It Grows on You

We are back in Port-au Prince tonight after spending the past few days in Jacmel.  Jacmel is basically New Orleans without any electricity or running water (and thus no internet access).  This country might be growing on me because I am starting to see the beauty in her and her people.  

The turning point came for us yesterday when we rode the tap-tap for an hour in the pouring rain (remember the tap-tap is an open air pickup taxi).  Our tap-tap was 50% blancs and 50% local Haitians, so the whole experience was pretty interesting.  We just had to laugh the whole way back to the hotel.

We look forward to sharing all of our amazing stories and those of the people we have met.  A few final thoughts:

1 - When we first came here, I thought this would be our only trip to Haiti.  We both now think it might be the first of many.

2 - Most of what we know about Haiti in the US is either very exagerated or just plain wrong.  We have felt very safe the entire time we have been here (although a few of the bad slums in PAP are borderline nerve-racking).  We have walked and driven the towns, and the worst we've experienced is curious stares.  If people in the US knew what Haiti was REALLY like, they would come here to experience it.

3 - Some of the Hatians we met this week will be in Lincoln the first week of November for the Sheridan Lutheran annual leadership conference.  We will send out some information to you on this - these are some of the most amazing people we have met, and truly consider them our friends.

4 - We are very much looking forward to seeing Graceyn and the rest of our family and friends on Saturday night.

Love - Amy and James

Path to a Better Life

So my numbers yesterday were off - there are over 9 million people here in Haiti - 4 million of them in Port-au Prince (PAP).  The remaining 5 million people live mostly in very remote and rural areas.  Today we traveled to one of them - north over the mountains out of PAP into the central plateu.  We arrived in Mirebalais a couple of hours later.  Our instructions were clear - do not take pictures of what you see unless you are asked to do so by the local Haitians.  This is extreme poverty.  

Our journey took a strange twist as we tried to cross the river after passing through Mirebalais - the bridge was destroyed by one of the recent hurricanes.  We would have to take wooden canoes across the rapid river, just as the locals were doing.  As we unboarded the bus, the locals, numbering a few hundred, seemed to find the whole thing amusing as we loaded ourselves into the same boats they were riding in.  They started chanting "Blanc, Blanc!" and laughing.  In case you are wondering, we were the blancs (whites).

Once on the other side of the river, we had to take the local taxi, or tap-tap.  A tap-tap is basically a pickup with wooden benches secured to the sides.  After a few miles, our tap-tap pulled over to the side of the road, and our group broke into two smaller groups.  We next hiked for an hour and a half through the central plateu.

The Hatian government is simply ineffective and incompassionate when it comes to providing services to it's citizens in need.  Fortunately, this work is being carried out all over the contry as private partnerships between caring individuals in Haiti and donors around the world.  Our visit today was to see the work of Chermen Lavi Moyo Project (CLM), or "Path to a better life".  CLM works with extremely poor women, offering them sanitation, clean water, a roof, a simple enterprise, and education for their children - fora total cost of $1,000 per family.  The Hatians who run this organization and who work with the women are simply world class.  They know these women will still live in poverty, but if the program meets its goals the women will be removed from "extreme" poverty.  This means they will likely be able to serve a couple of daily meals to their families.

One story stood out to us as exemplary - and represents the challenges in making a project like this go.  This woman is standing in the house she was living in (left) when CLM found her - notice the lack of walls, electricity, running water, or even a piece of furniture.  

CLM built her the new house (below) right next her existing one, complete with a covered back room.  While we might look at this and wonder how her life was improved one tiny bit, she was extremely grateful.  She said now when the heavy rains come, her children stay dry.

CLM also gave her a few goats and chickens, and mentored her on taking care of them, breeding them, and selling them.  She obviously grasped the concept - she now owns more than a dozen goats, even after selling several of the originals, and is also raising chickens and pigs.  She has plans of growing the operation until she can sell all the animals and start another business.

CLM has also provides her ongoing case management support - women's health issues, pre and post-natal care, and vaccinations for her children.  They also gave her two water coolers and taught her how to sterilize the water for drinking.

This woman was so grateful for the life skills she has learned - how to take care of her children, how to operate a business, and most importantly - how to have hope.  There was a glow in her eyes that was not seen from the countless other people in this region who are not part of this program.  I mentioned we hiked for an hour and a half (basically through a jungle) to find this woman.  She has absolutely no way to connect to the outside world without making it a full day trip, which means a serious illness for one of the children is almost certainly fatal.  CLM attempts to remedy this situation, in part, by giving skills to these mothers so than can try to raise healthy children.

Once again the kids were the showstopper for us...

This little guy flashed Amy a big smile and took her hand as we walked through the village.  He wanted to go everywhere with her and wouldn't quit smiling.  We suppose he was about the same age as Graceyn.  When we left the village at the end our journey, we encountered him one more time.  He was making the 1 mile trip down to the river to fetch some water for his family.

On a lighter note, you cannot get Prestige beer in the United States.  It is the local favorite here in Haiti.  We are finding that it is the best way to wind down while we try to comprehend everything we have seen.

Tonight, we are at Wings of Hope, which is at the top of the mountains in Fermathe.  They separated us into women's and men's rooms.  I am braving the rooftop with several other men, while Amy is opting for the bunk bed in the women's room.

Thanks for your prayers - we miss all of you!

  

Wow

How do you sum up the first day in a place like this?  Wow.  It wasn't just the "abject" and "extreme" poverty - we were warned about that before we came (not that it made it any easier to experience).  The range of emotions was dramatic. 

Leaving the airport - this will be a later post as the story is way to surreal to combine with these other itesm.  Tonight we'll share just two stories from our day - there are many more:

Our first visit today was to Grace Children's Hospital.  Grace cares for children with TB and AIDS.  If is mostly privately funded.  Realize that most people in this country will never go to a hospital because they are afraid they will die there (substandard care).

  Grace is a shining example - once you get by your American pre-judgements.  This is one of the kids we met today - this visit was gutwrenching.  We had only been in this country for on

e hour and had spent it all speeding through the winding and overcrowded streets.  To see these kids so sick from very treatable diseases was hard to comprehend.  The smiles on some of their faces as we visited with them made it even more difficult.

If you have ever s

een the commercials asking you to sponsor a child in a country like this, and thought they had just overplayed it for TV and dramatic affect - you are wrong.  

Once we dried our eyes, back on the bus - people are seemingly everywhere here.  You have to check your need for personal space at the door when you enter the country.  There are 8.5 million people here - in a country the size of Maryland.  

Our next visit lifted our spirits - which we were all thankful for.  HELP is an organization that finds the top graduating high school students in the country every year - and then pares it down to the 30 who come from the poorest families.  They award them a university scholarship and equip them with mentors and role models to see them through their studies.  We met students who were exceling at mechanical engineering, medicine, and yes - even accounting :)  These kids were explaining their dreams to us (in English - which is a third language for them).  These are some of the poorest kids in the world, and they are unwavering in their desire to do something big for Haiti once they graduate.  100% of the HELP graduates stay in Haiti for a career.  85% of the non-HELP college grads leave Haiti for a better life.  

We are all very safe here - thanks for your thoughts and prayers.  We are staying at St. Joseph's home for boys - sleeping above the city in open air!

Congratulations Sarah!!

Today Sarah finished her first full marathon - Chicago.  We are so proud of you!

Welcome to our Blog!

Welcome to the Yellow Dog blog.  We ultimately hope to use this to share updates with family and friends.  

Can anyone guess which side of the family this golf swing comes from?  Maybe it's not too late to remove the Anderson influence and insert some Heacock/Schwartzkopf fundamentals.