One thing leads to another...

     I've told this story to several people, but there are many more who haven't heard it yet.  I remember the first time David came to our Missions meeting at church and spoke about Haiti.  Interesting.  Then he showed pictures.  Ok, so it looks pretty and green.  But wait, look at how much the men are sweating.  Their shirts are soaked.  Gross!  It's really that hot and humid?  Count me out.  Then David spoke about the smells - from rotting garbage, unbathed bodies, raw sewage, you name it.  Anything capable of stinking, did.  I am so NOT going to Haiti.  E.V.E.R.  I don't want to sweat like that.  I don't want to smell that stuff.  And to top it off, I'd get filthy dirty and maybe have a cold shower to look forward to at night, after fending off rats and swarms of mosquitoes.  Right.  He went on...  I tuned out....

     Haiti just moved to the top of my cross-off list. 

     Then David started talking to me about going.  Thank you, but no.  I'd see him at church and go out of my way to avoid him.  He'd see me and start talking about Haiti again.  Umm, still not interested.  Thanks, anyway.  Then he called me at home.  Thank goodness for Caller ID!  Made it easy to not take his calls.  He persisted.  Doesn't the guy get the hint?!  Let me spell it out...  I.  a.m.  n.o.t.  i.n.t.e.r.e.s.t.e.d.  i.n.  g.o.i.n.g.  t.o.  H.a.i.t.i.   p.e.r.i.o.d.!!

     He persisted.  Still.  <sigh>

     Ok, fine.  I fired a thousand questions at him, "What if...?", "Why this....?", "What about....?"  If I couldn't dodge him, at least I could try to dissuade him by asking questions.  He patiently answered all of my questions, many of which I asked two or three times.  You'd think he'd notice by now how creeped out I was about the thought of going to Haiti.  I mean, seriously, who would want to take a woman to Haiti who didn't want to sweat and gag from stinky smells?

     I'd come up with another question.  He'd have the answer.  This wasn't working out the way I planned. 

     He wasn't taking the hint, and still kept insisting I go.  He suggested I speak with some of the men who had gone, get their perspective.  "You'll love it!  The people are amazing, you'll fall in love with them.  God is so alive there.  They will take such good care of you.  You really ought to go."

     Ugh. That really wasn't what I wanted to hear.  Yes, they told me, they did sweat; it was hot.  But the food was good, the country was beautiful and the entire trip was an adventure.  Go, they said.  Just go.  My resolve was weakening.  Ok, but what about the expense?  Gosh darn it, God provided for that.  Was there NO way I could get out of going?  Didn't look like it.

     Long story short, I went.  I loved it.  God kept showing up all over the place.  The country was beautiful (and yes, filthy and dirty).  The smells stunk like nothing else.  It was hot.  I sweated like crazy for quite possibly the first time in my life.  Seriously.  My clothes were soaked.  The mosquitoes chewed me up.  But I stayed healthy!  I made some cherished friends.  My heart was broken by the plight of those who have nothing, and still give you everything they have.  Crazy.  Their faith in God was palpable.  It was REAL.  They knew their God was with them and would provide for them.  They showed me what living by faith looks like.  You could see it in their smiles and hear it in their singing.

     I came back with loads of photos and videos and couldn't stop talking about the trip.

     What happened to make me go?  God.  He had a plan.  Isaiah 37:26, "It was I, the LORD, who decided this long ago.  Long ago I planned what I am now causing to happen."  (NLT)  I can't claim to fully know or understand His plan for me, but now I have a better understanding of what it's like to let Him lead me along.  I tried to pull a Jonah and run from God and His plan.  I'm glad it didn't happen. 

     The call went out for participants for the 2013 Haiti trip.  "If you don't email me, you're not on the list and you won't go," said David.  My response?  "Keep my name on your list from now on.  Don't take it off!!"

     Love God.  Go love people.  But wait, there's more....

The Starfish Story and Haiti

Perhaps you’ve heard the story by Loren Eisley.  It goes like this:

One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed
a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean.

Approaching the boy, he asked, “What are you doing?”

The youth replied, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean.
The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.”

”Son,” the man said, “don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish?
You can’t make a difference!”

After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish,
and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said,
“I made a difference for that one.”

On my last two trips to Haiti, it’s been interesting to watch the reactions of the first-time participants.  After arriving in-country and being sensorily assaulted with all the noise, smells, commotion and extreme poverty, they wonder aloud “Is what I’m doing here making any difference at all in Haiti?”

Fair question.

The poverty in Haiti is beyond our western-minded comprehension.  Haiti is, after all, a third world country.  The population is ~9.8 million.  Average lifespan is 62 years.  The unemployment rate is 40%.  80% of the population lives below the poverty level.[1]  Other sources cite the poverty rate as 78% of the population earning less than $2 US / day, while 54% of that amount earn less than $1 US / day – extreme poverty.[2]  Suffice it to say, the Haitians are struggling, in a mighty way, to survive.

Do your contributions make a difference?  YES!  No matter whether you have donated cash, material goods, time (soliciting donations then gathering and packing them), or even prayers and encouragement, your donations do make a difference. 

The look in a hungry person’s eyes as you hand them a bag of food containing enough goods to last a month, is incredible.  Hungry as in at the point of being famished from not eating for days, not just “I missed a meal today.”  While some may grab their food, others reach up with gentle, humble hands of gratitude and look at you with eyes full of thanksgiving.  Some smile, others are too reserved.   Your monetary donations just allowed that person to survive.

Were you the child who was doomed to forever wear your older sibling’s hand-me-downs?  Imagine not having any clothes to wear, or being a young boy who has only a dress to wear.  Yes, a boy wearing a dress.  Or you have a shirt, but no shorts or undies.  Imagine being handed a brand new dress (if you are a girl!) or a new pair of shorts (if you are a boy). 

We took with us over 1200 handmade dresses and I don’t know how many pairs of shorts and undies on our last trip.  We gave away every piece of clothing.  Some went to orphanages, some to churches, and even a local village near our compound.  Perhaps the most heartwarming sight was travelling through the village the morning after we handed out the dresses.  (We passed through it every morning and evening on our way to Port-au-Prince.)  Lining the dusty road were the girls, who the evening before, had received their new dresses.  They were proudly wearing the dresses and waving to us.

Twice now I’ve received two cash donations of $1 each.  Both times, that $1 donation, combined with other donations, purchased books and sewing supplies.  It’s like the story of Jesus feeding the multitudes (not once but twice!) with the 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread.  Small amounts combined to create a feast for thousands.

Like the lyrics to “Follow Me” by Ira Stamphill say,” If just a cup of water I place within your hand, Then just a cup of water is all that I demand.”

Give whatever you can.  Don’t worry about the size, quantity or amount of your donation.  Your task is to give.  God’s task is to take it and multiply it for His People.  And He will.  He always will.

And yes, your donation does make a difference to the Haitians.  A huge difference.  Who knows, it may just keep them alive for one more day – long enough to reach out and bless someone else who needs it.

The needs in Haiti will always be there.  We can't fix everything.  But together, we can make a difference.

---

[1]https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ha.html

[2] http://www.haitipartners.org/stories-news/haiti-statistics/

Highlights

Bubble wrap 

The shy young boy who came to the sewing class with his mother.  He was polite and very curious, hanging back, watching us.  He found the bubble wrap with which the sewing machines had been packed with.  Picking a piece up, he began popping the bubbles individually.  Enter Stephen H.  He grabbed a big piece, wadded it up, then gave it a mighty twist, causing the bubbles to pop like a string of Black Cats firecrackers.  The little boy grinned!  He tried it and made it pop like Stephen’s.  Boys and bubble wrap.  No matter the age or nationality, they love their bubble wrap!

New shoes

We brought along some donated clothing items to give away.  One of the items was a pair of men’s tennis shoes, used but still in decent condition.  I noticed an older gentleman sitting in the church, several rows back.  A young woman was kneeling at his feet.  “Oh how sweet, she’s tying his shoes for him,” I thought as I noticed his crutches laying next to him.  I turned away, busy with something else.  Later, I looked back at the man, who appeared to be sleeping with his head on his chest.  Then I saw his foot moving slowly.  He was looking down, admiring his new footwear, the donated tennis shoes, slowly turning his foot back and forth like a woman admiring new shoes.  I walked over to get a closer look.  His old shoes were nearby, badly scuffed and worn through on the soles.  He looked up at me with a sincere smile, appreciation radiating from his eyes.

Do you see both chickens?

The chicken who brought a friend to church 

One of the things I love about Haiti is the abundance of chickens.  In the country and in the city, they are everywhere.  We had gone to a church in Port-au-Prince to deliver food to the congregation.  One of our first-timers, a young man, would be giving a short talk.  His father asked me to videotape it.  I sat in the front row enjoying the singing, ready to capture Erik’s talk.  I heard a chicken, murmuring to herself somewhere in the background.  “Ooh, I hope she walks through here,” I thought to myself.  Erik began his talk, I began videoing him.  The feathered murmuring grew louder.  There she was, walking behind the pulpit, peering out around it.  Sorry, Erik, gotta capture this…  The local Haitian preacher  shooed her away.  Drats!  Back to Erik’s talk.  All was quiet for a bit, then she started up again.  This time a rooster was following behind her.  Priceless!!  How many of us leave church mid-sermon and return with a friend to hear the Good News?!

Skin tones

I sat down next to some Haitians at church.  We smiled at each other.  They asked me if I spoke Creole.  I said yes, a little.  More people arrived, the pews filled up, and we squished in closer.  I heard whispers as my pew buddies turned to their friends behind them and relayed the news that this white woman understood a little Creole.  The sermon progressed.  I felt the lady next to me gently press her arm against mine, then whisper to her neighbors as she compared the color of our skin.  The Haitians are as curious about us as we are about them!

Every photo tells a story

Cathedral of Our Lady of Assumption
still lying in ruins.

I decided to try something different in this post.  Rather than use a lot of words to tell about our recent mission trip to Port au Prince, I will let these photos speak for themselves, with minimal captioning.  Ok, I admit it's real hard for me not to write 3 paragraphs about each one. 

These photos represent the highlights of the trip.  I hope you enjoy them.  Sorry for the wide spaces between the photos.  You get what you pay for with a free blog service.   ;)

Self explanatory parking spot.

Which one are you?!

Tent city with solar panels.  Seems
like an odd contrast.

Selling brooms.

Veterinary clinic.  I had no idea
these existed in Haiti.

Chickens in church.  And yes,
the rooster crowed during services.

What it's all about - helping
one another.

The face of desperation.

Driving through pools of sewage.

The gift of "new" shoes. 
This man kept admiring them.

No matter where they live,
boys will be boys.  They love
popping bubble wrap!

Arguing over who forgot to
fill the water tanks for us.  We had
no water for toilets or showers that night.

The next day, someone
forgot to turn OFF the water!

Our house.  Yes, that speck in
the middle...

The house.  2 bathrooms for 22
people.  We made it work.



I. Want. This. Puppy!!

Sunsets were gorgeous.

Need to purchase a last minute souvenir
before flying out of Haiti?  This is it. 
The one and only shop in the airport.

February 2012 - Sew cool!

Allow me to introduce my dear friend, Barbara Dean, and "guest contributor" to my blog.  After my first visit to Haiti in 2010, Barbara offered to make tote bags for the Haitian women.  Little did she know what she opened up her heart to....  She and her husband, David, joined us in 2011 on another trip to Haiti, where we handed out those tote bags. 

One thing led to another and suddenly Barbara and David were heading up a sewing project, with a two-fold aim: to teach the women how to sew, and then giving them their own hand-crank Singer sewing machines.  Sadly, David passed away before the 2012 trip and didn't get to see the results of his hard work.  (I know he was watching from Heaven, though!). 

Barbara, myself, and others recently returned from our 2012 trip.  I've asked her permission to share with you her trip summary. 

-Carol

Hi All,

Thank you so much for all you have done to help with the work in Haiti.  We had a wonderful trip in February.  I was very blessed to be able to see the fruits of the sewing machine project that Dave and I started on together in June.  He would be very happy with all the help and support I received to finish that work and to be able to make the trip after his sudden death in October.  He found his mission in helping the people of Haiti through education and you are helping to carry on his mission.  Thank you!  God has blessed me with each of you and I am thrilled that he has allowed me to be a part of His work in Haiti.

We took 21 hand-crank Singer sewing machines plus sewing supplies and had 2 classes (1 week in Cap-Haitien and 1 week in Port-au-Prince) where we taught 21 women how to use the machines.  The machines were 50 to 100 years old and are beautiful.  The ladies each took a machine home with them at the end of the week.  The women learned quickly and were very appreciative.  In Cap-Haitien we saw the women load their machines on motorcycle tap-taps (cabs) at the end of the week to take them home.  What a sight!

Unpacking the sewing machines;
one per tub.

Thanks to the sewing efforts of many (mostly in Colorado and Louisiana), we were able to take about 1200 dresses to give away, about 200 tote bags (some store-bought) and about 50 dolls.

We also had lots of ready-made boys and girls clothes, some adult clothes, underwear, 770 wooden cars for boys, and lots of toys, candy, hair clips, soccer balls, frisbees and other items to share. In Cap-Haitien we were able to donate beans and rice that were purchased from donations collected by the Colorado group. In Port-au-Prince we distributed about 700 food packets that included enough beans, rice, spaghetti, tomato sauce, oil, and bouillon cubes to feed a family of four for a week.  We left about 2 weeks worth of food at an orphanage that houses 60 kids. The funds for that were supplied by the group from Wyoming It was fun to see the girls in their new dresses (slipped over the clothes they were wearing) and we got lots of pictures. The women love the tote bags as always and the dolls were a huge hit. The food is desperately needed and very much appreciated.

We had a total of 27 people from 4 states (Colorado, Louisiana, Wyoming and Arkansas) there for various periods of time and we stayed very busy. In the mornings we had sewing classes, classes on electric wiring, a class for preachers, and a class for high school kids to learn word processing, spreadsheets, e-mail and Facebook. We also had a diesel mechanic with us who did some much needed repairs on a couple of trucks used by the churches and orphanage.  In the afternoons we visited churches, schools and orphanages to distribute all our "stuff."

Preparing the machines
for use.

God willing, we will be going back again early next year with 20 more sewing machines, 3000 dresses, 3000 dolls (pattern info coming soon) and ?? tote bags.  The group that gave us the wooden cars (Toys for Gods Kids) is willing to give us lots more.  I hope you will continue to help with the sewing.  We can also use donations of sewing machines (Singer models 15, 66, 99 - I can determine the model from the serial number.)  The machines can be electric, treadle or hand-crank and do not have to be in working order.  They will be refurbished if possible or used for spare parts. 



Her smile says it all!

We can always use donations of cotton fabrics for dresses and decorator fabrics for tote bags.  We also need 1/4" elastic, 1/2" double fold bias tape, ribbons, rick-rack, lace, and other buttons and trims for dresses.  I have lots of fabric suitable for making boys shorts if anyone is interested in doing that.  I also have cotton knit fabric suitable for making T-shirts and would be happy to pass it on to anyone willing to take on that project.  We need sewing notions (new or gently used) to make up sewing kits to go with each machine.  This would include cutting scissors, snipping scissors, thread (lots), seam rippers, measuring tapes, thimbles, marking pens, cutting tools (rotary cutters,  mats and rulers), pins, needles, needle threaders, and reading glasses.  The Wyoming group sent readers and we found out how needed they are by women in the sewing classes that can't see well.  Glasses are a luxury that very few can afford.

Praying over their new machines.

We will also need funds for purchasing spare parts, making cases for the machines and for shipping.  Shipping all these items is expensive - it cost about $200 to get each machine from Colorado to Haiti.  Any way you can help is very much appreciated and lives are changed for the better.

With love in Christ, 

Barbara Dean

Crop Rotation

Well, it’s been a while since I’ve last written anything on my blog.  Good thing I’m not a farmer; gardens and crops die from neglect.  Do blogs?!  Don’t answer …..    :/

Just as farmers rotate their crops, so we are rotating the type of aid we are taking to Haiti.  First it was seeds, then tote bags, now dresses!  And boy howdy, do I mean dresses.  Over 1,000 dresses, ranging in size 3 to 12, were made from simple patterns.  Many women worked hard to sew up this bumper crop in less than one year’s time.  The dresses will be handed out on our next trip to Port-au-Prince and Cap Haitien, Feb. 11-25, 2012. 

Ladies are still sewing up tote bags, too.  Nearly 60 gorgeous bags, combined with another 60 store bought totes, will be added to the shipment.  Along with brand new undies for the wee kiddos, shoes, over 770 handmade wooden cars, and nearly 50 impeccable silk ties to be handed out to the local preachers.  Preachers still dress up to preach the Word in Haiti – many in three piece suits with ties, even during the heat and humidity of summer.  And we whine when our churches are too drafty or hot…, puh-leaze!

Perhaps the coolest part about this trip, besides all the new faces that are going, are the 21 refurbished hand-crank Singer sewing machines.  Oooh, there’s a story behind this!  The long and short of it is, this time the trip will focus on teaching 21 Haitian women how to sew on these machines.  At the end of the week-long class, they will be given the machines and $200 cash to start their own businesses. 

The sewing machines are the old treadle type you may have seen in your grandmother’s home.  Since the entire assembly (machine, treadle, and cabinet) would be much too heavy and costly to ship down, the machines were refurbished.  Now, instead of being operated by foot / treadle power, they have been retrofitted with a hand crank. 

Stay tuned for updates from our trip!

Planting a new crop

     Just like farmers rotate their crops, it’s time to rotate “crops” in Haiti.  Out with vegetable seeds, in with emergent readers.  Wait… in a country with thousands of hungry people, why stop donating seeds?  Great question.  One for which I don’t readily have an answer, other than to say David has identified another pervasive need – education.  Let’s face it, Haiti’s problems won’t go away over night.  And no matter how much aid you give them, they will still remain poor and impoverished.  But does that mean you stop helping them?  No!  If you can make a difference in one person’s life, you can spread hope and change to countless others.  Never give up even when the task looks insurmountable.  God calls us to help, He promises to do the rest.

     On my last trip there, in Jan. 2011, we met a young Haitian man who was educated in the U.S.  Jean returned to Haiti to help educate his countrymen.  His English is so good that he does a mean, spot-on imitation of East Coast and Southern accents.  Scary.  He knows, as do all the Haitians, that education is the way out of poverty and a step towards self-sufficiency.  Between him and David, they created a plan to educate Haitians adults and teach them English.  Knowing how to speak English opens many doors of opportunities; for example getting a job with foreigners (and there are plenty in Haiti) as a cook, driver, laundress, or interpreter.

     Jean’s classroom is in the rented house in CAP.  In a small, sun-lit room on the main floor, ten Haitians will attend his class to learn and perfect their English.  This is where we come in – those students needs materials to learn from, books that have simple words in English, emergent readers.  These are the books your kiddos learn to read from when they were developing their literacy skills.  “The dog is black.  The ball is round.  This is my house.”  Think Dick and Jane.  Basic vocabulary.

      Fast forward to June 2011.  Another trip to Haiti; I was unable to go.  People continued to donate veggie seeds, which were dutifully packed up and shipped down there along with various other supplies.  But one anonymous donor gave me $220 to spend as I saw fit.  I found a store where I could purchase emergent readers, and for X amount I spent and paid for in cash, I would receive X discount.  I shopped, I ordered extra copies, I prayed over what to buy.  When I brought everything to the cash register and the sales gal rang me up, my total came to $220.49.  How cool was that!  Yet another example among many how God is in the details.

      The books were delivered, the first class started this week.  I am eagerly waiting to hear how it’s going.  I’ll keep you posted.  If you want to help the Haiti relief efforts, please contact me at card_file@hotmail.com.  100% of donated items and / or money are sent to Haiti for relief efforts.

You know you’re missing Haiti when...

...you look in your cupboards and think of how many people you can feed with the food on the shelves.
...you see excess in your city everywhere you look.
...you stop complaining about the 30 min. wait in your doctor’s waiting room.
...you can’t remember the last time your stomach growled from hunger.
...you see colors and clothing that remind you of special Haitian friends.
...you look in your closet and think “What can I give away next time I go back?”
...you seek out the ruts and bumps in the road and take them at full speed.
...you want to drive without a seat-belt on.
...you want to weave in and out of traffic.
...you monitor airfares for cheap flights.
...you didn't completely unpack your suitcase from the last trip, leaving just enough in there so it's packed and ready for the next trip.
...you tell God, in nearly every prayer you pray, "I'm ready to go back... just say when..."
...you reconsider frivolous purchases, knowing how you can spend that money on Haiti.
...you're on a first-name basis with the FedEx guy who picks up your shipments to Haiti.

The Abundant Provider

     I wrote letters to various seed companies, soliciting vegetable seed donations for Haiti.  Another day, another letter, another 44¢ stamp.  Call me crazy, but I prayed over every letter as I slipped it into the mailbox.
     Fast forward one month.  I receive a call from someone at a seed company here in town.  “I was going through my letters looking for worthy causes to donate to, and your cause sounds very worthy to me.  We are going out of business.  Would you like to come by and see if there is any seed you can use?”  Heck, yes!!  I completely forgot I had written to this company.
     Long story short, I went.  I looked.  I wished I had borrowed a van!  My car was packed full of seeds; so much so that my car looked like a tail-dragger going down the highway.  The front seat, back seat and trunk were loaded with bags, sacks, and containers of seeds.  360 pounds worth.  Yep, 360 pounds.  That’s a lot of seed.
     A 44 cent stamp yielded nearly $7300 worth of donated seed.  You’ve heard of “R.O.I.” – Return on Investment?  This is “R.O.P.” – Return on Prayer.
     When God provides, He provides abundantly!!

God in the details!

     Every trip to Haiti is different.  Places visited, team members, situations encountered, the purpose for going.  Yet one thing remains the same – God.  This was my second trip to Haiti, a place that feels very much like home to me.  So much about this trip was quite different from my first - except God!  God was all over this trip, in every little detail. 

     Our truck broke down.  Even thought we all ate the same food, two of the team developed very mild tummy troubles.  Wondering why she felt led to bring a particular medication, Lee, our medical person went ahead and brought it.  Thinking he might need clean clothes for a dirty day ahead, one guy packed extra clothing.  I had to buy some hardware for the house, yet I found myself purchasing 2 Sharpie markers.  Huh?  God in the details….

     Our first truck, the one that broke down, was large enough to accommodate the entire 15 member team and all of our supplies needed for the day’s work.  The day the truck broke down and we realized we had to find other transportation, 2 team members stayed behind due to mild illness.  The replacement truck could only accommodate 13 people + supplies, not all 15 of us.  Coincidence or God in the details?

     We visited a hospital and dropped off some donated supplies and medicines.  Shortly after that, Lee ran into a doctor who specializes in Urology, the same field in which she works.  They talked shop, the doctor mentioned a troubling case.  “If only I had “X” medication….”  Lee perked up.  “I brought that with me!”  Coincidence or God in the details?

     If you think you might need it during the day, pack it.  Don’t question it.  He thought he might, so one guy packed extra clothing.  Later on out in the back country, a situation came up with a Haitian who was in dire need of extra clothing.  Guess which team member had that exact piece of clothing to give?!  Coincidence or God in the details?

     David went to Haiti before our team left the States.  He emailed me a list of various hardware items needed for the house.  “Go buy it.”  I did.  But as I walked the hardware aisle in Walmart, I felt this strong urge to go buy Sharpie markers.  Ok, that is definitely not hardware,  but ok, I’ll go with it…  Shortly after arriving at the house, Lee had to break medicines down into smaller packets for distribution.  She needed something with which to write on plastic baggies.  She asked, “Does anybody have….?”  “…a Sharpie marker???”  I replied.  Coincidence or God in the details?

     And these are just some of the God stories that happened during our trip.  I could go on about the well-furnished house we stayed in, the food we ate, friendships made and renewed, amazingly inspiring worship services we attended, the love the Haitians showed us, the peace and security that surrounded us as we traveled and worked, and especially about the bonding amongst the team.

     Sometimes you just have to go on a mission trip to experience all of God’s incredible provision and protection for yourself.  Others can tell you about it, but until you experience it for yourself, firsthand, you won’t understand.  When God calls you to go, He will equip you for the journey and watch over you in ways you’d never dream.  God is real!  And He’s never been more real to me than when I’ve followed Him to Haiti.                                   

Love God|Go love people

Where is everyone?

Traffic on a typical day.

     Driving home from the airport, I noticed how empty the streets were.  It was Saturday night, 6pm.  Lots of cars driving around, but where was everyone?  In one short week in Haiti, I had grown accustomed to seeing people everywhere.  City sidewalks were crammed with people, so much so that sometimes they had to pass each other by walking in the streets.  Not a good idea when those streets were also crammed with every mode of transportation known to man – buses, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, tap-taps, even push carts and the occasional donkey.  You always ran the risk of running over someone, and yet, all the traffic meshed and merged and moved along.  Usually.

     But now the streets at home remind me of the aftermath of a nuclear war.  Not a living person in sight.  Just lots of vehicles driving around, seemingly under their own power.  Where is everyone?

Seeds for life

     I decided to blog about my first trip to Haiti while I was there.  Only two problems - I didn't have a computer and the power was sporadic (I thought that was pretty cool!).  So I did it the old fashioned way, I journaled.  Notebook and pen.  Scribbling furiously whenever I wasn't mopping sweat from my face, bouncing around on the roads, taking pictures, trying to speak French and learn some Haitian Creole, eat some of the best Carribean food or lounging in the pool for hours (yes, hours!) on end. 
     But what to call my blog?  A friend came up with the best title, "Seeds for Life."  After all, this first trip was about teaching the Haitians the principles of composting and Square Foot Gardening. 
     I happened to see the phrase "A flower grows through the dirt before it blooms" on a church sign.  Perfect subtitle for the blog!  And boy does that ever fit the situation in Haiti to a "T."  Those poor people are pushing their way through the dirt and dung of life trying to survive. 
     My hope is they bloom one day.

Contrasts

     My bags are packed, I'm ready to go....  I can't help but think of all the contrasts I'll encounter on the trip: 
- weather  Currently it is 2 degrees F. above zero with a -11 degree wind chill; in Haiti the high is 78 degrees with a low of 69.  There is about 5" of powder snow on the ground, none in Haiti.
- food  Well-stocked shelves at the grocery store, tons of variety of just about anything you'd want to eat.  Haiti?  Rice and beans.  Maybe your only meal of the day.  If you are lucky.
- dogs  I gave my pampered pooch a pat on the head today; she all snuggled in her blanket.  Dogs in Haiti are left to scavenge for food, and from the looks of their protruding ribs, they don't appear to find much to eat.  We hit a dog once, it cried out in pain and limped off to the side of the road.  I only saw two dogs that I would consider to be lucky.  They were being led around by a piece of chain link, the kind you hang a swing from on a swingset.  At least the guys on the other end of the "leash" were keeping them out of the way of our truck.  Oh, and I saw sacks of dog food at the American store.  Which lucky dogs would get to eat that?  Not the scrawny dead dog I saw lying in the street, most likely hit by a car.
- clothes  I buy clothes for my Haiti trips at thrift stores.  I'm picky - it'd better fit, zippers working and all buttons in place.  No suspicious odors or stains.  In Haiti, the clothes may or may not fit, might be missing one or all buttons and zippers, boys sometimes wear dresses because that's all they have.  All body parts are covered.  Sometimes.
- medical care  Call ahead, make an appt., pull up in front of a shiny, clean, modern building.  Then I have 15 minutes with the doctor and access to whatever care I need.  Flashback to the hospital in Haiti I visited:  empty medicine vials strewn on the ground, crowded clinics and not everyone was seen, people begging for funds from us to pay for medical care, animals roaming the hospital wards.  Sanitary?  Hardly.
- roads  The only ruts and bumps and bounces I experienced while driving today were from the snow and ice.  Stay in the tracks made by the cars in front of you and you weren't likely to get stuck in the snow.  In Haiti, you constantly zig and zag all over the place dodging pot holes that would make a car parts salesman squeal with delight, if the holes didn't outright total your truck first.
- water  Anytime I want it, cold fresh tap water.  I can even drink from my garden hose.  Not so in Haiti.  Better make sure you are drinking the filtered, bottled water from the Coca-Cola plant.  Or if you are feeling chancey, go ahead and buy one of those little bags of water.  It's only been handled by a billion dirty hands before landing in yours.

Small contributions are HUGE!

     Whenever I made a small donation to a worthy cause, I often wondered "Gosh, does my paltry little donation really matter?"  I would walk away feeling guilty for giving what I could give because it didn't seem to be a "big enough" contribution.  I felt if I couldn't give a large quantity of something or a sizeable check, then why bother?  I mean really, would $5 or $10 really help the recipient?
     Yes!!  As the Haiti 2011 trip approaches, donations are still trickling in.  And they are piling up!  Although we've shipped approximately 450# of donations and supplies to Haiti, we may have to arrange another shipment! 
     People have handed me checks for large and small amounts; money we will use to purchase rice and beans.  To paraphrase a friend, "That $5 is $5 more than you had when you started."  And now that $5 will feed a family of 4 for one week - more food than they will have had before we came.
     I'm learning it's not about the amount of money or the number of donated tote bags.  It's what you do with each and every penny, each and every tote bag you give away.  It's about taking the fish and loaves God gives you, passing it on to those in need, then letting Him multiply the increase to impact as many people as He will.
     After all, God owns everything.  Whether it be a tote bag or a $5 check, my job is to be a pipeline of blessings between God, the donors, and those in need.  I'm just the hands to pass along whatever God places within them.
     Don't not give just because you think your gift is too small to make a difference.  Every blizzard starts with one snowflake, every flood with one raindrop.  Every gift to an impoverished person starts with "one." 
     A sincere thank you to everyone who has donated anything to Haiti!

Would you sleep on this?



Mattresses at Tabitha's orphanage



     Probably not.  But 20-25 orphans at Tabitha's do.  Every night.  And yet they are lucky.  They have mattresses.  Even though they look like this.  Tattered, torn, soiled and unsanitary.  If you don't have a mattress, you sleep on the ground.  Or on concrete.

     Why are the mattresses outside in the sun and not on the bedframes?  Little kids are little kids.  And little kids without diapers, well....  that's why the mattresses are put outside in the daytime.  At nighttime, the mattresses are put back on the beds for the kids to sleep on.

     This is Haiti.  You do what you have to do.  If you have the choice between spending money (if you have it) on diapers or food, which would you choose?  At least these little guys and gals have mattresses.  Not the most sanitary conditions in which to sleep, but at least they are up off the ground.

     I asked D. how much to replace the mattresses.  $400.  E.a.c.h.  What???  Yep, $400 each.  Haiti has no mattress manufacturers, so mattresses must be purchased outside the country and shipped in.  Purchase price + shipping costs = pricey mattress.  But wait, there's more....  If you ship the mattresses in to Haiti, now you have to pay the "customs taxes," aka bribes, to get the shipment through Customs.  Ka-ching, ka-ching.  D. says the most cost effective way to get mattresses is to buy them in the Dominican Republic and truck them over to Haiti.  $400 each.  The orphanage needs ten.

     If you will help me raise $4,000 for ten new mattresses, I will personally buy the waterproof mattress bags to put them in.  And this precious little guy will sleep well.

Haiti Packing Party

     Whew!  What a whirlwind!  Thanks to several hearty volunteers from church and a dear co-worker, we packed ten 33" x 16" x 14" trunks for our upcoming trip.  We scheduled two days for a "come and go, look and see" packing party.  Curious about what we are shipping?  Want to see how much 1,000 bars of hotel soap is, or what a pile of 200+ tote bags looks like?  How much stuff can you cram into one 33" x 16" x 14" trunk?  This was the place to be to see it.  We packed tote bags, soaps, toothpaste / toothbrushes, gallon size ziplock bags (for bagging rice and beans), sewing kits, hard candies, tennis balls, MREs, etc.  And it all had to be broken out into easy access to the supplies for both morning and afternoon distribution runs.  No time to sort and repack once we reach Haiti.  It took us roughly 10 hours over several days to assemble, organize and pack all of our supplies.



Our supplies ready to ship to Haiti

     Since the trunks, weighing 50-60# each, were sitting in my living room, I was designated the "shipper."  After weighing pricing options between the two large shipping companies, the choice was made.  I dutifully printed off 10 shipping labels, oh so neat and perfect.  Pick-up time for the trunks was set.  The doorbell rang.  "Uh......"  Long pause from the delivery man, never a good thing.  "Where are the barcodes on the labels?"

     D'uh!!  I had a hunch I goofed somewhere.  Up to this point, it had all gone much too smoothly.  Not to worry.  Being the kind, uber customer service delivery man that he was, he told me how to rectify the situation - and he even gave me his cell phone number on the truck so I could call him when I had everything relabeled.  Several hours and ten shiny new barcoded shipping labels later, I called the delivery man back and said the trunks were set to go.

Thanks, Frank!

     104 stops later, he was back at my door.  He showed me how to scan the labels as he carted them off to his truck.  (I can't imagine hoisting boxes back and forth all day, every day.  Ouch!)  We got to talking about Haiti and all the heartache and poverty down there.  I told him to think about going on one of our trips; he said he didn't think he could handle the heartbreak.  "I wish I could do something to help them, though."

     "You ARE!!," I told him.  "You are helping us get our supplies down there.  Without you and your shipping company, we couldn't do what we are doing."
     From start to finish, many hands participated in the Haiti Packing Party.  Donors.  Packers.  Shippers.  Thanks, everyone!