Sunday, October 30, 2011
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Almost the Last Day from Kenita
We visited College Bird Methodist Church in the heart of Port-au-Prince. To the right of the beautiful church we saw little evidence there was the school. To the left a prison remains. 4000 prisons esca[ed that night in January 2010. No one was in the church or the school. The custodian walked outside for a break. The children are back in temporary classrooms. We knew the students were ours because all Methodist school children wear yellow shirts with gray skirts or slacks. We felt nothing but pride.
Following the church visit we journed to the Hotel Montana. I say it was a journey because our driver wanted to avoid demonstrations. There is no hotel, but the restaurant and swimming pool are now open. Bishop Elaine invited us to go go with her to an open sanctuary memorial site. We remember our fallen UMCOR people and our Jim Gulley who survived. I loved what Bishop Elaine had to say about the individuals who died and the people who survied. Yes individuals died, but the people survived. Haitian people have moved forward with faith and extreme bravery.
We met six soldiers from Nepal. They spoke English. As with all groups there are the bad seeds, but the UN soldiers were welcome because without them civil rest is likely.
We have been blessed with amazing experiences. We felt love and we gained love. Sending money is not as important as letting the people know we care IN PERSON.
I look forward to returning home and showing you our stories.
Following the church visit we journed to the Hotel Montana. I say it was a journey because our driver wanted to avoid demonstrations. There is no hotel, but the restaurant and swimming pool are now open. Bishop Elaine invited us to go go with her to an open sanctuary memorial site. We remember our fallen UMCOR people and our Jim Gulley who survived. I loved what Bishop Elaine had to say about the individuals who died and the people who survied. Yes individuals died, but the people survived. Haitian people have moved forward with faith and extreme bravery.
We met six soldiers from Nepal. They spoke English. As with all groups there are the bad seeds, but the UN soldiers were welcome because without them civil rest is likely.
We have been blessed with amazing experiences. We felt love and we gained love. Sending money is not as important as letting the people know we care IN PERSON.
I look forward to returning home and showing you our stories.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Youngsook's reflection
The street scene that I saw yesterday while driving through the heart of Port -au -Prince was very unsettling and kept me awake last night- people, cars, cows, street vendors, puddles of water, motor cycles and dust. Tent cities scattered throughout the city were occupied with people who have nowhere else to go. But, the city of Port-au-Prince is on the constant move and aspires to change their reality.
As our mission trip is coming to a close, I am reflecting back on what I learned about this country and people in Haiti. And our team is thinking about what we can do to continue to connect with people in Haiti. Learning the history of Haiti informed me a great deal in understanding the current situation of Haiti. And yet, Haiti is such a complex society that it is not easy to figure out what needs to be done. Someone said that our primary interest is the development of Haiti as a country and reaching those people with what they need. I agree. In that sense, the work of the United Methodist Church to build people's sustainabiity is very important. The Methodist Church in Haiti takes a great part in educating children too. 87% of shcools in Haiti are run by the Christian churches - Methodist, Baptist, Anglican and Catholic Church. 20% of children (.5 million) don't go to school.
We will visit Hotel Montana today and have a memorial there for those who were killed by the 2010 earthquake - especially our United Methodist friends. We will also have an opportunity to talk with the President of the Methodist Church in Haiti this afternoon.
Yes, Haiti's pain is well known. But, Haitians are people with dignity who aspire to rise above pain and suffering.
Youngsook C. Kang
As our mission trip is coming to a close, I am reflecting back on what I learned about this country and people in Haiti. And our team is thinking about what we can do to continue to connect with people in Haiti. Learning the history of Haiti informed me a great deal in understanding the current situation of Haiti. And yet, Haiti is such a complex society that it is not easy to figure out what needs to be done. Someone said that our primary interest is the development of Haiti as a country and reaching those people with what they need. I agree. In that sense, the work of the United Methodist Church to build people's sustainabiity is very important. The Methodist Church in Haiti takes a great part in educating children too. 87% of shcools in Haiti are run by the Christian churches - Methodist, Baptist, Anglican and Catholic Church. 20% of children (.5 million) don't go to school.
We will visit Hotel Montana today and have a memorial there for those who were killed by the 2010 earthquake - especially our United Methodist friends. We will also have an opportunity to talk with the President of the Methodist Church in Haiti this afternoon.
Yes, Haiti's pain is well known. But, Haitians are people with dignity who aspire to rise above pain and suffering.
Youngsook C. Kang
Thursday, October 27, 2011
October 26-27
We are all together again at the guesthouse. We finished our construction work at the sites yesterday evening...only three days of hard labor, but the local crews will keep working on the projects. Sitting around the table right now, people are already thinking about what might be done on a follow up trip to help keep lifting up lives. Like bring a lot of little watches...things we just take for granted.
Today the PAP team drove out to Mellier to see where the others had been working, and while there we visited UMCOR chicken and goat agriculture projects that are based on the Heifer Project system. A short walk down a dirt path brought us into the village strewn out under banana trees and down to the Grande River, source of much gravel and sand for new construction (being proceesed by hand), village laundry, bathing... and cholera.
Then we drove in our two white vans over a mountain and down to the city of Petit Gouave, where we were met by Pastor Maude and learned about UMCOR microfinance projects from a lively and enthusiastic gathering of local women. They sang for us...we sang together...video to follow. Agriculture and microfinance projects are combined with health and literacy to build stronger sustainable community. We also were treated to a demonstration of a simple solar oven made of tin foil, cardboard and duct tape positioned around a dutch oven that baked a chicken safely to perfection.
We drove into the center of Petit Goave ( Small Port) to visit and pray at the site of a former medical clinic...now a platform of white tile. One of our interpreters, Jean Claude, was trapped there in the earthquake while working with a surgical team and shared his miraculous story of survival.
We traveled with Pastor Pierre and his wife who work with UMCOR, he with the literacy and she with the microfinance projects. He is a sociologist and linguist as well as a Nazarene pastor, and serves a large church in Port-au-Prince and as a DS for thirty churches, too. He was in the city when the earthquake hit, saw a chasm open up and heard screams echoing across the valley. He walked the ruined streets for a long time finding water, giving encouragement and consolation before finally getting home to his own family.
The two hour drive home turned into three hours when a tire gave out and we had to find a good place to have it repaired, so we arrived in Port-au-Prince in rush hour traffic after dark. I do not have words right now to describe the scene...but our amazing drivers pulled us through safely...we weren't in any danger, but it was just apparent chaos. We know that God brings new life and order out of chaos all the time, but this will be a real piece of work.
After a fine supper we shared worship and reflected together on what the Spirit says about wealth and poverty in John 12:1-8, related to our experiences today.
We sang in closing "I Have Decided to Follow Jesus," and then one of the staff here sang it for us in French, and ended the formal gathering with a duet of "How Great Thou Art" sung by two staff members. Now I'm going to turn this over to Kay Lansverk! Love...Su DeBree
Hello Friends,
Our team arrived back at the Guest House a couple hours ago, full of joy.... and frankly....REALLY tired. I hope to add some stories about our time in Mellier tomorrow or Sat, but as I just said, bed is calling my body to come and rest.
I only want to add this one comment ... The people we've worked with, lived with and sang with ...Jean Claude, Dina, Claudine, Jacky, Betty, Marilyn, and .... were the best part of our time there.
Love to all, (especially you Marvin!)
Kay
Today the PAP team drove out to Mellier to see where the others had been working, and while there we visited UMCOR chicken and goat agriculture projects that are based on the Heifer Project system. A short walk down a dirt path brought us into the village strewn out under banana trees and down to the Grande River, source of much gravel and sand for new construction (being proceesed by hand), village laundry, bathing... and cholera.
Then we drove in our two white vans over a mountain and down to the city of Petit Gouave, where we were met by Pastor Maude and learned about UMCOR microfinance projects from a lively and enthusiastic gathering of local women. They sang for us...we sang together...video to follow. Agriculture and microfinance projects are combined with health and literacy to build stronger sustainable community. We also were treated to a demonstration of a simple solar oven made of tin foil, cardboard and duct tape positioned around a dutch oven that baked a chicken safely to perfection.
We drove into the center of Petit Goave ( Small Port) to visit and pray at the site of a former medical clinic...now a platform of white tile. One of our interpreters, Jean Claude, was trapped there in the earthquake while working with a surgical team and shared his miraculous story of survival.
We traveled with Pastor Pierre and his wife who work with UMCOR, he with the literacy and she with the microfinance projects. He is a sociologist and linguist as well as a Nazarene pastor, and serves a large church in Port-au-Prince and as a DS for thirty churches, too. He was in the city when the earthquake hit, saw a chasm open up and heard screams echoing across the valley. He walked the ruined streets for a long time finding water, giving encouragement and consolation before finally getting home to his own family.
The two hour drive home turned into three hours when a tire gave out and we had to find a good place to have it repaired, so we arrived in Port-au-Prince in rush hour traffic after dark. I do not have words right now to describe the scene...but our amazing drivers pulled us through safely...we weren't in any danger, but it was just apparent chaos. We know that God brings new life and order out of chaos all the time, but this will be a real piece of work.
After a fine supper we shared worship and reflected together on what the Spirit says about wealth and poverty in John 12:1-8, related to our experiences today.
We sang in closing "I Have Decided to Follow Jesus," and then one of the staff here sang it for us in French, and ended the formal gathering with a duet of "How Great Thou Art" sung by two staff members. Now I'm going to turn this over to Kay Lansverk! Love...Su DeBree
Hello Friends,
Our team arrived back at the Guest House a couple hours ago, full of joy.... and frankly....REALLY tired. I hope to add some stories about our time in Mellier tomorrow or Sat, but as I just said, bed is calling my body to come and rest.
I only want to add this one comment ... The people we've worked with, lived with and sang with ...Jean Claude, Dina, Claudine, Jacky, Betty, Marilyn, and .... were the best part of our time there.
Love to all, (especially you Marvin!)
Kay
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Ditch Diggers
Marv and Steve digging the foundation for the security wall at school in Petion-ville.
October 25 in Haiti
Grace and Peace to you, and thank you for your interest and prayers.
Once a day, if we can make connections, we receive a cell call from Mellier with news from the part of our team that's out there, and so we can include more information from them today. We won't get their pictures until they come back to the Guest House on Thursday, so the slideshows right now are from the team in Port-au-Prince.
From their call Oct. 25:
Belinda Strickland and Kay Lansverk have been planning wonderful entertainment for the children at the school. They dramatized the story of the good Samaritan and the kids totally got it...poor and beaten down person ignored by others. Kenita was the good Sam and Clint Stanovsky as the donkey carried the wounded person to care.
They are moving a whole lot of rocks to form a foundation for a new church. It's hot and heavy work. Just about the time they think they are ready, more trucks arrive with foundation material. The Mellier school and church were destroyed in the earthquake . The epicenter was quite close. Right now the school and church share a temporary wooden building.
Kay was singing "We are Marching, for the Lord Is Our Light" softly in Swahili as she was digging, then heard more voices singing it, too. It was the young Haitian men working with them, singing along in Creole. "We know that song," claimed Jackie, one of the men, and he headed into the building for a few minutes. When he came out he carried a sheaf of papers, and through their interpreter said, "I'm in the choir." They found the songsheet with "We Are Marchin" in Swahili, and sang it in Swahili and then English. Up until then much of the work was in silence, but now a really good connection is underway, human to human. Later, they heard the women singing it as they worked on dinner.
October 24 was Deb Olenyik's birthday, and Oct. 25th Su DeBree's...and Bishop Elaine made sure we had the most wonderful celebrations ever!
A highlight of the day for the PAP team was spending an hour hearing stories from Jim Gully about his experiences working with UMCOR, finding ways to strengthen the capacity of the Haitian Church in ways that can be sustained. Programs are unfolding for development in health, literacy, microloans and agriculture throughout the country with Haitian people who have the skills, initiative and interest to carry them through.
In PAP we continue to work on tearing down security walls that were damaged in the earthquake. Nearly all the homes and schools in town have cinderblock and/or rock and concrete walls around them for privacy and safety. We helped build rebar supports as well as move rocks.
Every evening we reflect on the events of the day and share ways we have experienced God's grace at work. We are blessed in so many ways by those we have come to serve.
Su DeBree
Once a day, if we can make connections, we receive a cell call from Mellier with news from the part of our team that's out there, and so we can include more information from them today. We won't get their pictures until they come back to the Guest House on Thursday, so the slideshows right now are from the team in Port-au-Prince.
From their call Oct. 25:
Belinda Strickland and Kay Lansverk have been planning wonderful entertainment for the children at the school. They dramatized the story of the good Samaritan and the kids totally got it...poor and beaten down person ignored by others. Kenita was the good Sam and Clint Stanovsky as the donkey carried the wounded person to care.
They are moving a whole lot of rocks to form a foundation for a new church. It's hot and heavy work. Just about the time they think they are ready, more trucks arrive with foundation material. The Mellier school and church were destroyed in the earthquake . The epicenter was quite close. Right now the school and church share a temporary wooden building.
Kay was singing "We are Marching, for the Lord Is Our Light" softly in Swahili as she was digging, then heard more voices singing it, too. It was the young Haitian men working with them, singing along in Creole. "We know that song," claimed Jackie, one of the men, and he headed into the building for a few minutes. When he came out he carried a sheaf of papers, and through their interpreter said, "I'm in the choir." They found the songsheet with "We Are Marchin" in Swahili, and sang it in Swahili and then English. Up until then much of the work was in silence, but now a really good connection is underway, human to human. Later, they heard the women singing it as they worked on dinner.
October 24 was Deb Olenyik's birthday, and Oct. 25th Su DeBree's...and Bishop Elaine made sure we had the most wonderful celebrations ever!
A highlight of the day for the PAP team was spending an hour hearing stories from Jim Gully about his experiences working with UMCOR, finding ways to strengthen the capacity of the Haitian Church in ways that can be sustained. Programs are unfolding for development in health, literacy, microloans and agriculture throughout the country with Haitian people who have the skills, initiative and interest to carry them through.
In PAP we continue to work on tearing down security walls that were damaged in the earthquake. Nearly all the homes and schools in town have cinderblock and/or rock and concrete walls around them for privacy and safety. We helped build rebar supports as well as move rocks.
Every evening we reflect on the events of the day and share ways we have experienced God's grace at work. We are blessed in so many ways by those we have come to serve.
Su DeBree
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