Haiti.....and other stuff: Day 4 - Elder Visits, Grace Village Tour and shopping at the Metal Market!!

I really looked forward to this day as there were team members that really enjoyed this day on their last trip to Haiti. We were going to visit some of Haiti's elders that are sponsored by Healing Haiti. There were six on our list and I couldn't wait, however, I didn't know how much it would impact me (we were only able to see five as one was at a prayer group).

Kelly helping the staff with breakfast - yummy!

Justin also helping with breakfast!

According to the Healing Haiti website the average mortality rate is about 52 years of age. They indicate this is due to the lack of food, proper sanitation, water and human contact. Many of Haiti's elderly may have outlived their children and have no one to help care for them. Healing Haiti sponsors about 30 elders in an area called Titanyen. Healing Haiti helps to provide them with human touch, some meals and fresh water. We brought a small backpack to each of the elders we visited with a new flashlight (and extra batteries), a sandwich, some water (I believe) and a food pouch of sorts.

We set out for our day and our first stop was with Dieufort. He sat in a chair waiting for us outside of his one room home. He seemed happy to see us. He is a 75yo man who lives alone in a home he owns. He has children that live far away in the mountains. He makes a little money by renting out his home a couple days a week for "market day". We washed and lotioned his hands and feet. I jumped right in because this is an area in which I feel comfortable. Once again, it didn't take me long to start crying. These were tears of joy and honor. I felt so much joy in my heart to be serving this man that has worked so hard and has so little. I felt honored to be the one there with him at that very moment touching his life as he touched mine. The tears flowed as I wondered about his life and listened to my team members sign to him. This visit took me right back to my work, my former career. It took me right back to being a social worker in hospice. Many of you know, but most of you probably don't - most of my hospice clients resided in the nursing home/assisted living setting - and most of them had memory impairments. Some of them were bed-bound and a lot of my time was spent at the bedside - reading, praying or just spent in silence with them. Many times I would lotion their hands and feet. The emotions I felt on this very first visit were so overwhelming and I can't believe all of the thoughts and memories that came to mind. It was a visit I needed! On a previous visit, he had been given a Bible that talks in Creole - he said this has been stolen. We prayed with him - he was asking for prayers for his health so he could work on his home. We also prayed for his daughter and granddaughter who were present this day as they were on their way to get health care for the granddaughter.

Dieufort and Sara

Me and Sara caring for Dieufort.

Dieufort and me!

Emmanuel and Brunet (our interpreters).

Praying for Dieufort.

Praying

Our next stop was to a couple - Pierre and Laurissain. They also live in a one room home - they have 4 children. They used to live on the mountainside, but apparently came to Titanyen looking for work. They are the only couple in the Elder Care program of Healing Haiti. They were very excited to see us, pulled several chairs out of their home and wanted us to sit with them. Again, we did our thing and asked them what they wanted to pray for - they were wanting to get married (apparently it is very expensive to get married in Haiti). They also wanted to get their outhouse completed and were hoping for a bigger home so one of their children could come back to them. We took a look at their talking Bible as they said it wasn't working. Justin was able to fix this by putting the batteries in correctly. We left them with several more to replace as needed. We also brought them water after our trip to Grace Village.**The Healing Haiti website indicates they are married but we are thinking that info is possibly wrong.

Pierre

The kitchen - this is where they cook.

Sara and Tracey working with Pierre.

Erin working with Laurissain.

Tracey helping with Pierre.

Amanda helping with Laurissin.

The whole group (minus Carol and Kari).

We left Pierre and Laurissain's home and drove up the hill to Grace Village. Here we received an awesome tour and got to hear all about the goals they hope to accomplish. Grace Village just before Christmas 2011 where they brought about 40 children from another orphanage in Titanyen and have since added a few more. They care for just under 60 children, I believe, providing them with housing, food, water, education and medical care. I don't believe these children are able to be adopted. Grace Village provides the children with "monitors", or a person who acts as a guardian or mother figure. Someone the children can bond with. When we visited, many of the children were gone with another team at the beach!! We saw the dormitories - they have a boys and a girls side. They have an awesome play ground. They have classrooms (temporary, I believe they are building an actual school in the near future). We also saw construction of a new medical center. They are doing great things here. The goal is too raise these children and teach them a skill or a trade in hopes "to raise up the next generation of Haitians leaders that will help build a better future for all". We got to see the land where they will be building a church as well and they also hope to have some transitional housing for the older kids as they graduate and continue to learn a trade or skill. They would also like to house their Elders in Grace Village at some point. I could go on and on about Grace Village as they are doing some awesome things, but I know this is getting long and I have so much more to say about our day. What I will encourage you to do is to please take a look at my attachment about the day the kids got to move into Grace Village - it will be worth your 5 minutes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dp_AXU4OHwc

Outside of Grace Village

Amanda

New Bread Oven.

In the background is the new medical building they are working on.

This is called aquaponics (sp) - basically in the blue tanks in the back are talapia that are being grown. The waste from them provides nutrients to the plants you see growing. These things feed each other and the plants and fish feed the children at Grace Village and others in Titanyen (I believe).

A classroom at Grace Village.

Another Classroom

After leaving Grace Village we made our way to another elder. Her name is Camisane. She lives in a rented one room home made of sticks and tarps. She is known as the "charcoal lady" as she sells it to make a living. Camisane climbed aboard the tap tap when we pulled up and this is where we cared for her. She greeted each one of us with a kiss and took a seat amongst us all. We washed and lotioned her, we sang with her. She asked for good health (I believe). Emmanuel, one of our interpreters, said a beautiful prayer for her in Creole. None of us know what he said, it was between him, her and the Lord, but we all know it was very beautiful! She was very thankful for our visit.

Camisane kissing Amanda.

Chris showing Camisane what is in her bag.

Working with Camisane.

Chris and me working with Camisane.

Justin, Kelly and Chris with Camisane.

Camisane's coal.

Our next stop was to Mariedeloude. She was tucked into a village of sorts - we wound around many shanti's to find her home. Again, made of wood and tarps. This time we were allowed inside. There were 13 of us, 2 interpreters, Mariedeloude and her 2 or 3 kids in a tiny one room home. She is only in her mid-40's, however possibly suffered a stroke after one of her children was born and now has some paralysis on her left side. She uses a cane to get around. After caring for her, Emmanuel and Brunet (our interpreters) sang to her in Creole. Through this and seeing them look at her we could all tell how much our interpreters respected the elders in this program. It, again, made me cry. Simply beautiful! She asked for prayers for her children to be able to attend school at Grace Village again this year. She doesn't have money for clothes or school supplies.
After saying prayers,we handed out some suckers and brightened the kids' day and said goodbye. This was such an awesome day and experience for me. I can't wait to do it again next year!

Mariedeloude's home from the outside.

Mariedeloude's children (I believe).

Carol showing Mariedeloude what is in her bag.

Erin

Justin

Praying with Mariedeloude.

Mariedeloude and her daughter (I beleive).

We ended the day by going to the Metal Market and doing a little shopping. We were able to see how people made their metal work, it is pretty amazing. All in all - a GREAT day!