Thanksgiving in Haiti

Thanksgiving in Haiti was remarkably normal

Much of the day was spent in the kitchen, preparing for the late afternoon celebration - savoring the thanksgiving day things – ( including the phone calls from kids and friends – greatly anticipated and totally savored!! ) – not only the food prep but also the heart prep – counting the innumerable things we are blessed with and thankful for.

The aromas were tantalizing and my heart was more and more full as the day went by!

Larrry and I had bought the bird when we were in Port earlier in the week; the cooks did the honors and their gravy was WONDERFUL!  I don’t believe they had to strain the lumps out, either!

The other missionaries were to bring sides.  BUT as the week went on, we realized that our guests were increasing,( we celebrated with Americans, Brits, Danes, Canadians and Haitians!) and we were going to have about 10 more people eating that turkey than planned!!  So, our neighbor baked a whole chicken and I made  2 pound meatloaf to add to the mix – and all was well!  Not much of anything was left!  Wassail, dressing, gravy, cranberry sauce ( GIANT, one of the two American-esque grocery stores in Port, carried the needed seasonal items!) roasted potatoes, sweet potatoes with marshmallow topping, green beans, sliced carrots and militone and tomatoes, pipitas and piklese ( contributed by the Haitian guests), Madam Samy’s dinner rolls (glad we have some of them left – I had her make about 60!!) – then pies!  Pecan, pumpkin, apple – and cake!!  YUM!

Gathering in the gwo kay (guest house) dining room
for the feast.  The kids had made table decorations!

Madam Samy, Madam Felicione and Se Cristlin did the honors in the kitchen – and then asked to have their picture taken with the bird!  Can’t wait to give them a copy of it.

Faithful, long-time cooks for the mission.

After dinner and before dessert, the children entertained with a really good play – a TV interview of three of the original Pilgrim children – with a surprise ending!  Great job!

Our mission thespians!

While enjoying the meal, I must admit I was thinking of those just outside our gates who, I am sure,  had never seen so much food as we had laid out on our serving counter – or put into our stomach.  The sense of great thankfulness remained in my heart, but the full stomach felt too much like guilty gluttony.  We have so much and are so blessed.  

After living in Haiti, I hope I will never become flip about saying that.

The morning after, Greg Edmonds posted a great thought on Facebook which helps -

Today I can’t even begin to list all the things I am thankful for, but living in a country like Haiti helps me realize so many things that I’ve always taken for granted. I can still remember standing on a hillside just outside a school for children living in a badly impoverished town in Nicaragua in June 2009. Our mission team joined a local church that would feed these children two times per week. I passed out meals to children in two classrooms and watched many of them begin to eat with their dirty fingers the plate of rice, beans, and a slice of bread. I handed out my last plate and knew I was about to break down. I left the room and walked to the edge of the hill looking out over the city. I was weeping and the only words I could pray were, “God, why was I born in the USA and not in a place like this?” After thinking over that and repeating it several times the Lord simply impressed on my heart, “Greg, you were born in the USA so you can do exactly what you are doing now.” It is great to be blessed, but it is even better to BE a blessing. You never know when you may be an answer to someone’s prayer. What is God wanting to do through you?

Thanks, Greg – I needed that reminder from God through you!  It IS a blessing - and a privilege - to be a blessing!   

so.....What IS God wanting to do through you?

A Day to Remember!

It was very overcast as we took off - the kind of overcast that keeps sane folks tucked inside with a wary eye on the sky,  because those billowing angry clouds promise stormy weather - not only rain but gale force winds, lightning and thunder!  That was my thought as I climbed aboard the four-wheeler and we set off for the day's adventure.

Whatta ride!

Wilnor Jean-Louis, Chair of G.A.S.

The chairman of G.A.S. ( see September 7th post ) and his cousin were on the moto ahead of us.  Wilnor had made plans with the school administrator in Pointe des Lataniers, and he was expecting us.  What's a little rain when we were going to be able to meet our sponsored children and those of our friend Nancy, along with their mothers/families?

This was the best road we rode on.  Larry yelped with joy
when when our top speed reached 27 miles per hour!

Our destination was a area of about 4,000 people which is located on the northwest tip of La Gonave, a very poor community about 25 miles from Anse-a-Galets.  We bumped along  slowly and painfully (!)  for  three hours over Haitian non-roads,

Yes, you read right - it took three hours to travel 25 miles!

We had several opportunities to ford water deposited by the storm that swept just ahead of us.

I remember this LONG stretch very well!!!

passing through villages with names I had heard throughout our time of service here -   La Source, Gro Mangle, and  Toulegien.

Along the way, we saw the terrain and foliage change.  We were on the coast road most of the way so got a view of the beautiful sea to our right as we traveled.  The area I looked forward to seeing was where the vivid pink flamingos were gathered.  What I didn't expect was that there was hundreds of them - but only a blur in the distance when photographed!

We could not pass through villages unnoticed; the roar of our vehicles brought all ages to the path to check us out.

Local playground

And the children's screams of "BLAN", "BLAN"  (white stranger) announced our presence no matter where we went!

I was not sure I would be able to walk when at long last we reached the village of Lataniets and parked in the church/school yard.  We tested our gait in the semi-privacy of the group we traveled with - but I really did feel like I expect cowboys felt after a long day in the saddle.  And, I am just thankful no one was filming me as I wrestled with my leaden spaghetti-legs!

The Wesleyan Church of Litaniets

The school rooms were behind the church.

The principal greeted us, the customary greetings and inquiries were made and finally we were with the  children.

This little three-year old doll is one of our sponsored children!

This brother and sister are from a "vulnerable" family and will
be sponsored this school year by G.A.S. participants.

                                       

                                                   (Larry said my hair do was a "hair don't" after the ride!  Oh, well!)
                                                 This is Wexley - a very serious third grader who I fell in love with
                                                at first meeting when he shook my hand and said "Thank You!"
                                    when we were introduced.

We were able to visit the home of one of our sponsored children and to meet her parents.  The father is a fisherman but was not able to fish that day because of the gale-force winds off the sea.  We took a minute to look at the water while the little girl put on her Sunday best for the picture!

This doesn't do justice to the force of the wind!  But, that is the
fishing boat, beached this day - therefore, no food for
the family.

A precious family, so very appreciative of their daughter
being able to go to school through the G.A.S. program.

(We discovered that one of our supported children was in the hospital here in Anse-a-Galets, 

so we shall visit her here.)

After meeting the students, we accompanied Wilnor into the principal's office to complete paperwork and to get receipts for the money that had been donated to provide schooling for  the  sponsored children.

Business over, we just hung out with the students who were dismissed from school. 
Larry was naming parts of his head in English and the kids were yelling them in creole!
Language lesson -

As we walked around this very poor village, we marveled at the joyful
     happiness of children playing the universal handslap game....

... enjoyed seeing the artistry with the decorative use of the dime-a-dozen conch shells

... the beautiful setting for such poverty-stricken families

.... and began praying for these 

children who were on the streets.

It was a day to remember.  

A day of appreciation 

of the vision of  G.A.S. -

  that of improving the future of the children of Haiti 

by providing for schooling for those whose families can't afford it -

and of the natural beauty of the island of La Gonave 

and her people.

Today, as I write this blog, I am pondering more than ever,  

Jesus' words about caring for the "least of these".   

Matthew 5: 37-40   "Then those sheep are going to say, 

      'Master, what are you talking about?  When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink?  And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?'

   

  Then, the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth:  Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, 

that was me - you did it to me.'"

Back at it -

We arrived back on La Gonave late Monday morning, October 29, after a smooth trip in from Miami.  That night was our monthly "Talking Night"  with the advanced students.   We welcome English-speaking guests into the group to provide an environment rich in speaking and listening, question and answer time, sharing of information - all in English.  It is a greatly anticipated event by the Haitians and before long into the night, our guests are always impressed by the speaking ability, intelligence and wit of our students.

Students working on a project in a beginner class; the ladies are giggling; the men are feigning seriousness.

We decided to put our fatigue aside and keep the schedule.  We tackled the phone list and found delight in the students' voices when we told them we were back in town and the scheduled event was a "go"!  The guests - two who were visiting from the states and five who live on the Wesleyan compound - were all set.

And, like a well-spiced dish, the questions from the Haitians always include a kick or two!

I had anticipated questions about the national elections in the states.  One of the students keeps close tabs on American politics and he is keen on any insider, first-hand info!  I had to call a quietus on the inevitable,  "who will you vote for?", reiterating that voting is by secret ballot and preferences aren't always shared publicly.   When the query about how many electoral votes did our particular states have, I realized I needed to brush up on my government savvy!  Fortunately, one of the Americans quickly checked google for accurate answers!!!  We now know how many electoral votes Florida, Michigan, Indiana, California and South Carolina have.   Those states were represented by no-longer-ignorant registered voters at "Talking Night"!

Our British hospital project manager got the question about how government structure differed in England from America.  So, we all got a lesson in British government.  He also fielded a question about what kind of workers the Haitians employed to work on the hospital were, with a very positive response about solid work ethic and good attitude along with ability and teachability for the project.  That honest observation was well-received.

But the next question was the real kicker!  "I want to know more about Shakespeare!"  It was asked of the Londoner, but he deferred to our former actor from California who did a great job in answering him!  Again, we all learned something - either new or in review.

The hour+ flew and before we knew it, it was time to draw the evening to a close.  The famed bard said it well:  "Good Night, Good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow".  It was another memorable gathering and one enjoyed by all.  The atmosphere was vibrant in the room as the post-event hand shakes, comments and chatting happened easily among guests and students.  Impressions of Haitians were shifted from the media-enhanced to the personal experience for the non-Haitian participants.   These are men and women who dearly love their country, want to see change and progress, and want to be part of making it happen.  They see a command of the English language and an understanding of countries and governments outside their own as vehicles to enable them to participate in the change.  Great men and women!

Oh, yeah - another positive outcome of the October Talking Night - I now have a willing and able thespian to lead a poetry class!  Shakespeare, here we come!

Some of the advanced students - teachers, an aspiring translator and the former mayor capturing new vocabulary.

                     

The beginner classes are filled with eager and able students - here a school principal and a nurse.

High school teachers hard at work!