Checking Things Out

The last couple of days in Haiti have provided a mixture of joys and frustrations. After romanticizing life in Haiti for the past three months since we left the country I have been given a reality check about all of the challenges that come with living here. The traffic, heat, dust, and the inability to get anything done quickly...all of these things have served as a reminder of what life is like in Haiti. However, all of these things pale in comparison to the gift of living amongst the Haitian people. Perhaps it is the three months away that is allowing me to really appreciate the people to the degree that I am on this trip? Regardless, I am falling in love all over again with the population. I feel a profound sense of gratitude and luck that Kim and I have had the opportunity to live in a place that has incredible people that are willing to share their lives, be patient with my language and cultural inadequacies, and to live together and laugh as if I am one of them. Even the U.S. government cannot take that away.

Monday and Tuesday were somewhat frustrating as I waited and waited and waited some more for access to our old vehicle. It finally arrived Tuesday night, which allows me the ability to get out and see more people and projects and to run the type of errands that need to be run after not being in the country for a while. I woke up yesterday morning with great plans of all of the things I would accomplish and all of the people I would visit. It is amazing how a few months in the States can ruin your memory and cause you to forget what is possible to accomplish in one in Port-au-Prince. I set out for Petionville in the morning to get our mail and any boxes that may have arrived. I was met by the familiar stand still traffic of Delmas Road. Things are moving especially slow in the city now as aid vehicles congest the streets and other roads are blocked off due to rubble or tent cities. Delmas Road was much as I remembered. There were several buildings that were completely destroyed and others that still stand, but appear ready to collapse at any moment. Small tent communities lined the road and the familiar faces of the street children approached my window looking for a few goudes or a piece of candy. After nearly two hours I finally arrived in Petionville to find a bucket load of mail awaiting me. I was glad I made the trip as I found a couple of care packages from a good friend in the States that contained children's clothes, shampoo, and cliff bars. All of these things went to a CONASPEH orphanage that is struggling to care for its 40 children. I suspect our friend who sent the package would be happy with how it was used. I also found a generous relief check from an American church.

I happily went down the mountain back into Port-au-Prince where I stopped by the above mentioned orphanage. The situation at the orphanage was not great. The children were dirty, scantily dressed, and there were signs of malnutrition. The pastor seemed in good spirits, but he expressed to me how dire the situation is day in and day out. I donated the few bags of children's clothes and some money, but it was merely a drop in the bucket of what was needed. I tried to lift their spirits by teasing them and speaking really bad Kreyol, but I'm not convinced it did much good. The children sang for me...a song about Jesus' unending love. They sang verses in Kreyol, French, Spanish, and English. Afterwards we said goodbye and headed to my next stop: the CONASPEH headquarters.

The scene at CONASPEH was both uplifting and saddening. I was reminded of the horror that took place on January 12th. I think part of me was expecting to see the building again. Of course the building wasn't there, but neither was the majority of the rubble that I last saw two weeks after the earthquake. The area had been mostly cleared of the rubble and a new wall had been put up around the parameter of the land. It was an encouraging sign. I spoke with Patrick and Francois Villier who seemed in good spirits and optimistic about the classical school reopening next week. There are numerous people working diligently to clean up the land so that they can put tents on it and begin classes as soon as possible. The land looks cleaner that it ever has before and when I visited today the Villiers were bringing in toilets for the students. It was a blessing to be able to see a positive sign of life progressing in a country that looks very much like it did three months ago.

Driving back to the guest house I drove past countless tent cities. Some of them sprawled out as far as the eye could see. Each day I have been increasingly moved by the number of tent cities. They are literally everywhere. Tomorrow I may try to enter one if possible. We'll see what the day brings. Bon nwit.