May 29 Cabaret - the orphanage

May 29 Cabaret - the orphanage

It's Haiti and we need help. Heading out of Port au Prince, we break down. Long time at the side of the road fiddling with the battery terminals and electronics. Ironic that Haitians are moving quickly in all directions all by themselves, but we aren't going anywhere. A miracle turns the engine over but we crawl with almost no power for miles, then run out of gas. The driver hadn't filled up or tuned up, apparently. It's hot and discouraging, especially after the team's 24 hour flight delay to get here. But spirits are buoyed by a little humour and faith that we'll get there eventually. We do, in due course. 

Things seldom go all right in Haiti. Patience and lots of plan Bs are essential. And often so many resources are required to do so little. 13 people lost 10% of their mission time because a plane caught fire at Port-au-Prince airport, backing up everything. 13 people were held up a whole day due to faulty transportation. 12 day's of plans have to be compressed into fewer than 10 and precious donor dollars were depleted. And like Haitians, everyone gets hungry, tired and thirsty. 

At the Welcome Home Children's Centre orphanage the volunteers quickly fill in the balance of the schedule with giving out cloths, colouring, games and reading stories. Lunch of beans and rice, bananas and water restore some of our energy. The children start singing; the girls lead and boys are coaxed to join in. In the heat, and during a lost hour, these angels silence any doubts about working for and with Haitians in Haiti.

The van is being worked on at a mechanic's and won't be ready for the 2 hour drive back to the city before dark. Another vehicle is commissioned. In Haiti, all things can be fixed in time, we hope.  And after all, the children were never aware of the logistical complexities befalling their surrogate parents. They were happy with sincere attention and love, a few gifts and relief from boredom of the hot, early summer afternoons after school. 

May 28 Waiting in Haiti

May 28 Waiting in Haiti

My iPhone doesn't sync properly on Haiti time, so, late and missed breakfast again. But wait, the nice lady again brings me breakfast and that strong black coffee. This place is spotless and run very well. The Catholic youth group were up late last night behaving like 10 year olds, not the 19 to 25 age group they are. Loud but very well behaved. Totally innocent and wonderfully naive. They left very early now that the airport is open again. So it's quiet now, too quiet. 

Again, I'm waiting in Haiti - for the team to arrive after flight cancellations, for Haitian friends to show up, for ideas to percolate for the documentary I am thinking about. Time to rest and think and wonder at the characters wandering in and out of Wall's International Guest House, like in a novel or on a movie set.

There is a dentist working on the ubiquitous laptop across from me from Germany, who is setting up terribly needed dental clinics in Haiti. Teaching basic dental hygiene - just simple brushing, like hand washing, would  prevent so much suffering. To prevent awful infections, teeth are just pulled regularly at a young age because they are not cared for. A drastic and permanent solution. 

As we talk, a handsome,  elderly man dressed for a safari strides through - (later I find out he and his wife have built homes for 5 families in the countryside); a plump grey-haired nun, minus the habit (or an NGO matron?) arrives on the scene to announce the planes are flying  this morning; Paola, organizer of the Catholic youth group, Mission Youth, returns form the airport with one poor girl who didn't get on as stand-by; beyond the pool, construction workers are building the establishment's 15-room addition, artfully planing planks and pouring fresh cement.

What exactly am I doing here? Waiting in Haiti. 

I hit pay dirt. Chatting with Veniel, the long time guest house manager, who is in charge of the building project here, I get a short course in managing construction successfully in Haiti; and he has reliable (Baptist!) supplier contacts. Time to set up a meeting with them and Welcome Home Children's Centre and see what happens. Time for a swim. What's that I hear? The clinking of fresh bottles of Prestige going into the beer and pop fridge? Then I'm going to go outside the wall and walk to Joseph's school alone and see what the kids are being taught. 

I find it by wandering a little and asking, but the kids are coming home from school! Joseph is not there. I'm late again, But I'm greeted by two teens who are his students. Again, such refreshing youth, Haitian youth this time. One wants to be a doctor, the other a lawyer - 'there is no justice in Haiti' he complains sincerely. We chat in the shade of the intense heat and meet some family. I had brought along a big box of reader glasses and sunglasses. Each picks a pair. John, the future doctor, follows me back to the guest house because he wants to practice English; he's already pretty good. He wants to meet again. I tell him, I'll try to be on time tomorrow or the next day. We get some pics taken - it's an event for both of us. 

What a nice thought Cathy sent me today:
'it's nice for you to have some downtime in the place you love most on earth.' 

Whew, I can start feeling less guilty now. I admit - real happy to be here.

My oldest son's birthday, today. Happy birthday Paul. 47, no way! What does that make me? A very proud Dad.

May 27 Awakening to Haiti

May 27 Awakening to Haiti

Can I get this beautiful piece home?  Done it before.

May 27. I sleep in, no surprise there. Breakfast is over but one of the female Haitian staff brings me a tray of mango and watermelon slices, omelet and bread and local peanut butter. Coffee is sooo strong. Points for the guesthouse service.

I chat with David from PEI who has spent two weeks working on developing agri projects in mountain communities. I connect with my friend Antonio. He may drop over for a cold one later. Finish editing the new Welcome Home Children's Centre web site and send it LIVE, while their team is here in Haiti.

There is a group of 40 young people with a Catholic NGO staying at this guest house. They actually partied quite well last night to overcome their trauma of being  pushed around by over enthusiastic Haitians while distributing school supplies in a tent city. No surprise there, when there is never enough to go around, you're in trouble. A lot of noise and high testosterone fuelled tempers. Learning experience.

I'm stuck in the guesthouse compound for now, although quite comfortable, as there was an accident at the airport today and flights in and out were cancelled so my team is stuck somewhere. To keep busy I've offered to go to a nearby school to speak with the kids. How will I know what to say?

From outside the security gates, the sounds of barking dogs, motorcycles, truck horns, helicopters and blaring kompa music from  speakers mounted inside pick-ups. Peering over the wall, the street scene is dominated by giant dump trucks still hauling away loads of seemingly endless rubble from the neighbourhoods streets and back lanes. Looking a lot better. To close the day I get a surprise phone call from one of my former staff, Myrlene, a young guest house worker. Very sweet, she was excited to chat and catch up.

May 26 Arriving in Haiti

May 26 Arriving in Haiti

Molly, our jet black Labradoodle, is up with us early at 3:30 a.m. and is really frisky knowing something is up. Beautiful sunrise at Toronto airport. Toronto looks so green from above.

Sat near a young black couple in the food court in Miami airport. They noticed my Haiti bracelet. We got to talking and they are originally from Port-au-Prince. After schooling in Haiti, they were fortunate enough to leave to attend universities in the States. They are living in New York, just got married last night and on their way to a honeymoon in Cancun. Very sweet and happy couple, very interested in work with persons with disabilities in Haiti and expressed how they want to return someday to help. They represent the very lucky few, young, educated, energetic Haitians who will either escape their homeland or reconnect and be part of the promise of Haiti's future. 

On the flight I chat it up with a Haitian couple about my age returning from holidays in Mexico. Again, part of a fortunate minority but very conscious of hard circumstances in their country. After listening to why I come to Haiti, Remy, the husband, thanks me for my sacrifice in helping the Haitian people. Aware of how little I can do, I can only tell him I am honoured to do something - because I am.

We land in 89 F overcast sky. If I have been cold since last summer through this chilly Canadian spring, I'm not anymore. 

Wonderful to see the new American Airlines terminal in Port at Port-au-Prince airport. Sharp picture of Michel Martelly hanging on the freshly painted walls. And lots of  festive Haitian tourism posters and promotional murals. Nowhere near as chaotic as before. I'm singled out for a baggage check by a customs inspector. She rifles through the miscellaneous donated clothes, shoes, gifts and eyeglasses in my hockey bag without protesting. She ends our conversation by telling me in French, "you are handsome," no kidding. Her assistant translates in case I didn't guess it : "You're fine, you look good."

The usual airport helpers are there pressing to make a few American dollars by escorting you out to the parking area. All goes well as we head out into the city to Wall's International Guesthouse. The clouds are banked high like mountains on top of the mountains at the edge of the city. It's going to rain, as it often does in the late afternoon and evening in May and June.

But Port-au-Prince looks a little greener, and the bougainvilleas are in full bloom.