Then and Now...

It was only 90 days ago when I first left Haiti after spending 5 days here with the first team sent from HBUMC. Where as the mission of the first team was concrete slab and masonry wall demolition, our task this week was at ground level and involved primarily removing excess dirt and concrete debris. On the first trip I was surprised to see that almost nothing had been done to either cleanup or rebuild, However, that certainly is not the case now, It is not just mission teams doing the work. Haitians are out in force and have begun taking down some of the buildings and houses that were destroyed in the earthquake. Masons are busy building new walls are carpenters are preparing forms for new concrete columns. Road crews in groups of 10 to 15 people (including women) are working over miles of roads crossing the remote mountain areas removing rocks and dirt that had been washed over the roads from heavy rains...definite signs of improvement.

However, Haiti and especially Port-au-Prince are no where close to being what we would consider normal. Until the basic essentials such as reliable electrical service, drinkable water supply, and city-wide sanitation are achieved, life will never be “normal”. Somehow the Haitians are coping and trying to live their lives as they were before the earthquake.

There is so much work left to do and so many areas where help is needed. Our team worked hard this week and worked right along side of Haitian workers at St Joe’s who gladly welcomed our help.

Thanks to all those at HBUMC that made this trip possible and especially the support we received from the missions pathway. The boys at St Joe told us as we were preparing to leave “please don’t forget us when you get back home!”

--Dickie Thompson

Contrasts in Mission - Day 5 Haiti

BUCKETS OF LOVE

When one is dropped into an experience that God has offered us such as this past week, you know at the end of week there will be changes. Changes not only to the immediate environment we were called to help, but changes in us as children of God. It is with a bittersweet farewell we say goodbye to the buckets of rubble we have been removing from one of God’s special places in the world -- St. Joe’s. Those buckets taught us a lesson or two that are important to share. Just like the first team here, we wanted to change the world here or, at least, ‘fix it’ so the children living here could be more comfortable. Well, God has a sense of humor and a great way of humbling us. With several decades of combined construction experience on this team, we all were humbled and served our Lord by removing the debris one bucket at a time. As we labored in the sun, many jokes were made, many songs were tried to be sung but we all reflected at the end of the day that we were not only removing the rubble one bucket at a time, but the buckets were filled with our love for God in doing his service. Thanks be to God for God’s call upon our lives at this time and in this place! --Jeff


FOOD OF LOVE

We got cleaned up and packed our bags of goodies from home and began our 45-minute journey up to Wings of Hope in the mountain village of Fermathe. The trips from St. Joseph’s always begin the same way as we wind through the crowded neighborhoods and shops in and around us. Many buildings and vendors are becoming more familiar with each venture out. The difference on this trip was we were heading up in altitude, down in temperature and up in social status. I say this because there were fewer people walking in the streets, fewer vendors spaced farther apart and the streets got cleaner. A lot cleaner.

One thing that has struck me on this trip is squaller. Trash and rubble in the streets, ditches and pot holes everywhere. As we moved out of the chaos of the city I began to see some hope that there are parts of Haiti that are not filthy. Dicky Thompson was not with us on the van ride as he stayed behind for a meeting with Michael (founder of the St. Joseph’s Family) and the architect to review the plans for the new SJ home in Petionville. It will be erected on the site we are clearing now. The plans call for a much bigger home that will allow for more quests to visit. Dicky will be the man to comment for further details about this project.

As we rounded one of the last curves before arriving at Wings, we passed through another small market area teaming with people selling everything from cell phone calls to home made breads, raw chicken and fish. We rounded the last bend and saw the Baptist Mission that has been the center of activity in the area in this hamlet for about 60 years or so. The original Wings of Hope compound sits next door. It had been home to 38 mentally and physically challenged children. It was severely damaged in the quake and had to be torn down. An empty field perched on the cliffs of the mountain patiently waits for funding and new construction to begin.

We wind down a narrow alley and are greeted by the twin gates of the two large homes that serve as the temporary home for Wings. We pile out of the van eager to stretch our legs

and haul our bags full of fun and games, 30 pairs of shoes and socks, and 100 hygiene kits up the hill and into the house. We are greeted by the staff and given a brief history, tour and personal testimony by two members of the leadership team.

We are now prepared to reload the van with our lunch guests. We had made arrangements to pair up with a child and treat them to a hot dog and ice cream lunch at the Baptist Mission “Tea Room” overlooking the mountains. Tradition is that hosts line up against a courtyard wall and the children are allowed to “pick” their lunch date, a ritual reminiscent of a junior high basketball game. My partner was “Ted”, a 16 year old boy who lives with cystic fibrosis who could only move his head and flail his arms. I had to carry his stiff body in my lap as we rode down to the mission. I must admit I was petrified as I thought about how I was going to feed and attend to this child. With a little coaching and courage from within, it went fine. Ted ate a good lunch motioning often with a nod or a groan to convey what he wanted and when. The director told me “he will tell you what he wants if you just watch him”. Once I did pay attention, his eyes would often tell his wishes. That and a big grin when he got what he wanted or saw another van driver he knew. The team all had similar stories of overcoming perceived inadequacies as they lived into the moment and let Christ reveal himself. A truly humbling experience, but one of immense joy.

When we got back from lunch, we played a barbershop game with the children that allowed them to cloak us, lather us, shave us (with tongue depressors) and clean us up. We then played Jesus Loves Me and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star with color-coded handbells with our partners as Mike led us standing in a chair frantically throwing cue cards onto the deluged soaked patio. The children squealed their delight at our modest musical efforts. Call it my tin ear, but our renditions all sounded very similar! Next we had the opportunity to feed the house their evening meal. This corn based porridge, laced with protein rich peanut butter, was prepared by the staff and all we had to do was serve and feed. In many cases this was like feeding

an infant, with all the requisite coaxing. We had a cooling rain that fell on us there (our first) that cooled off things and seemed to cleanse as rains often do. Even the air was sweeter. We packed up, headed back to St. Joseph’s for dinner. We met for evening devotion and reflection. Sally spoke on God’s commission to Moses and asked us to consider our gifts and talents and how we were prepared to use them to further God’s work. We will all go to sleep tonight pondering that question and processing the thoughts and feelings we experienced today. --David

6-Month Anniversary of the Earthquake - Haiti Day 4

John 21:15-17 (NIV)

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?"
"Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."
Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?"
He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."
The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my sheep.
A familiar bible verse, especially appropriate on a mission trip. Each of us that professes to be a Christian is commanded to feed God's sheep. I simply can not think of a more powerful witness than to see little children being cared for and provided for. Today the team took a trip to two school sites to witness the efforts of the Hayes Barton Congregation at work through your genorsity to Stop Hunger Now. Many of you have not only provided financial assistance, but have actually packaged meals at HBUMC's Quarter of Mealion program. Meals that are going to Haiti for the earthquake relief. At these two schools over 1,000 children are being feed by you the Hayes Barton Congregation.
Image beautifully dressed girls and boys with smiling faces in a loving, educational environment where their parents know that they will be provided a meal that meets 100% of their daily nutritional needs. Each child eager to learn, wanting to reach out and touch these strangers from America. Imagine beautiful voices singing songs of celebration to the visitors. Each group finishing with a heartfelt "We love you!"

These children from the age of 3 through the sixth grade have hope, and the future of Haiti has hope because of you. Thank you and God Bless!

Andy Wright

Sabbath - Day 3 in Haiti

After a grueling day of 8 1/2 hours on the worksite, our Sabbath couldn’t have come at a more opportune time for our team. We were able to sleep in a bit before breakfast, then we clean up for Chapel at 9. We worshiped in song, word and table...in Kreyól and in English. One of the boys, Patrick, was the preacher whose homily flowed out of the parable of the good Samaritan. It wasn’t planned to be this way, but yesterday’s question of “Where are you?”, was now piggybacked by Jesus asking us “Who is your neighbor?”. And one of the beauties of worship in Haiti is that it’s kind of like a multiplex theatre...you attend one service, but hear three others going on simultaneously. The cacophony of songs of praise being offered up is stirring.

After worship we boarded a bus that would take us for lunch, driving tour of downtown Port-au-Prince, for metal art shopping in the artisan village of Croix des Bouquet. Lunch at the Epi D’or (translates as “golden sword” and their logo is swinging baguette) was good old greasy American pepperoni pizza. And the ever-gregarious Jeff happened upon another mission team from the Church of the Resurrection in Kansas City (this is largest United Methodist congregation with weekly worship attendance at about 7,500). It was a great contact to make as it turned out that we know a lot of the same people.

British ex-pat, Jaqui Labrom, provided running commentary as we toured earthquake damage, important landmarks (some still standing, and others not), and tent city after tent city...trash heap after trash heap. It was hard to take it all in. Hard to process. Impossible to see a way out. In fact, after a while you just glaze over, being numbed by it all. Then it takes see something even more horrible to one up the status quo.

We made our way out of PAP and arrived in the more rural village of Croix des Bouquet. As you enter, you are more attune to aural conditions, before the visual. The sound of hammer and chisel to metal, over and over...coming from every third house, or so. These artisans are hard at work, even on a Sunday afternoon creating more of “Treasure from Trash”. You see all of these metal pieces are made used oil drums. So, something

that we have a hard time getting rid of in the States, is something the Haitians now resurrect into beauty. We loaded up on a great variety of beautiful pieces that we will have for sale upon our return for continued support of our mission teams.

At the end of the day in our circle of reflection, we all agreed that the God we serve is ever-present in the trash, in the treasure and in the between.

Bonswa! Haiti-Day 2

Today has been long, hot and, for many of the team, physically taxing. The guys on the team started early this morning (about 6:30) moving rubble out of the “pit” bucket by bucket. This is a process of breaking up the rocks and dirt, shoveling it into 13 kilogram buckets, creating a human chain to lift and move the buckets out of the pit and once all the buckets are used, hand-carrying the loaded buckets up the hill and off the property. I’m pretty sure that the buckets of rubble being lifted out might only be rivaled by the gallons of swea

t that pours off these very hard workers. There was a break early in the day, around 8:30, for a brief service (with the message being, “What Are You?) and communion as led by Sally Bates and some of the boys from St. Joe

’s. I am sure that it probably was just the respite and the inspiration needed to return to the pit and begin our work again.

As for Sally and me, we were tasked to complete a project inside that included more unpacking, repacking and labeling iron artwork that is being sent home with the other team who has been here for the last several days. This artwork will be sold as a means of fundraising for St. Joe’s. There is so much creative and beautiful art here in Haiti which contradicts the dismal and destroyed surroundings of the most immediate area.

To say destruction almost doesn’t seem to adequately describe places I’ve seen here. There are so many tent cities, I stopped counting. As soon as you see one two-story house high pile of rubble, you see more and then you see buildings that look like they could topple over with the smallest of shakes. We drove down a city “road” yesterday on our way here that completely buckled and now is practically impassable and yet, cars and trucks and vans keep going each way, somehow not toppling over or coming to a complete standstill when there is no room to maneuver around each other. Somehow, these people keep going. I don’t know many people who truly understand what it means to be resilient more than the Haitian people.

Last night Michael shared his story and the story of St. Joseph’s (and Hearts with Haiti) with us. He is a remarkable story teller and I’m sure there is even more to his story than he told or I understood. But the striking thing to me was, with each incredible hardship he and/or the family of St. Joe’s has faced, they have eventually been brought to the idea that God has given them, yet again, an opportunity to do something else. Sometimes it has been to start again after having nothing. Other times it has been to create something when nothing was there or even recreate something new that had gotten old.

The boys here at the home are as remarkable as any I’ve ever met. I can’t even imagine how they have had to recreate their lives over and over again. We have all been partnered with one of the boys. My prayer partner is Emerson. Emerson, who I heard all sorts of stories about before I got here, is 13 going on 23. Emerson is sure to be a leader of some sort. He told me he wants to be a doctor although his first word to describe what he wants to do was “healer” not doctor, which I found to be completely telling of his true desire. This afternoon I had the opportunity to sit with Emerson, give him the gifts that I brought for him, and just take some time to get to know him a little better. I taught him how to play Sudoku, looked over his new calculator, filled in our Prayer Partnership Friendship

Booklets, and ended by playing a “what kind of jellybean am I eating?” game that was made up on the spot by Emerson and was highly entertaining. As you can imagine, and not to be cliché, I received the best gift by simply being with him.

So between Michael’s story, Sally’s message this morning, and my wonderful one-on-one time with Emerson, it is clear that it is always worth it to not shy away from opportunity, even in the most difficult, chaotic or unfamiliar situations. But to grasp onto opportunities, try a little resilience and see what gifts might come into light.

Peace.

Nancy

Treasures from Trash

We arrived safely around 11:00 am and were greeted by the local band playing some lively Haitian beats. After an hour of going through customs, we finally made it to our van. If you have ever seen 11 adults, 27 pieces of luggage and 9 backpacks crammed into one van, it was a sight to behold – when we piled out, the only thing missing was the clown makeup. As we drove through the city, I have never witnessed such conditions – piles of rubble, some abandoned cars, road conditions that made Glenwood Ave seem perfect, and trash piles on fire. I thought, “How can people live in such conditions?” Well, my answer came to me. After arriving at St. Joe’s and putting in a few hours on the rubble pile, I was on the upper balcony reflecting on the site and our mission when I felt and saw God rain down tiny flowers from the tree above to bless our site and our work. God is everywhere and the Haitian people know this. They are resilient and have the right perspective on life. Instead of advertisements for car dealers or law firms on the ‘tap-taps’ (local taxis) they got it right by having advertisements for God saying things like, “Jesus loves you” and “God is great.” Truly an amazing sight in such conditions.

To top off our first day and put into perspective how resilient and creative our Haitian brothers are, we were presented with a hand-made coconut shell cross from Walnes – a family member here at St. Joe’s. These were not just any coconut shells, these were shells that had been discarded and he collected them from the trash piles to create us a treasure.

Thank you for your prayers and well wishes.

Jeff Mauer

HAITI Team Leaves Early Friday

Hayes Barton's second team to Haiti since the earthquake will leave from the church at 4:30am tomorrow (Friday) morning. We have a packed agenda of work at St. Joe's...a day trip to Wings of Hope where the mentally and physically disabled kids live...an overnight to Jacmel to visit the boys of Trinity House and the children in Lekol Sen Trinitie day school... and a day trip to the Blanchard School, a Stop Hunger Now partner, in downtown Port-au-Prince.

Perhaps even more packed than our schedule are our bags! At last check our bags were brimming with...

-- 100 health kits

-- 29 pairs of shoes

-- 75 pairs of socks

-- 38 backpacks stuff with school supplies

-- Numerous tools (drills, grinders, blades, bits...)

-- 2 boxes of English as a Second Language study materials

-- 100 glow-necklaces

-- 300+ beanie babies for each kid to have a small token of affection

-- 100 quick-dry T-shirts

-- 40 color-coded bells to play music with the Wings kids

-- 100 glow-in-the-dark "Resurrection from the Rubble" silicone bracelets

-- 8 cans of shaving cream, 3 capes and tongue depressors to play a "barbershop relay" with the boys

-- 3 loaves of bread and 3 bottles of Welchs for daily communion

We trust your prayers will go with us as well!

David Creech, Jeff Maurer, Nancy Schoellkopf, Carter Thompson

Dickie Thompson,Travis Thompson, Mike Trexler, Andy Wright

Tree of Life

Six men and two women …
A team…bound for Haiti
with a desire to serve as called.
How to make a difference???

Equipped with willing hearts,
disaster training, tools & food,
… a strong faith…
with love and prayers of family,
friends and church.

Too much to absorb
Brokenness all around…
showing itself in different form
at every turn.

Our eyes glazed over by myriad images,
too much to behold –
Tap-taps in bright colors,
gray billowing exhaust fumes,
white tents, blue tarps;
trash and ruins.

People bathing between tents
adjacent to city streets;
children begging,
horns honking,
crumbled structures…
rubble….

Two boys cooling off in the street,
from a dripping drain
on a water truck stuck in traffic.
Women carrying, on their heads, large baskets
which hold their goods to sell --
They and others walking the street…
walking from here to there
with expressionless faces.

Arrival at St. Joseph’s Home for Boys….
And there it is… ‘The Tree’.
Amidst all the concrete
of houses and collapsed structures.

‘The Tree’ --
Its rugged grey trunk blending
with grey cement walls;
A vine with large leaves clinging to it;
Its foliage so high above the building it supports;
Barely noticed by the passerby.


Yet to one like me,
who seeks the green of life
in a concrete city,
It is an oasis!

It towers more than eight stories high,
its limbs giving shade,
with leaves that dance in the breeze…
It is a Tree of Life…

This is the tree that saved the lives of many!
With all its strength,
it has restrained
the crumbling floors
of a 7 story building.

Three months later it withstands the weight
of two floors against its trunk,
Their remnants still hang over the side...
Large cement chunks dangling
with twisted rebar and electric wiring;
A large piece of flooring wedged into its bark,
40’ above its roots!

Wounded and scarred by the falling debris,
Bowed so much… as it bears the weight of this burden,
This towering tree stands as witness…
to the life of boys,
scarred and burdened by their own life stories;
boys who learn to become family
and are transformed to become leaders.

This towering tree stands in witness…
Of boys in daily prayer, doing chores, or homework;
Of ‘bravos’ and Sunday dart games;
Of St. Joe’s many visitors,
Welcomed with smiles and a cup of water.

This towering tree stands in witness…
Of wounded people becoming whole;
Of drum, song and dance;
Of laughter, love, and transformation;
Of Ben trapped,
Of Bill leaping for life,
Of injury and rescue,
Of so many prayers lifted high.


This towering tree stands in witness …
As people pass below and alongside…
People challenged by the struggles of daily life.
Women carrying water jugs to their homes,
Boys and men carrying 5 gallon buckets…
Of rubble… to the BIG pile.

This towering tree stands in witness…
Of Haitians working together hand in hand
with those from another country
who come to serve…
to tear down that which stands in ruin…
to restore some sense of order
in the chaos that surrounds them;
to build up the spirits of boys and men
… girls and women,
so bent by the harshness of life
and reality of disaster.

This towering tree stands in witness…
As falling rubble scars and bends its backbone,
Its roots planted firmly and
grounded deeply into the earth below,
New growth that blooms from a wounded place.



It is a Tree of Life amidst loss,
It stands alone and ever so tall with dignity.

This towering tree stands in witness…
Of faith that is tested,
Of trust,
Of hard work,
Of sweat and tears,
Of determination,
Of boys who become men,
Of those who are deeply rooted in Christ.

This towering tree stands in witness…
of life… of love... of death…
of dignity… of hope … of resilience…
…of resurrection!

May God bless these people
and offer them an inner calm
amidst their most recent storm of life. Amen

Written May 2010 by Stacy Grove
Upon return from UMVIM Early Response Disaster Relief Mission
to St. Joseph’s Home for Boys www.heartwithhaiti.org

Day 4 (Sun) from Dickie's Perspective

Sunday morning we were greeted by a beautiful sunrise around 5:15am. Today was a day of rest for the team and today we were traveled to Jacmel by van to visit the boys at the Trinity House Orphange. Our journey carried us through the heart of Port-au-Prince and some of the most devistated areas of the city. Port-au-Prince is teeming with people and the streets are lined with vendors of all kinds selling their goods in an attempt to seek out a means to support themselves and their families. Building debris and trash were everywhere as well as goats and pigs roaming about at will. However, in the mist of all the filth were saw many many people dressed in their finest and heading to their churches. Most were walking and carrying their bibles. Tents in the thousands were being used as temporary housing in “tent cities” which were parks or public spaces, Some were even set up in the streets when space was limited.

We crossed over the mountains through numerous villages along steep and winding roads. The farmers had somehow plowed many of the hillsides that were so steep it would even be hard to walk on them. Other areas had been totally denuded of all trees and vegetation creating a desert look. The temperature in the mountains was at least 20 degrees cooler than in Port-au-Prince. None of us got car sick but we were all ready to get out of the van by the time we arrived.

We were greeted by songs in Creole and English from the boys who were in the courtyard waiting for us. They appeared to be in ages from 5 to 18 years. Melshe, the director who was a raised at St. Joseph’s himself, took us all on a tour of their facility. Although the building received only minor damage they only used the building during the daytime and slept in tents in the backyard for fear of another earthquake. We attended Sunday worship with them which was spoken and sung primarily in Creole and lead by Melshe and took communion with them. Afterwards we were served a hearty lunch of rice and beans and a vegetable dish which was very tasty but which we could not identify. The boys changed into their play clothes and we joined them in their free time. They enjoyed playing dominos, playing basketball, and watching Doug play his guitar and some of our group singing.

We took a group of the boys swimming down at the local beach which was a 15 minute walk away through the countryside. We passed many families sitting outside on blankets or on their porches enjoying a beautiful Sunday afternoon. Not being a tourist destination, the beach was actually a protected cove which seemed to be a favorite spot for the local residence. Some of the smallest children swam naked and an older boy even made a makeshift swimsuit out of a black plastic garbage bag. The boys loved the water but surprisingly very few knew how to swim. It was a great bonding time for all of us and the children took to us as if they had known us for a long time. We then took the van back the long and winding road back to Port-au-Prince stopping to buy locally made metal art work as gifts and to resale back at HBUMC for a future fundraiser.

Day 4 (Sunday) Respite at Trinity House

"Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law… ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.”
~Romans 13:8,9b-10

Journey to Jacmel
Sunday morning we left early for Jacmel, located about 25 miles south of Port-au-Prince and an important port on the Carribean Sea. We went to visit Trinity House, the most recent and 3rd home established by the graduates of St. Joseph’s. It houses 15 boys and operates a day school for those who are too poor to otherwise get an education. Currently the St. Joseph’s boys are residing there, [except for the 8 who recently returned to St. Joe’s]. While there is no structural damage to the home, the boys are too frightened to sleep inside. The soccer field is filled with tents to house the Trinity and St. Joseph boys as well as neighbors in the area whose homes were damaged during the earthquake.


It was a most challenging drive over the beautiful Haitian mountains. We passed several rural communities and many people walking along the road dressed in their Sunday best. We arrived 2 hours later for Sunday worship with the boys. Melshi, who manages the home, welcomed us and took us for a tour of the home and the school.

Worship with the boys at Trinity House
We then gathered for Sunday worship with the boys. We listened as the boys prayed and sang in Kreyol, while Emilson drummed. Using the above scripture, Melshi spoke about love… the love of one for another. He said it was love that brought our team to Haiti and to Trinity House. It is because of our love for our neighbor that we traveled from home to be present in Haiti at this time. It is because of this love for one another that Trinity House is providing safe shelter to the neighbors in their community and to the St. Joseph boys who have been displaced. It is because of our love for one another that we can worship and share communion together on this day.

Respite with the boys at Trinity House
We enjoyed a Sunday meal of rice, beans and some mashed vegetables mixed with meat. Then some played dominos with the boys while others played music and sang.
Emilson joined us with his drum and even taught some of us techniques for changing the drum tone while drumming. We passed out candy and enjoyed simply being together on this day.

Fun and joy at the beach! We walked the 15 minute path from Trinity home to the small beach with several of the boys and went swimming in the water, so inviting to us after 3 days of dust and rubble coupled with the limited water ‘pail shower’. It was a local beach, and we were the only ‘blancs’ swimming there. I’m not sure who had more fun… the boys or each of us who took turns holding some of the youngest as they clung to us on our backs and fronts. Though somewhat unsure at first, Stephen & Lou Lou turned from hesitation and uncertainty to smiles and laughter with the waves and our encouragement.

After our fun at the beach the boys showed us their art. We each purchased one or more paintings to support their work and to remind us of our time with them. We hugged our goodbyes and loaded back into the van for another wild and crazy ride back to Port-au-Prince. Patrick, one of the St. Joe’s boys, returned with us and found great comfort in Dickie’s shoulder during his nap.

We found our way back into the congestion of cars, tap-taps, trucks and people in Port-au-Prince.

Driving in Port-au-Prince
The vehicles’ exhaust is offensive and dangerous to those with respiratory ailments. Black smoke billows out of exhaust pipes, tap-taps and trucks loaded beyond capacity each carrying people and their goods. Forget any seatbelt regulations, as we see people hanging off the back of the vehicles. We actually saw a boy squatting on the bumper of a pickup truck, catching a ride without the driver’s knowledge.

The streets are difficult to maneuver because the earthquake has created such an upheaval of pavement in various places.
I am reminded that the traffic here before the earthquake was seemingly chaotic compared to U.S. standards for road rules. Here it seems there are no ‘rules of the road’. Yet, as one negotiates the ‘new terrain’ left by the earthquake, it’s as though the drivers are playing ‘chicken’ or simply trying to find the least bumpy/bouncy path through the potholed road. Occasionally one waves to another in kindness, but it seems most are just trying to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible.

Many streets are lined with so many people going from one place to another as in most any city, though on these streets people must walk around piles of concrete rubble, or trash, or broken down vehicles, or clusters of tents housing displaced people. Their faces reflect the stress of their current situation. Women and men carry large baskets on their heads filled with the items they will sell on the street.

Back at St. Joe’s
We arrived back at St. Joe’s just before dark. Linda Bick, our ‘housemother’, who with her husband, John, is a long time supporter of the St. Joe’s family and currently visiting the home. She welcomed us back with appetizer of fresh made hummus and ‘holy bread’ left over from morning worship.

[Sidebar] Linda is the ‘angel’ who appeared when Dickie yelled ‘call 911’ Friday morning for help with Dene and Michael Guilenfeld said “I’ll call for the Dr.” Minutes later, Linda appeared. It turns out she is an ER doctor who claims anonymity while in Haiti to have her respite. She accompanied Mike and Dene to the hospital for treatment. It is with her knowledge and presence that Dene received the professional care he did.

We planned to go out for fast food dinner, but a heavy rain put the lid on that idea. Linda joyfully offered us dinner of lunch leftovers - spaghetti with cut up hotdogs. New people arrived from Denver today. They made great strides removing more of the structure that looms overhead hanging precariously. They used a harness to lower themselves off the roof and cut away the rebar that held the huge chunks of concrete floor/ceiling.

We had our final on-site team meeting: assessing the work accomplished and yet to be done. We packed our gear with flashlights due to the intermittent power, and turned in for the night. Morning prayer with the boys at 5 a.m. is not far off.

Reflection
The mountains are beautiful and they offered a break from the immense devastation, chaos, rubble and filth we saw in Port-au-Prince, and less so in Jacmel. Steep and terraced with agriculture crops dotting the landscape in rowed fields, these mountains serve to remind us of the beauty of this country, the beauty that is depicted so often in the Haitian art.

The current disaster relief effort here in Haiti is truly risky business. This debris removal is challenging work indeed! It is a daunting task that requires methodical, careful and continuous assessment. The expertise and resources called upon by this first mission team has been amazing! Each team member has served with a commitment to safety and teamwork. Michael G. said several times how much he appreciated our presence – for the work being accomplished, for the love we bring individually & as a group, and for the support we offer him and the St. Joe’s boys. We’ve shared daily prayers with them at 5 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Today we experienced so many juxtapositions -- darkness and light, chaos and order, sadness and joy, tears and laughter, grimacing and smiling faces, anger and kindness, ugliness and beauty, destruction and new growth, death and life, despair and hope. Amidst all of the sights, sounds and feelings of the day we were there together in love, supporting one another in all of it, feeling God’s presence with us, and remembering and praying for our teammate, Dene, and his wife, Sharon, as he awaits surgery Monday in Tampa.

Our team has so much gratitude for the many blessings we've experienced these past 4 days and for the prayers offered by so many for our safety during this time.
Blessings and peace....... The Team

Day 3 (Sat) with the St. Joseph's Family

How do you find hope and the courage to move to the next day when it goes on for miles? One damaged building after another. Continual rubble that impacts any traffic, vehicular or pedestrian. Piles of trash and then those endless rows and rows of tents and makeshift shelter, although to even suggest they are anything resembling shelter is more than a reach.

Today we began our second full day of work back up on the roof of St. Joseph’s and we ourselves continued to try and find answers. With three floors pancaked and roof slabs literally poised to slide off the remaining three stories, there is nothing here for the faint at heart. On this morning, however, as we worked alongside our Haitian crew, we persevered and drilled, swept, hammered, tossed, and slowly moved more rubble. The sun gets hot and the dust continues to billow but the successful removal of the collapsed roof slab from yesterday moves everyone forward and we know that each piece of concrete removed is improving the safety of the work site.

By lunch our team had dropped the last section of the former roof terrace. We had clipped several concrete columns that had been dangling three stories overhead of the pathway at St. Josephs between the remaining functioning buildings. Several layers of loose tiles and other materials had been pushed off the slumped roof structure and the next team will be able to start in an improved situation.

Following lunch, we then make the thirty minute drive up into the mountains to visit the site of Wings of Hope. This is the second of the three orphanages and it is home for some of the most outcast group in Haiti. Thirty plus handicapped children whose plight ranges from mental to severe physical impairments have for all practical purposes been abandoned by their families. Again we are reminded of the reoccurring question of finding hope in this situation.

At the present time, they are living in two adjoining rental homes. With their former home damaged and deemed unsafe, Wings of Hope is making do in these homes that were constructed as single family residences and not a group home. The staff has done a remarkable job in trying to provide a facility and program that continues to give care and love to these children. During our visit as we hand out candy, we are greeted by smiles, touches, and gestures and we know our being there matters.

On one level it is all very simple. Then it makes sense. It is simple. The answer for hope is not complicated. It is as simple as moving a pile of rubble. You pick it up and move it to another pile. You then move that pile again. After that you put the pile in a truck. And then you sweep and move forward into a better place.

God calls us to do that. Move the pile. Share the candy. Make the touch. Give the smile. Hope comes from those kinds of acts. A society that has been torn apart will find healing and a child that has been rejected will find love.

Progress Continues at St. Joe's

We started the day with a simple breakfast and arrived on the roof top about 06:00. We made great strides in accomplishing our goals of removing the fallen roof line. Unfortunately, Dene was injured a couple of hours into the work day when a piece of concrete fell on him. In a true unity of purpose and spirit we transported him to the L'Hopital General for X-ray and ultrasound. The X-ray determined that Dene's right pelvis is broken in a couple of places and the amazing team of American relief doctors determined that he should be sent back to the US for further treatment. Mike travelled with Dene on an air evacuation flight to Tampa this evening. Dene is resting comfortably tonight and the doctors say they will perform surgery tomorrow to set everything in place. Sharon (Dene's wife) arrived here this evening and is in with Dene now. They are about to move him to a private room for some much needed rest for both of them. Mike is booked on the first flight back to Port-au-Prince tomorrow morning to rejoin the team. Even through today's difficult situation, blessings have abounded.

The men continued to work on the concrete roof line. It was a glorious time when we were finally able to drop the concrete slab and lay it down on the roof so gently, it looked like a well choreographed dance. Great rejoicing occurred with our team and our Haitian brothers; they really came through during our time of need.

What a long ride to the hospital, many street vendors and many signs of poverty and then there were the hundreds of tents cities! It reminded Trevor of the aftermath of Katrina. Their future is as uncertain as ever. You have to filter the overwhelming and learn to see God’s will in the destruction.

peace, love, hope, and joy!

(some of these are Trevor's words, some Mike's)

Team Haiti Arrives at St. Joseph's

Thursday April 15^th

Early Morning Coffee:

Our team gathered at the church @ 4:45 a.m. Ruth and Jim Bryan along with Tim Price were there with fresh brewed coffee in the parking lot. After we closed up the 16 bins packed to the brim with tools, health kits, desperately needed bedding,

team snacks, and other necessities for the demolition work, Pastor Laura led us in a departing prayer. Our travel to Haiti went smoothly with an on time arrival. After a long wait for our baggage we moved through the chaos and finally out to the van. Anyone who has traveled to Haiti be

fore, understands the incredible disorder of getting through such a throng of men, each who eagerly want to take your bag and receive a tip.

A Cold Cup of Water:

The drive to St. Joseph’s Home for Boys was beyond description - ‘Tent cities’ clustered in various spots with

hundreds of tents and tarps …most of them are in the wide open sun, while a few have the luxury of some shade. Our eyes took in more than we

can begin to process at this time. Some places are total rubble having already been bulldozed – flat land now with the remains of cinder block and concrete. Other areas we passed have buildings in various states of destruction & collapse. The gas stations are rationing gas right now, so lines are very long and backed up into the streets, adding to the traffic on the road.

When we arrived at St. Joe’s we were greeted by Michael Guilenfeld with a glass of cold water and a the open arms of smiling boys. After the boys served us by unloading our luggage, we were served a delicious lunch of rice and beef stew. Lunch is the primary meal of the day. [Dinner later this evening was leftover stew or some of the many choices in the snack bin purchased by Mike and Doug. We are enjoying a wide diversity of snack food from Costco!]

We are staying in a building that was used as a home for the boys 20 years ago. We thought our lodging would be the tent on the roof, but we are fortunate to have the bunk beds in the home. Eight of the boys are back from Jacmel and helping to clean up the home. They will start school next Monday for their ‘end of grade’ exams.- the first school since the earthquake in January. School will continue through the summer to allow students to make up the school

time missed these past months.

Our First Task:

The women unpacked the bins and sorted through the food, tools & equipment, health kits, and games for the children. Some of the boys helped as well. Right after lunch the men headed to the roof of the St. Joseph’s home to strategize how to extract the overturned generator demolish the huge roof slab without damaging the immediately adjacent neighbor's home. It took all afternoon, and

while there was much progress and chipping away of mass, tonight it sleeps still anchored in a precariously dangerous position. The teamwork was especially wonderful to observe as they took time to discuss the vari

ous aspects of the daunting task. A gathering of neighbors assembled to watch attentively, especially those who questioned whether the slab would fall on their home! So far so good. To be continued……….

The Haunting Reality

We are back from Guatemala City a little over a week now, and I find I still think almost constantly about the experience. I believe my dreams have been consistently about the trip since returning. This morning I awoke early thinking about the people we met there. We were graciously received by these good people and were granted to opportunity to share something of their lives for a week. By no means would I be so presumptuous as to say I know them, but I do have impressions based on my observations. It seems to me that life in the community of the basurero, the city dump, is a crucible. How any one person fairs will depend on his unique experiences, opportunities, innate ability and quantum chance. Some like the ladies of the committee, Doña Claudia, Janet & Cony have a quiet strength, a sense of pride and competence about them. Many others do as well. Diego told me with pride that he is Maya and speaks a Maya dialect. Rolando goes to work daily on a camion, a trash collection truck, a garbage truck. His job is to collect payments from customers for the service. It is dangerous work. He was robbed of the equivalent of $75,000 at gunpoint. The danger of the community would figure to be an essential element of life there. People who work in the basurero are doing dangerous work. It is easy to see how they could be seriously injured working so closely with moving vehicles that are dumping their loads. This danger translates to the street. We were told that Doña Claudia’s son was murdered 2 weeks before we arrived. Four people were murdered in apparently unrelated incidents on Thursday. Another gruesome murder happened on Friday. We are told that Sondra witnessed a brutal murder in January. Those who are crushed in the crucible find comfort where they can. They become solventeros or houghers as the gringos know them. They walk the streets holding fabric saturated with paint thinner to their noses, breathing in the numbing vapors, vapors that take away hunger for a little while, that take away the pain of awareness, and ultimately, that take away their mental capacity as it destroys their neurons, their brains, the essence of who they are. It is easy to spot them with their hands to their noses and the sharp odor of organic solvent spilling out as they pass. Fito is a child of the basurero who’s been strengthened by the hardship and by the love of Christ. He is now in law school and writing a book about his life experiences. Rebecca grew up in Guatemala City and speaks perfect English, having been educated in the US as a [Sam] Walton International Scholar. Both are Vida Joven staff. Love and joy show in their faces when they talk with others. And then there are the children. Marvin & Alicia, Estephan & Vincenzio, Edgar, Melanie and so many more who are full of life and love, kids who want to be hugged and held and tossed in the air, kids who want to sit on your knee or your shoulders, who want to help with the hard work of building, and do. They do not seem to be scarred by the basurero. But they must grow up. This is the haunting anxiety, and reality.

Gene Bowers