Rainy Season

I think that rainy season has officially begun. Though it hasn’t rained for the last 2 days I think it rained every day before that for at least 2 weeks…This hasn’t been a big problem as it is usually in the evening or at night. I should say isn’t a problem for us as our roofs are mostly water tight unlike those living around us. It doesn’t usually rain for very long, sometimes only 15 minutes but often it is a deluge for that 15 minutes resulting in pools and puddles everywhere…in the roads, in the courtyard, in yards, etc. Last the rain was coming earlier than normal (so far it came after dinner and before bed). It rained from before dinner and with the winds blowing our al fresco dining was a wet affair though still full of smiles and laughter.  The winds have been blowing as well…I love it! It keeps the air moving and things just that much cooler. However, one night the wind was blowing in a different direction when the skies opened. This rain lasted longer as well and the hallway in front of my room and my room flooded…it was kind of entertaining to watch and was slow enough that I was able to move things out of the way as it took over most of my floor. Everyone claimed this was the first time that they’d seen this room flood…I don’t know whether I believe that really but ok…talking about putting drains in the hallway (there is one but has been blocked with concrete) and possibly building a little threshold (but they are afraid I might trip over it since it would be new).

Flag Day

May 18^th was Flag Day in Haiti. I’ve always seen Flag Day on the calendar at home, but never knew what it was other than (I think) a bank holiday.  Here in Haiti it is the celebration of the Haitian flag’s creation. There is a convergence on the small town of Arcahaie where Catherine Flor sewed the first flag. It is said that revolutionary leader Dessalines tore out the middle white stripe of the French flag (the colonists that had been overthrown) and had the red and blue sewn together.

So we had a small group head to Arcahaie to see what was happening there. Matt, Jemps, Max, Wahite Frick and myself. All we really knew was that we pass through Arcahaie on our way to the beach…When we got to the market area that is usually a traffic jam with all the people it was deserted. So we took a turn along what turned out to be a very nice road. It went on for quite a while (I was starting to think this couldn’t be right) when all of a sudden we came upon the multitudes. We found a place to park and started walking. We came upon the statue/art that shows Catherine sewing the flag and had someone take a group picture. We didn’t look at it until after and he had cut Jemps out of the picture…Today was to be the opening of an enormous market building. We continued to wander and follow the people and we ended up behind some high hedges with people crowded around. Come to find out that on the other side of the hedge was a parade and a grand stand where President Martelly was sitting. We pushed up far enough that we could see Martelly through a hole in the hedge still about 100 feet away but that’s closer than I’ve been to any other president! Since we couldn’t see much we continued to wander and then head home. it was a fun outing.

While wandering I took a picture of the statue of Dessalines and was then approached by a drunk man who wanted money for the picture. I assured him that he was not in the picture and would not get any money from me (which he still felt that he deserved) and I continued on. He then attached himself to Matt (the other blanc in the group) and proved to be somewhat difficult to get rid of, but in the end we were successful.

Martelly is between the bushes on stage in white.

walking

I’ve gone walking with Nadege in the evenings…kind of an exercise to aid in our digestion after dinner. She always leads (good thing) and we go in different directions to different places, maybe at some point I’ll know my way around this area. We’ve gone to visit a friend of hers who has two little girls—one is almost 2 (I think) and the other is about 5 months old. We stopped by for a short chat (I mostly listened/ played with the baby) and then continued around. We’ve been to the House of Hope twice now where I’ve gotten to see the bed time routine and helped with some homework. One night we wandered a way that she didn’t really know either. We found a large open space that could be traversed as a short cut to Cite Soleil (if you are on foot). There was a group of children playing under 2 trees to the side of the area. We went over and played for a bit. Some of the bigger girls had the face cards of a deck and were playing a team game of four in a kind—your partner has to call it when you get 4 of a kind…I won one hand but then got too paranoid about watching the other team…It was fun to play with them. I’m pretty sure they don’t get much interaction with strangers or adults who care or who have time to spend with them. We told them we would come back the next night (and bring cards) but it was raining cats and dogs so we have yet to get back to them.  I’m glad for rainy season for the water and cooler weather (for a little while) but sad that it cuts into our evening walks…

Online sermons

I have to admit that there are Sundays that I just can’t get myself out of bed and into church. Church here at Terre Noire starts at 6 am, but even more than that I find it very difficult to understand the services. They are a mixture of French and Creole and projected over a sound system that I’m pretty sure is turned up as high as it will go whether that is the best way to listen to it or not. And sometimes the preachers shout which only makes it worse. The acoustics in a concrete box with a tin roof don’t help either. But now I feel that I’m just making excuses and in part I am. Sorry. But there are some Sundays when it is just the time that I can’t handle and I tell myself that I can go to the next service…but by the time that service rolls around (9 am) it is really hot and I’ve talked myself out of it with the reasons above.

So I’ve taken to reading sermons online or listening to ones that have been posted. Some are from churches or preachers that I know and others are from the big televised ones. I usually go in pretty skeptical if it is from a big name or website but usually I’m able to get something out of it. I’ve listened to one reminding us that encouragement is something that we need to consciously do to those around us and it will help us grow (sounds so simple and common sense but still sometimes those are the best ones).  Thanks to all those preachers who post.

Oh yeah…and sometimes I even do both (go to church and listen to something I might understand)

Current Repatriate Church

Rebuilding the structure that was destroyed in the earthquake 3+ years ago.

Prayer meeting

I was invited by Nadege to go to the prayer meeting that she goes to each week. Possibly the invitation was a little bit of a joke since it would all be in (fast) Creole and why would I want to sit through something I don’t understand. But I saw it as a way to get out of the compound and a way to see more of the Haitian world. The meeting is at someone’s house (changes each week) and is very important to a Christian Haitian. There are many, many prayer meetings every week in the compound but I don’t know the people who go. She was a little surprised when I showed up ready to go but I think she was also glad I was coming.

We arrived and sat outside. The doors were open and many people went in but there was no airflow inside and there were too many people for us all to fit anyway. Many hymns were sung and in between hymns they would pray. The host asks for specific prayers—what he or she is praying for that we could also pray for them. Praying in Haiti is not usually a quiet affair. Occasionally the leader will be the only one praying out loud but more often the leader will start and everyone else will get started too. All we can hear as humans is a drone or chant (that can get pretty animated), but we know that God hears each of us individually. There is also lots of call and response. ‘glory to God’, ‘Alleluia’, ‘Thank you Jesus’, ‘Praise the Lord’, etc. and clapping and waving of arms. At the end I had to introduce myself (which is when I went inside and noticed how hot it would have been). I loved the experience and hope to be able to attend again.

Medika Mamba

Our last morning in the northern part of the country was spent just outside of Cap Haitian at the Meds and Food for Kids factory. It is a peanut butter factory that makes the super vitamin loaded peanut butter that is being produced around the world to combat malnutrition in children. Here in Haiti they call it Medika Mamba (Peanut Butter Medicine) and around the world they call it Plumpy Nut…which is what I heard about some in Malawi. This is the only factory in Haiti that is making these products (there are some for school snacks, older children, infants) and has gotten the ok to produce for international sale. They can sell to UNICEF or World Food or whoever because their things are all up to code. (I think there may be another factory in Haiti but not at that standard). They dreamed big when they built their new factory—they had been producing out of a house—and have the capacity to produce all the Medika Mamba that is needed in Haiti. They have even talked the big organizations to buy from them even if their product is a little more expensive to support what they are doing in using Haitain products (peanuts) and workers and supporting farmers to produce what they need. It was a cool thing to see. They are doing so much for Haiti. Hiring workers, buying local (and importing for things they can’t get here), experimenting with new types of peanuts for better yield. And there are results you can see—malnutrition causes the stomach to bloat, hair to turn orangey, eyes to turn yellow, and brains to not function well. If it is treated quickly and correctly the children can grow to be helpful members of society. Check them out at www.mfkhaiti.org.

sterile packaging room

sterile preparation room

ready to go...one box per child should get them the kick start they need...one sachet a day until it is gone

new varieties

Norm's Place

We stayed 2 nights at Norm’s Place at Labadee Beach. Beautiful, out of the way spot. We drove for at least 30 minutes out of Cap Haitian to the end of a road—past some other hotels and resorts and then took a 10 minute boat ride that dropped us at Norm’s Place. Great rustic rooms with large beds and private bathrooms. Once we were settled in we gathered on the front lawn for happy hour and then had a wonderful dinner—the first night was a buffet of seafood and other meat—lobster, conch, fish, beef, pork and veggies.

 
 

The next day was a free day to read, sleep, relax, wander the nearby village, swim.  All of which I did. A paradise really.  We were at the end of the path as well so not many passersby or vendors (but there were some). We watched a cruise ship dock at the end of the bay—there were special beaches for the cruise goers and they weren’t allowed on shore other than there…saw them kayaking pretty close to the village and some jet skis farther out. Dinner the second night was at the Cormier Plage Resort which was peopled by the UN from the vehicles we saw. Right on the water with a gorgeous beach (Norm’s Place is right on the water but no sand) and good food. The rum punch was also very nice. 

To go anywhere we had to board the boats that took us out the first time…it took some planning and balance to not get wet if you were worried about that sort of thing but we made it in our boats called “The Blood of Jesus” and “Life Goes On”. They gave us life jackets too! (I heard this was a new development)