Haiti Day 2 - Water Truck Day

Day 2 started with a wonderful breakfast prepared by our awesome Haitian staff - pancakes, eggs and lots of fresh fruit and fresh squeezed fruit juice.  This was going to be our 1st full day of service in Haiti.  On the agenda was 3 water truck stops.  I didn't really know what to expect other than people come to fill their water buckets and you hold, love and play with the kids.  According to the Healing Haiti website, "only 30% of Haitians have access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation. Without clean water, even if they have food, children die from malnutrition because of parasites and bacteria in their unsafe drinking water which causes nutrients to flush out of them through diarrhea."

Haiti is considered to be the poorest country in the world and Cite Soleil is the poorest slum in the western hemisphere.  The people here have no access to running water and they rely on organizations like Healing Haiti to deliver water.  I don't know how many times a week people living in Cite Soleil receive water, maybe twice?  I wasn't prepared for what I would see, I don't know that anyone would be.  I am just glad I had team members who had already been there who could provide me with a little insight.  We knew we might be asked to help fill buckets and some of the Haitians may ask us to help them put their buckets on their heads to carry home or that we may be asked to carry the water for them.  Depending on the stop, our interpreters would tell us where we could be - go ahead and help carry water back, only go so far or don't leave the truck area.  Here we were told we could help as long as an interpreter came with us.

I began to get anxious just arriving to the neighborhood as I saw the conditions of the homes people were residing in.  I have seen nothing like this - it doesn't exist in MN.  As the kids heard and saw the water truck and tap tap arriving they start running after and following the tap tap, shouting "hey you" and almost climbing onto the tap tap even before it comes to a stop.  Others were running with their buckets and forming a line.  I can feel myself already start to cry, I am so overcome with emotion.  Our interpreter opened the door, our leader headed out and cheerfully greeted the children and the rest of the team followed.  As I was going through the door of the tap tap I felt as though I was running through a dark tunnel toward a very bright light.  I wasn't sure what was about to happen, but I knew it would be life changing.  I am crying before I can even step down to the ground.  The kids are reaching up to you to hold them and they are still shouting "hey you".  I immediately pick up one child and 3 more want to be held.  I squat down to try to put my arms around all of them that wanted me to hold them and quickly found out you really need to stay on your feet.  At this point I am bawling, I just can't hold back!  One of the little girls standing next to me looked at my face as if to ask, "are you okay".  After a couple minutes I knew I needed to pull it together if I wanted to be helpful.  One of the water truck drivers approached me and asked me to help with the water hose.  This is where I needed to be.  I was able to gather myself and I was able to take in what was happening around me.  People line up with their buckets in a very chaotic way.  The water comes out of the hose with such force that it fills a bucket in about 2 seconds and you have to move on to the next.  There is constantly someone pulling full buckets out of the way and someone constantly pushing buckets forward to be filled.  This routine went on for what seemed like 30 minutes.  I have no idea how long we were there.  Surrounding me were their homes - mainly pieces of tin, or metal put together to make a (I am assuming) 1 room home.  Garbage lined the streets or was in heaping piles at the end of the street.  Most of the children were clothed, but many were not.

This is what I saw looking out of the tap tap for the very first time.  Kids pushing and shoving to be held!

I am in the door of the tap tap, already crying.  I am looking at these kids reaching up to me and just couldn't stop the tears.

I am in the lower right corner bending down.  If you look close you can see a little girl to my left, watching tears stream down my face.

Healing Haiti reports that there are 300,000 children in Haiti that are restaveks - or child slaves.  In general, they live with a family that is not theirs, cooking (food they probably won't eat), doing laundry (they probably won't wear) and have work expectations compared to that of an adult.  Most are ages 5-16 and 2/3 are girls.  They suffer abuse and neglect.  I am told that some of the thinest children at the water truck, possibly the unclothed are probably restaveks.  How sad!

The Water Truck

Chris filling the buckets.  I am on the far left taking in everything around me.

A view of the neighborhood.

Justin

Kelly (my prayer partner)

Kari - one of our leaders!  On the right is one of the water truck drivers.

Justin carrying water to one of the typical homes.

Justin walking through the neighborhood.

When we finished up in this neighborhood, we walked over (as a team) to a large open area, surrounded by raw sewage and garbage to sing and dance with the children.  Our interpreters lead the group and we had a great time playing with the kids - it was a highlight of my day.  After leaving this neighborhood, you go to a water truck filling station where the truck is refilled.  This takes about 30 minutes or so and there are some neighborhood kids that come by to say hi.  They are looking to be held and hoping for a few handouts.  We played with the kids, gave them some fresh water to drink and some of our lunch.

On the way to the open area where we sang with the kids.

Group photo with some of the kids that were able to come play with us.

Chris and Justin

Erin with some of the kids at the filling station.

Chris and Tracey at the filling station.

We made 2 more stops that day.  The 2nd stop seemed much more chaotic, or desperate to me.  I believe we were told not to go past a certain point if helping to deliver the water and remain in sight of an interpreter at all times.  Getting off the tap tap was much easier for me this time as I knew what to expect.  I said hello to a few kids and took my spot at the hose again, this is where I was comfortable.  I was able to observe and I was happy to do that.  The third stop, I handed off the hose and held and loved on babies!!  I felt much more comfortable by the end of the day.  This experience was very eye opening and it is something I hope to never, ever forget.  The desperation, the poverty.....I simply can't imagine living this way.  What was amazing to me is how the children are able to smile through all of this.  As we left each neighborhood the children run after the tap tap - what a sight.

2nd stop - this time I am able to smile as I greet the kids.

A view from on top of the water truck.

Catching drips of water from the hose.

Sara

Jen

Amanda

Jen helping to carry water.

The kids helping me hold the hose.

This was probably the last stop and I was feeling much more comfortable.

The day ended wonderfully.  Most of the team headed next door to a hotel to have a drink and some social time.  We came home to an awesome spaghetti dinner and ended the night on a high note.  What a great day.  We felt very productive and couldn't wait for what tomorrow would bring.

If you are still reading this, please pray for one of our team members.  Upon returning from Haiti, she needed to head to college the following morning and say goodbye to her family.  She also learned her grandmother was sick and her mom was flying out to be with her.  Her "granny" passed this morning and she is headed out again to another state to say goodbye.  Prayers for peace and comfort for her and her family will surely be appreciated.

Haiti - Day 1 - Arriving In Haiti

I am apologizing to everyone I promised my blog to while on my Healing Haiti trip.  The blog host site (??) wouldn't recognize my computer in Haiti and I had no clue how to fix it.  I am going to do my best over the next few weeks to use this as my journal and summarize my trip one day at a time.

Aug 12th.  I didn't sleep much at all as I was up late finalizing my packing and hanging out with my mom.  I slept on and off and was up before my alarm at 1:45am.  I got ready and kissed my babies and hoped like hell that I would see them again!  I tried to eat and, for the first time, felt like throwing up.  I woke Dana and we were off to pick up a couple of my travel companions.  We picked up Jen and Amanda and this was the first time I might cry as I witnessed this sweet your woman tearfully say goodbye to her dad.  I was feeling exactly the same way!  I was so happy to have Jen in the car with me as she took this trip last year and was happy that she was going to experience this trip now with her daughter.  We were then on our way to Maple Grove to pick up Kelly - my Prayer Partner.  Kelly did not know any of us prior to late April or early May when our team met for the first time - talk about taking a leap of faith!  Next we made our way to the airport.  If was very hard to say goodbye to Dana, again, praying I would see him again!  These were my first tears, which I quickly dried to head inside to greet my team.  We were met by Tom - a representative of Healing Haiti to see us off and pray with us.  Tom meets the outgoing team every Monday morning at 3:30am to see them off and greets every team coming in Monday evening at 10:30pm - what a guy!

Team meeting up at the airport just prior to obtaining our tickets.

Team photo before heading to our gate.

Kelly, Chris and me on the airplane.

The flights were smooth, no problems and were uneventful considering we had 17 donation suitcases, 13 personal suitcases and 13 backpacks with a lay over and plane change in Miami - that's a lot to keep track of!  We landed on time in Haiti and got through the airport without any issues.  Leaving the airport was my first taste of Haiti - so chaotic and so many people.  It was very interesting getting all of us and our luggage through a maze of people out into a parking lot of sorts to our waiting interpretors and our "tap tap".  We loaded up and were off.  I am a self proclaimed back seat driver and I had to very quickly let go of those fears if I was going to survive the week.  The traffic is crazy and the driving is pure insanity.  The roads are bumpy, sometimes paved, but in mny areas are not.  Many are busted up, without diving lines, stop signs or stop lights.  Cows, goats and pigs roam the streets.  You simply honk when you are going through an intersection....going around a sharp curve or passing someone....or making a u-turn....or cutting in front of someone.  It seemed the type of honk you gave meant what you might be doing.  We made it safely to our guest house and unloaded all of our things.

From L - Sara, Kari (one of our fearless co-leaders) and Jen - fresh off the plane in our packed tap tap
on our way to our guest house (17 donation suitcases, 13 personal suitcases, 13 team members,
1 interpreter, 13 backpacks....and a partridge in a pear tree!!!

Kelly and me on our way to the guesthouse.

We didn't take time to unpack as it was time to take the neighborhood boys out to play soccer!  We got back in the tap tap and headed out.  Several boys came running, the door to the tap tap was opened and they hoped in!  We took a short drive to a large area with soccer fields.  Got out and began playing.  These kids are awesome and did not take it easy on us.  Many played without shoes and let me tell you, this isn't your ordinary soccer field - we had to dodge cow poop and concrete chunks laying around the field.  We had a blast and I was hopeful we could do this again!

From L - Justin, Kelly, Erin, Chris, Grant, Amanda, Tracey, Jen, neighbor boy,
Sara, neighborhood boy, me and Carol.  Missing - Becca and Kari! 

Carol, Sara and Kelly wondering what the heck just happened!

Me, Sara and Amanda with a few of the neighborhood boys.

We headed back for showers and dinner - this night it was tacos.  After sorting donations and meeting as a group we were all tired and ready for bed.  What an awesome first day!  Thanked God!

Our Tap Tap - what a beauty!

1 Week until Haiti!!!

I am 1 week out from Haiti and I am finally starting to get a little nervous.  I'm not nervous about the trip itself (well, kind of), but nervous about leaving my kids.  Who's going to take care of them the same way I do?  Anyone who knows Dana knows he is a sound sleep - I believe he got the best napper award at day care!  My kids wake up in the middle of the night and they need/want things.  I'm pretty sure he's gonna sleep right through it.  I've already talked to Kai ~ my most responsible, oldest child :-) about making sure Daddy gets out of bed in the morning and doesn't sleep all day (kids fall out of windows when you don't get up when they're awake)!  Who's going to make sure they are safe on their bikes, following them and making sure they watch for cars backing out of the driveways?  Who's going to make sure they get their medications and vitamins?  Who's going to make sure they are taken care of if they get sick.  Who's going to make sure they have sunscreen on?  Who's going to make sure they are practicing their reading and writing?  Who's going to rock them, sing to them and rub their back at night?  THANK GOD I have a husband who know's how important all these things are to me!!!  Thank God Dana also knows how to have fun and will make sure they are enjoying their time while I am gone.  Don't get me wrong, I am in the middle of making a list of daily things and "what to do if this happens".  It's part of being Type A, I guess (and part of being a Mom).  I've also had the talk about if something should happen to me - make sure you raise them with me in mind - I am what they know!  Make sure they see my family often!  Above all else, find someone who will help you raise them with the same values as I have!  Okay.....enough about that!

I have been waking early everyday for nearly a week now - mainly 5am, this is not good!  I have had a recurring dream that I am at the airport without my passport - it is now packed!  I have all of the things purchased I need to bring and many things packed.  I am excited for my experience in Haiti and to see how it will change my life as I know it will.

For those that don't know what we will be doing there - we will be delivering water to an area that does not have access to fresh water 2 of the days we are there.  We will be visiting an orphanage or 2.  We will be visiting a couple elders, visiting a school and a home/hospital for sick and dying babies/children.  I pray I will not be crying the whole time so I can be productive.  I know I will be overwhelmed and it is often times hard for me to find composure in those situations.

Thank you to all of you that donated money or other items for my trip.  Without you, my trip would not have been possible!  I was able to fundraise most of my trip!  A big thank you also to everyone who has agreed to have my kids for play dates while I am gone, to my mom and dad and Dana's parents for helping occasionally with the kids while I am gone.

Please pray for my family, that they will do just fine without me.  Please pray that I can know I have prepared as much as I can for being gone and that I can be at peace with all of the above :-)!   Please pray for my team and me this week as we prepare mentally and emotionally for this trip (many of us are 1st timers).  Please pray for our safety as well.  Thank you!

Awake - yawn yawn yawn......

I'm awake, it's 1:45AM.  Tonight was my first night of having FEAR set in.  I'm not sure what it was about tonight, but I can't shake horrible thoughts and feelings that are overwhelming me.  They center around my children being okay while I am gone and about my health and safety while in Haiti.

I did try to spend a bit of time in prayer but I am finding that hard, my thoughts are scattered and I can't stay on track with what I am truly asking for.  I am just hopeful that God knows I need him right now.

So, I just keep telling myself that people go every week with Healing Haiti and that they have a very good system down.  Yep, I will be just fine!

So, in the process, I have been watching infomercials.  Have you all seen the one for Insanity?  WOW - does this stuff really work?  I am almost convinced.  It's just 3 easy payments - why are these things so tempting?  I've been trying this running business, well, that's all I'll say about that.  Not sure I am meant to be a runner.....

If you are reading this, thank you!  Please pray for a peaceful mind - Thank You!

New Blogger - Watch Out!

I am starting this blog to document my experience with my Haiti mission trip coming up in August.  I am doing this with the encouragement of my husband.  If you are reading this, thank you!

I made the decision in April to travel to Haiti with a group from my church.  It was a hard decision to make, and I'm not entirely sure why.  But, what I can tell you is that when I made the decision, I made it without reservation so I know this time, I am ready!

We leave August 12th and we will be working to care for the people of Haiti by delivering water to those who don't have any, caring for sick and dying babies and caring for children at an orphanage.  I can not wait to see how this trip will change my life.

Our team has been working together to raise money for the trip, we recently finished up a very successful garage sale and we are looking forward to another event we will be having in June - Bounce For Haiti!  It has been wonderful to get to know my travel companions by working with each other.

We are still 2-1/2 months out from our trip so I am feeling pretty good.  I sent in my deposit and got my passport without any anxiety.  Our airline tickets were booked this week - starting to feel that it is real.  Tomorrow I go see the "travel doctor" - eek!  I am starting to have little twinges of fear, but still my desire to go outweighs my fears at this point.  We'll see how I feel on Aug 11th!

I am a little worried to leave the kids, but Dana said he's "got this", I am trusting him that he does.  I'll be looking to set up play dates for the kids while I am gone, so if you are reading this - either let me know if you are available the week of Aug 12th or fill up your calendar quick!!!

Anyway, enough for today.  I am going to attempt to attach the Healing Hait website in case anyone is interested in seeing what my team and I will be doing.  Please pray for all of us - there are 12 of us on this team.

http://healinghaiti.org/