We're here!
Dear Family and Friends:
Thank all of you for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. That kind of emotional support is not going unnoticed!
After a brief night in Miami (we arrived at the hotel around 11:00 p.m. without dinner) most of us had little sleep, we headed to the airport at 7:00 a.m. this morning. Our flight to Haiti was filled and uneventful. Until....as we departed the plane Doug forgot his laptop and before we even went through customs, noting the oversight, when American checked the plane, it had disappeared. As I keep reminding him, it is just a material thing that can be replaced.
Customs was fast and none of our bags were checked. Jackson met us and loaded the hundreds of pounds of luggage into the tap-tap (small bus resembling a paddy wagon) where we also sat along side benches. The weather was warm, around 75 degrees F. and Port Au Prince is a bustling city filled with color, noises, smells, and crumbling buildings in between rebuilt ones that are painted in bright hues. The most prosperous businesses appear to be the large and new car dealerships!
Whenever we came into congestion or slowed down in the tap-tap, many young Haitian boys would come along side the truck seeking U.S. dollars. Clearly the number of people on crutches and having loss of limbs from the earthquake were unbelievable. All along the route we observed UN vehicles with armed occupants who appear to be maintaining any outbreaks. The presidential run-off will be held two days after our departure.
We arrived at our home away from home after noon. This is a United Methodist complex, the Freres School, that encompasses 7 acres. This includes the guest house (formerly the United Nations facility), a church, many smaller houses, and a school that houses over 2,000 pre-schoolers through high school students, and a vocational program. There are double sessions, one in the morning, the other in the afternoon. Three of us walked the grounds and found around 20 youth (all male) playing soccer (football) on a black-top court, most in bare feet sans shin guards! Oh the joy we will observe when we replace their thread-worn ball for some new ones!
Dinner was shared with volunteers from Virginia, Connecticut, Colorado, and the D.C. area who were concluding their work and/or just beginning. We will be working at the school and then venture out into the country side to do painting, clearing, etc. And, to Myrna and my delight, we will do crafts with the children.
As usual, Steve, demonstrates a calmness about him while preparing us for the week of work. His devotions emphasized that the relationships we build with others are far more important than any structure we could construct. The underscoring theme is that as the buildings have collapsed from the earthquake, so others in their place will deteriorate, but relationships last forever!
In several orientation meetings I share the following background of this Haiti Recovery and Response. Unlike other scenarios over the years, the United Methodist Church is working under the leadership of the Haitian Methodist Church and refocusing from just reconstruction to building sustainable communities. The church is the meeting place for the people and of the 176 Methodist Churches here, over 100 provide educational programs for the people in their area. Many also host medical clinics. All must realize that within one year alone, Haiti has suffered hurricanes, an earthquake, and an outbreak of cholera. In all of these United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) teams. 2 or more Haitians are hired for every individual volunteer; thus, the Haitians' invested interest and involvement as well as the employment opportunities create a win-win situation.
All in all, this message has been informational. Tomorrow we will begin to share our personal experiences and highlights of our team efforts.
Good night, "orevwa, babay" (good bye in Creole)
Mary Ellen
