Saturday night--action happening

I apologize for not writing earlier, but the day begins and before you know it, it's nearly over.I will try to describe yesterday.  We left in the morning for our day "away" to see what lies beyond Marie's area.  We started by stopping at Marie's sisters house where her three story church collapsed.  There is a huge tent city there.  We walked into the "city" and tried to carry smiles to encourage those staring back at us.  Because of the rain the ground was muddy and we weren't sure what we were walking in.  The tents practically touch each other - all different types and some made with whatever they could find.  I was pleased to see that it's business as usual for people, as outside of their tent they would have a little box set up selling whatever they can to bring money.  There was even a woman cooking and people in line to be fed.  Her sister had a huge tarp/tent up with a service going on.  People were worshiping and dancing and they even had music and drums.  It was told that they were thanking God for being alive and arriving from PAP to this site.  It was VERY upsetting to see little children walking around half dressed with nothing to do and just staring at us.  I wanted to have an unlimited supply of ANYTHING to give them, but had nothing but a smile and to tell them "God bless you!"

From there we went to Food for the Poor.  This is the International Warehouse where we hope to get our container from to deliver all the collections we have at the warehouse.  I wasn't able to speak to anyone, but the warehouse was buzzing with activity and full of supplies.

Then we took the longgggg drive to PAP.  The traffic was so bad and people everywhere.  Soon we saw the downed buildings.  It felt like we were in a bad movie and I actually started feeling sick to my stomach.  The task at hand seems so enormous that I felt speechless - for those who  know me - that takes something huge.  In over and hour of driving thru street after street we only saw TWO cranes working on the rubble.  Every other HUGE mound of broken structure remained as it was two months ago.  The people on the street all walked around the bricks and they looked as if it was just another day in Haiti.  I didn't see any relief workers to speak of.  That's what stood out to me.  NO progress.  I didn't even want to think about how many bodies were buried.  Joan, Jeneane and I each had personal moments when grief and tears were shed over something that broke our heart.  It's all too huge of a problem to even feel "it's all going to be ok!"  I hope I am totally wrong and that there is EXTENSIVE planning or the next step to repair Haiti.  We did see two different sections of land that were cleared and our companion and translator, Frenzy said that was where the government donated land for people to come and set up a temporary home.  Let me tell you the space wouldn't begin to make ANY kind of noticeable difference.  So - after going through PAP and Delmas, another area affected - (The Carribean Market - which was talked about on the news) - we finally reached the second orphanage - COENHA. 

The 30 children were waiting and greeted us with big smiles.  They got a kick out of me trying to remember all of their names and pronouncing them so badly.  We did a couple of craft projects with them and because we had taken so many photos and video of the sights in PAP, our batteries went dead on our cameras!  big frustration for me, as I like to have many photos to see of their sponsored child.  I was enouraged that they had a huge nice tent in their yard where they all continue to sleep.  They have additional children staying with them that lost their home in the quake.  Besides the tent I have to say they are living in dire straights.  They need EVERYTHING.  The children are so polite and well behaved.  They are thankful for every little thing you give them. I assured the Pastor of all the people who have donated to improve their living conditions.  they are sleeping on cement with a tattered sheet to protect them from the rough concrete.  There are 8 bunk beds for all those children and NONE of them have a mattress - only frames!  I was able to leave him with some hygiene supplies and a few clothes.  He said the children all need shoes and clothes for church.  This is a time when ALL Haitians want and do look very respectable. They have their "dressy" church outfit.  So - when I get home I will have to work on determining how to get relief to them.  By the time we got home we were all emotionally drained.  Another noisy night of dogs, goats and roosters.  I couldn't sleep well and believe it or not I was COLD!  The weather the past two days has been overcast and not even hot.  I have never experienced that here before. 

But - today was a new day and we had pancakes for breakfast - so that was a great start.  Today we spent our time and energy at the orphanage site trying to make it as cleaned up and safe as possible for the girls.  ALL the girls worked so hard.  Even the youngest helped with garbage patrol.  While no one else may think the area looks too great - we have a pile of garbage to prove it!  MANY things are still displaced and needed, but it was starting to look more like "home".  The afternoon was spent having fun as we did more crafts and the girls enjoyed seeing the cards other children had made for them. The tried to read the English and enjoyed the challenge.  They made cards in return to send back with us, thanking those who were so thoughtful in caring for them. 

One of the little girls had a high fever, and Marie said it has been running thru the group of them since the quake. But - I was glad to see that the rest of them look healthly, sound healthy and I savor any laughter they offer.  Their smiles make me melt and it's a good thing my stays are generally only a week, or they would be even MORE spoiled. 

I asked the three oldest girls if they had been afraid.  They all said "yes."  And then they indicated that they still are.  I wish I was able to talk with them and allow them to vent their experience and console them - or whatever.  It HAS to have a lasting impact on all of them that needs to be addressed.  (I might have mentioned on a prior BLOG that Catholic Relief Services did come two days ago and spoke with the girls in an organized fashion for quite awhile.  I was told they were offering "psychological support."  I was quite impressed and happy about that.

Well - you have probably read more than you cared to read....but you know me when I start talkin' Haiti. I am ashamed of myself that I haven't mentioned before now how incredibly thankful I am to be able to come here and tell them they have NOT been forgotten and rebuilding WILL take place and they need not feel abandoned.  But, the only reason I CAN say it is because of ALL the caring hearts that were so generous to make that a reality.  I truly thank again EVERYONE for the honor of being able to give them this wonderful hope and news.

 Tomorrow we will have "church" across from Marie's under the tin roofed arch that she had built right after the quake where they slept in the gravel.  There are tarps and anything they could find around parts of it.  The good news being that God could care less where we worship Him - So tomorrow we will be giving thanksgiving for what we DO have and rely on Him to lead us from here!

Day three -- Friday

Friday morning has come after hours of rain last night. Thunder included. As I heard the pounding rain all I could think about was the thousands of people trying to withstand the pouring under their cardboard make shift tent. I feel like we are part of the elite living here. Yesterday flew by for me. This is not uncommon. While life is very slow here, the days go quickly. I had several hours alone with Marie and we had a wonderful conversation. She needed additional confirmation that rebuilding IS a reality. She says she still can’t believe that it will really happen. I tried to tell her about all the amazing people who have donated and care about her and the girls welfare. We realize that she has been living here trying to survive and get thru the day, while I have been on the receiving end of things. It still makes me sit it awe at all that has transpired the last, almost two months, at the outpouring of generous hearts. I hope many are reading this to confirm to them that THEY are a vital part of this reality. I guess I can’t expect Marie to feel that. I’ve told her many stories about the schools who have done collections in addition to Wheatland Salem and other churches, as well. She just shakes her head and then lies her head down on the table trying to take it all in.

The Pastor from COENHA came to visit and I was able to talk with him through Marie translating for a couple hours, as well. His needs are SO great. All he had on hand were bags of rice and water. The skinny mattresses that he had are ruined and rotting. He needed toothbrushes/paste, bar soap, all things we had brought and able to supply. We filled a big sack for him with raisins, granola bars, etc. and Marie gave him a gallon size can of mixed vegetables. He was so thankful to also receive money to go and purchase some thin mattress pads that they have here and more food for the children. We will be going to his orphanage this morning to play with the children, take photos, and we’ve packed a bin of new clothes.

Helicopters continue to go overhead thru out the day – which is really my only sign that something unusual is happening in Haiti. Otherwise, it feels like it usually does – only more bricks lying about.

The girls were in their glory as Joan and Jeneane spent hours there yesterday playing everything imaginable. They have already fallen in love with the girls and know many by name. Last night at dinner they both told Marie they suspect this won’t be their only trip to Haiti. We had a wonderful dinner last night of chicken and vegetables. We were eating like savages, although very aware what sat before us exceeded what 99% of the country was eating. Marie told us stories of her life after dinner and had all of us laughing. She herself was laughing so hard. Then she said it has been so long since she has laughed, that life really must be getting OK!

Debbie came to visit for a short time with a team of about 10 medical people from Georgia. They had been working downtown PAP and came for a visit. This group has done medical clinics for Lazarus Project on several other occasions. It was very refreshing to see them.

So far the bugs have been behaving and not affecting us. We feel at home. Last night we heard singing and across from Marie’s house, where they slept in the gravel, there was a gathering of people singing praises. When I went to bed I could hear others singing in the distance. Marie said that the entire nation has united in their faith and that rumor has is that VOO-DOO is over. The President and high officials kneeled in front of a gathering of people to proclaim their faith. She feels the country is finally together and people say there is a “new Haiti.”

Time to hit the bath bucket and get this day started. We are doing well, despite the heat, and have more plans and desires that will be possible to get in – time is going so fast.

I must end by sharing this visual for you. Joan brought a ukulele and sat down on the ground in front of Marie’s gate and began playing to two of the children walking by. Before you knew it there were 10+ kids grinning ear to ear as she taught them “Head Shoulders Knees and Toes”. All you could see were big huge smiles and these children doing all the motions and singing. After about the third round they were singing it in English and following every movement. It was SO dear. I got the SHEER JOY of giving them each a piece of Bubble Gum and watch them skip off – looking back at us with big smiles. Joan is truly a “kid magnet”. What a blessing.

May each of you know that part of you was brought here with me and I know that is what sustains me and makes the love I have overflow for the people around me.

day 2 -- moving day

What a difference a day can make. Lots of activity yesterday, especially by the girls ages 8 – 16. Their level of energy and work activity is always mind boggling to me. Marie announced that she couldn’t watch the girls sleep outside on the cement any longer. She said six weeks was long enough to make the children live this way. Prior to the earthquake she had been trying to improve the conditions in a preschool classroom, so it was decided the girls would return to the orphanage sight. The flurry began with trying to put back together broken bed frames. The condition of the mattresses brought Jeneane to tears. There had to be bugs and such living in these tattered, ripped open, filthy mattresses. I asked Marie if we could go get new mattresses, but she chose to wait and get them settled and someday when they have their REAL rooms again – new mattresses will greet them. I was relieved to see the beds made with clean sheets and from there each girl took such pride in their “space”. Beds were adorned with a dirty doll, or stuffed animal – others covered cement bricks that they used as a night stand and put little things like plastic spoons or forks, or anything that they could find all arranged to look neat and “pretty.”Several had photos of their sponsors lying on their bed. Jeneane and I mainly worked in one of the rooms where we were overwhelmed with garbage, and piles of misc. things from clothes to parts of a Christmas tree. It was very overwhelming, upsetting, not to mention the heat and bites from red ants. Joan was the “camp leader” as she entertained the youngest 12 girls for hours on end with singing, painting, jump rope, coloring – you name it, she pulled it out of her hip pocket. They were enthralled and overjoyed.

By dusk the girls started migrating to the old orphanage after a huge plate of wheat and beans. I felt sad to see them go there knowing how totally unsafe the grounds are. There are SO many obstacles and broken bricks and glass and just stuff to walk around and the space for them to actually “play” almost doesn’t exist. During our dinner of mac and cheese Marie started missing them already. She wanted to walk to see if they were ok in the dark with our flashlights. We decided not, and all went to bed totally drained and exhausted. In the night there was a down pour of rain and as I heard it I was actually glad for the first time they were under cover and not under the stars getting soaked.
A new day has begun and we’ve learned the girls had a good first night sleeping 2-3 in a bed – but a mattress none the less. They loaded a pickup truck with all the cooking pans and such this morning from Marie’s house to return that operation to the make shift orphanage, as well.
My heart so aches for the youngest 12 and Marie agreed to hire another person to care for just them. So – as I type, I new woman who is thrilled to have a job will be going to be working to keep the youngest 12 clean and safe! I am so happy.
Time to get back to work – we are going to spend today continuing to go thru the rubble and piles of stuff to determine what to save and what to throw away. (Marie has great difficulty throwing ANYTHING away - now I know why – sometimes life takes it all away and you never know what you might need!)
We are all hanging in despite the heat. It zaps the energy out of us mid-west girls! Please keep praying for the people of Haiti. Every familiar face I see I throw my arms around them and say, “God bless you!” and they can sense I’m celebrating that they were spared. Strangers have said, “thank you for coming to Haiti to help us.” I almost feel guilty accepting their thanksgiving when it feels like I am doing nothing, compared to their needs. We will see what this day brings our way.

Daylight after a long night -- Wed. March 3

A new day has come after a very dark and long night. As we were preparing to land at the airport in Haiti I could see tent cities and the army tents from the sky and my excitement grew. The logistics at the airport were very different, but peaceful with servicemen all around. We met up with Marie and got to ride in her “new” pickup truck. I found the streets to look basically the same. The ‘’old Haiti” already looked so distressed, that I didn’t see much change. Once we reached Marie’s neighborhood I began to see the damage in her area. Small tent cities were in place (30-50) and security walls down. When we reached the orphanage I could already see that the outside security wall had been replaced. When I walked through the gate and saw the mound of rubble that used to be the church and orphanage I just broke into tears. I thought I was prepared through pictures Jim had provided, but I wasn’t. I was overwhelmed with the scattering of all the contents that was housed in these buildings. Everything was jammed into school classrooms or strewn on the ground. A shoe here, doll there, piece of clothing, etc. It was MUCH more than I could stand to look at. It was TOTALLY overwhelming. Marie and I stood and cried and she was so discouraged, which gave me strength. I assured her one day we would remember this moment as we saw a new orphanage and church standing tall. She said she hoped she would live to see it. I was greeted with huge smiles from the girls and I cried thru that, too! (Surprise, surprise!) Once the darkness came, it seemed to affect me even more.
While some things felt the same, it was totally different. I felt displaced, just as the girls are by being here. To watch them lay out their thin blankets/sheets onto the cement under the stars and just lie down in their dirty clothes, I thought my heart would break. Marie sounded so drained and discouraged and I had a hard time assuring her all will be fine when I could see it will take SO long to return to whatever normal will be.
Under our mosquito nets we all tried to sleep. I have a lump in my throat as I type this as I can’t believe this is “life in Haiti”. The roosters had their normal performance from about 1:00 a.m. until we got up at 6:00 a.m. Joan and Jeneane are coloring with the younger girls right now which give them something to do. The 6-7 older girls are shelling beans. Everyone has their job. A couple of the six year olds were mopping the cement this morning after a 10 year old finished sweeping. My mission today is to keep the girls busy so Marie has a break and to encourage her. She already put on the new dress and shoes I brought her and feels special! I am sure after today, it will start feeling “normal” to me, too! To say that Haitians are “survivors”, would be putting it mildly. A huge reminder of all the things that stressed me out before I came, I am humbled and ashamed. Time to embrace the day --- I’ve certainly waited long enough to get here!

Tuesday March 2, 2010--The three amigas arrive safely

Jim spoke with Patty tonight and they have arrived safely at Marie’s house in Haiti. Patty is very sad, however. She is seeing the current living conditions of the girls—sleeping on the ground outside, and the mess and disarray of the masses of salvaged items from the church and orphanage scattered everywhere and anywhere there is room. Haiti always appears somewhat chaotic to us Americans but this is new level of chaos. The three women from Naperville, Patty, Joan, and Jeneane are all tired and will going to bed without any blog update. I totally understand. There will be plenty of opportunity to write about all they see and do. I only hope that they are able to see some light in the darkness of this tragedy. I’m sure they will. As the Newsboys put it:

‘Cause all the powers of darkness
Can’t drown out a single word
When all God’s children sing out
Glory, glory, hallelujah
He reigns, He reigns
All God’s people singing
Glory, glory, hallelujah
He reigns, He reigns

The Haitian’s are singing just that! He reigns!!!