A Dental MASH Unit in Gwo Jan

While on leave in the United States, Dr. Trey Wilson ordered some dental supplies for Joseph Antony, one of the Haitian dentists who participated in the Tabasamu dental clinic and T3 training in May. I brought them back with me and called Joseph to schedule a time for him to pick them up. When he stopped by, Joseph mentioned that he was organizing a dental clinic in Gwo Jean during the third week of August. He had brought a beautiful young woman with him, Falide, who was also a dentist and his girlfriend. I was thrilled about the dental camp in Gwo Jean and asked if I could be of assistance. We decided to meet the following week and finalize all the details.

Joseph had already done most of the planning for the clinic. I made a few suggestions and offered to help on the first day. The only remaining concern was transportation (Surprise! Surprise!). I offered to contact one of the drivers who drove to Gwo Jan on a regular basis. However, Joseph assured me that he was pursuing some options.

In the course of the final e-mails the week of the clinic, I learned that the clinic was going to be held at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. I envisioned providing important dental care amidst pews and altar, truly sacred space where God was laying his healing hand upon those who required it.

The first day of the clinic arrived. I had done all the necessary shopping, including the purchase of an Igloo and cooler (not easy commodities to find in Haiti!) and was ready to be picked up. Joseph’s friend had been unavailable to drive, so he secured a tap tap driver. I wondered if this driver was actually familiar with the final road to Gwo Jean- a decidedly steep and rocky climb. However, I decided to keep my thoughts to myself. As was the case with the reforestation initiative, we found ourselves about ½ to Gwo Jean when the chauffeur pulled over and began to negotiate for a higher wage. At this point, he argued that he had not been aware of the distance. His attempts failed and, soon, we were back on our way. As we made the arduous ascent to Gwo Jean, there were another 2-3 occasions when the chauffeur stopped and groused about the condition of the road, the challenge to his brakes etc. Ultimately, however, he continued to drive us to our final destination. He backed the tap tap up to a little incline to the left hand side of the road. A small group of volunteers appeared and, as we unloaded the supplies, willingly took items and started to walk up the hill. I was a little surprised that there was no road access to the church. However, I folded in and went along with everyone else, taking pictures along the way.

As we arrived at the crest of the hill, I saw before me not a bricks and mortar structure but, rather, a mission church created from woven palms and supported with small tree trunks. I had to laugh- I had lived in Haiti for 9 months and it never occurred to me to ask about the physical construction of the church. Silly me, I should have known better!

In approaching the church, I could see that the right front corner had been designated as the operatory. Volunteers had already created a sterile space with sheets. They had also placed a sheet over that section of roof to reduce the intensity of the sun’s heat.

Before Joseph and Falide set up the operatory, we added a second sheet to the ceiling. Though it was only 9:30 a.m., the sun was already beating down on the church. Joseph also switched out one of the sheets on the back wall for a sterile covering typically placed over a patient during surgery. Joseph and Falide unpacked and organized all the instruments and set up the collapsible dental chairs. Simultaneously, the registration volunteers reviewed the list of patients and created additional numbers for “walk-ins”. Within about 30 minutes, we were ready to see the first two patients.

Before receiving those patients, Falide stepped outside of the operatory and made some introductory remarks. I beckoned Joseph who introduced himself and shared a few details about the schedule for the day. I was taking pictures during their presentation. When they had finished speaking, the three of us started to re-enter the operatory. An older gentleman shouted out something in Creole. Joseph apologized and told me that the man wanted to know who I was. They introduced me and then it was time to begin.

My responsibilities included sterilizing instruments, providing patients with bibs (paper towels) & cups of water for patients and disposing of cups filled with spit. At the end of each cleaning and/or evaluation, I presented the patient with a toothbrush and two instruction sheets, translated into Creole, on how to brush teeth and general dental hygiene. Of course, I also documented the day with lots of pictures.

Around noon, a 3rd dentist, Francois, made the scene. He had spent the morning in his clinic at the hospital in Pernier. He would now spend the afternoon volunteering with us.

Despite the cramped quarters, everyone honored their own space and the operatory remained remarkably sterile. I kept thinking of “MASH”, one of my favorite movies and TV series. This experience gave me a glimpse into what it must have been like to offer medical care in what some might define as a “hostile environment”. Though the setting was rustic, the atmosphere was anything but hostile. There was a true sense of partnership and teamwork. Laughter and lively conversation filled the operatory. There was also important care given to each patient, including counsel on ways to improve their oral hygiene and more complicated dental issues that could not be addressed during this particular clinic.

Just before the last two patients, around 3:30 p.m., we took a break for lunch. The timing was perfect, as I was starving. We all ate quickly and then Joseph and Falide treated the final patients. We packed everything up and left most of the supplies in Gwo Jean for the next day. The tap tap driver arrived, loaded the few things we were taking to Port au Prince and we headed home.

It had been a good day. We treated about 20 patients. We might have treated more if we had not charged them. However, we felt it was important to set a small fee for the dental care that they received. This also helped to offset the cost of the program. Joseph and Falide treated about the same number of patients the next day. Since then, word of the quality care that the patients received has spread and there is a cry for a second clinic in Gwo Jean. Joseph, Falide and I hope this can happen in the next couple of months.

Joseph, Falide and Francois represent the wonderful spirit of Haitian people and the incredible ingenuity and determination of their generation of young professionals. I think it is very important to encourage their commitment and vision, for they are truly the future of Haiti. Joseph, in particular, has a contagious energy and important understanding of the need to lend a hand to serve the underserved while pursuing one's professional dreams. It is a joy and blessing to work with Joseph and all the special young adults that he brings to his initiatives.

Meeting Milhous Rabel in Thiotte

Today’s technology has revolutionized the way we interact and also the capacity to connect and re-connect with others. When I prepared to depart for Haiti, Hannah Powell, one of Trinity’s youth group members, urged me to establish a blog and get on Facebook. I took her advice on both and, through these forms of electronic communication, I have met new people and had others long since absent return to my life.

My 35th high school reunion was last April. A member of my class set up a Facebook page and, within a very short period of time, names and faces of people who I hadn’t seen or heard from for over three decades, began to surface. It was wonderful. Along with this pre-reunion reunion came a string of old photographs that prompted all kinds of great memories and much laughter.

Since I was not able to attend the reunion, I sent a message to my fellow classmates, sharing a little bit about my work in Haiti and letting them know that they would be in my thoughts and prayers as they came together. This e-mail prompted a response from Jeannette Pittman. Now living in England, Jeannette sponsors two children through an organization called ActionAid (www.actionaid.org). One of these children is located in Rwanda and the other in Haiti. When I learned this, I let her known that I had visited a child in Nairobi, Kenya sponsored by the sister of a friend of mine through another organization. I offered to visit Jeannette’s child in Haiti. I explained that, in such cases, the sponsor needed to make the request of the organization.

Jeannette was excited by such a prospect and said that she would contact ActionAid. Some time passed, during which Jeannette sent a couple of e-mails to me expressing diminished confidence that this was going to happen. Eventually, though, she did receive a response from ActionAid and, almost simultaneously, so did I.

Edithe Mathieu, Sponsorship Junior Officer in the ActionAid Port au Prince offices, became my contact. She was extremely efficient, both in terms of communication and also making all the necessary arrangements. We began the planning before I departed for my leave in July. I learned that the little girl’s name was Milhous Rabel. She was 9 years old and lived in a town called Thiotte. Thiotte is in South Haiti, about 3 ½ hours from Port au Prince. It is the #1 producer of coffee in Haiti and about a 2-hour drive from the border of the Dominican Republic.

As I investigated transportation options, I learned that a journey from Port au Prince to Thiotte required changing buses three times. Since I was not familiar with this part of Haiti, and still somewhat limited in speaking Creole, I decided that this was not viable for me. I contacted Edithe and asked if someone from ActionAid might be traveling to and from Thiotte and could give me a ride. She responded by saying that round trip transportation would be provided by ActionAid. As a result of the distance and the length of the visit with Milhous, Edithe said that we would spend the night at a Guest House in Thiotte and return the next morning. We set the date for August 18.

Time passed quickly and, soon, I was back from leave and ready to finalize the details for the visit with Milhous. ActionAid does not endorse having a single child receive gifts or benefits over and above others. Along with Milhous, I would meet with 9 other children. I was invited to sponsor a pizza and ice cream lunch and/or bring small gifts for all of them. I chose to do both.

August 18 arrived and I was picked up by Edithe and another gentleman. I quickly learned that we needed to purchase the ice cream and pizza in Port au Prince. It was another reminder how much Americans take for granted with regard to easy and immediate access to virtually all things. We picked up the ice cream at one of my usual markets, Piyay National. Then it was on to Epidor for two large home made pizza pies.

Once we had the essential items for the party, we began to creep our way out of Port au Prince and through Croix de Bouquets (the home of Haiti’s beautifully crafted iron art) during the morning traffic. After Croix de Bouquets, the road started to open up. After we drove past Fon Parisien, the rest of the trip was going to be uncharted territory for me. And uncharted it was. I have traveled on some pretty bad roads in Kenya, Guatemala and Haiti. However, this trip was, without a doubt, on the worst roads that I have experienced.

The balance of the drive was filled with narrow paths of rubble, up and down steep mountain, around hairpin turns and down into valleys, all with enough jockeying and bouncing to destroy the best of shock absorbers. Guard rails are almost non-existent in Haiti, so one was keenly aware that one sudden swerve or slip of the tires and you might well find yourself down a mountainside. One is particularly aware of this when a large truck on tap tap passed by. Thankfully, our “chauffeur” was an excellent driver.

Amidst the “adventure”, I saw the greatest spectrum of landscape-vast expanses of land devastated by deforestation and a major flood in 2004, resulting in miles of boulders and other rock where a small river and various communities once stood; a beautiful pine forest; exquisitely terraced farms; and lush, almost jungle like areas representing the heart of the coffee business.

Once in Thiotte, we first visited the regional offices. We were greeted by officials of both ActionAid and their national partner CROSE. A lovely snack of boiled eggs, fresh bananas, bread and coffee were provided. Within about 20 minutes, we were off to meet Milhous and the other students.

As we approached the school grounds, there were two brightly painted buildings, one to the left and the other to the right. In the center, there was a large tree providing significant shade. Under the tree, we found Milhous, her parents, the other 9 nine children and about half a dozen adults seated and patiently waiting.

I was first introduced to Milhous and her parents. Milhous wore a beautiful cream-colored lace dress. Her parents were also impeccably dressed. It was an emotionally charged moment for me as I became the conduit through whom Jeannette was linked to Milhous and her parents. I fought back the tears and joyfully shook their hands. I then greeted the rest of the children and adults.

After introductions, we began to serve the pizza and the ice cream, still surprising cold, to everyone. The children were incredibly well behaved, each patiently waiting to receive their serving.

Following their snack, I distributed a few gifts to each child: a beenie baby, box of crayons, pencils and 3 toothbrushes. Given my involvement with Tabasamu, I always try to provide toothbrushes wherever I visit. The children seemed to like everything. One little boy received a bright yellow duck for his beenie baby. He clung to it all afternoon, even in the group pictures. Edith Evans, my mother-in-law, had donated the beenie babies. Her loving gesture brought great joy to the lives of these children.

Since I provided dental instruction sheets in Creole, I was asked to do a small presentation on good dental care. The children were attentive, though clearly the length of the day was beginning to effect their energy level. As so often happens in Tabasamu programs geared for children, the adults who were present seized the opportunity to ask their own questions.

At the end, I asked if there were any other questions that the group had for me. Milhous’ father asked if it was possible that Jeannette might visit Haiti some day. I explained that she lived in England and that it might be difficult. I was then told that I was the first person to visit a sponsored child in Haiti. Perhaps those who are reading this posting, and who sponsor a child through ActionAid in Haiti, will consider making a visit. It was certainly a blessing for me and was clearly meaningful to Milhous, her parents and the broader community.

Following the dental program, everyone assembled for group photos. Then it was time to say goodbye and head to the micro finance coffee business. The coffee company has been in existence for several years and exports coffee to various countries, including Japan and the United States. This enterprise not only provides income to sustain ActionAid’s regional programs, it also offers employment to a significant number of parents of the sponsored children. It was an impressive operation and a wonderful example of local business supporting community development.

We left the coffee business and headed to the Esperanta Guest House, stopping briefly to purchase some of the wonderful coffee that we had witnessed in production.

Esperanta was a lovely multi-room guest house, which also hosts banquets, weddings etc. We checked in and had time to relax a bit before dinner was served. Given the altitude, the air was delightful. I sprayed the tops of my sheets and the balcony doorway, so that I could keep everything open.

Dinner was delicious-rice, beef with sauce, plantains, salad and fresh juice. After taking a shower, the rest of the evening was spent catching up on a few e-mails via my BlackBerry and reading Mountains Beyond Mountains.

Breakfast (classic Haitian spaghetti with ketchup & fresh juice) was served at 7 a.m. the next morning and we were on the road by 7:30 a.m. Edithe and the chauffeur were quite gracious in allowing me to request a stop whenever I wanted to take pictures. I took full advantage of their kindness, particularly in the forest and in the area of the terrace farming.

When we returned to Port au Prince, Edithe took me to the central office. She provided me with a full tour that ended in the sponsorship office. I completed the visit evaluation form on line and, as I got up to leave, was presented with a lovely collection of ActionAid gift items. The straw hat and the travel first aid kit would definitely come in handy! I thanked everyone for all of their efforts in making this memorable trip happen, especially Edithe. Then Edithe and the driver took me home.

Sometimes we think the world is very large and disconnected. My visit to Thiotte brought three countries together- England-Jeannette’s home; the U.S.-my home and Haiti. It took a team effort to make this amazing encounter take place. And, for a brief time, the world became very small.

Haiti should take care of disabled children - Editorials - MiamiHerald.com

http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/editorials/story/1213496.html

The Episcopal Diocese of Haiti & Trees for the Future-A Reforestation Partnership

A Little Background

Before leaving for Haiti, I made a special presentation to the members of Trinity Youth Group (TYG). At that time, I announced my intention to facilitate a two-week summer mission trip to Haiti. Participants would return to Haiti with me following my leave and share in both cultural immersion and two community-based initiatives. I had hoped for a strong representation of TYG members in this trip and was therefore eager to learn in which projects they were interested. Among other things, I shared the long history of deforestation in Haiti and the devastating effects that it has had on the landscape, wildlife and economy of the country. Megan Piette, a high school sophomore, expressed real concern over this issue and wanted to know hoe group could offer assistance.

Megan’s passion over the challenge of deforestation, coupled with a connection I had already established with a member of a greening organization working in Haiti, actually confirmed that one of the summer mission projects would focus on the issue. For me, Megan’s concern and interest was a sign that this was an area of high priority for the future of Haiti.

Weeks and months passed, more extensive materials were distributed on the summer mission trip along with monthly articles and other promotions. Despite these efforts, which spanned far beyond my home parish, no youth expressed an interest in participating. Though I could certainly invest time trying to analyze the reasons and examine what I could have done differently to successfully launch the program, I chose to accept the situation and decide how I might best execute the two projects that I had identified.

Since Timote Georges, the Field Manager in Haiti for Trees for the Future (www.treesftf.org), and I had been strategizing this project throughout my time in Haiti, it certainly seemed feasible to identify an all-Haitian volunteer team. As I also discussed this with Oge Beauvoir, the Dean of the Seminaire de Theologie, he expressed a desire to involve the youth of the Episcopal Church in Arcahaie, St. Thomas. Timote and I scheduled a meeting with Pere Deveaux, head priest of St. Thomas in mid-May. As we shared the mission and vision for the project, Pere Deveaux told us that the Church’s scout troop had been eager to participate in such an initiative and should, therefore, represent the volunteer force from St. Thomas. He called one of the scout leaders who joined the discussion. Soon dates were confirmed and preliminary logistics set.

While I was on leave, Timote held a couple more detailed meetings with the scouts. When I returned in early August, Timote and I had a final planning session and arranged to spend a morning shopping for all the necessary supplies.

The Project Itself

During my years of leadership in the youth program at Trinity, a week long residential outreach program in the city of Philadelphia called Mission Philadelphia had been created. Initially, the group engaged in a wide variety of projects throughout the city. During the past 7 years, they have partnered with a greening organization call Urban Tree Connection (www.urbantreeconnection.org) and helped to transform abandoned spaces in the West Philadelphia corridor into inviting, community utilized gardens and parks. The key to the success of these projects is the significant relationships that are forged within the neighborhoods where the work takes place. Community members not only participate in the week’s experience, they continue their commitment to the initiatives throughout the year.

The model for Treesftf is quite similar. As Field Manager in Haiti, Timote receives requests from communities in the regions most affected by deforestation. He holds meetings with them and, together, they determine the best way to move forward in the given area. Trees for the Future supplies the equipment, seeds and other associates supplies for each sponsoring area. The ongoing stewardship of the project is the responsibility of each community. Thus far, this approach has been a most successful one. However, there continue to be two consistent challenges to the growth and sustainability of the reforestation program- food for community volunteers and transportation.

Hunger is probably the number one health challenge in Haiti. Since most of the reforestation work is taking place in outlying areas, the issue of starvation is even more striking. Thanks to the generosity of my Mission supporters, especially those who made some special gifts in the late Spring and during my leave, Timote and I were going to be able to offer both breakfast- coffee and bread with mamba (peanut butter) and lunch (rice, beans, beet salad, meat and pikliz (a kind of spicy cole slaw-delicious!) along with unlimited water and juice throughout the day. We took comfort in knowing that both the scouts and community members were guaranteed two meals on the days we partnered in their area.

Transportation is another major issue in Haiti. Few individuals have their own vehicles, especially in rural areas. The roads are in terrible condition, often requiring a 4 wheel drive or pick up. This is especially true in the rugged and mountainous regions where much of the reforestation occurs. Again, because of the support of so many to my work in Haiti, we were able to rent a truck for the two days of the program. This not only allowed for the transport of supplies but also all the workers.

Since this was a first experience for the scouts of St. Thomas, Timote identified two established programs located 20-30 minutes from the Church. The first was located in Bercy. It included a significant parcel of land on which to plant trees, a tree nursery and a large compost pile. The second location was in Caryies, a hilly and rocky region where the community leader, had established the nursery on his own property.

Timote and I left Port au Prince late Sunday afternoon with a truck full of supplies. Junior, the driver for the LAMP Clinic of Cite Soleil, had graciously offered to serve as the driver for most of the project. What a God send! We arrived at St. Thomas to find the scouts assembled and waiting to meet me, receive marching orders for the next day and ask any questions. They were very excited about the program, and eager to receive their t-shirts! Some questions already anticipated future programming.

Given the August heat, we woke up at 5 a.m. and prepared for a 6:30 a.m. departure for the work site. One group pulled all the equipment out of the storage area and began to assemble the two wheelbarrows and a couple of the tools. Another small group left to purchase 7 five-gallon jugs of purified water. I was on bread and mamba duty, while a few men pulled the HUGE block of ice off the ice truck (a sight no longer seen in the states!). The cooks prepared coffee avek anpil sik (with lots of sugar!) and everyone gathered for breakfast.

Junior was not available until later in the morning, so Timote recruited a local tap tap driver to take us to Bercy. All was well until we turned off the main road to “uncharted territory”. As we moved through ever-increasing high grass and brush on a narrow dirt path, the grumblings of the driver and his partner also increased in both length of complaint and volume. At one point, they stopped the tap tap and refused to go any further. After some negotiation, however, we were back on our way. Within another 15 minutes, it was clear that the rest of the journey was going to need to be on foot. We paid the richly deserved fare, and began trudging through the terrain with all of the supplies. Perhaps this is a good time to mention that there were 28 scouts who ranged in age from 9-16. There were 4 troop leaders, all in their early 20’s. Everyone took something, whether a handful of tools or a 7 gallon jug of water, and moved through the high vegetation, under an already intense sun. Soon we arrived at relatively open space. The nursery and the beginning of a compost pile could be seen beyond some banana trees to the far left. Straight away there was a nice shade tree on a small rise. This would become our central location for equipment, hydration, food and rest. To the right, there was a partially cleared field of banana trees. This area would be prepared by the group. There was a third location where the ground needed to be loosened with pick axes for tree planting. Given the intensity of the labor, this project would involve the some of the older volunteers and Timote.









Work began around 7:30 a.m. Intense progress was made for the next few hours. Beverage igloos were deployed to the different locations. It was incredibly hot. My job was to make sure that the Igloos remained full and iced. This was a fairly constant activity. I also manned the central gathering place.

There was a group break around 10:30 a.m. People returned to their assigned areas until around 12:30 p.m. As the middle of the day approached, all but the older crew stopped and waited for lunch. I had a little bread and Mamba left from breakfast to spell those who were hungry. A parade of cooks and Jr. arrived around 1 p.m. Even after 8 ½ months of being in Haiti, I continue to be amazed at the volume and weight that Haitians can carry, especially on their heads! Large metal pots of rice and beans, more jugs of water and the rest of the wonderful meal were quickly arranged in a buffet line. Everything was delicious and rapidly consumed.

Everything was packed up and the first part of the group headed to the vehicle with Jr. He shuttled them to the road and headed back for the rest of us. Timote and I were part of the second group. As we headed to the pick up point, we stopped to speak with two farmers along the way. Interestingly, they were engaged in some of the very environmental work that Trees for the Future is training other Haitians to do. As we proceeded, Timote remarked that, in his mind, Haitian farmers are the foundation and heart of the country. While formally untrained in certain areas, they have a keen awareness of surroundings and man’s impact on nature. They work to diminish these problems on their own property.

After making two runs back to St. Thomas, we thanked the scouts for a hard day’s work and bid them farewell until 5:30 a.m. the next morning. We headed for the public beach and experienced a brief relief from the heat until a thunderstorm rolled in. We quickly gathered up our things and ran to the car. On the way back to the Rectory, we picked up some BBQ (chicken in a clear pike spicy sauce-delicious!). It was the perfect end to a perfect day.

I woke up at 5 a.m. the next morning and assembled 60 sliced rolls with mamba. The scouts gathered, formed a circle for their group prayer and the first group jumped into Jr’s car. The ride to Cariyes took us down the main highway toward the beaches. Suddenly, we made a quick right and began to ascend a narrow and rocky road. About 10 minutes later, we stopped in front of a fenced property. As we entered the gate, there was an outdoor dining area, a charming little stone house to the left, a cooking area toward the back and, to the right, a well established tree nursery.

The first order of business was breakfast, Everyone sat down and I doled out the bread and mamba. The cooks had prepared coffee and also offered fresh avocado (in season at this time of year) and bananas. When this group finished eating, they began to process enriched soil for the seedling bags. This was done by first stomping on piles of manure and then adding it to a large pile of soil along with an enriched grain like substance. The soil mixture was properly tossed and blended, resulting in a mountain of dirt. A number of youth and adults gathered round and began filling the seedling bags. As they were filled, other youth took them into the nursery, where they were topped off and carefully lined up. Within a few hours, the HUGE pile of organic soil had disappeared and the nursery was, once again, filled with little seedlings.

While this work was taking place, there were two other teams planting more mature seedlings, one above the nursery in a large open area and the other on a rise along the road we used to arrive at Cariyes.

One of the reasons that our second day of work started so early was that a 23-year old member of the scout troop had died recently and his funeral was scheduled for that afternoon. I was told that he died of anemia. I suspect it was Sickle Cell Anemia. Certainly a sad time for the community.

We stopped work around 1 pm. We returned to the nursery, washed hands and shared in a fabulous lunch of fish (the best I have had during my entire stay in Haiti), chicken, beet salad, and rice. Then it was time to load up the truck and say good-bye. Just before departure, we took a group picture. It was great to have the volunteer team in their lime green shirts. Of course, the community leaders and the cooks were also an important part of the day.

We shuttled the crew back to St. Thomas in the same fashion as we had the previous day. I drove with Jr. on both runs between Cariyes and St. Thomas. The first group created the following song about deforestation and sang it during the entire ride back to the church:

Escout sen toma yo: we
St. Tomas Scouts: Hey
Nou sot plante: bwa
We come to plant: Trees
Poun rebwaze: Peyi a
To reforest: Our country
(Repeat many times)

Fok nou plante: bwa
We should plant: trees
Poun rebwaze: Peyia
For reforesting: The country
(Repeat many times)

It reminded me of the many wonderful mission trips I had shared with youth at Trinity. These scouts had not only deepened their own community though this experience, they had developed a real commitment to environmental work in Haiti.

When all had returned to St. Thomas, there was a brief gathering to offer thanks and allow for questions and comments. The overall theme of this time was the enthusiasm over what the scouts had done during the past two days and the eagerness to continue the work. Of course, identifying funding sources is going to be critical. I offered some suggestions. The scouts also have a few ideas. Certainly, anyone reading this blog who wishes to offer support can contact me. This assistance can be provided by individuals, churches and organizations.

I returned home dusty, sweaty and filled with a sense that the intergenerational, community based approach to reforestation is the ideal model for sustainability and capacity building. I was also excited to see the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti take a major step in Arcahaie toward being good stewards of God’s creation.

A Seminarian’s First Trip to America

Last Wednesday, August 5th, Marie Carmel Chery, a rising third year student at Seminaire de Theologie, took her first plane ride across the Atlantic Ocean and began an exciting visit in the United States. Carmel and the only other woman at the Seminary, Margarette Saintilver, were offered summer internships with Episcopal parishes in the United States. This is a rare opportunity for any Seminarian from Haiti, let alone a female student.

Margarette left for her post at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Bangor, Maine a couple of weeks ago. I was on my leave when she departed and not able to share in all of her final preparations. I was pleased that I returned to Haiti in time to support Carmel as she readied for 6 weeks in the Diocese of Upper South Carolina.

It had been a long journey for both Carmel and Margarette to be eligible for such an experience. They each had to secure passports and then Visas. It is extremely difficult for Haitians to obtain Visas, especially single young adults who appear to have the least motivation to return to their homeland. Once Carmel and Margarette had their passports, they visited Sogebank, paid a fee and made an appointment at the American Embassy. They left the apartment at 6 a.m. and returned at 11 a.m., having successfully secured their Visas. They were particularly excited about receiving their Visas since they had stood in a line where the representative was issuing them to very few people.

Ongoing communication followed with the sponsoring churches and respective planning committees, arranging housing, schedules of activities and, of course, airline tickets. Soon it was time to make final preparation for departure.

When I returned to Haiti last week, I found Carmel feverishly washing clothes and organizing her personal things for the trip. She also secured all prescriptions and other items that she might not find in the states. When it was time to pack, Carmel loaded a large suitcase with an ample supply of outfits, toiletries, books etc. We went to bed around 11:30 p.m.

Carmel and I were up at 5 a.m. the next morning. She had a beautiful new outfit on and was packing the last of her items. Her father, also in a new shirt and pair of slacks, joined us to spend a little time with Carmel and travel to the airport. We quickly ate breakfast and loaded the car.

At 6:30 a.m. in Port au Prince, there is certainly traffic. However, it is not nearly as bad as later in the day. We arrived at the airport in record time. We unloaded her suitcases and made sure that she had a “red cap” (an airport sky cap) to assist her. Then it was a group picture and she was off to manage security and check-in on her own.

I texted her a couple of times while she was in the Port au Prince airport . She let me know when she had boarded the plane. Then all was silent until I received confirmation from the sponsors who met her at the Charlotte, South Carolina plane that she had arrived safely.

Given my age, the fact that I am a mother and my professional background working with youth and young adults, I have been particularly committed to seeing that Margarette and Carmel felt well prepared for their internship experience and making certain that their time in the states would be fulfilling and transformative. Though Carmel has only been in South Carolina for about a week, I have the sense that she is both enjoying her time and learning a great deal. I also have no doubt that the members of her sponsoring parishes, particularly those on the Internship Planning Committee, are also appreciating the opportunity to better understand the rich and vibrant culture of Haiti and the depth of training that postulants receive in the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti.

Bill Clinton to Haiti With Entrepeneurs-Let's Hope This Visit Yields Financial Benefit For Haiti!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090809/ts_nm/us_haiti_clinton_1

A Wonderful Time In The States & A Return To Haiti

I apologize for the month of silence. I really tried to honor my time with family and friends while in the states. As urged by my Bishop, I also needed give myself time for rest and renewal. This is not an easy practice for me. However, I did manage to designate some personal time into the weeks at home.

As I suspected, my visit passed very quickly. I scheduled many appointments and social get togethers well in advance of my arrival. This was done to assure that I took care of all the personal and professional needs as well as the very important reunions with those who I love and who have supported me throughout my discernment and execution of mission. Despite the best of intentions and heartfelt desires, there were several people who I did not have a chance to see. I felt very badly about this and hope that they understand. I will certainly look forward to seeing them in November when I conclude my service in Haiti.

The end of my time in the U.S was met with some difficulties related to my flight back to Haiti. Delta began to fly to Haiti in late June. I was thrilled by this news. American has been the only commercial airline to fly into Haiti and they are long overdue for some competition. I booked my last round trip excursion with them and looked forward to experiencing what I assumed would be the utmost professionalism and great customer service.

I had a 9 a.m. non-stop flight out of JFK airport in NYC, a hub for Delta. I arrived at 6:45 a.m., allowing plenty of time to process a boarding ticket, check baggage and board. I pulled up to what appeared to be curbside check-in. I was excited, as this would both save time and eliminate the need to drag three heavy suitcases inside. Within 15 minutes, it was clear that these representatives were not really doing anything other than confusing the passengers. I proceeded inside, loaded a cart and joined a HUGE line of passengers, all being served by half the number of representatives who should have been on duty for such a large group of customers. General chaos and inefficiency reigned, resulting in many, including me, missing our flights. I found myself faced with spending the day and evening at the airport in anticipation of boarding the same flight on Monday morning.

Despite my disappointment and frustration, my “stay” at JFK actually proved quite interesting. During the hours that followed, I observed the comings and goings of countless people from all possible nationalities and was truly amazed by the diversity of travelers passing through the airport. I had personal interactions with a Ghanaian gentleman named Derek who was based in South Dakota and had traveled to many countries including Russia, China and Tanzania, engaged in community-based initiatives on behalf of a Christian non-profit. I also had a delightful conversation with a 9-year-old Irish girl while her mother ordered their dinner. Apparently, she travels to the U.S. each summer visiting different parts of the country. She was remarkably poised and worldly for her age.

My observations at JFK airport are a clear reminder that our world has truly become quite small. We are called to embrace such opportunities, to deepen our understanding of each other and open our hearts to the rich and abundant cultures of the globe.

Now, back to my 48 hours journey to Haiti! My check in process on Monday morning went a little more smoothly. The waiting area for the flight was filled with Haitians. It was wonderful to hear the banter in Creole and re-aquaint myself with the wonderful Haitian spirit and laughter. As we landed in Port au Prince, all the passengers cheered. They were equally responsive when hearing the live Haitian music being played as we entered the terminal. Once I passed through the customs, baggage claim and security clearance areas, I exited the building. Oge Beauvoir, the Dean of Seminaire de Theologie, had arranged to meet me. However, much to my surprise, I was also greeted by Moliere, a gentleman who has provided transportation to me and my friends visiting Haiti. Although he knew that Oge was meeting me, he wanted to welcome me back to Haiti as well. I was so touched. Moliere was an instant reminder of the warmth and remarkable commitment to friendship that is inherent to Haiti. Though I know I will miss my family and friends in the U.S. during my final months in Haiti, I also know that the love and comradery that I experience here with so many people will sustain me. In fact, it is that same sense of community which will make it very difficult to say goodbye on November 2nd.