Faces of Haiti
The Gentler Side of Haiti
Walking home from school with the children of Ecovillage 1. Upon arriving home, each child kisses their mom and dad before heading outside to play.
After spending a week in the Central Plateau of Haiti, we completely forgot all the concern we had about our safety prior to the trip. The media covers all the disasters, both natural and man-made, but fails to show the gentler side of this country. The US State Department still has a “do not travel” warning for Americans wanting to go to Haiti. But, in reality, we saw a place no different than many areas in the states. To be sure, there are dangerous places with gang activity and crime but, mostly, the people are friendly and going about life under circumstances that many of us can’t comprehend.
We traveled during Holy Week to this mostly Christian country. The airplane on the way from Atlanta to Port-au-Prince was full mostly with people going to visit family for the holiday. This is in contrast to previous trips where the plane was full of people going on mission trips. My traveling companions weren’t wearing the same t-shirt but we stood out because, except for one of us, we obviously don’t have Haitian roots.
Our group sat in different parts of the cabin, providing opportunity to chat with strangers sitting next to us. Mostly their stories are that of many Americans who live in the US but have strong ties to their family’s country of origin. Any apprehension they may have had about going to Haiti was supplanted by the excitement of seeing family members that they haven’t seen in a while.
For us, the plan was to spend little time in the capital city of Port-au-Prince. After landing, we met up with our drivers who whisked us off into the beautiful countryside. We trusted that they knew where to go and where not to go. Other than times sitting in our Land Cruiser, we walked, talked and played with the people. We were among friends. We recognized many of them and they remembered us. They were happy to see us because few foreigners venture this far into the countryside.
This was a trip full of long business meetings and bumpy car rides. But, it was also about human connection. The kind of connection you can’t get in an email or a Skype call. It requires being there when the only expectation is to show someone that they are not forgotten.
reflection by C. Calia
The EcoVillage School gets a Computer Lab
The school now has two computers in a lab next to the principal’s office. They would like to eventually have as many as 15 computers for the students. Electricity is supplied through solar power with backup from the power grid. Donations of used computers in good working condition would greatly enhance access to these modern tools.
Soccer Balls
During recess, the older boys played soccer using the balls we donated. The funds to buy these balls were generously donated by a small group at Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church. The games we observed were organized with all the boys clearly playing positions. However, they’re all wearing the same uniform so we don’t know how they knew who was on each team.
This is principal Ramin Exil holding two of the new balls we brought to the school. These “One World Footballs” (https://www.oneworldplayproject.com/ ) are solid, durable and never need inflation.
How to Get a Mango from a Tree
We were walking home with the children of village 1 when a girl stopped to get a snack. No need to climb the tree. Just knock the mango down with a stone.
Earth Day in Haiti
Bailey and others in our group working alongside of the children planting in the school garden.
This past Monday was Earth Day. How fitting is it then that our group should be in Haiti working in the garden and discussing agricultural projects with MPP?
The leaders of MPP are certain that climate change has caused the recent droughts in Haiti. I am not as convinced that these dry conditions are the “new normal” for this country but it is clear that drought is a harsh reality at the present time and must be considered when choosing crops to cultivate. Success of agricultural projects is important to the people of the EcoVillages. We have funded several agricultural projects to generate income for the operation of the school.
Manioc is a root crop that is drought tolerant and is used to produce products such as cassava and tapioca. We were served cassava with peanut butter for breakfast while staying at the MPP guesthouse. Cassava is a staple in the diet of many in developing countries. MPP has acquired the equipment to transform the manioc into cassava. No income for the school has been produced from this crop as yet because the plants need a minimum of 18 months after planting to mature before being harvested. We hope that the planting we funded will start producing income for the school in the next 6 months or so.
Another cash crop is moringa. This protein-rich plant is used as a nutritional supplement when other sources of protein are scarce. The young leaves are ground into powder and used as a food additive. The older leaves are used to make other products such as soap. The oil from the seeds has medicinal value and the seed pods can be used as feed for goats.
submitted by Chris Calia
Persistent hope
Notes from Pat about his time in Haiti
Here we go again, my 5th trip. Emotions bubble over as I travel thru the Haitian countryside. Anticipation, apprehension, worry about results are met with hospitality, honesty, openness , and determination. Our Haitian partners have accepted that our task to build a school in the EcoVillages and to make it sustainable is a real challenge. MPP and the EcoVillage School Partnership have developed a trust with each other that is both rare and special.
During this trip we were given freedom to interact with and question students, teachers, parents, and agricultural support staff. We also had opportunity to wander through the villages and survey progress and talk to the villagers.
This trust and transparency give us hope that the challenges of a 10-month drought and a growing student population of about 300 can be addressed and tackled with success.
My concept of time is turned upside down in Haiti. My routines of timely meetings, weekly scheduled bike rides and getting the groceries in time for the week don’t apply in Haiti. The Haitian people struggle with day to day issues that we cannot imagine in our US homes. They face their difficulties with perseverance and patience. I could picture myself giving up if I faced similar problems. Not in Haiti!
MPP, the EcoVillagers, the parents and the students say, “Pat we will succeed. Our school will succeed!”
The changes seem slight. What doesn't change is the people's continuing to struggle without giving up.
Proud Learner
I went into the Kindergarten classroom to visit with the my little friends. They were all sitting at round tables and doing their work on individual chalkboards. As I passed by one of the tables, a little boy held up his board to make sure I noticed his work. So I walked around the table to get a closer look. What I found was a precious picture and a precious face!
by Jeanine Calia
"Yet!"
Students lining up after recess before heading back into classrooms.
On Tuesday, we had a great meeting with two of the directors of MPP, Verona Val and Michel Mulaire. The focus of the conversation was on the sustainability of the school. Mulaire starting by talking about how MPP got involved with the school. He explained that building and operating a school is not what MPP does. Schools are complex and have their own special requirements. But the directors of MPP decided to take on this challenge in their continuing efforts to help the refugees of the earthquake. He said that no matter what the government does, MPP will always be involved in this school.
This was a great relief to our group because we are concerned about the future of the school once we stop providing financial support. MPP knows that our financial contribution goes away in 3 years and they are very appreciative of our continued support beyond our initial 5 year mission.
So that led to the subject of the sources of income for operating the school going forward. We asked about the agricultural initiatives. We have contributed a lot of money to buy goats, plant manioc and plant moringa. But these have not produced any income. To which Verona replied, "You are correct that we haven't seen any income … Yet!"
It seems that manioc takes a minimum of 18 months before it can be harvested. Moringa likewise can take a couple of years before producing significant yield. Offspring of goats are being giving to families who have not yet received a goat. The drought has delayed progress. Those of us in America are impatient for our return on investment. But, these projects were funded two years ago and it's too soon to be expecting results.
We are comforted by MPP's confidence that, in time, these project will result in income to support the villages and the school.
by C. Calia
Growing relationships while growing gardens
Notes from Haiti as written by Bailey
God works in mysterious ways. Blessings appear when least expected. We are, and have been, surprised by grace at almost every turn during our very full days in Haiti on the Central Plateau.
Our partners MPP and the primary School of the EcoVillages welcome and trust us. They anticipate our questions, our reservations, our skepticism, our reluctance, as well as our openness, our love and our support. They admit their mistakes and the difficulties and complexity of our common enterprise of relocating urban dwellers displaced by the earthquake to the rural agrarian expanses of the Central Plateau.
We stand shoulder to shoulder, sharing educational materials and methods, taking photos and making videos, connecting through common daily activities, educational moments, digging, fertilizing, watering and planting together seedlings in the School garden.
We are making new friends and enriching existing friendships.
We are brainstorming together about growing and improving the primary School and the EcoVillages, adult education, rainwater harvesting, micro-financing of cottage industries.
We are truly blessed to be connecting with our sisters and brothers in Haiti. I appreciate this opportunity and our churches that support this collaboration. Thank you.
Visiting and sharing times together
Raindrops, singing and "employed minds"
Monday, April 22, 2019 – 2nd full day in Haiti as described by Becky
It’s Raining as I write! Big, fat, beautiful raindrops! Praise God! The drought has been terrible – the grounds are so dry, brown and crumbly.
The students listen carefully to the English version of the song they sang to us in Kreyol.
This is my first time to return in three years to the Haiti EcoVillage School. Such a blessing to recognize many faces…. And to be recognized in return! Chris and Jeanine have done a wonderful job leading our group. It is so nice to relax and be a strong support person, and to share this beautiful school in person with David. Today I accompanied Jeanine and Robert as a photographer while they presented letters and photos from Lilburn Elementary to each classroom. But my favorite part of the day was returning to the Kindergarten classroom at the end of the day, for them to sing “Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” in French, and we taught them the song in English. I want to teach them the Hokie Pokie—but it is not on our official “to do” list. We will see!
We met with the sewing group in the afternoon, and worked through a list of questions that will enable us to talk with Chavannes and our Haiti EcoVillage Partnership Steering committee about a potential investment in completing their training and funding a pilot program. We know that in order for parents to pay tuition for school they will need to find other sources of income outside of farming, and many women who have children in the school have completed initial training but the funding from the original organization has run out. They need additional training to produce high quality products.
Highway 3, the road that goes right by the EcoVillages, is being paved, and it has been a big unknown in our travel back and forth from the MPP compound to the school. When it is blocked, our commute time increases by 40 minutes, which was especially challenging when we encountered that yesterday, at 6pm.
Other highlights for me today were: having a big group of children crowding around me while a young girl read aloud the Haiti EcoVillage Book in Kreyol; singing the song with the kindergartners; hanging out with children, showing them photos and videos from the day, in EcoVillage One, after our meeting with the sewing group, and before our drivers came to pick us up; and watching David entertain the children with his “tricks”, like doing a head stand and walking on his hands. Last night a highlight was our devotional and centering time, with Bailey leading us, and talking around candlelight about our day and our concerns about various issues with MPP and the school. I love the quote from Wendell Berry “the baffled mind is not employed”. We are baffled by the problems we want to help solve, but at least our minds are definitely employed!!!!
And tonight it rained! Precious big fat raindrops! We are praying for more rain so the planting season can begin!