Contrasts

If nothing else, Haiti is a land of contrasts. Gray dusty rubble and trash piles amidst Caribbean tropical beauty and coastal splendor. Some of the warmest, friendliest, most giving and gracious people we have ever met interspersed with those who will manipulate, lie, and steal to get what they want. Displays of great wealth and resources scattered within the grinding poverty and lives marked with a lack of so many necessities of life. Shining examples of cleverness and entrepreneurial spirit balanced with ridiculously wasteful or dangerous superstitions holding people back. 

In our own personal experience, I paused this past week when I put 2,500 Gourdes of gasoline into the big guesthouse 15-passenger van. That's about $60US and at nearly $5 a gallon the needle went from 1/4 to 3/4 tank. The minimum wage in Haiti is $5/day. A partial tank of gas in a big van represents 2 plus weeks of full time pay for an unskilled worker here. Sometimes it's hard to wrap my head around that.

This week offered another contrast for us. Julie and I had the opportunity to get away for a couple of nights while the house had no reservations, and we had a friend familiar with the house operations willing to stay and keep an eye on things for us. (It is not recommended to leave a house unoccupied even one night in Port-Au-Prince.) We made a trip to the southern coast of Haiti near a small city called Jacmel and stayed two nights at a lovely small hotel.

Our room was in the second floor far right. 

View from our balcony. See what I mean by contrasts?? 

Obviously we enjoyed the amazing views and beautiful getaway, but it is also hard to be fully immersed in the experience without realizing how fortunate we are to have this opportunity. Here we are in Haiti - a terribly poor country - with a group of supporters providing the resources for us to be here doing what we do and on top of all that we get to go off on a beautiful get away like this. There is a piece of me that thinks no one deserves this level of comfort and yes luxury when there are so many who don't even have the basics. This internal conflict has been going on for thousands of years, and I am not about to solve it here and now. But honestly, the complexity of the issue is draining to mull over. 

We also took the opportunity to visit Bassin Bleu - a stunning natural wonder of waterfalls and aqua blue pools of fresh mountain stream water. We needed to ford a small river in our pickup truck and wind our way through a few miles of mountain dirt roads to get there, but boy was it worth it. 

Again.. contrasts.

So that's what is swirling around in my head this afternoon. I hope this note finds anyone who reads it enjoying the wonders of the advent season where we focus on a time of anticipation. I know I am anticipating a time when all the big questions are going to be answered once and for all. 

Blessings,

G.

Money doesn't grow on trees

Money doesn't grow on trees... How many of you have had to have this conversation with some young person/people to whom you were trying to teach a principle?? This week I needed to have this talk with our 17 young ladies. In the past few weeks, several more items in the girls' home had become damaged or broken. I know Haiti is a tough environment and the girls really could use more space to expend their vast energy, but cracking a solid wood door in half?? Really?? Plus the three doorknobs that had fallen off meant a trip to the hardware store for us and a couple days labor from Mr. Charles the carpenter to get it all back the way it should be. In previous entries, we have spoken about the girls' jewelry making enterprise and how they are getting paid a small sum piecemeal for each item they make. Well, Thursday was payday and each girl had the wages they were entitled to cut in half to partially offset the cost of the repairs. Some of our older girls had close to $40 US coming to them so they took a pretty big hit. One of the girls was quite upset saying over and over that she didn't break the items so why should she pay for them. (None of the girls ever offered a credible explanation or took responsibility for the damage) Suffice it to say I was fairly unpopular that day. On the plus side, 30 minutes after the ruckus, the girls were all seated throughout the house doing homework and reciting their memorization passages etc.

It's hard to take things away from those who don't have all that much to start with. There was a time early on when Julie and I wondered what tools we had to use for discipline when there really wasn't anything we could take away as a punishment. All their needs are being met, but the girls still have so few things they can call their own. Now they have a way to make a little money for themselves and are really motivated by it and that ends up being what we take away now to get their attention. I really hope several lessons sink in from this. One... everyone needs to do a better job of taking care of things. Two... Haiti Under God does not have an endless supply of resources to replace things whenever they need it. Three... they ALL pay the price for damage to the house and if you don't want your pay docked again you might want to tell your sisters who are locking each other in or out of the bathroom and pounding on the door and yanking on the doorknob to knock it off BEFORE something gets broken.

I know instilling values and responsibility isn't an easy task, and there are no guarantees. I also know the results are totally worth the effort and aggravation, but it sure isn't fun sometimes.

-G

Van Ride

For 17 girls here in Haiti, a ride in the gro machine gri (big gray van) is a pretty big treat!  It is not so much about "getting the best seat", it is about the actual van ride.  You see, the girls can basically walk everywhere they need to go so a ride in an air-conditioned vehicle WITH music is a big deal!  Well this past Sunday we took a ride in the gro machine gri to see how much all the rain had impacted the city (it wasn't just 2 days off from school).  Initially there was a lot of chatter in the van, but as we drove through a tent city nearby it became still as the girls took in the reality of mud and wetness everywhere they looked.  Mind you this was 2 full days after the rain had stopped.  From there we drove to Riviere Grise that had risen higher than I believe it ever has before.  Many of the girls were too afraid to get too close to the water which I could understand as it was still raging and moving fast.  We made one last stop in Canaan where we walked around and greeted people in their homes.  This time we did not bring anything but ourselves, a prayer and song, but we hope it brought encouragement to those we spent time with.  Many if not all of the girls fell asleep on the ride home - which as a side note, I wondered how in the world they were able to do as I drove over the bumpy roads of Haiti - and I was grateful to have the time to process all we had seen together.  Each day we have so much to be thankful, for not the least being a 15 passenger van (yup, you read this right - 17 girls + 3 adults fit "Haitian style" in the van!).  Our time together felt like "family" and was special.  It made me miss time with my awesome nephew and two nieces in NY, but I also know they are loved and cared for by my brother and sister in law whereas the girls that HUG has made a part of their family really needed an adult to love and care for them and for this I am thankful to be here.

Weekly Updates

 The last two weeks we have been experimenting with a weekly update type email to the many many people who support our work here. There are certainly emails of people who are interested in getting this update who are not on our email list, so if you would like to receive it and you have not yet, send us a quick email and we will add you to the list!  

gerrittvw@hotmail.com  and  julievw@hotmail.com

Here are our first two examples......

Hi everyone,                                                                                                             Oct. 7, 2012

So it’s been 10 months now since Julie and I got down here to Haiti. While we were the ones to actually pick up and go, it takes a whole lot more people than just us to make it happen. You are receiving this email because you have played an integral part in our being able to serve here. In 10 months we have learned LOTS of things. Some things we are really proud of, and some things we wish we did better. One thing we wish we did better was communicate more often and more meaningfully with those who have given and done so much to allow us to be on this adventure. This email will be the first in what we are hoping will be a weekly occurrence. Nothing too big or profound, just a regular communication of the weekly high points and low points as we live out daily our passion for serving in Haiti. If for any reason you do not wish to receive these mini-updates just let us know, and if you can think of someone who would be interested in receiving them, just have them email us.

So the big event from this last week was the start of school for both the secondary school girls (in blue) and the primary school girls (in red). The transition from summer fun to school year discipline has been difficult for some of the girls to accept. Pray they are diligent in their studies. We had a quiet week here at the guesthouse which allowed us to tackle a couple of cleaning projects, and restock the house. Plus, we got a “pool day” getaway, and a chance to go to a cook out gathering and meet new people in our area. Much needed time reenergizing and socializing. Gerritt also made a trip to Leogane (small city about 90 minutes from PAP) with Nancy Turner (one of Haiti Under God’s board members) to meet with a pastor who runs an orphanage with 110 children and needs help repairing the security wall after tropical storm Isaac blew a portion of it down. Tomorrow a team of 17 people arrive for the week working at another orphanage in the neighborhood. They are returning guests and a great group we enjoy having at the house. We also get a substitute head cook tomorrow as Sophie officially begins her maternity leave. (she is due in two weeks or so with baby #2) Next week we add a “weekly spotlight” on one of the girls so you can get to know them better

FOR MR. BROWN FANS

Mr Brown (our 4-legged security guard) seems to have a bunch of fans out there. Yesterday he got his monthly bath and is looking (and smelling) much better. He sends his regards.

We love you all and miss you a whole lot, but please know that we are still so thoroughly convinced that this is exactly where we are supposed to be. Thanks to each of you for your partnership.

            Gerritt and Julie

Hi everyone,                                                                                                             Oct. 14, 2012

Well the team of 17 went back to the states this morning, and we need to say a big thank you to Geoff VanBerkel for bringing down such a great team from Michigan to work at the HIS Home for Children orphanages nearby. No news from Sophie yet on the new baby arriving, but Madame Serge, her sister, is doing a fantastic job as a substitute, and having 17 houseguests her first week solo was no problem for her. The team spent 15 minutes at dinner Saturday night thanking her and Louise for all their work and even singing a blessing for them! We had some interesting difficulties with EDH – the local electric utility – getting our payments recognized, and we ended up getting our service disconnected, but Bossman Emil rode to the rescue on his moto and not only reconnected the power lines, he cleared up everything with the utility bills too!         

              

This is Camsuze. She is 10 years old and one of our “five little ones”. But whatever she lacks in size she more than makes up for with spirit and energy.  This girl is the definition of spitfire. Sometimes Camsuze has a little trouble maintaining self-discipline and her curiosity gets her into trouble occasionally. She can be so strong and tough that it’s easy to forget she is 10 years old, and still a little girl who will cry when her feelings get hurt. Camsuze has a fierce sense of justice and will complain vigorously if she feels she is being treated unfairly. Camsuze does above average in school but as you can imagine from one of our most active girls it is hard to get her to sit still long enough to get her homework finished and done well. We are working on being neater with our homework and getting it done right the first time so she can go play as soon as it is finished. Getting a turn playing Angry Birds on the iPod touch is a big motivator for her. (that’s Zwazo Fache in Creole)

This next week we have “only” 3 guests in house and are hoping to get back out to Leogane to check back in with Pastor Jean-Claude ( he runs an orphanage with 110 boys and girls!) who Westgate Church is helping rebuild/repair his security wall which was damaged in TS Isaac.

The girls’ home is in the process of officially registering with the Haitian Ministry of Social Affairs. All the paperwork has been submitted and accepted; now we wait for one final unannounced inspection of the home. This has been one of our top priorities since we got here and we are excited to see it come to fruition – hopefully soon.

We miss you all, and are so grateful for the partners we have in this ministry.

            Gerritt and Julie

 

Highs and Lows

A recent team at the guesthouse met together to discuss the "highs and lows" of each day.  It is such a simple but profound concept - for teams, both short term and long term like us - to put to words the happenings every day here in Haiti.  Yesterday was one of extremes for me and I wanted to break our blog silence to share.  I woke up early and headed to our girls home to be there by 6:30am to take pictures as the girls headed off for their first day of school.  There was lots of energy, excitement and lots of what I'll call organized-chaos :)  It was so special to be there and my heart was bursting with love for the girls as they headed off for their day - gave me a small taste of what all you parents must feel and definitely my "high" of the day!!

Later on in the morning, the momma dog and puppy who showed up at our gate a couple of days ago reappeared.  She was curled up around her puppy while they slept in an act of love and protection from the other stray dogs.  The momma did not look good – her skin was stretched so thin you could see her ribs .  In the afternoon, when a guest returned with friends he asked about what they saw outside the gate … the momma dog was hit and killed by a vehicle and the little puppy was just standing over her.  One of the friends with our guest was a Haitian pastor dressed in his nice clothes, but this did not stop him from offering to move the dog off to the side of the road.  The vehicle hadn’t stopped.  In an instant this puppies’ life had changed.  So much of who I am cried out for justice in this situation and for Haiti.  I’ve tried reaching out to this little furry friend, but he won’t eat or drink.  I don’t know what his future holds, but do not think it will be a good one.  This hurts.  There is much that hurts in Haiti.  Daily I call on God to help me when I don’t understand.  I have confidence that God is here and that he has a plan for all things – I will rest in that promise.  Here is my little friend currently outside the gate.  This was yesterdays "low".

Summer fun with a purpose

One of our primary long term goals here in Haiti is to develop a transition plan for the girls to be able to provide for themselves after they finish with school and the orphanage care. Many of the typical possibilities (shopkeeper, seamstress, hairdresser) seem like pretty saturated markets. We have however run across a really great organization here called the apparent project (http://apparentproject.org/) run by two terrifically creative people who are exploring all kinds of trades that could possibly employ Haitians and provide them with a decent living. They have scaled up the “rolled bead jewelry” production to the point where dozens of artisans are providing for their families from the money they earn making necklaces.

We were so impressed we took advantage of their training program and had an artisan teach our girls to both roll the beads and design the jewelry. This has turned out to be an amazing step forward at the orphanage. As an organization, HUG decided the majority of funds generated would go to support the orphanage, but that the girls would also directly share in the financial rewards. They are now paid piecemeal for their jewelry production. As far as we know, this is the first time the girls have had money of their own, and a chance to work harder to earn more. It has been really rewarding to see how the girls have set goals and then worked to achieve them. This has not come without certain growing pains. Our oldest girl decided she wanted to buy a used TV, and she worked VERY hard producing a lot of product and was able to achieve her goal. What she didn’t yet know was just because she bought the TV with her own money, that doesn’t mean she can use it however she wants. The TV is still subject to house rules like everything else. The girls also want to buy a cell phone which in and of itself is not a bad thing, but it too will come with rules and restrictions to prevent misuse or distraction from other responsibilities. 

This is only a small part of what has been made since July 5

Even with the “growing pains” there are so many good lessons here about work, business accounting, and responsibility that this has been a great thing for the girls. I went with three girls to buy 2 cans of clear varnish which is used to seal and finish the rolled beads. As we walked to the store, I walked the girls through how much it would cost, how much money we had and what we should expect our change to be giving the currency we had. A great life lesson about commerce – always know how much change you should get and make sure it is correct. Another side benefit has been that the house runs better with less acting out now that several girls stay well occupied with jewelry making. Sometimes teens/pre-teens just need something interesting to do on summer vacation.