Such a Simple Thing...

Even now, on my fifth trip to Haiti, I continue to be amazed by the largeness of things here in Haiti that are so ordinary by American standards. 

We invited the director of our Terra Promise School, Elder Morland, and his wife out for dinner.  Terre Promise School is located in Cite Soleil, the slums of Port au Prince, and over 500 students currently attend the school.    Elder operates the school on a shoestring budget, and deals with poverty, gangs, hunger, and homelessness on a daily basis.  

After many email exchanges between us, transportation issues were worked out, and Elder, his wife, and his nephew (the driver of a borrowed vehicle) picked us up at the guesthouse this evening.  All three of them were dressed in their finest clothes, and almost immediately expressed to us what a special evening this was for them.

At the restaurant, they were hesitant about what to order, and even after consulting with me and conferring amongst one another, they all ordered identical meals and one of the most modest on the menu.  We convinced each of them to order beer or wine, and Elder raised his eyes to God in a silent moment of thanks before taking his first sip of beer. 

We shared a delightful dinner of conversation (in spite of language barriers), new discoveries, photo sessions, and even business together before calling it an evening. Elder shared exciting information with us regarding another ministry in Haiti that Father Reiser had played an important role in helping, which we knew nothing about!

 It was such a treat to get to know Elder and his family on a more intimate level, and undoubtedly, we reached an even better level of trust and understanding with each other.  All three of them thanked us profusely for dinner and expressed to us how dinner out at a nice restaurant was something they would never normally be able to experience. 

Leaving the restaurant, it struck me how much we take for granted such an experience in the United States.  Every future meal eaten out in the U.S. by me, and shared with family and friends, will take on a different meaning for a long time to come.   And I have a wonderful Haitian friend to thank for giving me that insight.

Synergism

Mark 12:30-31

Love The Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.  The second command is this: "Love your neighbor as yourself."  There is no commandment greater than these.

We started our day at morning mass sitting among nuns who dedicate their lives to charity listening to an American priest who delivered a homily on Mark 12:30-31.

Fr. Hagen spoke of our three critical dimensions that make us human:  love of self, (honoring and respecting ourselves), love of others (putting the needs of others before our own) and loving God with all our heart.  If we have the first dimension but lack the other two, we are narcissistic incomplete beings with no purpose beyond our own selfish desires.  When we have all three we achieve synergism.

I spent time with two different orders of nuns today.  Both are dedicated fully to love of others and love of God, and  the fruits of this love are peaceful and lovely homes for abandoned elderly and children.   The fruits of the spirit are everywhere in these holy places.  We worked details with Sr. Alta for a new partnership between Reiser Relief and the Sisters of the Companions of Jesus.  We intend to work with the Sisters to make obviously needed facility improvements to assist in the care of beautiful elderly women.

This afternoon we visited General Hospital and my feelings of serenity were replaced with despair and tears.  I saw one disabled girl who was perhaps 8 or 9 years old, completely naked, tethered with a dirty knotted rag to a crib that was far to small for her.  She had pieces of diaper hanging on her face (had to chewed up her diaper?) and strewn all over the dirty floor.   The hospital building she was in was nothing more than a rickety narrow shed with open 'windows' and of course flies, other tropical bugs, and heavy tropical air flowing through.  It smelled of human waste and suffering.  It was a scene that will haunt me.  Where is the synergism here?  Who is loving this child of God?  Why could I do nothing but stand a safe distance away in shock and disgust?  What human sin and narcissism have led to this moment in time where a vulnerable, disabled girl is tethered to a filthy crib in a place filled with despair?

The Sisters of the Companions of Jesus regularly visit General Hospital.  They find women who are truly abandoned in this forsaken place and care for them in a God filled place.  With support from Reiser Relief they could take in perhaps 10 more women.  They make a difference one person at a time by loving themselves, others and God: beautiful synergism.  It's an inspiring example to emulate. 

Mialta Miracle

On February 16, I received a call that Mialta Miracle, the director of our Reiser Heights School in Haiti, had died.  He was 65 years old and spry as a 25-year-old man. 

I first met Mialta just less than two years ago when my sister Joyce and I made our first trip to Haiti.  After a long beautiful (and frightening!) trip up the mountains above Port au Prince, we ended up at Reiser Heights School, which is literally perched on the side of the mountain.  Mialta was a simple man with little education who had taken on the extraordinary job of running a school of about 350 students in a poor rural area of Haiti. 

Initially, we had our doubts about Mialta.  He spoke no English, so our only way of communicating with him was via translators.  We were never quite sure we were getting an accurate account of what was happening at the school, and every time we saw Mialta, we peppered him with questions by way of our translators.  But he always had an answer for us, he always came through with what we asked of him, was always willing to trudge through brush and up steep dirt hills to allow us to meet families of his students.  And he always had a smile on his face.  On a trip to Haiti last May, we asked him if he was Catholic.  He looked to our interpreter, then looked to us, and with the biggest smile you could imagine, he said, “Wi!” 

The next day, dressed in his Sunday best, Mialta took us even higher up the mountain to see his church and the kind priest who ran it.  They were obviously great friends and both had only the best interest of their small mountain community at heart.   From that moment on, we knew Father Reiser had picked the right man for the job after his first trip up the mountain nearly 20 years ago. 

Joyce and I were back up to Reiser Heights today for our first visit since Mialta’s death.  We got to offer our condolences to his very large family, we were able to see his grave right behind the school and the large sign posted on the side of the school remembering their wonderful director and leader of their mountainside village.  We even got to see photos of the funeral including the incredible procession of family and friends as far as the eye could see that followed behind Mialta’s casket as it was carried to his final resting place on the mountain.

The simple, dedicated, spiritual man has left an empty spot on the side of that mountain that will be difficult to fill.

God bless Mialta Miracle.

Smiles

On to my second blog of the day.  My series of un-related, but lovely moments of humor and cultural surprises.

Rebar.  It's the innards of almost every building in Haiti and is often poking out of walls at seemingly treacherous and random angles.  Today when we visited the grave of Mialta Miracle, we were surprised to see that the gravesite was covered with a concrete slab that was punctuated at each corner by jutting rebar carefully decorated with dried flowers, branches, bows and finery.

Posing with the corpse.  Mialta Miracle's family showed us many photos of his funeral.  I was shocked by how large it was.  The procession, led by the coffin and many musicians, stretched as far as the eye could see in the photos I looked at.  There were many photos of Mialta in his coffin. And many / all of the family members had taken turns posing with the corpse.  This is not a practice I have ever seen in the US, and a fascinating contrast of cultures.

Dresses.  Today we passed out dresses and shorts at Reiser Heights hand-sewn by a talented group from Roseville, MN.  The dresses were adorable and colorful and very feminine.  With minimal encouragement one of the male teachers and another exceedingly tall and thin male staff member agreed to try the dresses on over their clothing.  Much giggling ensued.

Suitcase.  I have a "Haiti suitcase" that I have a sentimental attachment to.  Today when we were driving down the mountain from Reiser Heights we had traveled quite a distance when I was surprised to see a Reiser Heights teacher and student still walking home.  We stopped and offered them a ride in the back of our pickup (one of the delightful things, to me, about Haiti is the lack of rules and regulations and the ability to do wild things like give kids rides in the back of pick ups).  Anyway, my old Haiti suitcase was empty and in the back of the pick up.  When the student and teacher got to their destination, the girl asked, very sweetly and politely, looking into the depths of my eyes, if she could have the suitcase.  I have a fantastic memory of seeing her walk away carrying it with a huge smile on her face.

Familiar faces.  One of the fun things about coming to Haiti multiple times is that I now get to see people that I "know" when I return.  My favorite is the old lady at the Baptist Mission who cleans / monitors / supervises the two very small toilets there.  For the service of her flushing BEFORE I go, pointing out where I can locate the toilet paper, and turning on the sink for me to wash my hands, she always gets a $1 tip.  I also get a kick out of the street vendors who sit on same little piece of asphalt year after year praising the beauty of the same products over and over.  Hello again!  Sorry, I still don't want to buy that statue.  But do keep asking me.  One of these times I'll break down and barter.

Coffee.  Today we stopped at a bakery on our way back to the guest house to pick up a birthday cake.  My sister, Ann, decided to buy a cup of coffee there.  I watched with great amusement as she first tried to order at the wrong counter (they only take cake orders there, not coffee), then ordered at another counter, paid in another area where her receipt was stamped, and then picked up her coffee in a third area where her receipt was stamped again.  Are we applying for 10 year visas or buying a cup of coffee?  Hard to tell!

Donkeys.  Did you know that donkeys can haul everything from kindling to rebar?  Yes, we're back to the rebar again.  Full circle.

Smiles,
Joyce

Carry On

Just over two years ago my uncle, Fr. Bernard Reiser, passed away.  Fr. Reiser had a presence that was larger than life, and he was a respected spiritual leader and mentor to thousands upon thousands of people.  His death left a painful vacancy for his family, friends and followers.

Shortly after his death I joined the board about Reiser Relief knowing almost nothing about Haiti, missionary work or managing a non-profit.   All I knew was that I wanted to do what I could to carry on Fr. Reiser's ministry of serving the poorest of the poor in Haiti, and to answer God's call to Go!  And somehow I figured it out (or at least I'd like to think I did).

On February 15, 2014, Mialta Miracle, the director of Reiser Heights school in the rural mountainous village of Donte, Haiti passed away suddenly at the age of 65.  Mialta was not only the the director of the school with an enrollment of 333 children, but he was also a respected leader in his community and a father to 11 children 3 step children and 8 grandchildren.    His death left a sudden gap in his family, the school and his community.

Today we traveled to Reiser Heights to express our sympathy, to share in their grief over their loss, and to explore how we can partner with them to continue to support the legacy that both Fr. Reiser and Mialta Miracle left behind in Haiti: Reiser Heights school.

We spent time with Mialta's step daughter, Natacha.  Natacha has been the principal of Reiser Heights for the last few years while Mialta acted as the director.  Now Natacha is stepping up and doing what she can to keep Reiser Heights going.  Armed with a pre-school teaching license and some classes in business and computer skills (far more education than Mialta Miracle had), Natacha was bursting with confidence and courage that she can manage the school with the help of two of her younger brothers, Jean and Rodney.  She also has the support of her mother Madam Mialta, who is an astute business woman in her own right, butchering animals and selling meat at the local market.

I suppose that Natacha knows next to nothing about actually directing a school.  She likely has never established a vision statement, developed or implemented marketing strategies to attract students, or managed the finances of the school.  And I have confidence that Natacha will find her way and make it happen.  So much of leadership is an innate quality, and I saw that quality blooming in Natacha today.

We talked about marketing.  Natacha shared that she thinks having some computers at the school would attract students.   Kids are kids across the globe. We talked about the needs of the school.  Their most immediate need, after a severe dry season, is water.  Their cistern is dry and they have to purchase water from far away and haul it up to Reiser Heights.  We discussed installing more gutters to collect rainwater and a faucet to make the water easier to access.  We made preliminary plans to hold a summer carnival when I come back to Haiti this summer with a team.

Together, with the help of God, we will carry on.

 

Peace,

Joyce

Puzzle by Shelby & Maria

Puzzle by Shelby and Maria

We started the day off with going to a water stop.  It is interesting how the simplicity of water can bring to life a city of people.  The minute the kids hear the honking of the water truck, they come running out of their homes with squeals of excitement.  The older kids line their water buckets up behind the hose, while the younger ones jump into your arms the second you get off truck, and may never leave your arms. Their Saturday morning excitement is a thing we take for granted.

After a tour of Grace Village we stopped at the mass grave site for the victims of the Haiti earthquake 4 years ago. Listening to Brunet’s stories about his experience that day shook us to the core. In 37 seconds the world changed for so many! We were blessed to be there with him and others who remember their loved ones lost that day.

Visiting some elders outside of Grace village was humbling. Marie at 104 years of age has more spunk than most 21 year olds. She told us in her energetic way that she had been praying for visitors because she was so hungry. We were an answer to her prayers today, but she was a blessing we will remember forever.

We finished off our week of serving by playing with the kids at Juno’s orphanage. The gifts we brought seemed very fitting to round out our week. Puzzles that the kids delighted in were just like all of us. We are all just pieces of a puzzle. Fitting together to create a bigger picture that all can enjoy.

Finally we got home and it was time to learn to salsa. Jean our teacher was patient and kind. We don’t seem to have the haitian rhythm  that he possessed. Barb had all the moves while the rest of us learned. After much persistence Jean finally taught us how to dip! We are no experts but like the puzzles we fit together well!

Serving

We began our morning with water delivery in Cite Soleil.   Because of the current unrest there, we were only able to deliver one truck of water, Sadly, that wasn’t enough for the long lines of people waiting with their buckets for water, but some days we have no choice.

From there, we headed up to Titanyen, Haiti, for a tour of Grace Village.  It was nice to show our first-time team members around the beautiful complex and especially the buildings that Reiser Relief has helped to fund.   We also stopped and visited some of the elderly people in the village and brought them food and juice.

Our third stop was at the mass graves where over 300,000 Haitians were buried after the 2010 earthquake.  I was tearing up behind my sunglasses listening to our Haitian guides share their personal stories about the earthquake with our group. 

Our final stop of the day was at Juno’s Orphanage.  What a delight that stop proved to be.  We played board games, made balloon animals and jewelry, jumped rope and did the limbo.  We also had brought puzzles in varying degrees of difficulty, and to my delight, our adult guides enjoyed putting the puzzles together as much as the kids did.  It appeared to be one of the first times they had worked on puzzles, and it was great fun to watch the intensity they put into completing the one they chose to tackle!  One child was sweeter than the next, but there was a small boy with big eyes there that melted my heart.  I never did learn his name, but after our two-hour visit, it was haunting to see his beautiful eyes watching me as we drove away.  How difficult must it be for these kids to have teams like ours come in to provide a couple hours of  “Christmas” for them and then drive away, many of us never to be seen again?  I’m just now starting to realize that dealing with orphan care is such so much more complicated than it initially appears.

Tomorrow will be our last full day in Haiti, and it will be our day of rest.  After attending morning Mass, we will be going to a beach—a new experience for me and for most of my team!  On our way back to the guesthouse, one of our team members asked how we all felt about our experiences now that our days of serving were complete.  I thought back over our fulfilling week and came to the conclusion that I would be just as content spending our last day serving the people of Haiti as I would be going to the beach.   

With each day we are here, I feel less intimidated by the things outside my normal comfort level and more “one” with the Haitians.  We all have the same dreams and we all strive to follow God’s word.  We all serve God here on earth, and we all hope to spend eternity in His presence.  We are in solidarity with one another.  So perhaps we shouldn’t be looking at what we did this week as serving, but rather, as working together with the Haitians to strive for the same goal.

“When we touch the sick and needy, we touch the suffering body of Christ.”

-Mother Teresa

Blessings,

Ann