Our Next Adventure

Yes, yes. It has been a while since I've blogged, or at least it feels like it. But, in a week I will hopefully have another adventure to post about. In the morning 9 of us are leaving for Jacmel. I posted about our last adventure there back in October. This time, instead of driving we are hiking. It is a 1-2 day hike (we have heard various estimates on the length and difficulty of the hike) but are planning on camping along the way. We will spend two nights in Jacmel and then return. We will go near a small town called Seguin and camp around there. We will return (si Bondye vle) on Friday with interesting stories of camping in the Haitian countryside.

One Year Later

One year ago today I was on a plane that left Dallas, took a pit stop in Fort Lauderdale, and finally stopped in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. I was anxious over what I was leaving behind. As a first year teacher in the middle of the crazy season of preparing my students to take the dreaded state tests, I wasn’t sure if leaving for a week was such a good idea. I had a great sub and, thankfully, was able to leave that part of my world behind for the next 9 days. Good thing too because I had no idea what God had in store for me. 

At the Port-au-Prince airport, when you land, you deplane onto the tarmac (or whatever that is called) and then get on a shuttle to go to the building that houses customs and immigration and baggage claim. When I stepped out of the plane I felt the hot, steamy Caribbean air and saw the mountains that lie behind the airport. It was weird, but in that moment I knew that this short week in Haiti would not be my only experience in this country. I didn’t know how or in what way, but somehow Haiti would be a part of my life in some form or fashion. That may seem weird if you have never experienced it, but its the way I felt. But even then, knowing I would somehow be connected to Haiti, I didn’t know the specific how. Looking back a year from now, I remember those feelings. The excitement of the possibility of being involved here coupled with the uncertainty of knowing how. 

But here is is, one year later and I know I am right where I need to be. I’ve said that probably 754 times, but its so true. Yesterday I met my friend from Dallas at the airport here in Haiti. She is co-leading a team from Watermark (my church in Dallas) for a week here, partnering with Mission of Hope. It was weird to think back to me being in that place this time last year. I wonder what this week will bring for their team. What they think about Haiti and what God is going to do in their hearts this week. I am meeting another group from that same church this Thursday evening and riding with them out to Mission of Hope to spend Thursday night and Friday night. How fitting that my first visit out there since my first trip to Haiti falls right around the one-year later mark. 

I’m filled with joy when I think about what God has done in my heart and in my life in the last 365 days. One lesson of many that I have learned is to really trust God with his plan for me. He knows best, I just need to get out of the way most times. 

The Power of Hello

Ok, let’s just get this out there now. I am white. I am also American; and I’m not just “born in America” American, I am born, bred, raised (trained) American. When I walk I either look down or look people straight in the eye. I don’t make a conscious effort to smile at someone when I walk by. It’s not that I am mad or closed off or trying to appear tough, I just usually go about my business and don’t think about the people I’m passing by. 

When I go to the grocery store in America I will sometimes say “Hi” to the person at the checkout line, and I will always return the obligatory “How are you?” with the equally obligatory response, “Fine, thanks. And you?” But that response comes more out of 24 years of training than it does from a deep seated place of caring about that person. I wouldn’t describe myself as cold or rude, and I don’t think those that know me would either, I’m just American. Busy, in a hurry, American.

Now, I’m an American living in Haiti and I’ve learned some valuable lessons. Don’t drink the water. Always wash your vegetables twice. Ants can infiltrate the microwave to eat your food. But I think the most important lesson I have learned is the power of hello, or bonjou if you will. This is a lesson I didn’t learn until mid-November, 3 1/2 months after I had arrived. In our Creole lessons our instructor doesn’t just teach us Creole, he also teaches us about the nuances of Haitian culture. One of the things he told us was the importance of saying hello and greeting people before you ever ask for anything. It is an extreme sign of rudeness to just walk up and ask for what you want without saying “hello” first. Not “how are you,” you must say “hello.” Simple right? And I bet you’re judging me for a)thinking it took me three and a half months to figure this out and b) for being a heartless person who never says hello. However, before you judge me, think about how many times you are at a restaurant or a store and you just ask for what you want without a smile and a “hello.” Now think about having to buy that thing or order that item in a different language. Trying to translate what you want in English into Creole all while counting out your money and converting the money from gourdes to dollars in your head to see how much it costs! It is easy to forget the “hello.”

This revelation has done so much to change my outlook. Before I walked down the street and got hard, cold stares and felt intimidated and unwelcome. I felt like the marchans (ladies selling produce on the sidewalks) were annoyed with me purchasing items from them. Now, as I walk down the street I throw a small smile and a bonjou (or bonswa, depending on the time of day. Bonswa = good afternoon/evening, bonjou = good morning) and without fail I receive in return a warm, friendly smile and a similar greeting. Where I once felt unwelcome, I now feel like I belong in a culture I don’t quite fully understand and one that doesn’t fully know what to do with me. But, with a little smile and a small greeting, I feel more at home. 

It’s amazing the power one can find in “hello.”

Bad at Blogging

I realized this morning it had been a week and a half since I had written anything. Never fear, I am still alive. There just hasn't been too terribly much to post about. I go to work, I teach, I grade papers, I come home, I eat, I sleep. My day is not to terribly different from anyone else's, I just happen to do my day in a slightly different location.

News: JoAnn (from previous post) started school this week! She is going to a French school in the city. I'm thankful for Jill & Kellyanne's faithfulness in this situation and for the Lord's goodness in providing a school for her to go to as well as the funds to make that happen!

This past week we had our third volleyball match. Our girls played against a French school here in the city. The school we played against is known for being fabulous at volleyball, and they were. We had played them before, but their margin of victory was smaller this time around. We play them at our school next Wednesday and I think the outcome will be different.

Creole classes started up again this week. There is nothing more humbling than sitting in a classroom for two hours and not really knowing what is going on. The number of people in the class has dropped significantly due to busy schedules and life getting in the way. I am going to try and stick it out for the next four weeks. I have learned a lot. This session of the class will be taught mostly in Creole and I am surprised by what I am able to pick up. At the very least, I am better able to understand some of what my students go through. I feel a greater bit of sympathy for that one kid in the class who is behind and struggling to catch up. Its frustrating and exhausting all at the same time and I will never look at "that kid" the same way.

This afternoon we are heading to the beach for the weekend for our QCS staff retreat. Another perk of teaching in Haiti...the beach is a short two hour drive away. Friday-Sunday at the beach. I'm excited to get there and swim, play, read, relax.

That's about all that's happening in my world right now. There are some fun things coming up in the next few weeks: I'm going with our senior class on a hike up to Seguin. The next weekend I will be meeting up with Watermark's family team coming in on Thursday the 16th and joining them, as well as my friend Roseana and the team she is bringing down, at Mission of Hope for a few days. Then, our spring break is the next week and a few of us are going to attempt to hike to Jacmel and spend a couple of days there.

School Rocks!

A few weeks ago two fellow QCS teachers,  Jill & Kellyanne, met 3 girls and began talking with them. Their names are JoAnnn (the oldest, 12), Cassandra (about 10), Fideria (I would guess about 7, maybe younger. I’m really bad at guessing ages). The girls live in the ravine close by our school. After a couple of conversations, Jill and Kellyanne found out that the girls were not in school. (Sad fact, 50% of primary school age children are not enrolled in school (UNICEF)). Miquette, founder of TeacHaiti, found out about the girls and wanted to meet with their mother. She had the girls tested and the two younger siblings, Cassandra and Fideria, were accepted to the TeacHaiti school. Unfortunately, JoAnn was not. You can read more about it at Jill’s blog here.

JoAnn & Jill

A few weeks ago, my parents decided to sponsor a TeacHaiti student. Normally, the big push for sponsors is done in the summer with the cut-off around August 1, because that is when school starts. I didn’t know what would happen if someone began sponsoring mid-year. Now I know. I was talking with Miquette last week and she told me that my parents would be sponsoring one of the little girls, Cassandra or Fideria! How sweet it is that it would work this way. The girls’ first day of school at the TeacHaiti school was on Tuesday. 

JoAnn in the white, Cassandra in the middle, Fideria in the pink, Jill...the blan.

Yesterday, Jill and I went to the house where the girls were staying to see how their first day of school was. JoAnn (older sister) had met us at the school and walked us to her house and let us in. Joseph, the man of the household (not sure what his relation to the girls is) was hemming jeans for the girls to wear to school (the TeacHaiti uniform rocks: Jeans and a brightly colored t-shirt). Cassandra and Fideria came out from behind a curtain and greeted us with big smiles, even bigger hugs, and a kiss on the cheek.

We spent an hour or so with them. We danced, we played musical chairs, and best of all, the two girls who were able to go to school that day showed us the books they had gotten. 

Cassandra reading to us from her book. 

Cassandra read me a story from her Level 4 book (in our Creole class we read the Level 3 book and I don’t understand it. That was only slightly humbling for me…). Fideria showed us the words she had written that day and all the worksheets in her “premye” grammar book. They were both bubbling over with joy as they pulled book after book out of their bags and then turned the pages in the new treasures they had gotten. The books themselves didn’t matter, it was what the books represented. Education. A chance. They may not realize it now. Right now they are just writing the names beside pictures in beautiful cursive (that’s right, a 7 year old with really good cursive. Impressive). They’re just reading about the antics of a fictional character named Bouki. But today they learned. Today at the school they ate lunch...and breakfast! Today they came home with more knowledge in their skulls than they did when they left that morning. It gives me goosebumps.

If you want to help a student, visit the TeacHaiti website at www.teachaiti.org

Maybe you can’t sponsor a student this year, make a donation to the General Fund. 

$31 per month! Per month! I could do the math and figure out how many grande lattes that is and do one of those guilt trips that people who write stuff like this do, but I don’t want to do the math and that stuff doesn’t usually work anyway. Instead, I will show you a cute picture.

No sure what Fideria (on the right) is doing. Being silly for the camera , I think. 

These two girls got to go to school yesterday, today, and will go tomorrow and the next day. That’s cooler than a grande, vanilla, non-fat latte anyway :)

Join me in praying for JoAnn, Cassandra, Fideria, Joseph, Fabian, the rest of the family, TeacHaiti, and the entire country of Haiti. 

Obligatory “Long-Term “Missionary” posting about Short Term Missions” Post

First, notice the word missionary in quotations. I don’t know the full meaning of this word or what makes you qualified to own this title. I typically don’t refer to myself as a missionary; not because I think it is a negative thing or has any negative connotations, I just don’t know what I think a missionary is or what kind of person typifies that word. I’m a teacher at a Christian school. I teach middle school history, technology, and P.E. I just happen to do so in a different country. Anyway, thats not what this post is about. 

With a shortage of movie theaters, restaurants, coffee shops, bowling alleys, and cars to get to those kind of places, the group of teachers and friends I roll with (yeah, roll with) end up spending quite a few evenings sitting around talking. Every once in a while the topic will turn to short term missions. Most of us here are the product of a short-term mission trip; we wouldn’t be at this school if we hadn’t visited Haiti on a trip, fallen in love with the country, and felt called to return. But, just because our position here is the result of a short-term trip, we aren’t at all times in full, gung-ho favor of them. 

I’m not going to post my exact thoughts in this blog, mostly because I don’t really know what they are. I am still desperately searching literature, minds of smarter people, and the scriptures to try and figure out where I stand (not that it really matters all that much except that I really want to figure out what I think and feel about them). In this post I just wanted to share a blog I had found in my search that has helped me begin to form my thoughts. 

The title of the blog is “jamietheveryworstmissionary”. How can you not find gold in a blog with that title? A while back she wrote a satirical, and rather snarky, story about a fictional mission trip of people from “super duper rich church” to a middle class neighborhood. The post generated a lot of slap fighting arguments discussion that actually led to her writing a few follow-up posts which I think are really great. 

I just wanted to share this for anyone reading who is thinking about short-term missions, is going or has been on a short term mission trip, or who is bored at work and needs more to read to pass the time. 

In the link below is the initial snarky post (“Are we calling this a “win-win”?) and the 4 follow up posts addressing specific things raised in the discussion. 

http://www.theveryworstmissionary.com/2011/12/whole-can-of-worms-at-glance.html

Back in Haiti

After a wonderful two weeks in the states (see, I’m one of those people now calling America “the states”) I am back in Haiti. It is snowing in Texas and I am sitting at a picnic table outside in shorts and a t-shirt with the sun on my back and a nice breeze in the air. 

Going back and then returning to Haiti wasn’t as full of emotions as I was expecting. Or I guess I should say it wasn’t filled with as much of certain emotions as I thought it would have been. I didn’t experience a whole lot of culture shock when I got back into America. Before this, I had only been out of the country for, at most, ten days in a row. After spending 5 month in a third world country I thought I might have been shocked by everything American that I would see again....but I really wasn’t. I enjoyed the convenience of getting coffee at Starbucks, drinking from any water fountain I wanted, being able to order food or ask for directions and understand everything, walking out to a car and hopping in and driving where I wanted. I enjoyed those conveniences.

I also found myself noticing very strange things. I could understand all the conversations happening around me. It was a little overwhelming to go from usually ignoring conversations around me (because I can’t understand them) to being able to eavesdrop on each and every word that was said within hearing distance. 

I also felt like most everyone I saw was a little on edge. Blame it on travel or the holidays, or the combination of both, but everyone seemed to be stressed, or angry, or in a hurry. 

I enjoyed getting to see all of my family and catch up on what everyone has been up to that hadn’t been relayed through email or skype. It was good to sit and just be. Sitting in front of a fire, drinking coffee, reading a book, watching a movie. Although I got bored at times, it was still nice to even feel bored. 

I was able to ring in 2012 in Dallas with some good friends and spend several days visiting and hanging out around Dallas. 

I wasn’t sure what I would feel when I arrived back in Haiti. I knew I would miss the people that I had seen in Texas as well as eagerly anticipate the return of my friends and coworkers here in Haiti, but I didn’t know what I would feel about being back in this country in general. I know it was only two weeks, but it felt like longer. 

When I landed I really felt like I was at home. This is home for now, but it was still a very comforting feeling. The cinderblock walls topped with barbed wire looked familiar and the road was comfortably uncomfortable. But one thing that was shockingly different from the states, one thing I hope I never get used to, is seeing the poverty all around me. 

I don’t want to be unaffected by the poverty and chaos around me. I want my heart to always break as it does now when I see a child wiping down windshields for spare coins when he should be at school learning how to add up those coins. It’s a weird thing to say you want your heart to break, but it’s true. I never want to be unaffected.