Bonjou! I finally posted pictures from the trip (narrowed down from our collective 3500+ photos)! Scrolling through them while reminiscing has truly solidified that I will be going back. I need to. The people of Haiti have touched my heart and I will have them with me always, but that’s not enough.
I will post soon about my afterthoughts now that I’ve had enough time to let it sink in. So many lessons, ideas, memories, friendships, moments. More on those later.
Until then, peruse my photos and feel free to comment or email if you want to chat about any of them or my experience. Orevwa!
“Music is the universal language each and everyone understands. It heals broken hearts and sets the spirit free.”
This theme weaved throughout Friday from beginning to end. Many of us began the day not-bright-yet and early at 5:30 am so we could head to a 6:00 church service in a huge pole barn.
From the moment we stepped inside the big white warehouse-looking building, I could hear slow guitar and piano notes and a slight drumbeat under a man’s Creole spoken words. We found our seats, and I started to feel my emotions swell with the chord progressions. Because the entire service was in Creole, I had the chance to reflect on my volunteer experience so far, my remarkable teammates, the Haitians in the room with me, and the ones who weren’t.
I’m leaving the guest house in a couple of minutes and trying to look on the bright side instead of wallowing in the fact that I won’t see my new lifelong friends tomorrow. Back to real life …
The two-hour drive to Reiser Heights school winds up the mountain on mostly unpaved roads. Keep in mind, unpaved here is nothing like I’ve seen before. Think huge rocks and even bigger trenches popping up every few feet. This led to a few banged heads on the metal walls of the tap tap and very tense muscles from holding on for dear life. On the plus side, we all grew much closer as we repeatedly slid into and crushed each other with each surprise slope or curve.
And then we made it. Our key destination today: Reiser Heights school. It was beautifully painted in my favorite bright colors. (Did they look richer because I was so thankful to arrive in one piece?) Father Reiser, the founder and namesake of Reiser Relief, was the heart behind this school. He created it about ten years ago, and it now serves more than 350 children.
One-by-one, we delivered goodie bags and candy to every student and spent time in the classrooms teaching the kids how to use the toys. I blew up enough balloons to make me light-headed and taught the first and second grade children how to use Play-doh and slap bracelets. (If only I could have handed out the Lisa Frank folders to the older kids. I was more excited about them than anyone!) The children were extremely polite, and I even got a formal goodbye kiss on the cheek from a girl who couldn’t have been more than seven years old. When I unknowingly offered a second piece of candy to a row of kids who already got theirs, they declined. One might think that in a country as poor as this, people will do anything for more food, but honesty reigned supreme at this school. The thank you song one class sang to us was very sweet, and a few of us performed “I’m a Little Teapot” in return.
After the classroom fun, the children joined us outside for singing and dancing. Then a couple of girls grabbed me as they started a new game of Duck Duck Goose. (Sidenote: SO glad they were saying goose! Sorry, Minnesotans. It’s goose, never grey duck.) Hadn’t played in more than 20 years, and it was a blast. It’s amazing what a shared game can do to bridge the communication gap.
Breath-taking view from the school
The voyage back down the mountain was more trying for me and many others than the drive up. Our minds and bodies were now exhausted, and we still needed to use every muscle just to ride in the tap tap without injuring ourselves. Fortunately we stopped mid-way for bathrooms and street-vendor shopping. The second street market was in a hilarious location on the edge of the mountain along one stretch of paved road. Compared to the usual roads, this is a fast-moving highway, and we were shopping a step away from zooming vehicles. On the way up I thought “who the heck would ever stop there?!” … and then we did. Glad we did! I bought a decorative mirror with steel frame made from a 55-gallon drum that’s been pressed, cut, and punched with design.
Street-side shopping. Notice the homes upon homes in the background.
We arrived back at the guest house with dinner ready on the table. We ate Haitian cuisine that was kind of a stew poured over rice. The plantain, broccoli, and potato side dishes were also tasty.
Overall, today’s adventure reminded me that the bumpiest roads in life oftentimes lead to the best of places. Keep pushing on no matter what, and good will grow from your journey.
Day one in the field was eye-opening, to say the least. We began with a filling breakfast that would need to last us through the 91-degree day of hard work in the sun. We all hopped into the tap tap and braced ourselves for our first day of service to the people of Haiti.
We visited the Terre Promise school in Port-au-Prince to meet the children and hand out clothing. A few people, including me, distributed a Tootsie Roll to every child and some of the teachers. It was a strong introduction into a day filled with hand-holding and creative communication. We also passed out handmade dresses, T-shirts and shorts. It was a joy watching the children hold up their new clothes to themselves.
We then met up with our water truck and headed to our first water stop in Cite Soleil. No one could have really prepared me for this. Yes, I’ve seen the videos, but it’s not the same. From the first instant I climbed off the tap tap I had a child reaching up to me to be held. I lifted her up and my new little sweetheart squeezed me harder than I’ve ever been squeezed by a child. When her mama came to get her after filling her water bucket at the truck, I almost didn’t want to let her go. Touch and being held are so powerful for these kids, and I surprised myself that I loved it. The only bad part is that you couldn’t hold every kid!
After we emptied the truck and refilled with water outside of Cite Soleil, we did a second water stop in what seemed to me a much rowdier area. We worked our tails off here, and I was yanked out of my comfort zone the farthest I’ve been in a long, long time.
Then we headed to the Haitian Initiative soccer field and played with the nicest bunch of 30–40 kids. Some of our group played soccer with the boys, while others chatted and held more kids. It’s amazing what a hand squeeze or heartfelt hug can do—for the kids and me! Although there’s a huge language barrier since I only know a few Haitian Creole phrases, exchanging names and a smile is enough to melt every inch of me. Thumb wars were also a huge hit.
We walked to the feeding center hand-in-hand so the boys could eat. From what I understand, Haitian Initiative is a program where if the children go to school and practice soccer at the field each day, they also receive a warm meal. I don’t think it’s too much assumption that this is the only meal they will see all day. The meals come from Feed My Starving Children MannaPacks, and these dishes took on a new meaning for me today. Having assembled similar packs years ago in MN, I knew they were important. But now I know.
Singing songs with the boys and my team members was a highlight of the day for me. We were speaking the same language for a while and the smiles were bigger than ever.
A couple of boys offered me their food before they started eating, and I almost lost it. They have so little, yet they are willing to give me—a stranger—their meal. I squeezed them a lot harder as we left to retire for the evening.
I am writing this on my flight from Atlanta to Port-au-Prince. I needed to quick jot this down because it JUST hit me. I am on my way to Haiti. Like, my next step on land will be a Haitian step.
People keep telling me they’re proud of me. That I’m so brave. Courageous. I say thank you and move on quickly because I haven’t really thought of this experience as really “out there” in terms of needing a special kind of drive to do it.
But you know what? It does take courage to fly to a third world country with a group of people I hadn’t met until now. Even typing it out made me take a beat and think—whoa. I guess I’ve been considering this trip just another crazy Amanda thing rather than what it actually is. Bold. Selfless. Unknown. Courageous. No need to minimize it in my head anymore. This is huge.
I am truly fortunate to have such a great group. Although we barely know each other (yet), we’ve already formed bonds that I certainly wouldn’t expect this early on … and all before we even get there and dig in. Someone pointed out that because there are six Medtronic employees among us, we have a lot of leaders on the team that are bringing that gung-ho energy and enthusiasm to tasks as simple as navigating to our next airport gate. I had a chuckle because it’s totally true. Happy to be among such inspirational humans.
And with that I leave you with this gorgeous shot from my window and this week’s forecast for my temporary home. Next stop: Haiti!
Update: Safe and sound at the guest house. I’m here!
Donations (toys, chalk, dental care), team lunch food (trail mix, nuts, granola bars), Medtronic wear, and Norman the cat (not going, sadly)
Tonight’s packing party marked the final team get-together before we meet at the airport bright and early on 09 March. That’s one week from tomorrow. Considering we lose an hour for daylight saving time next Sunday and we arrive at the airport by 4:45 am Monday, it’s basically zero days away.
We are each responsible for contributing to team lunches, which will consist of trail mix, granola bars, nuts, and jerky (no jerky for me). Luckily we are eating breakfast and dinner at our guest house, so no I will not starve.
(Tiny rant: What is it with everyone asking me if we’ll starve by only eating that for lunch? Pretty sure anyone can handle it for a week. Oh and also we will probably be eating a more nutritious lunch than a typical meal in the slums we’re visiting, so let’s just keep things in perspective here.)
Giselle sealing body care liquids
We were encouraged to bring donations for the various places we will visit in Cite Soleil—women’s shelter, orphanage, Reiser Heights school, general hospital, guest house, and more. The picture to the right shows everything I brought to the packing party.
Our trip leaders already had 8 or 9 suitcases full of donations they have been collecting for the past month, and the other 8 volunteers in Minnesota would be bringing at least one suitcase of items each. I knew we were in for some major organizing.
Once I arrived, I jumped right in to sorting items based on where we would be bringing them. So many thoughts right off the bat: “Holy cow there’s a ton of stuff here. How will we carry it all?” “Look at all of these donations! I love people.” “Ooooo someone brought mini Salted Nut Rolls for group lunch.”
Kahla sorting items for Reiser Heights school and the orphanage
After sorting for a while, I grabbed a roll of teal duct tape and began branding our luggage. I stuck that tape on every side of all 20 pieces of luggage we filled, and I am proud of it! It can be difficult to spot your own suitcase on the carousel but keeping track of 20 random pieces is another story. The rule will be, “You see teal on a suitcase, yank it!”
I hear that once we’re in the Haiti airport we really need to hold our bags tight, so making it easier for ourselves is huge. We’ll also be wearing our teal Reiser Relief T-shirts so we don’t lose each other. Teal everywhere!
A couple of people were in charge of weighing each suitcase to ensure they didn’t top 50 lbs. After much shuffling and sorting, we got each piece to within 1 lb. So much generosity filling these bags!
Almost all of the 20 suitcases. Oh hey, teal tape!
Since there are only 12 team members travelling from Minnesota (2 from NYC and 1 from Chicago are meeting us there), we are each responsible for 2 checked bags full of donations. And that’s on top of our carry-on that will house our personal items (clothes, toiletries, you know).
Right now I am imagining myself getting out of the cab at 4:40 next Monday morning. I am so tired yet so so excited. And then I need to maneuver 130 lbs of luggage into the airport, find my group, and head to the check-in counter. Eek!
I will maintain poise and positivity in my mind—but I can tell you right now I’m gonna look like a mess. I can’t hardly wheel around my carry-on without bumping everything in sight. Good thing I’ll be checking the 2 huge bags so I can only bump things with my 1 bag rather than 3.
The fact that I’m even thinking about having trouble with luggage FULL OF GENEROUS DONATIONS means I’m not thinking clearly. I am so ready to get this trip started.
If I’m not talking about Haiti (and I talk about it a lot … ), I am certainly thinking about it. Still can’t believe that I’ll be there in TWO WEEKS. Ah!! In my last post I wrote about not knowing how the trip will go. Here’s a video that provides a general day-to-day breakdown. I found this so helpful!
I am inspired more and more each time I see it. That will be ME soon. My heart sped up right now just thinking about it. Get me down there!
I love my parents more than words can say
I tend to stress myself out, and although this trip will be an undoubtedly positive, uplifting experience to say the least, I am feeling the self-imposed pressure now. Still need to find appropriate shoes and clothes. Still need to clean the house before I leave. Still need to remember my malaria pill schedule. Still need to blah blah blah. It doesn’t sound so difficult when I write it out like this, but I have been collapsing under the weight lately.
And then I dropped by Onalaska this weekend. My mom took me to Sam’s Club because she wanted to purchase bulk food and medical supplies for my team. I felt my shoulders get a little lighter as we walked through the store together. She and my dad are incredibly generous with their donations to my various causes and their overall support of my efforts. They have my back no matter what I do, and I can’t thank them enough. Oh crap, now I’m crying. I just love them. They’re the best. I’m so so so lucky I can’t even handle it.
When I began crowdfunding through YouCaring in October, I had only a general idea of what I would be doing in Haiti. I began my letter to friends and family with a brief description of my intention.
You know I love to help the less fortunate, and my next volunteer effort is a big one: I am going on a mission trip to Haiti. This third-world country is the poorest in the Western hemisphere, and it is still recovering from the 2010 earthquake that affected three million people.
Cite Soleil has no sewage system, and residents are 1 to 2 miles from a clean water source. Reiser Relief provides free clean water via truck six days a week.
I listed the following opportunities:
deliver clean water to families living in Cite Soleil
distribute supplies and/or food to those in need
work in hospitals for sick and dying babies and adults
visit orphanages, elderly Haitians in their homes, and schools
But still, what does that mean? How will we accomplish all of this—and more—in one week? After my team meeting the other night I had a slightly better grasp of our itinerary. We will be doing different things each day, which allows us to touch each of these areas of need. OK, now I’m getting it. Kind of.
I know in my heart that I won’t REALLY know anything until our plane descends toward the Port-au-Prince airport. And then getting off the plane. And then riding in the tap tap to Cite Soleil. Basically every waking moment will be unexpected. You can’t even begin to truly understand the experience through online research, books or talking to others (and I’ve done them all). I will only know when I’m in it.
I have my second of three pre-Haiti meetings tonight. My first was a month ago and I can’t tell if it feels like six months or six days have passed. I feel pretty prepared yet not prepared at all for the big trip on 09 March.
Fairview Clinic in Uptown Minneapolis. I highly recommend seeing Laura Hart if you need a travel medicine appointment in the Twin Cities!
One big accomplishment: My travel vaccination appointment! I’m not great with shots, but I rocked this. OK so I only had one shot (Hep A). I also got three pill prescriptions, which I can certainly handle. I take my last of four typhoid pills tomorrow, and I’ll begin the malaria pills two days before I leave. Fingers crossed that I won’t even need to take the other pills—for traveler’s diarrhea. I’ll do what I can to not get that, thank you.
Tonight’s team meeting is for questions. Honestly, I don’t even know what to ask. The superplanner in me wants to know every possible scenario, but I’m also trying to go with the flow and not drive myself crazy. So far so good, but it feels weird.
Off to get ready for the meeting now, but I really wanted to knock out this first post (that I’ve been avoiding for a month) to get the ball rolling. I will use this forum to document my thoughts and feelings before, during and after the trip. I would like to remember this life-changing experience as well as I can. Here we go!
Bonjou! I finally posted pictures from the trip (narrowed down from our collective 3500+ photos)! Scrolling through them while reminiscing has truly solidified that I will be going back. I need to. The people of Haiti have touched my heart and I will have them with me always, but that’s not enough.
AKB in Haiti 