. This one much larger than the last. We walked through again to find field crops, fruit trees, agroforestry trees, and so much more producing on this land. It is such a nice transition to see from the many other Haitian fields that are filled with corn or sugar cane.
Ivois explained to us that when he bought his land it was filled with sugar cane. He said he began to cut down the sugar cane, put in erosion barriers, and plant trees with the help of some former ECHO interns and staff. Other farmers in the area told Ivois that he was crazy for not growing the regular field crops. They said that he wouldn't be able to provide for his family and that he was a fool. Ivois told us that he had faith that God would provide and bless the land and crops, so he was willing to be a fool for God. What amazing faith! Now, years later, Ivois land is filled with fruit producing trees, coconut palms, and some land is still used for field crops. It is truly the Garden of Eden. His faith was so inspiring, but it was also encouraging to see the difference that ECHO is making in the world by sharing information, plant materials, and improved techniques.
At one point in the garden we stopped in the middle of a group of coconut palms and Ivois' son climbed up one and cut down a bunch of coconuts for us. They then prepared the coconuts and we feasted on fresh coconut milk followed by the flesh. Few things compare to a fresh coconut straight off the palm. Just another one of God's many blessings.
All in all, it was a terrific week and I learned a great deal about agricultural development, more of the impact ECHO is having on the world, the lifestyle of developing farmers, and God's goodness on all levels. Praise be to God from whom all blessings flow!
ECHO's Executive Director, Dr. Martin Price, and his wife, Bonnie, came to visit this past week. They arrived last Friday just in time to settle in for a quiet weekend before hitting the ground running on Monday. Dr. Price came to visit the Small Farm Resource Development Project and begin planning for future years with Dr. Motis. It was really educational to listen to Dr. Price and Dr. Motis dream for the future of the project and the difference it could make first, to the local community of Bohoc, and eventually the entire country of Haiti and ECHO's extended overseas network. Since most Haitians rely on agriculture for their own subsistence, improved crop varieties and techniques have a high potential of improving their livelihood.
With this thought in mind, many of the trials and experiments which we are conducting on the farm are designed to find improved varieties and techniques. So the question then arises, what do we do once we have found a variety that may produce better than the local varieties? Well, we need to know if the farmers like it and if the community would accept it. This is what has made the Open Field Days with the farmers so interesting. Last Friday 14 farmers came to look at one of our experimental gardens and give us feedback about what crop varieties they liked and why they liked about them. It was a lot of fun to see the farmers examining all the different varieties and getting excited about ones they liked and have never seen before.
We repeated this event this Friday by inviting four groupma (sp?) leaders from the Bohoc area to tour the garden. In Haiti all the farmers are organized into groups called groupmas. This is a terrific system because each of the groupmas has a leader and they share information with the other members in the group. By inviting these four leaders, getting their feedback and ideas, and beginning to build relationships, the doors are opening to share information and plant materials with groups of farmers that may help to improve their livelihoods. I feel so blessed to be here at the time when ECHO is beginning to make these steps to partner with the local farmers in this way.
Thursday I was blessed to see another example of the mark that agricultural development is leaving on the community here. Thursday afternoon Dr. Price, Dr. Motis, Ely (HAFF's farm manager), Jenny, Carolyn, Beth, and I loaded into a HAFF pickup and headed into Pignon to visit a local farmer named Ivois. Ivois attended an agricultural school in Haiti and has since worked with a number of ECHO interns and staff that have come through Haiti. Ivois also acts kind of like an extension agent for this area of Haiti.
We arrived at Ivois' house and were greeted by him. He led us around to the garden behind his house and we all sat down. The garden behind the house was filled with banana and coffee trees with sweet potato growing on the ground and even some hibiscus plants with beautiful pink flowers. It was very green and shaded and I couldn't help but think how nice it would be to have a garden like this in the states. Ivois began with a devotion about how God gives good things to His children and a prayer before we left to see the other gardens. I was struck by the kind face and gentle manner of Ivois as he spoke about the beauty of God, His creation, and His provision. So beautiful!
We left Ivois' house and walked down the road and down a short hill to the gate of his first garden. We entered the garden to see trees of all different kinds. He was growing citrus, papaya, banana, coconut, and much more. As we walked a little farther we came across a small nursery. Ivois explained that he takes cuttings from his own plants, puts them in bags, and either sells or gives them away to different groups in the area that need plant materials. I was so amazed that not only does he farm all this land, but he is providing plants for others who may need them. Such a neat ministry!
After walking through this garden I thought we were done. We returned to the main road and began to walk back toward Ivois' house. However, we took a turn and walked up a small path to the left of the road. We walked along the path for a little bit and eventually came to the beginning of another garden. This one much larger than the last. We walked through again to find field crops, fruit trees, agroforestry trees, and so much more producing on this land. It is such a nice transition to see from the many other Haitian fields that are filled with corn or sugar cane.
Ivois explained to us that when he bought his land it was filled with sugar cane. He said he began to cut down the sugar cane, put in erosion barriers, and plant trees with the help of some former ECHO interns and staff. Other farmers in the area told Ivois that he was crazy for not growing the regular field crops. They said that he wouldn't be able to provide for his family and that he was a fool. Ivois told us that he had faith that God would provide and bless the land and crops, so he was willing to be a fool for God. What amazing faith! Now, years later, Ivois land is filled with fruit producing trees, coconut palms, and some land is still used for field crops. It is truly the Garden of Eden. His faith was so inspiring, but it was also encouraging to see the difference that ECHO is making in the world by sharing information, plant materials, and improved techniques.
At one point in the garden we stopped in the middle of a group of coconut palms and Ivois' son climbed up one and cut down a bunch of coconuts for us. They then prepared the coconuts and we feasted on fresh coconut milk followed by the flesh. Few things compare to a fresh coconut straight off the palm. Just another one of God's many blessings.
All in all, it was a terrific week and I learned a great deal about agricultural development, more of the impact ECHO is having on the world, the lifestyle of developing farmers, and God's goodness on all levels. Praise be to God from whom all blessings flow!
Monday, September 19, 2005
Long Walk, Open Field Day, and Mt. Pignon
The days go by and God continue to open doors within the Bohoc community. Saturday, September 10th, Carolyn and I were invited to take a walk around Bohoc with Madam Tiza. At 4:00pm, Carolyn and I met Madam Tiza at the gate to the HAFF campus and set out to see some important areas in the community and to meet her family. We walked to the Bohoc market, which was deserted because the market is only really open on Mondays, and visited Madam Tiza’s brother Paulo, her mother, her uncle, and some other close family members.
One of the houses we visted was the house of Madam Jid who just had a little boy three weeks ago. We met her son Samuel and Madam Jid even let us hold him. He was so small and precious and obviously a joy to his parents. However, I couldn’t help but think about all Madam Jid must have gone through to bear a healthy baby in the local conditions. Since being here, Tim or Elizer (HAFF’s driver), have made a number of hospital runs to Pignon with women having complications with pregnancy. It made me thankful for medical care and how much I take it for granted when I am at home. It also made me wonder if I had to live out here in their conditions, if I would survive as long as they. What a beautiful and resilient people.
Sunday, September 11th, I again attended church at the yellow church down the road from HAFF. The sound system was turned up to the highest volume as usual, leaving me with a headache about half way through the sermon, but I still enjoyed the worship music and the time to be with other believers. I do confess that church here is a struggle when I understand so little, if any of the sermon, but I have grown to enjoy the time sitting on the wobbly benches and thinking about the awesome God that I and these Haitian believers share. The Lord’s heart is indeed diverse and the lover of all nations!
Wednesday, September 14th, Carolyn, Jenny, Beth, and I were invited over to Minous’s house for dinner. The next day Minous was to leave for Cap-Haitien to go to school, so she invited us over to celebrate and say good-bye. We walked to Josette’s house and met Josette and Nana there. Together we all walked to Minous’s house. Minous prepared a wonderful meal of rice and bean sauce, a Haitian staple and mighty tasty if you ask me. They began the meal with a song, then Carolyn prayed and we ate. We followed the meal by telling jokes and funny stories. I haven’t laughed that hard in a while. I even attempted to tell a blonde joke in Creole, which I actually think they got and laughed at. Props to me! However, you can never be to sure in a culture where they do not have blonde people, if they really understand the point of a “blonde joke”. All in all it was a lot of fun, but also sad to say good-bye to Minous. She will not be returning to Bohoc by the time we leave, so it was a final fair well. I pray that her schooling in Cap-Haitien goes well and that she will continue to be the shy, sweet person I have grown to know her as.
Thursday, September 15th, Tim, Carolyn, Jenny and I went to meet a community group of ladies at the local church. Apparently these ladies get together to tend a garden at the school next door and to help each other with other small business ideas. Shortly after arriving here, another missionary, Christi, told us that these ladies had two solar fruit dryers, but didn’t know how to use them. Jenny, Carolyn, and Beth who have experience working with a solar dryer at ECHO, were interested in meeting with these ladies and helping them learn how to use the dryers. Thursday we met the group of about 20 to 25 ladies, looked at the fruit dryers, and sat to talk about what their hopes were for these dryers. It was really encouraging to see Jenny and Carolyn with the opportunity to directly help these ladies with training they received at ECHO. The group was excited that they were interested in helping and made plans to meet again in the future to actually slice up some fruits and try drying them. Following the meeting the ladies walked us out behind the school to show us their garden and gave us some citrus as a gift before leaving. I thank the Lord for opening doors for us to interact more with the community. Please pray for wisdom and effective communication for Jenny, Carolyn, and Beth as they continue to teach/learn from this community of women.
The rest of Thursday was spent preparing for an open field day at one of the gardens called HAFF 2. To find varieties of crops with potential for producing better than local varieties ECHO has been conducting a number of variety trials. In the HAFF 2 garden we are currently collecting data on trials of corn, sorghum, cassava and sweet potatoes. To get a better understanding of what local farmers are looking for in certain crops Tim invited a number of farmers from surrounding communities for an open field day on Friday. Specifically we wanted to hear the farmer’s opinions on varieties of corn and sorghum, but we also wanted to distribute cuttings of cassava and sweet potato plants for the farmers to try on their own land. So Thursday we cut cassava, sorted it, tied it up, labeled it, and created bundles for each of the farmers, then proceeded to cut, sort and label sweet potato cuttings as well.
Friday morning we loaded all the bundles of cuttings and drove them down the road to HAFF 2. We unloaded everything and prepared for the farmers to come. At 9:00am we had 14 farmers at the field and began the day with a devotional. Ely, HAFF’s farm manager led a song in Creole, then another man named Millis read a passage from the bible, we prayed then began looking at the crops. Together the group walked from one end of the garden to the next stopping to make comments on every variety of sorghum, a few corn varieties, and to look at the cassava and sweet potato plots. In the beginning the group was shy, but eventually warmed up to touch and openly explain their feelings about the height, color, size, grain head, etc. of each of the varieties. Tim received a lot of really good feed back, and it was fun to watch these farmers get excited about some of the new varieties they saw. We ended the meeting by handing out the bundles of cuttings and recording who took which piles in the notebook. It was a great day for ECHO to get out in the community here and to continue building a network of local farmers interested in small scale experimentation.
After the field day we all hoped into the truck, made a quick stop at HAFF, then headed into Pignon to the market. It was the fastest trip to the market I think we have ever made and felt like a scene out of the Amazing Race. We split up the list and Jenny and Beth got half, Carolyn and I got the other half. We split in the market, got the things we needed to get, met back up and headed to the hospital snack bar 15 minutes after arriving at the market. Are we good, or are we good!? We had lunch as usual, then headed out to the Pignon airstrip.
ECHO’s Executive Director, Dr. Martin Price and his wife, Bonnie, flew in with Greg VanSchoyk the director of the HAFF mission. Martin and Bonnie are staying for the week so Bonnie can meet with the HAFF teachers, students, and parents of the students, and Martin can see the trials in the gardens and visit local farmers. I think it will be really fun for them to be here this next week and am eager to listen to Martin’s perspective on the project and ideas for the future work down here.
Friday ended with a movie night at Tim and Paige’s house and to bed early. Such a busy week! Saturday we woke at 4:30am and prepared to leave at 5:00am to climb Mount Pignon. We drove into Pignon in the dark and walked to the church where we were supposed to meet our guide, Ezekius. We couldn’t find Ezekius at first, so after walking around town a bit and asking a few people we were able to find his house and meet up with him. By 6:00am we were on the trail and on our way up the mountain. The trial headed straight up the mountain with sections of large rocks and tall grasses. It was a pretty challenging hike. It took us an hour and a half to make it to the top, but when we did it was beautiful!
The sun was still low in the sky and the clouds in the valley below had not yet burned off. At the top of the mountain we climbed on top of an old building and looked out over the valley below. We could see the town of Pignon beginning to wake up, the grass airstrip, and out over small communities in other parts of the central plateau. Everything was so green from the rainy season and so beautiful. What an amazing reflection of our creator!
We rested on the top for about 20 minutes then headed back down. We arrived at the bottom shortly before 10:00am with the rest of the day ahead of us. It was so nice to get up early, get some great exercise, and to see Haiti from again, another perspective.
“For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.” – Isaiah 61:11
One of the houses we visted was the house of Madam Jid who just had a little boy three weeks ago. We met her son Samuel and Madam Jid even let us hold him. He was so small and precious and obviously a joy to his parents. However, I couldn’t help but think about all Madam Jid must have gone through to bear a healthy baby in the local conditions. Since being here, Tim or Elizer (HAFF’s driver), have made a number of hospital runs to Pignon with women having complications with pregnancy. It made me thankful for medical care and how much I take it for granted when I am at home. It also made me wonder if I had to live out here in their conditions, if I would survive as long as they. What a beautiful and resilient people.
Sunday, September 11th, I again attended church at the yellow church down the road from HAFF. The sound system was turned up to the highest volume as usual, leaving me with a headache about half way through the sermon, but I still enjoyed the worship music and the time to be with other believers. I do confess that church here is a struggle when I understand so little, if any of the sermon, but I have grown to enjoy the time sitting on the wobbly benches and thinking about the awesome God that I and these Haitian believers share. The Lord’s heart is indeed diverse and the lover of all nations!
Wednesday, September 14th, Carolyn, Jenny, Beth, and I were invited over to Minous’s house for dinner. The next day Minous was to leave for Cap-Haitien to go to school, so she invited us over to celebrate and say good-bye. We walked to Josette’s house and met Josette and Nana there. Together we all walked to Minous’s house. Minous prepared a wonderful meal of rice and bean sauce, a Haitian staple and mighty tasty if you ask me. They began the meal with a song, then Carolyn prayed and we ate. We followed the meal by telling jokes and funny stories. I haven’t laughed that hard in a while. I even attempted to tell a blonde joke in Creole, which I actually think they got and laughed at. Props to me! However, you can never be to sure in a culture where they do not have blonde people, if they really understand the point of a “blonde joke”. All in all it was a lot of fun, but also sad to say good-bye to Minous. She will not be returning to Bohoc by the time we leave, so it was a final fair well. I pray that her schooling in Cap-Haitien goes well and that she will continue to be the shy, sweet person I have grown to know her as.
Thursday, September 15th, Tim, Carolyn, Jenny and I went to meet a community group of ladies at the local church. Apparently these ladies get together to tend a garden at the school next door and to help each other with other small business ideas. Shortly after arriving here, another missionary, Christi, told us that these ladies had two solar fruit dryers, but didn’t know how to use them. Jenny, Carolyn, and Beth who have experience working with a solar dryer at ECHO, were interested in meeting with these ladies and helping them learn how to use the dryers. Thursday we met the group of about 20 to 25 ladies, looked at the fruit dryers, and sat to talk about what their hopes were for these dryers. It was really encouraging to see Jenny and Carolyn with the opportunity to directly help these ladies with training they received at ECHO. The group was excited that they were interested in helping and made plans to meet again in the future to actually slice up some fruits and try drying them. Following the meeting the ladies walked us out behind the school to show us their garden and gave us some citrus as a gift before leaving. I thank the Lord for opening doors for us to interact more with the community. Please pray for wisdom and effective communication for Jenny, Carolyn, and Beth as they continue to teach/learn from this community of women.
The rest of Thursday was spent preparing for an open field day at one of the gardens called HAFF 2. To find varieties of crops with potential for producing better than local varieties ECHO has been conducting a number of variety trials. In the HAFF 2 garden we are currently collecting data on trials of corn, sorghum, cassava and sweet potatoes. To get a better understanding of what local farmers are looking for in certain crops Tim invited a number of farmers from surrounding communities for an open field day on Friday. Specifically we wanted to hear the farmer’s opinions on varieties of corn and sorghum, but we also wanted to distribute cuttings of cassava and sweet potato plants for the farmers to try on their own land. So Thursday we cut cassava, sorted it, tied it up, labeled it, and created bundles for each of the farmers, then proceeded to cut, sort and label sweet potato cuttings as well.
Friday morning we loaded all the bundles of cuttings and drove them down the road to HAFF 2. We unloaded everything and prepared for the farmers to come. At 9:00am we had 14 farmers at the field and began the day with a devotional. Ely, HAFF’s farm manager led a song in Creole, then another man named Millis read a passage from the bible, we prayed then began looking at the crops. Together the group walked from one end of the garden to the next stopping to make comments on every variety of sorghum, a few corn varieties, and to look at the cassava and sweet potato plots. In the beginning the group was shy, but eventually warmed up to touch and openly explain their feelings about the height, color, size, grain head, etc. of each of the varieties. Tim received a lot of really good feed back, and it was fun to watch these farmers get excited about some of the new varieties they saw. We ended the meeting by handing out the bundles of cuttings and recording who took which piles in the notebook. It was a great day for ECHO to get out in the community here and to continue building a network of local farmers interested in small scale experimentation.
After the field day we all hoped into the truck, made a quick stop at HAFF, then headed into Pignon to the market. It was the fastest trip to the market I think we have ever made and felt like a scene out of the Amazing Race. We split up the list and Jenny and Beth got half, Carolyn and I got the other half. We split in the market, got the things we needed to get, met back up and headed to the hospital snack bar 15 minutes after arriving at the market. Are we good, or are we good!? We had lunch as usual, then headed out to the Pignon airstrip.
ECHO’s Executive Director, Dr. Martin Price and his wife, Bonnie, flew in with Greg VanSchoyk the director of the HAFF mission. Martin and Bonnie are staying for the week so Bonnie can meet with the HAFF teachers, students, and parents of the students, and Martin can see the trials in the gardens and visit local farmers. I think it will be really fun for them to be here this next week and am eager to listen to Martin’s perspective on the project and ideas for the future work down here.
Friday ended with a movie night at Tim and Paige’s house and to bed early. Such a busy week! Saturday we woke at 4:30am and prepared to leave at 5:00am to climb Mount Pignon. We drove into Pignon in the dark and walked to the church where we were supposed to meet our guide, Ezekius. We couldn’t find Ezekius at first, so after walking around town a bit and asking a few people we were able to find his house and meet up with him. By 6:00am we were on the trail and on our way up the mountain. The trial headed straight up the mountain with sections of large rocks and tall grasses. It was a pretty challenging hike. It took us an hour and a half to make it to the top, but when we did it was beautiful!
The sun was still low in the sky and the clouds in the valley below had not yet burned off. At the top of the mountain we climbed on top of an old building and looked out over the valley below. We could see the town of Pignon beginning to wake up, the grass airstrip, and out over small communities in other parts of the central plateau. Everything was so green from the rainy season and so beautiful. What an amazing reflection of our creator!
We rested on the top for about 20 minutes then headed back down. We arrived at the bottom shortly before 10:00am with the rest of the day ahead of us. It was so nice to get up early, get some great exercise, and to see Haiti from again, another perspective.
“For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.” – Isaiah 61:11
Sunday, September 04, 2005
One Month in Haiti...Thoughts
On Monday I will have been in Haiti officially for one month. So many thoughts are running through my head as I reflect over that time. God has opened so many doors and I have learned far more then I ever thought possible.
The past four weeks have brought amazing and difficult experiences trying to learn the language, getting to know the area, beginning to build relationships with individuals in the community, growing in understanding of the daily struggles of life here, contemplating the differences between life here and life in the states, and seeing God’s hand in beautiful and unexpected places.
Through all the lessons, one has proven to be vital to daily life here. That is, complete dependency on the Lord! Many days I awake unsure of what I will be doing that day, who I will interact with, or what opportunities God may present. I must confess this uncertainty creates anxiety at times as I struggle to gain some control and be an efficient American. However, I am slowly learning the art of laying things before the Lord and leaving them there. I wake each morning to spend time reading my bible and searching my heart, laying each fear, anxiety, and insecurity before the one who truly has control. I am reminded of Philippians 4:6-7 (KJV), “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” How true it is!
Jesus says again and again that those who love him will obey his commands, and yet, I find myself still struggling for control, trying to keep all the pieces going and to stay on top of it all. So the real question is, “Do I really trust God?” I am learning day by day that to honestly trust in the Lord is the true breath of life. I am able to leave my time with the Lord each morning with a fresh attitude for the day, and a heart that is open to serve no matter what opportunity he presents. Basically, I leave my time with freedom! This freedom changes my whole outlook on the day and continues to help me to adjust and be open to God’s plan for each day. Praise be to God from whom all blessings flow!
I pray that these thoughts are uplifting and encouraging! I thank each of you for your support and prayers during this time. I am humbled by your love and thank the Lord for the role you each play in my life and in God’s greater kingdom! You are also in my thoughts and prayers as I begin each day! If you have specific prayer requests, please let me know.
The past four weeks have brought amazing and difficult experiences trying to learn the language, getting to know the area, beginning to build relationships with individuals in the community, growing in understanding of the daily struggles of life here, contemplating the differences between life here and life in the states, and seeing God’s hand in beautiful and unexpected places.
Through all the lessons, one has proven to be vital to daily life here. That is, complete dependency on the Lord! Many days I awake unsure of what I will be doing that day, who I will interact with, or what opportunities God may present. I must confess this uncertainty creates anxiety at times as I struggle to gain some control and be an efficient American. However, I am slowly learning the art of laying things before the Lord and leaving them there. I wake each morning to spend time reading my bible and searching my heart, laying each fear, anxiety, and insecurity before the one who truly has control. I am reminded of Philippians 4:6-7 (KJV), “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” How true it is!
Jesus says again and again that those who love him will obey his commands, and yet, I find myself still struggling for control, trying to keep all the pieces going and to stay on top of it all. So the real question is, “Do I really trust God?” I am learning day by day that to honestly trust in the Lord is the true breath of life. I am able to leave my time with the Lord each morning with a fresh attitude for the day, and a heart that is open to serve no matter what opportunity he presents. Basically, I leave my time with freedom! This freedom changes my whole outlook on the day and continues to help me to adjust and be open to God’s plan for each day. Praise be to God from whom all blessings flow!
I pray that these thoughts are uplifting and encouraging! I thank each of you for your support and prayers during this time. I am humbled by your love and thank the Lord for the role you each play in my life and in God’s greater kingdom! You are also in my thoughts and prayers as I begin each day! If you have specific prayer requests, please let me know.
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