Day 5 (June 13) Reflection

Saturday was voted unanimously as the best day of the trip, and I assume we will have several reflections about Day 5.  

The first is from Aidan (that's AN at the end - not EN)...

And then a dance party broke out!

Saturday was a special day.  Saturday was the day where it felt like we (the St. Bernard's group) were accepted into the community at Carrefour Sanon.  The Haitians threw us two parties, both in celebration of the 7 wells Rotary International and the Crawfordsville community so generously provided.  There was live music, dancing, singing, it was beautiful.  The Haitians also gave us many baskets full of fruit.





What really stood out to me, though, was when they asked us to get on stage and dance for the village.  I got to be a village idiot for a week. 

Aidan received his basket of fruit with style!

It was a strange, albeit joyful, experience.  Such a simple necessity as water, being so difficult for these people to obtain, brought so much joy to these villagers' faces.  It was beautiful.  It made me realize I take too much for granted.

We may have been given the seats of honor, but I didn't feel any distinction from the Haitians.  I could feel the racial and ethnic barriers melt away.  All the villagers knew my name, while I couldn't pronounce any of theirs.  It was a once in a lifetime experience, one I will not be able to remove from my mind.  They gave us the best they had; wonderful, fresh-picked fruit.  But what they really gave us was revitalized faith and compassion.

One family

Christ said, "You will always have the poor."  The poor don't need us.  Their salvation is assured.  It is us, those gifted with earthly posessions that need the poor.  We need them to remind us what it is like to be Catholic.  We need them to remind us what it is like to give oneself up for Christ.

Another Day 4 Reflection...

Gavin
Today felt like one of the shortest days of this week.  This morning all of the kids sang a song for us about how grateful they were for us and about how the wells have positively affected their lives.  Also, Jack brought clothes that matched their uniform, so he stood in line with them as they sang, and said the pledge of allegiance.  It's so cool that just because they speak a different language everything feels so different and unique.

Later that day, after we had eaten breakfast, the kids were just as energetic as the last and were wanting to hold hands, sing, touch hair, and play games.  One of the kids' favorite things to do was solve puzzles, and after every puzzle we completed, I would take their picture next to the puzzle.  Another one of their favorite games to play was "Monkey in the Middle," which was probably one of my favorites as well.  Since we didn't have any rubber balls to throw around, we threw around a

Gavin and buddies

hacky sack, which is a small ball filled with sand or another grainy substance.  The kids thought it was amazing if you threw the hacky sack behind your back or threw it between your legs.  Sometimes, Ethan and I would try and hide the ball behind our backs and make it "disappear," which would amaze the kids as well.  Just after an hour or two of playing, you would be exhausted.  The weather outside felt like 100 degrees and there was no way to escape the heat, since there is no air flow indoors.  At about 4 pm, 7 of us were dead and sat outside on the porch of the sisters' house for a couple of hours and most of the kids went home for the night.  It's crazy, because if we were outside playing and hanging out with the kids til 7 or 8, they wouldn't leave for home.  Then some would have to travel over two miles in the dark to get home.  (It gets dark there at about 7:30.)

Then, once everyone went home, we walked over to Father's house to eat a delicious supper.  My favorite was the rice and chicken, which was what I ate most of the week.  And whenever I ate a meal, I would make sure I ate it all because some of the kids have one meal a day, and it would sadden me to waste any of my food.  After we ate, we had evening prayer and everyone would share their favorite part of the day.  Then, we talked about whatever else and would go to bed ready for the next day. 

Day 4 (June 12th) Reflection

Wow!  I've gotten sidetracked the last few days with preparations for VBS and haven't made it to the blog at all.  I apologize.  There were no takers to write the reflection for the 4th day of our trip (Friday), so I thought I'd do that myself.  

There weren't really any organized events on Friday, but it was still a great day.  Most of us started the day with Mass at 7 am.  I am touched by the commitment I saw from most of our teens when given the option.  On Thursday afternoon, Ron had instructed Martin to tell the local kids that our kids would be at Mass in the morning, so there were well over a hundred St. Charles students in attendance at Mass.  They got up and ready for school an hour earlier than normal in order to join our kids.  It was a great sight.  

Most of you who know me already know that Holy Mass anywhere is one of my favorite places on earth, and it is an extra special experience in Carrefour Sanon.  One of the things I find most beautiful about our Catholic faith is that the Mass is so universal.  Though I know only a few phrases in Haitian Creole, I knew exactly what was happening throughout the Mass and was able to follow and pray along with my Magnificat prayer book, and even shared the app on my phone with some of the girls so they could follow the scripture readings in English.  I find it so comforting to know that our brothers and sisters in Carrefour Sanon (and everywhere else in the world) are parying and worshipping right along with us when we are at home.  

I was especially touched by the effort Father made to include us during Mass.  Though he has very limited English, he did his best to summarize the message of his homily and included special prayers for both our group and our parish during the Eucharistic prayer.   Each Mass was a beautiful experience and it was a great way to start the day.

At about 10 am, Ron and Francie headed down to Jeremy to meet with some of the sponsored students, and Kerrie, Martin and I stayed in Carrefour Sanon with the kids for the day.  While the St. Charles students were in school (about 600 total), there were a small number of students around who attend other schools and were already on summer vacation.  Times like this provided the opportunity for a little different experience.  For example, fewer kids hovering on the porch allowed me to get out a matching game and my Creole-English Dictionary and explain to the kids how to play.  I was able to use simple vocabulary and picked up some words from the kids who knew a little English and we worked it out quickly and enjoyed multiple rounds.  (Chimes of "Encore??" echoed after each round.)  With Martin's help, I was able to lay down some rules about taking turns and not cheating.  With my love for languages and teaching, it became one of my favorite memories of the trip.  After the matching game, I had some similar experiences with working together on a couple big floor puzzles.  Puzzles are not something most of them have experience with, so I had to work through the language and present a process for figuring out where pieces belonged.  It was a blast!  

It was an extra hot day and while there was still lots of play and interaction throughout the day, our kids also spent some time relaxing, processing their experiences thus far, and there were some especially deep (and sometimes heated) faith discussions on the back porch at the sisters' house.  There was definitely some growth in understanding and in relationships.  

Beautiful tree on the school grounds

Best buds resting

Hamming it up.

Chilling on the porch.

 

Day 3 (June 11) Reflections

Krystyn
I woke up this morning and went to Mass, then we had breakfast and the eggs were amazing. Sometimes I feel bad when we go inside the house to eat, knowing that the people on the outside might only get one meal a day. I spent a lot of my day with one little girl, but I couldn't figure out her name. She sat on my shoulders on the walk back from the soccer field.  She didn't have any shoes on, so I figured it was the least I could do.

We had a dance practice for when we take the gifts up at Mass on Sunday. We also played a soccer game, we lost, but I scored a goal. I slept well last night, so hopefully it'll be the same tonight. It's weird to think that we only have two full days left in Carrefour Sanon. I don't want to leave. I've not only bonded with the Haitians, but also with the people that I came on this trip with. If I knew more Creole I could probably stay here forever.

Ethan
Today was our first full day here at Carrefour Sanon.  Zach, Nathan, Jack, and I went to Mass this morning, which started at 7 o'clock.  The Mass was hard to follow, considering it was celebrated in Creole.  However, Father did his best to translate for us, and it definitely made me feel very welcomed.  After that, we had breakfast.  It can be hard to eat knowing that there are children right outside your door who don't get to eat a much in one day as we are for that one meal.  After breakfast, the entire group went to watch the hundreds of kids assemble for school 

They sang their pledge and  and a song of welcome and thanks for us, prayed, and then Martin introduced all of us to the children. Except my grandfather, Ron.  He doesn't have to be introduced.  Everyone already knows his name and says hello to him everywhere he goes.  In Carrefour Sanon, he is famous.  While the kids were in school, we went on a hike to see some more of the community.  We saw other schools which were not nearly as nice as St. Charles.  I thought it was really fascinating seeing some of the local hangouts. 

There was a small tent-like thingy where they listen to music and play cards or dominoes together.  Also on this journey, we saw some magnificent views. 

God has blessed the Haitians with beautiful scenery and landscape.  It is truly amazing.

The Marketplace in Carrefour Sanon

Day 2 - Wed, June 10th

Amy -
This morning, after breakfast at Matthew 25 House, we traveled to Jeremie.  The small plane only holds 10 passengers, so we flew in two groups.  The girls left early with Ron, Francie and Kerrie to take the first flight.  That allowed Ron to check-in with some of the students sponsored by families in our parish.  The guys and I hung out at Matthew 25 while waiting for the second flight.  They shot some baskets and played some soccer on the field behind Matthew 25, and Aidan - giving his all, as usual - took a fall that ended up impacting the rest of his trip.  He was dealing with pain and open wounds all week.

Soccer Game

The aftermath

An all-American game of HORSE

Jent -
When we arrived at the airport in Jeremie, we were immediately bombarded by a group of boys wanting to sell us bracelets personalized with our names.  It's crazy what the people do for a couple dollars.  I just spent a large chunk of money at the mall last week for stuff that these people may never even see, let alone have.  It makes me thankful. 

Jent's view of the cockpit

Arrival in Jeremie with the boys.

Riding in the back was a favorite part of the adventure.

From there, we loaded up in the back of the truck and when we got to the Sisters' house in Jeremie, we relaxed and ate our first round of authentic Haitian food. It was DELICIOUS.  I would eat that kind of meal every day.  Fresh fruit, juice, chicken, rice & beans.  It was great.

Ready for lunch

Then we made our way up the mountain to Carrefour Sanon.  On the way, we passed many places and people who were just genuinely excited to see us.  It was amazing to see these people, who have so little be happy about, it seems, ARE happy.  Truly happy.  After a hot (and sweaty) afternoon of soccer, hacky sack, and trying to communicate, we had dinner, a group meeting and prayer.  Tomorrow is an organized soccer game.  We are going to be demolished...

Mountaintop view of God's amazing artistry.

Jent and Sabrina

Some of our new friends.

Lauren -
I woke up at 5:20 am to shower.  The shower felt good.  I am not going to complain about anything!  We had fruit, eggs, and bread for breakfast, then all the girls left for the airport to fly to Jeremie.  When we got to the Sisters' house, Dapheka (the girl Ron and Francie have sponsored for years) was waiting to see my grandma and grandpa.  It was so emotional to see her.  I  cried because I was so happy for them to see her.  They love and care for her so much.  After the boys arrived and we ate lunch, we left for Carrefour Sanon, and the drive up was very interesting and crazy to say the least.  People were so extremely happy to see us.  We finally got to where we were staying for the trip and WOW! The kids had my heart from the start. 

Lauren with some new friends.

They had every reason to complain, but they never did.  When we all got around, the kids stared and you could tell they were curious.  We got warmed up to them and vice versa.  We built relationships until 7:15 pm.  My 2 favorite girls were Ceezly and Sabrina, but they were all amazing.  They wanted everything we had, and I wish I could give them everything! 

Krystyn getting a squeeze from Grandma.

Meeting "Grandma" was amazing.  She is 103 years old and as happy as can be. (Grandma is
well-known in the Carrefour Sanon community and loves to have visitors.  In 2011, she received a cement floor from the Flynn family.  Krystyn was on the trip with us and we all joined her today to hand-deliver a card and some money from Joni.  Grandma greeted us with a HUGE smile, dancing, and hugs for everyone.) 





I couldn't believe what true poverty was like until I experienced it.  It was life changing.  I thank God every second for this and I pray that all those little children know how much I love them.  Knowing they got maybe one meal today made me feel guilty for having 3 meals.  I love this community and I am so thankful for the changes that St. Bernard parish has made and continues to make.

The First Communion class greeted us with a beautiful welcome song.

We got to listen in on choir practice.

Exploring together.

Day 1 (June 9th) Reflections

Avery and Caroline -
Tuesday, we left for Haiti.  Everyone was filled with happiness.  We were so eager to get to Haiti and start our mission to serve the Lord.  So many emotions were going through our mind when we landed.  After we got all of our things out of the plane, everyone was smiling ear-to-ear, waiting to see what it was like.  There were many men lined up, waiting to take our bags and help us.  It was crazy.  We drove through the streets of Port-au-Prince on our way to the Matthew 25 House, and we saw the poverty that people face everyday.    Seeing that made us realize how blessed and fortunate we are.  

The car ride was also a very different experience.  We first got in the big van and piled on top of each other.  The "air conditioning" was hot.  We drove on roads that were honestly not even roads - just alleys with pot holes.  We saw buildings that weren't finished, run-down shacks that many people called home.  It was very crowded with people and the buildings were side-by-side, but many were painted very colorfully and some had detailed art-work.  There were tons of people selling produce and goods along the sidewalks, and there was lots of trash all over.  A man was bathing in the street using dirty water.  We were all so shocked.  We have heard about it and seen pictures but to actually be there gave all of us a new perspective.  

We got to Matthew 25 and the heat instantly hit us and we realized we had to sleep in that.  We had dinner and it wasn't bad, but it wasn't great.  It was hot, crowded, and knowing that this was the nicest place we were staying at all week made us nervous for the next place we were headed.  The best part of the day was feeling so welcomed.

Kristen -
And we're off to Haiti! Being my first flight ever, I was pretty nervous for take off. It wasn't bad at all though. I actually really like flying. Everyone in our group was watching me during take off, seems I was the only one who hasn't ever flown before. I'm really looking forward to this trip. Everyone at home had told me to go change lives, but I truly think that the people of Haiti will be the ones to change my life. I'm hoping to come back with a new outlook on life. If people who have nothing can be full of joy and happiness there's no reason that I shouldn't either. After sitting on the plane for two hours, waiting for our flight from Miami to Port au Prince to take off, we're finally in Haiti. I'm so thankful for the people that I get to be on this trip with. Tonight we just sat on the roof top of Matthew 25 and talked about our future plans in life and shared things that we didn't know about each other. There's tons of people in Port Au Prince, and the roads are extremely bumpy, and it's every man for himself on the road. We leave tomorrow morning to go to Jeremie, then to Carrefour Sanon. I can't wait for this week and all of the life changing experiences that will come along with it.

Waiting to check bags.

And waiting...

More waiting.

At Miami International

Home Again!

Well, it's exciting that we've had over 500 views of our blog, and I apologize that there's been nothing new to view all week!  We are home (some of us happier about that than others) and we are excited to share all about our trip.  

Starting tomorrow, we will be posting each day about our experiences - exactly as we would have done if we'd had internet access while we were there.  In addition to daily reflections posted here, you can follow the hashtag #StBHaitiTeam2015 for lots of individual posts via Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.  We are all excited to share our pictures, stories and videos from this amazing week.

You might have noticed I've changed the title of our blog - to something that just seemed really fitting after the experiences of the week.  SO MANY eyes were opened, in various ways, and by the end of the week, I think you'll see some evidence and examples.  

Thank you to everyone for all the thoughts and prayers while we were gone.  They were definitely felt and appreciated.  

God bless you - and our brothers and sisters in Haiti.

St. Francis Xavier Church in Carrefour Sanon - It's actually an older picture I've swiped from a friend, but it's too beautiful not to share.