A Visit to Einstein Albert’s Woodworking Studio

Jacqualine Labrom, a wonderful travel and tourism agent, had shared her passion for the artistry of Einstein Albert, the second-generation owner of a local woodworking business, with me. I was eager to go, especially before heading home on leave. I have a special wedding to attend in July and wanted to select something handcrafted in Haiti. This was going to provide me the perfect opportunity.

Jacqualine picked me up around 10 a.m. There were five other people joining us, three of whom were staff members from the United Nations. We proceeded through Leogane and Carrefour, driving about 40 minutes. At a certain point, the driver u-turned and then accessed a small side road. As is so often the case here, you proceed down an alley like road where there seems to be little of interest. Suddenly, however, you turn a corner and find that you have discovered one of Haiti’s treasures.

Einstein greeted us at the gate. He first took us the open-air work area where some of the women were sanding pieces in various stages of production. Einstein began with the family history. His parents came to Haiti from Jamaica in the 1940’s. They founded the woodworking business. As word spread of the quality and craftsmanship of their product and demand increased, it was suggested that they develop their own tree plantations. They settled on the Obechee tree, a kind of gum tree. They chose this tree for a couple reasons. It was a soft wood and, therefore, not viable for making charcoal. It was also very fast growing. Within 9 years, an Obechee tree can have a circumference of 90”. They now have multiple tree plantations from which they draw their wood.

They woodworking center averages 40 employees although, at their busiest times, they employ as many as 80. 60% of their work force is women. The women are primarily responsible for the sanding. The men are engaged in aspects of production requiring heavier labor.

Every piece is of the highest quality. The varnishes are produced organically from other trees. The color of the varnish varies with each species of tree and therefore affects the color of the final product. Each piece is varnished 13 times and then receives a final matte. This enables all the products to be used for food. They are also temperature resistant. In addition, the pieces are specially treated against termites. This is particularly important given the softness of the wood.

Einstein shared the story of one of his most popular pieces. Some years ago, he attended a special gift convention in New York City. A woman came to his booth and raved about his work. As beautiful as everything was in his display, she was interested in finding something unique. Einstein asked her if she had an idea of what she wanted. She said yes, borrowed his pen and sketched it for him. He said he could have it produced in two week and shipped to the U.S. She handed him her card and told him to contact her at her hotel when it arrived.

After the woman left, the person in the booth next to Einstein said “Didn’t you know who that was?” Einstein said no and looked at the card. It was Lady Diana! The bowl arrived, as promised, two weeks later. He delivered the bowl to the hotel. When Lady Diana asked for the price, Einstein said that it was a gift. In exchange, he asked permission to associate her name with the design. To this day, it is known as the Diana bowl.

Einstein has a great business sense. While not sacrificing quality, he is coming up with some new, simpler designs to keep costs down during the recession. One of his innovations is what he calls a plate. It is available in various sizes, about ½” thick and can serve any number of functions. I bought a small one to use as a cheese board.

Today was both delightful and informative. It I always heartening to witness successful, family owned businesses that also provide important employment opportunities for the community. Einstein is a remarkable man, open to sharing his gifts and collaborating with others. He entrepreneurial spirit demonstrates hope and promise for Haiti’s future.

Coming Home

Eight months in Haiti. Wow! In some ways, it feels as though I just stepped off the plane. The time has passed so quickly. There are many places yet to be seen, people to meet and, most importantly, work to do. In another sense, I feel immersed here, almost forgetting what it is like to live in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. There is a different routine to my day in Haiti. The smells, sounds and surroundings quite distinctive, almost exotic, in contrast to those of my hometown. What will it be like to come home?

My husband, Eric, visited me for a week in early April. He was the first member of my family to come to Haiti. As I suspected, when he left I realized how much I missed my family, and the months that followed were a little more difficult that the first six. Once June arrived, I began a countdown for my leave, eagerly anticipating reunions with my family, Trinity parishioners and other dear friends. As I write this article, I am ten days away from departure and starting to clean my room and make other preparations to ready for my month in the states.

As excited as I have been to head home, I was thrown a curve ball last Sunday. I attended the 9 a.m. service at St. Trinite Cathedral. I have become quite accustomed to hearing the liturgy in French and, sometimes, Creole. My comprehension has improved with time and, since we share the same Book of Common Prayer, I feel very much a part of worship. As Pere Sadoni, Dean of the Cathedral, made announcements before the last hymn, I gazed at the beautiful murals of the birth of Christ, the crucifixion and the ascension, which serve as a backdrop to the high altar. I realized that, because of another commitment the next week, this would be my last service in Haiti before going home on leave. I began to think about hearing Holy Eucharist Rite II and all the music in English with American voices. Suddenly, I was moved to tears. I now understood that, as much as I longed for the people and places that I love so dearly, I had found a second home in the past eight months – Haiti.

So, I ready for my trip home on Thursday. As I share glimpses of my experience of the past eight months with family and friends, I suspect some, maybe all, will see how Haiti has become a part of me and, maybe, how I have become a part of her.

Bill Clinton: Haiti has chance to escape poverty - Kansas City Star

Bill Clinton: Haiti has chance to escape poverty - Kansas City Star

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Guess Who’s Coming To Haiti?!

Immediately following the Tabasamu program, I received a visit from Rev. Lauren Stanley, an Episcopal priest who hails from the Diocese of Virginia and serves as a Missioner through the Episcopal Church Center. She has spent the past four years in the Sudan, teaching English and a number of courses at the Episcopal Seminary there. She endured relentless heat, living in a mud hut with no running water, no electricity and, given the significant political unrest, prepared to evacuate at a moment’s notice. As with those truly called to Mission, Lauren immersed herself in the daily life and culture of the Sudan. She is fluent in Arabic, speaks some Dinka and embraces many of the traditions of the Sudanese.

Lauren recently returned home from this assignment and wanted to consider Haiti for her next post. I invited her to stay with me not only as an extension of hospitality by a fellow Missioner but also to provide her with an opportunity to ask questions about my experience and share some time with the Seminarians.

As part of my Missioner training last summer, I attended an Episcopal Mission world conference called Everyone Everywhere. I heard Lauren speak at the conference and was very moved by her experience in the Sudan. Little did I know that our paths would cross again so soon and that she would be considering an assignment in Haiti!

Lauren is a ball of fire, passionate about service as a Missioner. We exchanged a few e-mails before her arrival. She was eager to learn about Haiti and, in particular, my perspective on the country and the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti. I took full advantage of her visit, asking her to bring a guitar and recorder and some hand made book bags with school supplies for St. Vincent school for Handicapped Children. She did so willingly and eagerly.

Lauren’s stay in Haiti allowed me to meet another priest in the Diocese, Pere Ajax Kesner. As with all the priests of the Diocese of Haiti, Pere Ajax carries many responsibilities. A primary duty is the management of the Partnership Program. This initiative involves oversight of all partnerships between schools administered by the Diocese of Haiti and their U.S. sponsors. There is a keen interest in growing the number and scope of partnerships, so much so, that it is a goal included in a special resolution to be presented at the National Convention this July. Though Lauren certainly spent individual time with Pere Ajax, I was also able to join them for a number of meals and help to share some of the culture and traditions of Haiti.

One of the highlights of her stay was when she co-celebrated Eucharist with Rev. Fernand, the only ordained woman in the Diocese of Haiti. They led the Wednesday morning liturgy at the Seminaire de Theologie. What a great example for all the Seminarians and an inspiration for Margarette and Carmel, the first, and to date, the only two female Seminarians.

Lauren met with Bishop Jean Zache Duracin last Wednesday and was formerly invited to serve in the Diocese of Haiti. She will be situated in Petionville, a suburb of Port-au-Prince, and live in an apartment over St. James the Just Church. In addition to focusing on the Partnership Program, she will also help with communications, and serve at the English-language 8 a.m. service on Sundays. Many expatriates, including a lot of AID and embassy personnel, attend this service. Lauren hopes to foster deeper relationships with them.

About a month after I arrived in Haiti, I spoke with David Copley, the Mission Personnel Officer for the Episcopal Church, and urged him to begin considering who might follow me when I departed in November. I could never have imagined that a Missioner with Lauren’s experience would choose to serve here. I am additionally blessed to be able to work with her for two months before I head home. God has truly provided abundance in ministry for the Diocese of Haiti.

“Stone Soup”, A Community Effort For Dental Health

One of my favorite children’s stories is Stone Soup. It is a tale of a man who gathers the community for a wonderful soup. He starts out with a stone and needs “just a little something more” from each and every person who arrives to partake. In the end, the entire group contributes to the soup and it is, in fact, a feast.

Such was the experience during the dental care, education and training program that occurred during the last weekend in May. It began with a partnership between Tabasamu, a Bucks County, Pennsylvania based non-profit focused on free dental care and education and LAMP, a Philadelphia based non-profit committed to health care in Cite Soleil. LAMP identified a site to provide a three-day program of dental care, education and teacher training- the Becky Dewine School of Hands Together, a Catholic holistic initiative for children in the Brae Neuf section of Cite Soleil.

This triad was exciting enough. However, in the course of planning the weekend extravaganza, several Haitian dentists expressed interested and sacrificed one or more days of work to participate in the program. 8 Haitian dentists, representing LAMP, Partners in Health and private practice, not only gave their time and talent, they pooled their instruments, equipment and supplies to make the clinic day come to fruition. With only 500 dentists serving 8 million citizens in Haiti, it was no surprise that they knew each other and looked forward to working together.

The Tabasamu team arrived mid-day on Thursday, grabbed lunch and headed to Hands Together for a team orientation. 15 lay and skilled American and Haitian volunteers gathered in the school library to strategize the best way to proceed with the combination clinic and dental education program the next day. All the dentists wanted to be a part of the clinic and were willing to take turns between providing dental care and dental education. The dental education team, known as ”Tooth Tour”, decided to rehearse early on Friday morning, leaving the rest of Thursday to set up the clinic operatories.

There are always unexpected twists and turns in health care mission work. The most consistent challenge is to be assured that you have all the instruments necessary and that all equipment is in perfect working order. On Thursday afternoon, we determined that neither was the case. The shortage of instruments and supplies was easy to resolve. The dentists in attendance immediately offered to bring more items the next day and provided me with a list of things that they did not have for me to text to another dentists (Believe me, texting a list of dental instruments with code numbers and quantities is no easy task!)

On Friday morning, we were met by 150 patients hoping to have their needs addressed. It was soon determined that the drill cart was not in working condition. The clinic team decided to focus on extractions and cleanings. Seven dentists worked through the day, some alternating treatments and even rotating between the clinic and the Tooth Tour.

While the clinic occurred, three members of the Tabasamu team made dental education presentations to individual classrooms and larger groups. All the students said that they brushed their teeth two times a day. Tabasamu had agreed to cover the cost of two students per class who required immediate care, in all probability an extraction. In almost all cases, Gary Rabinowitz found that the 6-year molars had been destroyed over the course of time due to poor dental hygiene and diet. This is the same phenomenon that is seen in Kenya.

The Tooth Tour circuit was foreshortened by virtue of the length of the school day. Once the students went home, the dental education team worked with the clinic to move them through the rest of their patients and clean up. Despite a number of challenges, all patients had been seen and the day had gone quite well.

Saturday morning brought the inauguration of T3- "Teach The Teachers". A concept fashioned by Gary Rabinowitz and a Kenyan community leader, James Korir, this trip to Haiti was the first opportunity to put it into practice. Once the Tabasamu team was ready to begin, I gathered all the participants into the common room. Though teachers from the Becky Divine School had been expected, it initially appeared as though only the clinic volunteers from the previous day had come. I could tell that the group was disappointed and made one more sweep of the halls. I found a teacher and confirmed that it was time to begin. He disappeared down a set of stairs and promptly returned with approximately 30 teachers. It was an emotional moment to say the least. The classroom was now filled with dental professions and educators ready to learn more about dental care and how to share it in the larger community.

The team decided to conduct the first two segments, the introduction and puppet show, with the entire group. The participants were then asked to count off into three groups. Each group went to three modules on rotation- 1. An introduction to dental education; 2. Puppet making and a demonstration of disclosing plaque and scaling; and 3. The study of the tooth, oral disease and decay. Altogether the program ran three hours.

At the conclusion of the morning, everyone gathered in the common space again. Questions were fielded and then each participant received a certificate and Tabasamu t-shirt. It was quite moving to see each person presented with their certificate and shirt and proudly and gratefully shook the hands of each member of the leadership team.

Once everything was packed up, the volunteer team headed for a special appreciation lunch. Despite the three long days, the spirit remained high and the private dining room was filled with conversation and laughter. In true African tradition, each person spoke during the lunch, offering thanks for the opportunity to work together and expressing hope for an opportunity to continue the work together. It was the perfect end to a remarkable and memorable partnership in dental care and education.

Saturday afternoon and evening, the Tabasamu team spent time reflecting on the previous three days- lessons learned, the joys of new friendships and dreams and aspirations for what might occur in the future. What may have started as a one-time visit during a Tabasamu member's one year residence in Haiti, evolved into a transformative experience that may well prompt an extension of the mission and vision of the organization. Heartfelt thanks to Trey, Otho, Gary and Lisa for coming, and profound appreciation for the abundance received by the American team from our Haitian brothers and sisters.











An important postscript....Many thanks to the "behind the scenes queens", Evenlyn Pantuso and Tonia Richard, for their tireless support of this initiative and all Tabasamu's projects. In particular, heartfelt appreciation to Evelyn for burning the midnight oil to create thre new sets of Tooth Tour puppets. You are amazing!

Deep gratitiude to Yves Augustin for his beautiful translation of all the dental education materials that are being used in Haiti. Yves, you are helping to spread the important message of dental care across the country. Thank you!!


Reflections provided by Dr. Joey Prosper of LAMP
I was very pleased with the level of dedication and professionalism of the doctors of TABASAMU and also the Haitian doctors. On behalf of LAMP for Haiti, I would like to thank and congratulate the members of TABASAMU on their humanitarian sense and vision for such a project. Of course, this was a first time experience with LAMP and there are things that could be done the next time to make it even more successful. One of the things is to have the local medical staff make some advance arrangements and plans for the benefit of the patients, since they share the same profession and know the environment. And we hope that coming to Haiti will become part TABASAMU's program as it is in Kenya. Personally, I want to change the date of my trip to Uganda and Kenya to the same time that the members of Tabasamu will be working there. I also want to thank Kyle over and over again for been such wonderful person.