Christmas in Bondeau

The small church was full. People sat on benches outside at 8:00PM on Christmas Eve.  Singing was heard all around Bondeau as Ste. Marie Madeleine celebrated another Christmas.  The kids from Kay Timoun were seated in the very front, eager to watch a movie of the birth of Jesus.  I arrived later, at 11:00PM for the Eucharist service.  The church had been decorated with white and red paper chains. Off to the side by the wall was a tree branch decorated with balloons, red paper chains, and twinkle lights.  The music director had rehearsed the choir. They made beautiful music throughout the mass, full voices singing in four part harmony, no piano or organ accompanying them.  The simplicity of this church, yet packed full of worshippers, the efforts of poor peasants to decorate for this special holy day, the people who had walked miles in the dark on dirt mountain trails to worship, shows the strong faith that keeps the community of Bondeau together and surviving.

Stars in the night

 

I love my ministry here at Ste. Marie Madeleine, but I must admit that at times it is extremely challenging. I am so used to my creature comforts and becoming acccustomed to life in rural Haiti is, at times, difficult for me. For instance, last night I was already to take a shower, had prepared myself for the shock of cold water, shampoo and conditioner within reach, turned on the faucet but no water came out of the shower head. Oh, no water again! The lights had already gone off at 7:00PM, leaving us all in darkness illuminated by only a couple of battery lanterns. I had just put new batteries in my lantern so I had plenty of light for my shower...now if I only had water! So, I bathed with the little water I had in a plastic jug, grateful that I had it, took my lantern and went out to sit on the gallery and meditate a while before going to bed. Once outside, I was greeted by the most beautiful sky filled with bright shining stars sparkling on a pitch black background. In the total darkness of the night, and the darkness of my thoughts, there in the sky was a wonderful gift to me: the bright lights against the black sky reminding me that in my darkest night the Light is always with me.

Weekends at Kay Timoun

Weekends are great!  The kids at Kay Timoun have activities that are not much different from kids in the U.S.  They are up at the crack of dawn on Saturday morning and then off to exercise.  Stretching exercises, running, and then sit-ups and push-ups are all included in the program.  The kids return home invigorated and ready for a big breakfast.  After showers and breakfast the older kids have acolyte training.  There is no coaxing here to get kids off to extracurricular activities.  They value the opportunity and are excited about learning.  All the children have music class in the late morning.  They are now being taught music theory and will soon learn to play music on a simple instrument.

After lunch everybody chips in to tackle the mountain of laundry.  They scrub and wash by hand, and then dry on a clothes line.  The boys are responsible only for washing socks and underwear because they have other yard duties in the afternoon.

Weekends are also for relaxing and watching a favorite movie.  We show both Haitian and American movies on a laptop computer.  A favorite is “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” 

Sunday mornings are special for the kids at Kay Timoun.  They dress up in their finest, carry their bibles and prayer books and are off to church, usually the first to arrive.  They sit in the front seats, sing all the hymns and fully participate.  This Sunday I found it amazing that four year old Odiana, sitting in the front row, stayed focused on the entire service, which I might add is two hours long including announcements.

Sunday afternoons are for visiting family.  I walk Benjamy, Ange, Jean Marie and Odiana to their parents’ homes.  Wonel goes with Zachary and Sundreen.  The older kids are on their own.  They know that they are to return at 5:00 but most of the kids are here at 3:00 for the Sunday afternoon movie.

After chapel prayer and singing at 7:00, the kids prepare for bed, last minute touch ups to school uniforms, and another exciting week at Ste. Marie Madeleine School.

 

Home again, home again!

I’m back in Bondeau after being in Boca for two weeks.  It was great to have all of my "creature comforts", a big comfortable bed and air conditioning, but I’m delighted to be back with my kids at Kay Timoun.  Arriving in Port au Prince at 3:00PM put us right in the rush hour traffic and it took over three hours to travel the 65 miles to Bondeau.  On the way, we slowly passed by miles and miles of tent cities that have become tent slums.  Residents have added on to their tents to have some semblance of a home, but it’s still a tent and it’s still slum.  Banks of bright blue portable toilets stand out among all the earth colored tents.  Little children play ball on a small patch of concrete, no larger than six feet square, surrounded by tent homes.  Stagnant green water flowed along the curb of the street.  Abandoned trucks had been stripped of anything valuable or useful and remain on the side of the road…no towing service here!

Creeping along the route toward Leogane, I was able to see much that I don’t see while driving at a faster speed.  One thing that stood out on this drive was the number of canals and rivers running down from the mountains toward the ocean.  They were all filled with plastic trash!  Plastic bottles, plastic bags, plastic jars, Styrofoam containers, plastic, plastic, plastic clogging up the flow of water.  Plastic piled high on the river banks.  Plastic is a huge problem in Bondeau, as well, because there is no trash pick-up here, and no recycling program.  People simply have no place to dispose of their plastic bottles or plastic packaging, so most of it just gets tossed on the ground, an eye sore for visitors and for me, too.  Thankfully, most food is bought in large quantities in bags that can be reused, and Coke, Pepsi, and beer drinks are in glass bottles to be returned.  Bondeau does not have the resources to deal with plastic trash.

On Saturday I went to a food depot in Miragoane to purchase the large quantity of food consumed here at Kay Timoun.  Among other food items, I bought 110 lbs. of rice and 100 lbs. of pinto beans, 6 gallons of cooking oil, and 50 lbs. of corn meal.  The cost was much less than I had anticipated, thinking that it had gone up again in the two weeks I was gone.  But, actually, the rice was a little less, and the beans about $1.00 lb. US.

I have quickly returned to my everyday routine here at Kay Timoun.  The children were happy to see me.  I am thrilled to be back caring for them.  Every child was able to receive a new pair of shoes because of generous donations.  Also, new dresses , new shorts, shirts, and jeans.  We are able to make a distribution of clothing to the community, as well.  I am overwhelmed with the generosity of people and I give thanks every day.  You are all helping the poorest of the poor!  I hope to post more photos on Facebook.

Reflection on "Sandy"

I think of how hurricane Sandy came through Bondeau, Haiti...lots of rain lasting several days, on and off showers, not constant downpour.  Our house flooded, as it does in any heavy rain, due to poor construction.  The kids all chipped in to clear the house of water; some kids swept water out the doors, others mopped, and the little ones scooped water with their hands into small buckets.  We were rather safe despite the severeness of the storm.  People in the community were much worse off than we.  This would include parents of the children living at Kay Timoun.  Many people lost animals that they depend on for income; goats drowned, chickens were washed away.  Others lost crops that they had nurtured along in hopes of harvesting.  Corn and sugar cane plants were broken and bent over from the high winds.  Water washed through houses built of woven sticks.  Mud surrounded the houses when I visited two days after the storm.  Food is scarce and expensive, so many families had no food, waiting for the school to open so children would at least have rice and beans provided by the school feeding program.  And yet, there were no complaints.  People began to help one another, making repairs as needed, as soon as the storm was over.  Haitians are the most resiliant people in the world!  They deal with one disaster after another!

And I see on the news all the suffering in the northeast: people stranded without electricity in bitter cold temperatures, gas stations closed, no gasoline available, flooded streets.  Government relief isn't there to help the sick, the elderly, and simply the general population.  People are helping their neighbors, people are helping people, just like in Bondeau!  So, does it take disaster to bring out the best in all of us?  I don't know, but I do know that people, both Americans and Haitians, step up to help their neighbors when help is needed the most.  People have compassion for one another and that is God working in us and among us.

I'm writing from my home in Boca Raton and will return to Bondeau this coming week.  I miss all my kids and the simple, although challenging life in Bondeau.























\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Friday afternoon gardening

It’s so much fun watching the boys haul banana trees from the local banana tree nursery to our garden.   The boys are full of energy as they all vie for who is going to push the wheelbarrow.  Even young Benjami worked with all his might carrying one of the trees over his shoulder.  The kids are all involved in growing a fruitful garden.  While the boys are working Boss Gardener is trimming back a “lela” tree to allow for more sunshine and give the tree a pruning.  In the meantime, Zachary discovered that the tree not quite in the center of the garden is bearing fruit.  He picked six cashima, a sweet fruit full of seeds, which he ate immediately, planting the seeds for future trees.  Yesterday Wonel marked off an area where he planted carrots, eggplants, and tomato seeds.  Sugar cane is planted in the far rear of the garden, not that we are going to make sugar, but locals like to peel off the rough outer skin revealing a soft sweet white inner part of the plant, which they chew and enjoy the natural sweet flavor of sugar cane.

Like a garden anywhere in the world, sufficient water is needed to keep a garden healthy and growing.  It rains very little in Bondeau.  I see clouds all around, lightening in the sky, but no rain here.  A few nights ago, however, it rained and rained hard and strong, straight down.  The kids loved running around in the pouring rain getting soaking wet.  We placed huge barrels to catch the runoff from the roof.  They filled up in a very short amount of time.  So then we placed every bucket, basin, waste basket and anything that holds water to catch all the water possible.  The following morning the girls and Naomi used all the water to wash all the clothes, about three days’ accumulation.  We’ll continue to use rain harvesting and hopefully keep enough water on hand to water the garden when needed.

At our nightly chapel service here at Kay Timoun we either pray for rain or give thanks for rain.  It’s all part of life at Ste. Marie Madeleine Parish.  People pray for what they need and give thanks for what they have.

A little girl named Angi

 

Benjami has a younger sister, Angi.  Angi (pronounce Ahn gee) is four years old.  I’ve known her since she was an infant.  Her mother is away in a convalescent home.  Angi has been coming here to Kay Timoun and spending the day.  I would love to be able to take her in.  She needs loving attention but the Kay Timoun budget is not able to provide for another child.  In the meantime, Angi comes here in the morning after the older kids have gone to school.  Always barefooted, I was able to give her a pair of sandals that she treasures.  She usually needs a bath and a change of clothes, and then breakfast.  She stays till evening when I walk her back to her house.

There are so many children here in Bondeau that need loving attention, three meals a day, schooling, shoes…all that the kids at Kay Timoun are blessed to have.

 

Part of my Deacon's letter to St. Gregory's

Life here for the poor is unlike anything we can imagine, unless we see for ourselves.  For instance, a poor mother comes here every day, walking a long mountain trail while carrying her twin babies with her toddler boy following close behind.  She makes the long trek to receive food for her twins.  I have been making them breakfast for the past three months and watched them grow from undernourished infants into chubby little babies.   Mother and little boy had been dressed in rags until I gave them clothes that had been donated. Mother shows her gratitude by helping with the laundry here at Kay Timoun.   A young father of four comes here to weed and cultivate the garden.  Garden work is a back-breaking job because it’s all done with a hand held curved sickle. In exchange for his hard work, he receives a few dollars, a meal, and clothes for his children.  Many accidents happen while people do grueling garden work, trying to grow food to sustain their families.  This week an older man came here seeking help with a deep wound on his leg because he accidentally hit his leg with the sickle.  He walked over a mile to get here, all the while bleeding profusely.  We stopped the bleeding and treated his wound, and recommended that he go to the hospital for stitches, which he did.  He continues to come and have the bandage changed.  Life here for the poor is unbelievably difficult.  Personally, I don’t see how they survive!

On to brighter news, Ste. Marie Madeleine Parish has a new priest-in-charge, Rev. Pere Jean Bertrand Phanord.  He has done marvels with the parish in just the short time he has been here.  He lives here in the guest house with his wife, Patricia, and three boys.  Church attendance is up so much that people are now sitting outside of the church.  Even the 6:30AM service on Friday morning is a full house.  He has a gift for coordinating teams of people to do ministry in the church, as well as work on the campus.  It looks to me that everyone likes him, and people are willing to participate in parish improvements.  He brought with him a musician who has been working diligently with the children, forming a children’s choir.  They practice often, singing simple melodies accompanied by him and his guitar.   A team of young men have been sickling and cleaning the grounds.  Others have worked on the school building, painting, building cabinets and desks, and making general repairs.  The school feeding program is up and running again under his direction.  However, the price of food in Haiti has increased significantly in the last two months.  As a result of higher prices, the feeding program could be in jeopardy very soon. 

Butterflies and gardens.

It's so easy for me to put off writing.  Thoughts whirl through  my mind that I'll "write tomorrow", or "later on today".  "Who is really interested in what I have to say?" is another way to procrastinate.  I know, however, that a few people are interested, so that's why I'm sitting at my computer at this moment, on the second floor galri with not a breath of a breeze, as the sun sets to the west.

Earlier today I walked by the garden where we have planted twenty four banana trees, as many coconut trees, and beans that have sprouted and are growing into fine plants.  I have high hopes for this garden and have invested in a strong "live" fence to keep out the goats that can devour an entire garden in one sitting.  I've also made contact with a garden expert who will watch over the new plants, remove weeds, cultivate, and water the young plants when there is not rain.  We are grateful that it has rained a slow gentle rain several times since planting.  In another area, the "nursery", healthy tomato plants have grown from seed, carefully nurtured by Wonel.  Just as I stopped to admire the garden, hundreds of butterflies descended, white and yellow beauties, twirling and dancing all around.  Butterflies, the symbol of new life, dancing above my garden.  Is this a sign that with care the garden will flourish?  Is this a sign of "new birth", birth of lots of nourishing fruits and vegetables for everyone to enjoy?  Or is this simply Mother Nature?  Whatever the reason, if there indeed is a reason, the sight took my breath away and put me in closer touch with the One who created gardens and butterflies and me.

Morning surprises

September 14, 2012

Waking up this morning I found that this morning there is no water in the house so the children went to the mountain source carrying buckets and plastic bottles to fill and bring back for washing themselves, dishes, and clothes.  I found that Wozlo needs new sandals.  I found that our food supply is low because there have been demonstrations in Miragoane and best to stay away till they are over.  The kids ate spaghetti two mornings in a row for breakfast.  No complaints…they love spaghetti!  This morning  Cawol and Wozlo will go to market.  The younger kids are in class, the older kids will go later.  Painting continues.  After only five months of use the house needs to be painted.  This time we are using brown in the areas that get the hardest use.  One lives and learns here.  No matter how many times I have tried to teach the kids to keep hands off walls, it just doesn’t sink in.  They are kids!  I place a basin of soapy water at the entrance as a reminder to wash hands when they come in from play.  They seem to connect OK with this and wash often.  We were blessed with a few rain showers during the night and we pray that our garden grows.  Banana trees are planted as the beginning of our vegetable and fruit garden.  My little flower, tomato, and spice garden is surviving in spite of being accidentally raked for weeds, and trampled by the painters. (The “weeds” were actually small wild flowers.)  Our “living” fence has been planted and is almost complete with crossbars made of bamboo.  We need a fence to protect our garden from hungry goats and donkeys.  The roosters are our alarm clock waking us at 5:30 in the morning.  I find that if I go to bed when it gets dark in the evening, then I’m ready to wake up at sunrise…very basic living that works well here.

I listen to the kids practice singing and think about all the advantages that our kids have that other kids in the community do not.  It’s almost unfair, but then, my hope is that our kids will be leaders in the community.  Our kids have special private classes three times a week with focus on math, language arts, and science.  Our kids have singing and choral three times a week with an accomplished music teacher.  They sing as a group for Sunday service.  Our kids are training to be lectors.  A few of the kids are on the regular schedule for readers.  Our kids are acolytes.  Our kids have music lessons on Saturday morning.  Our kids have bible study two afternoons a week.  Our kids are learning to plan worship services, beginning with planning our evening chapel prayer service.  Gastina selects the hymns to be sung, the psalms and readers for the psalms.  She uses the BCP, the hymnal and the bible to format the service.  (Gastina’s long term goal is to become a priest.)  Occasionally we welcome guest preachers.

Our kids don’t have to worry about where their next meal is coming from and are able to concentrate on their studies.  Our kids also work, washing their own clothes, and helping to keep the yard clean.  Our kids play hard kicking a soccer ball till it is thread bare!

A touching moment with Benjamy and mom

September 4, 2012

 

I took Benjamy to visit his mother, whom people said was in a hospital, but turned out she is staying in a kind of rest and retreat center.  I drove the parish SUV west for about 45 minutes to arrive at “Rouck”.  About half of the drive was on dirt road filled with rocks and pot holes.  At one point, the route took us across a stream of briskly flowing water.  The road followed the coast line with magnificent ocean view most of the way, until the turn off to “Rouck”.

This would be the first time Benjamy and his mom would see one another in more than four months.  The family is desperately poor.  The mom, Janine, has been sick since I first met her three years ago.  At one point I helped her pay for hospital costs.  Benjamy has more or less always been on his own.  He is only six years old now, and I remember him as a toddler roaming around half dressed and always filthy dirty.  Many times I took him to the guest house for a bath and clean clothes.  Benjamy had a reputation for being an uncontrolled and uncontrollable child.  People named him “desod”, which means “disorder”.  He was growing up “wild”.

He has always been one of my favorite kids here in Bondeau, so when I was planning Kay Timoun, I asked Benjamy’s mom if he could stay with me.  Her first reply was something like, “Oh, you don’t want him!  He’s always dirty, he rolls around on the ground, he’s ‘desod’.  Take my girl, she’ll be better for you.”  But no, I told her that Benjamy is a very special boy and I want to care for him.  She shook her head, like she didn’t understand why I would want him.  Even Junior, at that time, tried to discourage me saying Benjamy is hard to control, is a wild kid.  But, Benjamy has turned out to be a joy, a great kid, smart and lovable.

We found Janine in a dark room at the rest center. She came outside where we could all see one another.  I expected that mother and son would hug and kiss, but that didn’t happen, maybe because she might be contagious.  After a few minutes of Benjamy and mom gazing at one another, I handed Benjamy a bible and asked him to read Psalm 23 for his mom.  Now, Benjamy has not yet begun first grade, so he can’t read.  But he held the bible and recited word for word Psalm 23.  Janine cried! 

What a wonderful reunion between mother and son!  I don’t know what the prognosis is for Janine, but before I left, she asked me if I would keep Benjamy.  I said yes!

 

 

Follow up to "simple walk"

Another "simple walk" with Pere Phanold and seminarian...we visited people in Nouvo Bidaw who had moved off Bidaw island to escape Isaac.  While on our walk, I mentioned the sick baby to the group, and then asked that the baby be brought to us.  Pere Phanold blessed and all said healing prayers for the baby.

The following Monday Magali, who said she would be responsible for getting the baby to the doctor, came to me, for the money I had promised for the doctor visit.  Baby was all wrapped in a white blanket ready to go.  I gave Magali enough for the doctor, medicine, and taxi.  (1100 goudes)  That afternoon I waited and waited for them to return and give me the doctor report. 

For this blog, all I can say is I never received any report from the doctor, or a receipt.  The baby and mother took off for Port au Prince, Magali said that she didn't steal the money.  Rumors were that Magali took the money and baby never got to doctor...at this point, I don't know. 

Started as a simple walk around...

Started as a simple walk around…

August 24, 2012

This afternoon I took a walk with the kids around the parish.  First we stopped at the playground, and after the kids had their fill of swings and Zakari climbing a tree, we walked over to the community of Nouvo Bidaw.  I thought that perhaps Bidaw residents had moved because of the threat of Isaac and as I predicted, several families had moved in, even if only temporarily.  The kids and I walked around the perimeter of the settlement, greeting everyone sitting on their porches.  At Ethela’s house, her neighbor, Magali, beaconed me to come onto her porch, and then to go inside her one-room house.  There lying on the bed was a tiny, tiny infant girl.  Her mother and father sat close by.  I commented about how tiny the baby is, to which they responded that she is three months old.  They said she is sick and cries all the time.  I asked if Mommy had breast milk and yes, she has milk and feeds the baby.  This baby, to me, looks severely malnourished.  They want to get medical care but have no money for a doctor or medicine.  Later, a neighbor told me that they had taken the baby to a child health care center but never bought the prescribed medicine because they didn’t have the money.  Ethela then told me that the mother has no money and the father has no money.  I took the risk of being crass and said they should have thought about that when they were “making their baby”!  Of course, they didn’t, as many young people don’t think about the consequences of their actions.  This baby will suffer because the parents were not educated about planning a family.  I talked at length with the parents, told them that I had given money to other people for hospital visits, only to find out that they never took the child to the hospital.  I was reluctant to get burned again.  Ethela’s friend, Magali, said that she would be responsible, would accompany the couple and baby to the hospital and report back to me.  So, I agreed to help, telling them that Jesus said to help the poor. 

Isaac is coming!

Preparing for Isaac

Hurricane Isaac is on its way to Haiti.  Looking at the National Weather Service reports, it looks like he will arrive tomorrow afternoon but we will probably start feeling high winds and rain earlier in the day.  I got into preparation mode as soon as I heard a hurricane was headed this way.  One problem we have here at Kay Timoun is the poor design at entrance doors.  Water flows under the doors and into the house.  So this morning I told Junior how we are going to handle this problem.  We will fill used rice bags with sand and when the rain comes, we’ll pile the bags at the back door entrance.  We will have enough food and water to last for three days.  That’s not difficult…we always have 5 gallon bottles of water in the depot and usually enough rice and beans to feed a small army.  But just to be safe, we bought another 55 lb. bag of rice and a case of spaghetti.  I told Wonel to buy a double order of bread tomorrow morning to make peanut butter sandwiches with a freshly ground batch of peanuts.  And we have on hand a huge bag of avocados, probably 50 or more avocados. 

I compare this preparation with preparing in Florida.  Here there is no patio furniture to bring inside, no car to worry about, no electricity most of the time so we are equipped with battery lanterns.  There is no food in the freezer that might spoil.  When water leaks through the windows, we’ll just mop it up; there is no carpet and not much furniture that might water stain or mildew.  Life here is simple so people can be at a soccer game the night before a hurricane (I hear them cheering as I write) and not worrying about protecting their property.  Most have nothing to protect.  They just pray that their house doesn’t get blown down or washed away. 

 

 

A day at the beach and more....

August 18, 2011

Saturday morning.  Acolyte training for Ana, Gastina, Rachelle, Wozlo, Estemi, and Christian is this morning at 8:00 AM.  The girls and Estemi are doing their chores as I write.  Christian is still asleep.  Yesterday was a busy day for everyone here at Kay Timoun.  The kids had special school classes in the morning.  Ste. Marie Madeleine does not offer summer school but I hired a teacher to tutor the kids.  After lunch we packed into the parish SUV and were off to the beach.  This group of kids played in the calm ocean waters the entire time at the beach.  They require constant supervision because they can’t swim.  Everyone competes for my special attention wanting to be carried into the deeper water.  The older children played catch ball with some water balls that were donated to Kay Timoun.  I was totally exhausted at the end of the afternoon.  The kids went on to a movie that was showing in the parish school in the evening and I took advantage of the quiet time, read for a while, and then went to bed. 

Now, as I write again in the early evening, everyone is at a soccer game being played on parish property on the site where the new church will be built.  Goal posts have been built and there is a game about every night.  Again, I’m taking advantage of quiet time…it’s seldom quiet here.  And I am in great need of solitude at this moment!

This afternoon as I sat quietly while the kids were at the game, I thought about how the kids have changed since coming here to Kay Timoun.  When they first came and were living together as a group, they fought over everything, always wanting to be first for the simplest things, like water.  The boys punched and kicked one another over any little irritation.  The girls competed for clothes and whatever else they thought they needed.  They grabbed food from one another, always looked to see if somebody was getting more than they were getting, and then took liberty to take the other’s food.  All the kids spent a lot of time in “time out”, learning how to get along with one another.  No hitting is permitted here.  The staff is not permitted to hit a child and a child may not hit another child.  It took a long time for them to learn, but they finally got it!  All is not perfect and children still hit occasionally, and are punished for it.

The kitchen is finished and Ethela is cooking all the meals in the kitchen.  Today I reviewed again with her the importance of cleanliness in the kitchen.  I gave her all the necessities to keep a kitchen clean, plus a short lecture on cholera.  I must follow up after every meal or else it just won’t happen! I insist on cleanliness in every part of the house.  With Wonel doing most of the work, the house is clean!  It’s really challenging with the girls because they have never been taught how to clean a bathroom or how to keep a bedroom clean.  They have never lived in a “real” house.  They are learning! Our next project is to fence in an area for a garden so the goats don’t eat our plants.  I reviewed this with Junior today.  It will be a “live” fence made of parts of trees that actually grow after being planted.  The cross bars will be bamboo.  Again, Kay Timoun is contributing to the economy of Bondeau by buying locally and hiring local people to work.

Occasionally I drive to Miragoane on errands.  Last week Junior and I went to buy wood for the kitchen door, nails, and hinges.  I also like to shop at Trinity Market where I can buy familiar foods like Bumble Bee tuna and the best treat of all, ice cream, which I ate immediately.  It tasted so good!  Driving through the streets of Miragoane, I must maneuver around hundreds of motor cycles, many with three or more passengers, hoard of people walking in the middle of the street, many balancing buckets or huge boxes on their heads, goats and people riding donkeys, vendors selling everything from telephone minutes to antibiotic drugs, and most irritating, big trucks that because of their size think they can dominate the street.  I didn’t mention all of this on a pothole filled narrow street!  Slow down and beggars knock on the window, looking desperate for a handout.  I, too, am learning the ways of survival in Haiti!

 

Wonel

Yesterday I was cleaning up the kitchen with Wonel.  He had taken the refrigerator all apart and was washing each shelf, each drawer, and each part that is attached to the door.  He had already moved the stove away from the wall and had thoroughly cleaned around the burners and each knob.  The day before he had taken everything off the kitchen shelves, cleaned all and rearranged neatly back on the shelves.  He heard me trying to teach the girls how to be neat with their clothing, after teaching them how to clean their bathroom.  I just wasn’t getting through to the girls.  He took over, went to their room, took everything off their clothing shelves and showed them how to fold and make neat stacks of clothing, tee shirts in this stack, shorts in this stack, underwear here, etc.  He had done this same routine with the boys.

I often wonder how a young man, Wonel is about 22, growing up in abject poverty in a community that has no running water in homes, no electricity, no toilets or showers, knows without being told how to clean modern appliances like a refrigerator and a stove.  How does he know how to clean a bathroom shower and toilet?  How does he know to wash the kitchen floor after each meal?  How does he know how to keep a kitchen counter spotlessly clean?  After washing the dishes, he dries the sink! How does he know how to keep a big house like Kay Timoun clean?  In addition to all of that, he also knows how to cook.  He helped me prepare a breakfast of scrambled eggs, fruit, and bread one time and has since, been cooking breakfast two times a week.  Our meals here are for seventeen people, so it’s not like he is scrambling a couple of eggs!  He wins over my heart again and again when I wake up to freshly made Haitian coffee.

So, as Wonel and I worked together in the kitchen, I asked him how he learned all the things that he knows.  He looked up with a smile and said that his grandmother taught him.  He said she taught him everything!  Thank you, Grandma!  I didn’t mention that when Cawol comes back from market, Wonel trims all the vegetables before putting them in the refrigerator.  I also didn’t mention that Wonel has never been to school, yet he reads and writes, does math, and helps the children with their school work.  I recently noticed him studying English.  He reads the bible daily.

An amazing part of Wonel’s story is that just one year ago the people in Bondeau thought he was crazy!  And his actions were that of a very mentally disturbed person.  He had to be taken out of church because he disturbed the service.  He came to the guest house after dark and caused a disturbance, so much so that I was afraid of him!  Now I wonder, after knowing Wonel if that craziness wasn’t all an act.  Last year when I visited Bondeau, Wonel would take walks with me…short walks, because remember that I was still a little afraid of him.  We got to know one another and I trusted him more and more each time we walked together.  I made a point of placing my hand on his shoulder and saying, “Bondye beni ou!”  He’d answer, “Oui.” (God bless you.)

Wonel came to me after a few children had moved into Kay Timoun and I had hired the people who were going to work here.  He asked me for a job.  I had already hired all the people I thought I needed and had my payroll budget.  Not knowing Wonel’s many talents, I asked if he’d be willing to work only for food.  He quickly answered yes and began work.  Needless to say, Wonel was on the payroll for the first month’s pay.  He is reliable, up at the crack of dawn every morning beginning his day.  He not only helps the kids with their school work, he has learned to navigate the small laptop.  He plays soccer with the kids in the evening.  He plays dominoes when the sun is hot and kids are indoors or in the shade. 

Many thanks to Wonel’s grandmother!  Wonel is a blessing to me and to everyone here at Kay Timoun.  I thank God for Wonel!

Sorry...Wonel's photo won't load. 

Kay Timoun-some kids thrive, others struggle.

August 11, 2012

Gastina is so proud that she was asked to read at church tomorrow.  She practiced and then read for me beautifully.  Some of the kids here at Kay Timoun are making great advances.  Six children are training to be acolytes.  Others are struggling. Estemi, in particular, is having a hard time with the structure and discipline of Kay Timoun.  He has always been “on his own”, even though he has a very loving father.  So, it is difficult for him to understand that he must give time each day to study.  He would much rather just hang out with the boys his age.  As a whole, the girls are much easier than the boys. 

It has been a rough week all around here at Kay Timoun.  Hope next week is easier!

Wonald woke everyone up at 6:00AM on Friday for Eucharist Service at 6:30, new for Ste. Marie Madeleine, introduced by Pere Phanord.   All of Kay Timoun attended mass, although some of us showed up a little late.  The service was well attended; I counted 60 people. 

Sorry, photos will not load.  Check Kay Timoun Facebook page.

Joy of sweet singing!

August 6, 2012

As I write this, three year old Odiana is resting on my lap and singing a hymn that we all know, only she is singing it in Haitian Creole, “Holy God, We Praise Thy Name.”  I love hearing the children sing throughout the day.  They have no radio or TV so they don’t hear all the popular songs of today.  The songs that they know are all hymns that they sing in church.  I thrill at the sound of their sweet voices singing.  They love music and seem to have a natural talent.  Even six year old rough and tumble Benjami sings beautifully with a clear high voice, always hymns that he knows from church. 

Those who have been following my blog know that a mother and her twin babies and a two year old boy visit us every day, seeking food for the twins and little boy.  Latest on the menu for the twins has been Quaker Instant Grits, which I threw into a box to come to Haiti.  I cook the grits well, add a little margarine, sugar, and thin the mixture with canned milk.  The babies love it, gobble it down, and give the sweetest thank you smile, happy with a full belly.  These twins are less than six months old and probably should not have solid food.  But “Mama Marassa” (twin’s mother) has very little breast milk, being undernourished herself.  The little two year old is also very thin.  The children here at Kay Timoun make him a peanut butter sandwich and give him whatever fruit is available.  I note how compassionate they are toward the visiting family.  Wozlo gave Mama two of her dresses, not old cast-offs, but two of her newest dresses.  Today Gastina told me that she was giving her Crocs to the little boy.  Gastina and Wozlo have been raised in abject poverty and, in their own way, are giving back for the blessings that they are receiving.

Pere Phanord was heading out to make home visits this evening as the children and I returned from a walk and buying special treat, a cold Tampico. 

Sorry...photos won't load!

Sunday, a new day!

August 5, 2012

This morning is a new day!  Pere Phanold celebrated his first mass here at Ste. Marie Madeleine.  It poured rain early in the morning and continued till about 8:30AM.  People in Bondeau don’t come to church when it rains because they have long distances to walk, some coming from high on the mountain.  There is very little pavement, only the main road is paved, so that most people have mud surrounding their homes when it rains; many live with mud floors in their homes when it rains.  So, I expected that attendance would be very light. 

Pere made a few changes to the classroom that is used as a church.  He had plywood applied as a ceiling for better insulation; he had the entrance area all cleaned, rocks removed from the entrances, and dug a trench to catch runoff water from the roof.  He brought folding chairs out of storage to use for the congregation, a great improvement over congregation sitting on school benches.  He removed the life-size crucifix that hung on the wall.

There were a few unfamiliar faces, people who came with Pere Phanold from Ste. Matthew.  Some served as acolytes.  Ana, who stays with me at Kay Timoun, was an acolyte and read the second reading from Ephesians.  She read beautifully, and needless to say, I was very proud of her.  In fact, I was proud of all the kids.  I kept a close watch as they were sitting in the front rows. 

I began with “This morning is a new day!” because yesterday was one of those days that I’d rather forget.  We did not have electricity for the entire day and into the night.  It was hot and humid.  There was no water in the house and the children had to carry water to wash dishes, take a bath, and carry water for me, too, so I could bathe.  As I write this, the generator is running and my computer is charging.  Water is in the tank on the roof and hopefully, I’ll be able to take a shower later on today.  The rain has cooled the air and cloud cover is keeping us all from burning up!  Praise God!  Mesi Bondye!  The children are visiting their parents this afternoon and I’m enjoying a little quiet time.  Again, Mesi Bondye!  Thank you, God!

                                                                             Ana

                                                     Deacon Anita reading the Gospel

                                                       Wonold and Vangelia at Kay Timoun chapel 

Welcome Pere Phanold

July 31, 2012

Welcome Pere Phanold!

Monday morning…up at 3AM for a 6:30AM flight from Fort Lauderdale to Port au Prince.  Pere Kesner met me outside the airport in Port au Prince, only to say farewell.  He was on his way to his new assignment at Bon Sauveur, Cange, his childhood home and now home of Partners in Health, Zamni Lasante.  I would be driven to Bondeau by Pere Phanold’s driver.  Pere Phanold is the new priest in charge of Ste. Marie Madeleine.  We stopped in Leogane and Ste. Mathieu, the parish Phanold is leaving.  I had been there nine years ago.  At that time, there was a small wooden church, a tiny presbytery, and a small school.  It was sad to see that the new big church had been severely damaged by the earthquake.  Services are outside under a canopy.  Two school buildings are in use.  I waited while Pere Phanold’s helpers packed a truck with his belongings, and then we were off to Bondeau.

We arrived in Bondeau mid afternoon.  The children at Kay Timoun were eagerly waiting for me to arrive.  There were lots of hugs and kisses.  I was so glad to see them, too, and happy to be at my Haiti home.  Pere Phanold and his vestry stayed the afternoon, walking around the grounds.

Junior had been coordinating the building of an outdoor kitchen while I was gone and today, Wednesday, the work of building began.  It will be made totally of natural materials, palm trees that have died will serve as the four corner posts.  It was long and hard work in the hot sun for most of the day.  Our cook, Ethela, has been cooking on the patio or on the walkway in front of the children’s bedrooms.  She needs a place where she can cook.  Plus, it just is not safe to have a charcoal fire around children.  Although they have had charcoal fires all their lives, I’d rather be safe and have the cooking done in a separate area, away from the children.

Pere Phonold officially begins his service to Ste. Marie Madeleine today.  A bus full of people from Ste. Mathieu came here and gave him a glorious farewell.

                            The first corner post for the new kitchen is planted deep in the ground.

                                                     Odiana loves her new ball.

                      Lisie stopped by for a visit.  The macheti wound on her leg is almost healed.

Saturday afternoon at the beach.

I'm writing from my home in Boca, visiting for one week.  I need dental work, a root canal!  Ugh!  I miss Bondeau and the kids at Kay Timoun.  Can't wait to get back. 

                                Here we are at the beach last Saturday, a very special treat.

Here's Benjami buried in the sand.

                                    

I reflect on the difference that we are making in the lives of children at Kay Timoun.  The first and greatest difference is that the children at Kay Timoun don't have to worry about whether they will eat today.  They eat three healthful meals a day.  They never go to bed hungry.  Children of poor families in Bondeau wake in the morning not knowing if they will have anything to eat that day.  Some kids on their own go out hunting for crabs or to a favorite mango tree in search of fruit.  The school "canteen" is sometimes the only food a child eats in a day.  Children who are hungry cannot develop intellectually.  They can't concentrate on learning.  Whether they know their school work isn't priority, satisfying their hunger is.  When children get enough to eat they are then free and able to concentrate on study.  South Florida Haiti Project provides food to hungry children every school day. 

Children at Kay Timoun feel secure in knowing that they have a safe place to live, regular meals, are showered with love, and have fun things to do.  They know that they must study and are expected to do their best.  I wish we were able to provide the opportunity of Kay Timoun to all the children in Bondeau.

I'm looking forward to returning to Bondeau on Monday morning.

Kay Timoun is back on line!

July 19, 2012

Kay Timoun is back!

Kay Timoun is back in the world after having no Internet for over a week.  Summer is in full swing.  The children are into the summer schedule, going to special class three mornings a week and learning math, science, and language arts.  I work with the kids who need extra help in math and reading.  Estemi, although he is 13 years old, reads like a very young child.  He is excellent in math but hasn’t learned to read.  The teacher has given him special reading assignments and I’ve been helping him along, but he really needs a professional tutor for one on one instruction.  Wonald and I work with the younger children in math, helping them to understand numbers.  The older kids are on their own, doing math worksheets.  And then there is homework that is assigned by their teacher.  Our purpose at Kay Timoun is not only custodial care.  It is raising children to live into their highest potential, giving them opportunities that they would not otherwise have.

The children here at Kay Timoun take at least three showers or baths a day!   The girls shower four at a time in their bathroom; the younger boys like to bathe outside.  And each time they bathe they put on clean clothes, so that the laundry here is tremendous!  And all is washed by hand!  The girls wash their own clothes but Naomi has most of the burden of the laundry.  (I can hardly believe the amount of bath soap and laundry detergent we use.) When clothes are washed and chores are done, the kids usually break up into groups of four to play their favorite game, Dominoes.   And marbles!  It’s too hot for soccer until early evening when the sun is setting.  They completely wore out their ball.  It’s thread bare but they still manage to kick it around.  After dark the kids play games or dance throughout the evening up until bedtime.  So, after the last bath of the day, they put on clean clothes and go to bed.  No PJ’s here.

On line again!

July 19, 2012

We have been without Internet for over a week because the bill wasn’t paid.  Pere Kesner called me today with good news that he paid for three months, July, August, September.  I haven’t written blogs while Internet was suspended, but will bring you up to date on what is happening at Ste. Marie Madeleine Parish.  The big excitement is that the parish is preparing for the feast day celebration of St. Mary Magdalene.  Every year there is a grand party, usually with guests from the United States.  This year there are no out of country guests. 

The feeding program, funded by South Florida Haiti Project, continued through today.  Each day it seems that more and more people show up for a meal.  Today there was hardly enough food to go around.  Food is a big problem here in Bondeau.  People are so poor that they can’t afford to buy food for their family.  They depend on their children receiving a nourishing meal at the “canteen”.  Many of us can’t imagine not having food to feed the family.  In the U.S. there are many churches and social agencies that distribute food to the poor.  Here there is nothing.

We at Kay Timoun have been preparing food for the infant twins every day.  The family was given a safe and secure home to live in.  They have nothing; no bed, no table, nothing!  I talked to the children at Kay Timoun about Jesus’ teaching to share your food with those in need and together we decided that we would provide food for the twins.

Sunday Eucharist service continues to be standing room only.  Two Evening Prayer services are well attended, usually the same people at both services.  The children and staff at Kay Timoun are at every service, singing and thanking God for all their blessings. 

Kay Timoun kids have special bible study and spirituality classes two times a week.  I don’t sit in on the class but I have heard all positive comments from the children.  Gastina said she loves it!

I will be returning to Boca on Monday and staying thru till July 30.  Hope to see you in church!

Summer sewing

Summer sewing

This morning we continued our sewing class, which actually began last week.  Ana, Rachelle, Gastina, and Wozlo are the sewing students.   Junior worked with the younger children on Math, while I showed the older girls basics in sewing.  I was again amazed at the creativity of these children.  They designed exotic costumes but had to settle on simple “A” line skirts with elastic waist, a simple first-time sew project.

In the meantime, the twin babies, Momma, and 2 year old brother spent the day on the patio area.  I’m perplexed!  This young mother needs food for her twin babies, herself, and her young son…Papa, too!  We prepared baby food again today for the twins, gave the 2 year old peanut butter sandwich,  Mamma again had kids’ left over lunch, and they stayed on.  I don’t have the heart to send them away.  I called Pere Kesner and explained the situation.  With approval from the church board, they can have a secure home to live in, but they still need food for the twins, and for themselves.  Papa has a job of some sort, I’m not sure what he does. 

The “canteen”, Ste. Marie Madeleine’s feeding program served up a hearty lunch for all the children who showed up to eat, about 70.  Our kids also had lunch from the “canteen”.  It’s so great that South Florida Haiti Project provides food for so many children, even when school is out.  Thanks to all who support SFHP.

Twin babies on Kay Timoun doorstep

July 10, 2012

This morning I returned to the house after using the Internet in the Guest House and found two infant babies on a blanket on the floor at the entrance of Kay Timoun.  One was asleep, the other awake.  I looked over at Naomi who was washing clothes.  She caught my eye and simply laughed.  She said the mother had come and lay the babies on the floor and went away.  Thoughts raced in my head.  Could we take care of two infants?  I guess we could but it would take a lot of time away from our mission here at Kay Timoun.  I looked at the babies carefully and saw that they are very tiny.  Cawol said it’s because they don’t have anything to eat.  I thought about what we had on hand that an infant could eat.  I remember years ago giving my babies ripe bananas when they could take solid food.  So, I mashed a banana into a thick liquid, added a little condensed milk, and Cawol fed it to the baby that was awake.  When Wozlo returned from Bible class, she fed the second baby, who by this time was awake.

Momma returned, looked at me with pleading eyes and I knew she wanted me to keep the babies.  I told her that she could bring the babies for food.  We would feed them but then she is to take them home.  A problem is that she hardly has a home.  She and her husband live in a broken stick house on the mountain.  They are so poor!  Poor, poor, poor! 

Momma sat on the floor and was breast feeding the babies.  I bought her a chair to sit on, the most I could do for her at the moment.  Later, she ate the children’s left over lunch and a piece of watermelon.  After Momma breast fed the babies, Cawol gave them a bath.  As I write this, the twins are sleeping on the floor and Momma is sitting close by.