I met ANDERSON COOPER in the Haitian airport when we were leaving on Saturday!!! We talked with him for a short time and HE thanked us for our work there. He had been in Haiti for the week reporting on the six month anniversary of the earthquake. It was surreal to have this moment...yet another unbelievable experience.
So I am home now, everything looks great and I LOVE my bed...I am blessed.
Bye for now
Connie
Monday, July 19, 2010
Friday, July 16, 2010
connie collins' journal ~ day 14
Friday July 16
Today is our last day with the teachers. We are having a celebration and a graduation party! We have accomplished a lot but still there is so much more we could do. But all good things must come to an end...
It is also our last walk to school this morning. I savour every smell and sound as we walk along. We have become part of the morning routine, this gaggle of white women, and people greet us with smiles and bonjous. We have seen progress with the rubble clean up from our first few days. The work crews have made a dent in the mountains of broken concrete. We hand out the last of our water bags as we pass by the busy workers and the shoe shine boys. Lots of laughs and smiles!
We are greeted at the school by all of the teachers clad in red and white!! It is a beautiful expression of their love for us and Canada. We listen to them sing songs of thanks and appreciation and laugh as they present us with funny poems about each one of us...they think we are a little crazy!! We give each a certificate and a card with a very special "present" inside. We know that this monetary gift will go far to alleviate some of their need. And of course, every party needs food! We stand around eating and drinking together, saying our good byes with lots of hugs and tears and beautiful smiles.
Since it is our last day, we take our translator, Carl, out for a special lunch to one of the ritziest hotels on the side of the mountain. We cannot believe how beautiful it is. We walk out onto the terrace of the restaurant to a spectacular view of the city below. Again another sharp contrast of the two worlds here. We watch yet another storm roll in as we sip on wine and reflect on our time together.
Our driver cannot make it up the steep streets because of the rain so we walk down to meet the van. We walk past gated mansions and beautiful gardens, breathing in the fresh air, relishing in the beauty. We get to the bottom of the street and are instantly hit with the noise, the heat and the chaos of the main road. I think this is how I will remember Haiti - it hits me over and over again...the beauty and the squalor, the extremes of life here, the insanity of poverty and wealth side by side.
So my friends, thank you for accompanying me on this journey. I know I will never be the same.
Connie
Today is our last day with the teachers. We are having a celebration and a graduation party! We have accomplished a lot but still there is so much more we could do. But all good things must come to an end...
It is also our last walk to school this morning. I savour every smell and sound as we walk along. We have become part of the morning routine, this gaggle of white women, and people greet us with smiles and bonjous. We have seen progress with the rubble clean up from our first few days. The work crews have made a dent in the mountains of broken concrete. We hand out the last of our water bags as we pass by the busy workers and the shoe shine boys. Lots of laughs and smiles!
We are greeted at the school by all of the teachers clad in red and white!! It is a beautiful expression of their love for us and Canada. We listen to them sing songs of thanks and appreciation and laugh as they present us with funny poems about each one of us...they think we are a little crazy!! We give each a certificate and a card with a very special "present" inside. We know that this monetary gift will go far to alleviate some of their need. And of course, every party needs food! We stand around eating and drinking together, saying our good byes with lots of hugs and tears and beautiful smiles.
Since it is our last day, we take our translator, Carl, out for a special lunch to one of the ritziest hotels on the side of the mountain. We cannot believe how beautiful it is. We walk out onto the terrace of the restaurant to a spectacular view of the city below. Again another sharp contrast of the two worlds here. We watch yet another storm roll in as we sip on wine and reflect on our time together.
Our driver cannot make it up the steep streets because of the rain so we walk down to meet the van. We walk past gated mansions and beautiful gardens, breathing in the fresh air, relishing in the beauty. We get to the bottom of the street and are instantly hit with the noise, the heat and the chaos of the main road. I think this is how I will remember Haiti - it hits me over and over again...the beauty and the squalor, the extremes of life here, the insanity of poverty and wealth side by side.
So my friends, thank you for accompanying me on this journey. I know I will never be the same.
Connie
Thursday, July 15, 2010
connie collins journal ~ day 13
Thursday July 15
After teaching today we headed to the city of Carrefour to meet some old friends of my parents. My parents traveled to Haiti 30 years ago with a mission group from their winter home in Florida. On their trip, they met a Haitian couple, Joel and Doris Jeune. Their church in Florida helped this couple start many churches, orphanages and schools all over Haiti. When the Jeunes came to Canada, they stayed with us on the farm.
Fast forward 30 some years...Joel and his wife Doris established a church of 5000 on a 20 acre compound right near the ocean in Carrefour. After Jan 12, their compound became an instant refuge camp. Carrefour is very close to the epicentre of the earthquake and was devastated. Help did not arrive in that region (it finally came 2 months later) so their family and their mission, Grace International, sprung into immediate action, bringing doctors, food and medical supplies to the area. They now take care of 24,000 people living in tents. They feed them and provide them with medical care. But because they are not considered a government organization they are not given any government funds. To keep the place going, they rely on donations from Samaritan's Purse, and other NGOs.
We were given a tour of the church which had been damaged in the earthquake and is now currently in use as a school. We walked through row after row of tents and were amazed at how orderly and relatively clean it was. People were friendly and little shops were set up here and there just as in a market. We found the Pastor's son, Michael, who was busy working with a crew. He took us across town to see his mother, Madame Doris. She was in the midst of a woman's conference - she brings together women from all over Haiti to empower them to make a change morally and spiritually for Haiti. We saw the family home and the original church where my parents had visited and stayed. We also saw more makeshift class rooms set up under tarps. As we were standing around the family table, Madame Doris entered the room, came directly to me and said "You look just like your mother". Emotion overcame me as I hugged this beautiful "mother" of Haiti.
We sat with her as she shared some of her heart for this country. Doris believes that the hope for Haiti lies in a change of hearts and minds of the people, and especially the women. She feels that the people have become hopeless. Their government has forgotten them. The Haitian people need to make change for themselves and start to reclaim their country. She has raised 80 "children" throughout the years and many of them have gone onto leadership in the city. One of her "daughters" is the head of the bank in that region. Others have gone onto to become police officers, teachers and security guards. Their organization also runs 60+ schools. She has invited us to meet with her teachers...hmmm this journey may continue...
Meeting her was my favourite moment in Haiti.
When we told her we were off to Leogane (the epicentre of the earthquake) she immediately told some of her security guards to accompany us because it is one of the most dangerous places in Haiti. Very little relief has reached this devastated region. We looked at one another and realized how naive we were in thinking we could just roll into an area and drop off food. We quickly changed our plans and asked if we could give the food to her organization. Of course she said yes and gave us all big hugs!! We brought the food and the rest of the bears back to the main compound. Michael and his brothers brought out 10 or so children and mothers at a time through the gate that led into the tent city. One little girl was giggling and shaking with excitement. I was invited to look over the top of the gate, standing on a chair I would see a long line up of children and parents snake around the tents. We only had so little to give to so many. Again another heart wrenching moment, another tiny drop of water in this sea.
Good bye for now
Connie
After teaching today we headed to the city of Carrefour to meet some old friends of my parents. My parents traveled to Haiti 30 years ago with a mission group from their winter home in Florida. On their trip, they met a Haitian couple, Joel and Doris Jeune. Their church in Florida helped this couple start many churches, orphanages and schools all over Haiti. When the Jeunes came to Canada, they stayed with us on the farm.
Fast forward 30 some years...Joel and his wife Doris established a church of 5000 on a 20 acre compound right near the ocean in Carrefour. After Jan 12, their compound became an instant refuge camp. Carrefour is very close to the epicentre of the earthquake and was devastated. Help did not arrive in that region (it finally came 2 months later) so their family and their mission, Grace International, sprung into immediate action, bringing doctors, food and medical supplies to the area. They now take care of 24,000 people living in tents. They feed them and provide them with medical care. But because they are not considered a government organization they are not given any government funds. To keep the place going, they rely on donations from Samaritan's Purse, and other NGOs.
We were given a tour of the church which had been damaged in the earthquake and is now currently in use as a school. We walked through row after row of tents and were amazed at how orderly and relatively clean it was. People were friendly and little shops were set up here and there just as in a market. We found the Pastor's son, Michael, who was busy working with a crew. He took us across town to see his mother, Madame Doris. She was in the midst of a woman's conference - she brings together women from all over Haiti to empower them to make a change morally and spiritually for Haiti. We saw the family home and the original church where my parents had visited and stayed. We also saw more makeshift class rooms set up under tarps. As we were standing around the family table, Madame Doris entered the room, came directly to me and said "You look just like your mother". Emotion overcame me as I hugged this beautiful "mother" of Haiti.
We sat with her as she shared some of her heart for this country. Doris believes that the hope for Haiti lies in a change of hearts and minds of the people, and especially the women. She feels that the people have become hopeless. Their government has forgotten them. The Haitian people need to make change for themselves and start to reclaim their country. She has raised 80 "children" throughout the years and many of them have gone onto leadership in the city. One of her "daughters" is the head of the bank in that region. Others have gone onto to become police officers, teachers and security guards. Their organization also runs 60+ schools. She has invited us to meet with her teachers...hmmm this journey may continue...
Meeting her was my favourite moment in Haiti.
When we told her we were off to Leogane (the epicentre of the earthquake) she immediately told some of her security guards to accompany us because it is one of the most dangerous places in Haiti. Very little relief has reached this devastated region. We looked at one another and realized how naive we were in thinking we could just roll into an area and drop off food. We quickly changed our plans and asked if we could give the food to her organization. Of course she said yes and gave us all big hugs!! We brought the food and the rest of the bears back to the main compound. Michael and his brothers brought out 10 or so children and mothers at a time through the gate that led into the tent city. One little girl was giggling and shaking with excitement. I was invited to look over the top of the gate, standing on a chair I would see a long line up of children and parents snake around the tents. We only had so little to give to so many. Again another heart wrenching moment, another tiny drop of water in this sea.
Good bye for now
Connie
connie collins' journal ~ day 11 & 12
Tuesday July 13
Tuesday was a good teaching day. We discussed Learning Disabilities with the teachers and how to diagnosis these in their students. We also discussed various strategies of what to do with a child with an LD. Again a very rich discussion with lots of questions raised as teachers thought about specific students in their classes. The notion that students learn differently is starting to sink in with some of the teachers. The idea that as a teacher, you can modify or adapt a lesson to meet a child's learning needs is a stretching one and that even within a lesson the teacher needs to be flexible if something is not working and change course. Of course we did not get through all we wanted to talk about but we were able to touch on some aspects of LD and get some new ideas generated. We even discussed the idea of having students with LDs pulled from the class for extra support so that the teacher could focus on the rest of the class. Boy that sparked a discussion all of its own!
It is during discussions like that where I realize how similar teaching is everywhere and that as teachers we struggle with the same issues day to day. How to deliver our material so that it sticks with our students.
Imagine being a teacher and not having the proper resources to teach a class or the ability to go on the computer and bring up new ideas for your lessons, or even having textbooks to draw a lesson from? But you know you love to teach and are passionate about it. So you get out of your tent each morning, take a tap-tap for a few bumpy kilometres past broken buildings and make it to a school where you teach under another tarp. And then you make only a few hundred dollars a month with no medical benefits. I could go on but I think you get the picture.
In the afternoon we headed up the mountain to a lookout in the small town of Fremond (sp??) . We snaked our way up the road over each bump and heave in the road, past groups of school children, avoiding cattle and goats and hugging the edge of the road to get past yet another broken down vehicle on a pile of rubble. You have no idea how BUMPY the roads are here. Add an earthquake to an already shoddy infrastructure where roads were already in disrepair for years and years.
The view was breathtaking, the air was clear and the heat was not oppressive. Again another bit of respite from the dirt and grime of the city. We made our way into a large Roman Catholic church perched on the edge of the mountain side just as a huge cloud burst rained down - a frequent occurrence. Joyce and Kim took a spontaneous shower in the rain and even felt a bit cold!!
Wednesday July 14
Today we spent the day going through ALL of the resources we brought with us and the resources that have been sent to the school. What a big job to organize and sort through what is there - Joyce bought out the bins in the local supermarket!! We also discussed how to manage the stuff of a classroom - the pencils, the scissors etc etc. The teachers were not using some of the things because they were afraid to lose it and then to have to replace it. In our consumer lifestyle it is hard to comprehend that even the purchase of a pair of scissors would be a hardship. It was amazing to see how generous people have been in sending supplies to the school. And the teachers were overwhelmed with what was available to them.
Just a few days left on this journey and still so much to do!!
Have a great day
Lots of love
Connie
Tuesday was a good teaching day. We discussed Learning Disabilities with the teachers and how to diagnosis these in their students. We also discussed various strategies of what to do with a child with an LD. Again a very rich discussion with lots of questions raised as teachers thought about specific students in their classes. The notion that students learn differently is starting to sink in with some of the teachers. The idea that as a teacher, you can modify or adapt a lesson to meet a child's learning needs is a stretching one and that even within a lesson the teacher needs to be flexible if something is not working and change course. Of course we did not get through all we wanted to talk about but we were able to touch on some aspects of LD and get some new ideas generated. We even discussed the idea of having students with LDs pulled from the class for extra support so that the teacher could focus on the rest of the class. Boy that sparked a discussion all of its own!
It is during discussions like that where I realize how similar teaching is everywhere and that as teachers we struggle with the same issues day to day. How to deliver our material so that it sticks with our students.
Imagine being a teacher and not having the proper resources to teach a class or the ability to go on the computer and bring up new ideas for your lessons, or even having textbooks to draw a lesson from? But you know you love to teach and are passionate about it. So you get out of your tent each morning, take a tap-tap for a few bumpy kilometres past broken buildings and make it to a school where you teach under another tarp. And then you make only a few hundred dollars a month with no medical benefits. I could go on but I think you get the picture.
In the afternoon we headed up the mountain to a lookout in the small town of Fremond (sp??) . We snaked our way up the road over each bump and heave in the road, past groups of school children, avoiding cattle and goats and hugging the edge of the road to get past yet another broken down vehicle on a pile of rubble. You have no idea how BUMPY the roads are here. Add an earthquake to an already shoddy infrastructure where roads were already in disrepair for years and years.
The view was breathtaking, the air was clear and the heat was not oppressive. Again another bit of respite from the dirt and grime of the city. We made our way into a large Roman Catholic church perched on the edge of the mountain side just as a huge cloud burst rained down - a frequent occurrence. Joyce and Kim took a spontaneous shower in the rain and even felt a bit cold!!
Wednesday July 14
Today we spent the day going through ALL of the resources we brought with us and the resources that have been sent to the school. What a big job to organize and sort through what is there - Joyce bought out the bins in the local supermarket!! We also discussed how to manage the stuff of a classroom - the pencils, the scissors etc etc. The teachers were not using some of the things because they were afraid to lose it and then to have to replace it. In our consumer lifestyle it is hard to comprehend that even the purchase of a pair of scissors would be a hardship. It was amazing to see how generous people have been in sending supplies to the school. And the teachers were overwhelmed with what was available to them.
Just a few days left on this journey and still so much to do!!
Have a great day
Lots of love
Connie
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
connie collins' journal ~ day 9 & 10
Sunday July 11
Today we had an incredible treat... we went to a beach. The beach was OUT OF THIS WORLD!!! It was this picture perfect postcard in the middle of this hell. The sand was white, the water was blue, blue, blue and we were surrounded by green mountains. We ate fresh crab fished right out of the ocean and drank beer while lounging in the water. We brought the principal and his wife, and our driver, his daughter and her friend with us. We had an idyllic day splashing and swimming.
But to get there we had to travel 50 miles which took 2 hours - we even got a flat along the way in a desert area where people have been kidnapped. We passed through tent villages in the middle of the dry desolate area where the government had relocated people from Port au Prince but had then left them there without any resources. We brought along our packages of food and some other food supplies and gave them out from the van windows. I gave a bag of the soup mix to a man and he said in broken English "But I have no water". I had no answer to what he was saying. I just looked him in his eyes and saw his desperation.
On the way back after our day in paradise, we bought bags of water and passing through the same area we passed out the water. But I did not see him again. I hope he got some through another window.
Monday July 12
Today is the six month anniversary of the earthquake. As we walked to school this morning, we passed by a former market - now a pile of rubble. One man was shovelling the rubble into a wheelbarrow, a mountain of a task that seemingly will take forever to complete.
We had a moment of silence with the teachers. We then talked about their experiences on Friday of going to the hospital and holding the babies. It was very powerful as each shared how they had never done anything like that before, and how they had heard about these hospitals and had seen stories of babies like these on TV. They were so moved by this experience and most said they wanted to do that again.
Teaching went very well today. We did the personality assessment "True Colours" with the teachers. It was so interesting to see how each of the teachers reacted to the test and their findings. We then had them reflect on how they could use this with their students to further understand who their students are and how they operate. We also had great math lessons with the 100's charts made from the tarps, and the how-tos of sudoko. Again rich discussions around how to use these things with their students - generating lots of ideas.
So another full day has passed here. Great to hear from you...and good night
Connie
Today we had an incredible treat... we went to a beach. The beach was OUT OF THIS WORLD!!! It was this picture perfect postcard in the middle of this hell. The sand was white, the water was blue, blue, blue and we were surrounded by green mountains. We ate fresh crab fished right out of the ocean and drank beer while lounging in the water. We brought the principal and his wife, and our driver, his daughter and her friend with us. We had an idyllic day splashing and swimming.
But to get there we had to travel 50 miles which took 2 hours - we even got a flat along the way in a desert area where people have been kidnapped. We passed through tent villages in the middle of the dry desolate area where the government had relocated people from Port au Prince but had then left them there without any resources. We brought along our packages of food and some other food supplies and gave them out from the van windows. I gave a bag of the soup mix to a man and he said in broken English "But I have no water". I had no answer to what he was saying. I just looked him in his eyes and saw his desperation.
On the way back after our day in paradise, we bought bags of water and passing through the same area we passed out the water. But I did not see him again. I hope he got some through another window.
Monday July 12
Today is the six month anniversary of the earthquake. As we walked to school this morning, we passed by a former market - now a pile of rubble. One man was shovelling the rubble into a wheelbarrow, a mountain of a task that seemingly will take forever to complete.
We had a moment of silence with the teachers. We then talked about their experiences on Friday of going to the hospital and holding the babies. It was very powerful as each shared how they had never done anything like that before, and how they had heard about these hospitals and had seen stories of babies like these on TV. They were so moved by this experience and most said they wanted to do that again.
Teaching went very well today. We did the personality assessment "True Colours" with the teachers. It was so interesting to see how each of the teachers reacted to the test and their findings. We then had them reflect on how they could use this with their students to further understand who their students are and how they operate. We also had great math lessons with the 100's charts made from the tarps, and the how-tos of sudoko. Again rich discussions around how to use these things with their students - generating lots of ideas.
So another full day has passed here. Great to hear from you...and good night
Connie
Sunday, July 11, 2010
links to 'three angels childrens relief' posts about our visit
connie collins' journal ~ day 8
Hello All - great to hear from some of you in the past few days. Very encouraging and heartening to know that your thoughts and prayers have been with us.
Friday was an incredible day of extremes...
We start out the day (our team of six and the 15 Haitian teachers and principal) heading out on a "taptap" - the preferred mode of transportation. A taptap is a converted Toyota with two rows of benches in the back and a roof of sorts. People jump off and on the taptaps and it stops when someone taps on the window behind the driver -thus the name taptap. Any trip costs a gourd - about 39 cents US. The buses here are called "Obamas" because the US supplied them after the earthquake. Obama is loved here. "Obama We need change" is often sprayed painted on walls. But most people are afraid to ride on them because they go too fast.
We arrive at our destination for the morning - Mother Theresa's Sisters of Mercy Hospital for children and babies. The hospital is run by nuns and is in a compound which feeds and houses many people. The hospital did not fall in the earthquake but was damaged so now the hospital is housed in 4 large UNICEF tents. We make our way up the winding walkway. I did not realize how very hilly Port au Prince is. Very few streets are flat. Most wind up a hill and then snake their way down. Add to that huge ruts, potholes and heaved ground, and you are in for quite a bumpy ride.
On our way up to the hospital we pass by a long line of people patiently waiting for their allotted food for the day. Most are happy to see us and we hear many "bonjou blancs" - the Haitian term for whites.
As we approach the tents that house the hospital we can hear the crying babies. We get right to it as soon as we enter and start holding sick, sick babies and toddlers. We bring toys and bears to cuddle and the children start to smile through their tears. The sisters are glad to see us - 20+ people to help relieve them of the burden for a while. Most of the Haitian teachers have never done anything like this before but they begin to calm the children and start to sing Creole songs to them. It is beautiful.
I hold two little girls on my lap. They are lethargic and very hot. I too start to sing little nursery songs and when I sing "Frere Jacques" they look at me with big eyes. They recognize the song coming out of this big white woman. I start to laugh and amazingly so do they.
We help to feed lunch and every child eats up every last bit. It is heartbreaking to leave as the children start to cry again. We realize there has been no crying for the few hours we have been there.
So from one extreme to the other - the crazy reality of Haiti - we head back with the teachers to a favourite restaurant frequented by foreigners and more wealthy Haitians. We are treating them to pizza and cake to celebrate one of the teacher's birthday in air conditioned luxury... most of the teachers have never entered this restaurant. They hold back until we reassure them it is our treat and we want to do this for them. The AC hits us like a Mack truck - such a pleasant relief from the constant blanket of heat. Most eat a small portion of their pizza and cake, packing it up to take back to their children or to eat for later. This reality does not stop slapping me in the face. I forget about it for a few minutes - having lunch with these women - talking and laughing and then "WHAM" I remember that what I take for granted - having a treat - is not a part of their lives. It is all so very humbling.
Today is Saturday - we have the day off so we do some tourist type things. With our translator we head off to the market. The sights, sounds and smells are overwhelming. We do not know which way to look as every space is filled with something to sell. "Madam only a US dollar" or "Bonjou blancs - would you like to buy" Thankfully one of us speaks fluent french, so she barters for things on our behalf. Our translator also is very helpful and laughs at our silly antics as we ooh and aah over severed pigs' heads and bags of spices.
We then head to the Tin Market near the airport and pass by the US embassy and the UN compound. Both are a constant presence in the city. We see UN trucks patrolling the streets, a constant reminder of the unrest here. People are very disgusted with the present government because they know that the world has poured out relief to them but they are not seeing any of it. The only buildings that are being cleaned up are the ones privately owned. After six months there are still 1000s and 1000s of people living in tents. Most of the teachers at the school live in tents. Their houses have either been destroyed or are too damaged to live in.
This evening we head off to a very rich resort in the mountains for dinner. As we snake our way up we pass by tents and lean-tos somehow impossibly clinging to the side of steep hills. We enter the gated complex and are instantly aware of the eerie quiet. We head through the lobby past armed guards to enter a paradise complete with huge pool, tennis courts, patios, palm trees. Bill Clinton and Michelle Jean have both been here in the past few months. We have a lovely dinner and feel like we could be anywhere other than here.
As we drive home, we hit reality full force as in the pitch blackness the city is alive with the bustle and hustle of a Saturday night. This is the strangest feeling I have ever had - the constant juxtaposition of what is here and what we have ...I am constantly aware that what I am seeing and experiencing I cannot fully reconcile or understand.
So after this lengthy account, good night from Haiti, have a lovely weekend and we will touch base next week.
Connie
Friday was an incredible day of extremes...
We start out the day (our team of six and the 15 Haitian teachers and principal) heading out on a "taptap" - the preferred mode of transportation. A taptap is a converted Toyota with two rows of benches in the back and a roof of sorts. People jump off and on the taptaps and it stops when someone taps on the window behind the driver -thus the name taptap. Any trip costs a gourd - about 39 cents US. The buses here are called "Obamas" because the US supplied them after the earthquake. Obama is loved here. "Obama We need change" is often sprayed painted on walls. But most people are afraid to ride on them because they go too fast.
We arrive at our destination for the morning - Mother Theresa's Sisters of Mercy Hospital for children and babies. The hospital is run by nuns and is in a compound which feeds and houses many people. The hospital did not fall in the earthquake but was damaged so now the hospital is housed in 4 large UNICEF tents. We make our way up the winding walkway. I did not realize how very hilly Port au Prince is. Very few streets are flat. Most wind up a hill and then snake their way down. Add to that huge ruts, potholes and heaved ground, and you are in for quite a bumpy ride.
On our way up to the hospital we pass by a long line of people patiently waiting for their allotted food for the day. Most are happy to see us and we hear many "bonjou blancs" - the Haitian term for whites.
As we approach the tents that house the hospital we can hear the crying babies. We get right to it as soon as we enter and start holding sick, sick babies and toddlers. We bring toys and bears to cuddle and the children start to smile through their tears. The sisters are glad to see us - 20+ people to help relieve them of the burden for a while. Most of the Haitian teachers have never done anything like this before but they begin to calm the children and start to sing Creole songs to them. It is beautiful.
I hold two little girls on my lap. They are lethargic and very hot. I too start to sing little nursery songs and when I sing "Frere Jacques" they look at me with big eyes. They recognize the song coming out of this big white woman. I start to laugh and amazingly so do they.
We help to feed lunch and every child eats up every last bit. It is heartbreaking to leave as the children start to cry again. We realize there has been no crying for the few hours we have been there.
So from one extreme to the other - the crazy reality of Haiti - we head back with the teachers to a favourite restaurant frequented by foreigners and more wealthy Haitians. We are treating them to pizza and cake to celebrate one of the teacher's birthday in air conditioned luxury... most of the teachers have never entered this restaurant. They hold back until we reassure them it is our treat and we want to do this for them. The AC hits us like a Mack truck - such a pleasant relief from the constant blanket of heat. Most eat a small portion of their pizza and cake, packing it up to take back to their children or to eat for later. This reality does not stop slapping me in the face. I forget about it for a few minutes - having lunch with these women - talking and laughing and then "WHAM" I remember that what I take for granted - having a treat - is not a part of their lives. It is all so very humbling.
Today is Saturday - we have the day off so we do some tourist type things. With our translator we head off to the market. The sights, sounds and smells are overwhelming. We do not know which way to look as every space is filled with something to sell. "Madam only a US dollar" or "Bonjou blancs - would you like to buy" Thankfully one of us speaks fluent french, so she barters for things on our behalf. Our translator also is very helpful and laughs at our silly antics as we ooh and aah over severed pigs' heads and bags of spices.
We then head to the Tin Market near the airport and pass by the US embassy and the UN compound. Both are a constant presence in the city. We see UN trucks patrolling the streets, a constant reminder of the unrest here. People are very disgusted with the present government because they know that the world has poured out relief to them but they are not seeing any of it. The only buildings that are being cleaned up are the ones privately owned. After six months there are still 1000s and 1000s of people living in tents. Most of the teachers at the school live in tents. Their houses have either been destroyed or are too damaged to live in.
This evening we head off to a very rich resort in the mountains for dinner. As we snake our way up we pass by tents and lean-tos somehow impossibly clinging to the side of steep hills. We enter the gated complex and are instantly aware of the eerie quiet. We head through the lobby past armed guards to enter a paradise complete with huge pool, tennis courts, patios, palm trees. Bill Clinton and Michelle Jean have both been here in the past few months. We have a lovely dinner and feel like we could be anywhere other than here.
As we drive home, we hit reality full force as in the pitch blackness the city is alive with the bustle and hustle of a Saturday night. This is the strangest feeling I have ever had - the constant juxtaposition of what is here and what we have ...I am constantly aware that what I am seeing and experiencing I cannot fully reconcile or understand.
So after this lengthy account, good night from Haiti, have a lovely weekend and we will touch base next week.
Connie
Friday, July 9, 2010
Teaching in Haiti
The Teaching and Learning with Compassion Teaching team has just completed our first week of teaching.
The earthquake of January 12 has not stopped people from needing. Needing hope, love, food, shelter and the touch of another human being. People smile while sitting and selling fruit in the hot sun, children walk with their parents to school singing, and men pick stones from a home that has collapsed as they share water from a plastic bag.
What can we do here to change the need? My team has felt such extremes if only for one week thus far. The need for change demands the acknowledgement that smething is very very wrong. How does one end the extremes and give fresh life here? The compassionate hearts of TLC not only bind us together but also to the people here. We did not know one another very well before coming to Haiti. However now it is like we have all always been friends.
As we teach in sweltering heat, we know that what we give goes deep. The Haitian teachers are keen, open to change and full of spirit. Our senses our bursting with the vibrant colour and frenzy in the streets, the rich flavours of food, and the constant sounds of life. We know that once we leave the sameness will continue.
TLC feels so privileged to represent not only Canadian teachers but all of you who have contributed to the people we are able to serve. Thank-you for supporting us.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
connie collins' journal ~ day 5
So today I had a meltdown - well two meltdowns.
One was with our translator - he asked me how well I knew Haiti and I told him I really did not. He went on to say that Haitian people are proud - that they "stand tall" - that they do not want to take hand outs. But because of the disaster - "the tremble" - and the other political turmoils throughout the years they have had to. They are a resourceful people. And that resourcefulness I have seen everywhere. They are a reserved people who do not easily share their feelings. So when we ask the teachers to tell us what they are thinking or feeling about something they are reticent to do so. I began to tear up and became full of emotion as I listened to him talk about how although he had dreams, he had no way to see them through.
He is a basketball coach to 15 year olds ( i showed him a picture of Mack and told him about Mack and bb). We talked about his favourite team - the Bulls - and how in Haiti bb is a big sport. He loves to play and has played a long time. His favourite player is Duane Wade. He uses all of the American terms for teaching bb - hoop, dribble, three pointer etc. I told him he would make a great teacher because he is such a patient translator and does very well explaining the things and terms to the teachers. He said that he could never do that because he would never make any money since teachers in Haiti make very little and it is not a job with prestige.
And then the second time was outside of our compound. Men come daily to sell the guests in the mission house their wares. Joyce knows some of them from her last visits. I went out today with her with the intention of buying a few things. I looked at the different things for sale and started talking with one of the painters. I bought one of his paintings and as soon as that was complete another man came to sell me things. I bought a few things from him and then another man asked me to look at his wares. It was becoming a little hectic and chaotic - I felt I was being surrounded a bit. I slowly walked backward toward the gate of our compound but by this time I was completely surrounded. There was such desperation in the men's eyes as they wanted me to buy "just one thing madam". Thankfully the man from the compound came out and closed the gate as I walked through, back into the calm of the mission house.
I came up to our room and burst into tears - I have never felt that kind of fear and utter sadness - I realized I cannot help them all - I cannot possibly make their lives better - my few dollars will not solve this huge and horrible problem.
I realize this is not a very happy account of my day today - but this is Haiti. I was told by someone who has lived here that my heart would either turn hard or would break. Well today my heart broke.
So lots of love - I miss you all and would LOVE to hear from you.
Connie
One was with our translator - he asked me how well I knew Haiti and I told him I really did not. He went on to say that Haitian people are proud - that they "stand tall" - that they do not want to take hand outs. But because of the disaster - "the tremble" - and the other political turmoils throughout the years they have had to. They are a resourceful people. And that resourcefulness I have seen everywhere. They are a reserved people who do not easily share their feelings. So when we ask the teachers to tell us what they are thinking or feeling about something they are reticent to do so. I began to tear up and became full of emotion as I listened to him talk about how although he had dreams, he had no way to see them through.
He is a basketball coach to 15 year olds ( i showed him a picture of Mack and told him about Mack and bb). We talked about his favourite team - the Bulls - and how in Haiti bb is a big sport. He loves to play and has played a long time. His favourite player is Duane Wade. He uses all of the American terms for teaching bb - hoop, dribble, three pointer etc. I told him he would make a great teacher because he is such a patient translator and does very well explaining the things and terms to the teachers. He said that he could never do that because he would never make any money since teachers in Haiti make very little and it is not a job with prestige.
And then the second time was outside of our compound. Men come daily to sell the guests in the mission house their wares. Joyce knows some of them from her last visits. I went out today with her with the intention of buying a few things. I looked at the different things for sale and started talking with one of the painters. I bought one of his paintings and as soon as that was complete another man came to sell me things. I bought a few things from him and then another man asked me to look at his wares. It was becoming a little hectic and chaotic - I felt I was being surrounded a bit. I slowly walked backward toward the gate of our compound but by this time I was completely surrounded. There was such desperation in the men's eyes as they wanted me to buy "just one thing madam". Thankfully the man from the compound came out and closed the gate as I walked through, back into the calm of the mission house.
I came up to our room and burst into tears - I have never felt that kind of fear and utter sadness - I realized I cannot help them all - I cannot possibly make their lives better - my few dollars will not solve this huge and horrible problem.
I realize this is not a very happy account of my day today - but this is Haiti. I was told by someone who has lived here that my heart would either turn hard or would break. Well today my heart broke.
So lots of love - I miss you all and would LOVE to hear from you.
Connie
Sunday, July 4, 2010
connie collins' journal ~ day 2
Had a very busy first day - unpacked our bags to find out what we salvaged from 10 of the 22 bags we tried to bring with us - amazing how much stuff we were able to cram into the 10 bags we did bring. We set up for our first day of teaching tomorrow in the school. Had our first bumpy, bumpy tap-tap ride (the local bus system - a small truck with two benches - with as many people crammed in as possible and no shocks). Our police escort - Clark - took us to see the presidential palace and the cathedral - both in ruins. Saw tent village after tent village crammed in wherever there was space. So much ruin and squalor, but also so much beauty and culture in the most unexpected places.
Also had a fourth of July party here with the families and the locals that live in the compound - chicken BBQ with Haitian food and American hot dogs.
Time to hit the sack...Thanks for your prayers and thoughts
Talk soon
Connie
Also had a fourth of July party here with the families and the locals that live in the compound - chicken BBQ with Haitian food and American hot dogs.
Time to hit the sack...Thanks for your prayers and thoughts
Talk soon
Connie
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