Climbing Maslow's Ladder, little by little.

As I reflect back on our week in Haiti, I am humbled and overwhelmed by the beauty of the country and its people.

Our trip was not a typical missionary journey to build something physical. It was a journey to build relationships with people through the arts.

Creativity and expression are important to human development and we were happy to be part of this activity. Fifteen years ago, this music and arts mission would not have been appropriate.

http://emilyvantassel.com/

Why would it not have been appropriate? Well, first you have to Climb Maslow's Ladder. Thanks to God, the sustained support from St. Paul's Lutheran Church has allowed Pastor W's family and orphanage to move from LEVEL ONE- starvation and climb up the ladder towards Self-Actualization. Our 2014 trip found them towards the top of the ladder. Maslow described the most successful, "self-actualized" person as someone who has found their “calling.” He said, “a musician must make music, an artist must paint, and a poet must write.'"

Amazing things are happening with our Haitian friends, and the music is only part of it.



Micro Psych Lesson: **Need a refresher on this Maslow guy?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow's_hierarchy_of_needs

Abraham Maslow was a psychologist that studied successful people. His studies led to his theory that humans have a "Hierarchy of Needs" that must be met in order to achieve a happy, fulfilled life (Wikipedia.) As teachers we learn about this in terms of our students abilities to pay attention and learn in school. Maslow is the reason our country now provides breakfast and lunch at school. He taught us that if our basic physiological needs go unmet, that we have a hard time moving onto the next levels.


Can people function in the lower levels? Sure they can. But it is an existence searching to fulfill the basic needs of food, water, and safety. Look around the world and throughout history to see the impact of Maslow's Hierarchy of needs on different people. Those other mission groups that are building things, might be helping groups that are lower on Maslow's Ladder than our Haitian friends.

In your own life, think about a situation or time when all you could do was worry about food, water, shelter or safety. Were you thinking about Algebra or taking time to write a story or compose music? Probably not. You were thinking, "I'm starving, where is the food?"

Tying it all together: St. Paul's long term commitment to Haiti makes all the difference.

Pastor W's orphanage was in Level ONE when B. found them years ago. They were actually starving. Once the FOOD needs had been stabilized, St. Paul's provided MEDICAL supplies. After the earthquake, some SAFETY equipment was brought down. Then the requests changed. Pastor W. and his people had met their basic levels and now need skills to help them find jobs and sustainable income. The request for TECHNOLOGY supplies and lessons allowed the students to grow and continue on their journey up the ladder. W.'s next request was a School BUS so he could safely transport his orphans to the church and school, but also so he could transport his growing congregation to church on Sunday. Once that was filled, he asked for MUSIC support.

Music is beautiful. Music is loud. Music attracts a crowd. Music attracts people to church. Music is a powerful way to worship the Lord. Pastor W.'s church has had a band and choir since the time B. first visited. The band has grown in both numbers and skill. However, the potential for growth was there and Pastor knew that when he asked for instruments.

The fact that you have skilled, passionate musicians in a developing country is not uncommon. Nigeria, Kenya, South South Africa and the Caribbean Islands are well known for having fantastic folk music and drum beats. However, skilled, passionate Classical musicians playing traditional European instruments, that is, well, unique. Our friends in Haiti are playing the very same instruments that the students at BHS and STMA play, even some of the very same songs.  Have you ever played an instrument or had a child that did? If so, you understand the dedication to learn and practice. That is a HUGE time and mind commitment. People in Level One or Two do not have the time for music. But thanks to your support, our Haitian friends do play music. Beautifully.

Music was only the beginning.

Haiti is suffering high unemployment and high inflation. With your financial contributions, Pastor W. ensures that his orphans get an education or receive job training. His care and influence affects those in his congregation as well. However, at the end of day, there are very few jobs to be had. Many of you here in MN can relate.

Sustainability. Pastor says, "I think like an American, I set big goals." Big goals in deed. While we were at the church one day, he brought a man in to show us a Solar Panel opportunity. With a few supplies and laborers, Pastor could start a small company that manufactures solar panels for use in Haiti. How perfect is that? Electricity is difficult to get and there is an abundance of sun. There is no large machinery or tools necessary and he could train his students and congregation members to do this work. Can you imagine how wonderful this could be for everyone involved? Jobs to support families and affordable, reliable electricity in one venture. Haitians helping Haitians. Fantastic.

Pastor also showed us a water filtration system being used down the hill from the church. It is able to purify water in large quantities. The family sells the water at just over cost as a service to the community, making the whole community safer and healthier. No more walking miles to get fresh water or time wasted purifying water, or worse yet, getting sick from it. Haitians helping Haitians. Perfect.

Speaking of big goals, Pastor showed us the plans for the new church. Pastor's church is a top a hill at the far southern end of Courefour. It is a developing suburb, much like the Hanover-St. Michael-Albertville towns were in the early 2000s. People are fleeing the destruction of downtown Port-au-Prince in favor of the hills that over look the sea. Photos of the view from church show the growth of construction since 2008.

This new church will be a major undertaking, and Pastor calls it his "50 Year Plan." He understands the massive size and weight of this project, both physically and metaphorically. The children of the church know it is their church. Widelson puts his faith in God to work through us in Hanover. The Haitians say, "With God, everything is possible." Pastor knows that one person can't build the church. He also knows that God works in wondrous ways, connecting us with the right people and putting us in the right places at the right times. 

Source

The work of God is never more clear and evident than when you are in Haiti with Pastor Widelson.


Little old you, sitting in Minnesota (or wherever), made an impact in Haiti. Whether you contribute money, donate supplies, attend fundraisers, or share the story of our Haitian friends, God is working through you.


God puts us in the right place at the right time.

The airport ordeal

Our trip was nearly perfect-- up until the airport.  Then, well... I'm still looking for the meaning in all of this.
Actually I ended up getting sick in the airport, so I asked for some guest bloggers.

(I hope to have a post ready for Monday.)

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Sharon's Take on the Day of Travel

Well, it has been 48 hours since we have been home! We had such a smooth experience until we started to board our plane home. As we started to get on the jetway in Haiti to come home, we were told to exit the plane because "someone passed out or passed away on the plane". Thank goodness someone just passed out! The things that get lost in translation! After what felt like an hour, we finally could board the plane. However, the woman who passed out was diabetic and had extremely high blood sugar. Everyone was very concerned about her flying because every time her sugars were tested they were crazy numbers. She had no insulin or medicine. They asked the woman to get off the plane and she refused, the Haitian police came, and she refused. Finally they got the woman off the plane so they could get her to a doctor and we could take off... Sounds simple but not exactly what happened. Apparently our plane had some sort of leak and they were working on fixing it. The captain seemed very optimistic, but after over two hours on the plane, they couldn't get the plane fixed. We were asked to leave the plane and agents would assist us. Well, there were no agents, no one directing us, so after some asking around we decided to head to the "lounge" to grab beverages and food. At this point, L.'s husband was texting us about our plane being canceled. He had more info than we did! J. continued to keep us posted and we discovered we would be settling in for a few hours.... At one point the power went out while we were in the upstairs lounge. We briefly wondered if this would delay us more, but it quickly came back on.

As we made our way to the waiting area it started sinking in it could be a long night in the Haiti. Airport fans were brought in. At one point we were slightly worried because the lounge shut down which was the only source of beverages and food. Later they opened a mini store on the main floor for us and eventually brought in food. To pass the time we chatted and played cards. We experienced screams in the gate as a large rat was spotted. Not much later, the largest cockroach scurried under our seats. I think I can safely say we were all relieved to finally board the plane almost 10 hours after our flight was originally scheduled. The plane they sent was fully loaded with amenities.

Our layover in Atlanta was not long enough for the hotel stay they were offering. We would just get there to turn around so we decided to try and rest up in the chairs and freezing AC in the airport. After a week of hot temps, the air conditioning was almost painful to us. Around 4:15 the sirens and lights started going off in the airport. We looked around, not sure what was going on. We all laughed but didn't even have the energy to move and see what the problem was. No one else seemed concerned so we just continued to try and rest. After having a slight crisis with getting assigned seats (only two of us had seats on the plane) we finally boarded and landed in MSP 15 minutes shy of 24 hours of travel.  T. said it best when she said," we had the best group of people to travel with ...friends whom we now call family." 

We had such a wonderful week in Haiti. I travel to learn and grow, challenge myself, stretch my limits, and foster and appreciation of both the world at large and the world waiting for me back home. I never know what adventure, scene, weather, hold-up, danger, or person the next day will reveal to me. However, each day it is always something or someone exciting, inspiring, and sometimes challenging that makes the trip amazing! 

Haiti didn't let me down in my expectations and will forever be in my heart. When I was coming home from Hungary after doing mission work, I received the following story that I think sums up our Haitian experience. I loved the little story they included called "It's Not Easy Being Green" 

It’s Not Easy Being Green…
Before going to a new place, you lived in blue world.
You were a blue person.
But, then you traveled to and lived in a yellow world.
There, you became a green person—a mixture of both worlds.
You never quite became yellow, since that is not your home.
And, now that you’ve come back to this blue world,
it doesn’t quite fit as well anymore. And, that’s OK.
Because, now you have a responsibility as a green person
to share what it means to live in a yellow world.
By sharing, you can help make both your blue friends
and your yellow friends a little greener than they are now.

All of us have pictures and stories to share. We fell a little in love with the people and country. Please bear with us when our blue world makes the adjustment a little uncomfortable. Thank you to everyone who supported this trip, followed our journey, prayed for us, and wished us well. We are blessed to be surrounded by such amazing people!

Join us at St. Paul's Lutheran Church on Sunday to hear about our Haiti trip and see more photos. 

Also look for a mid-August Buffalo Journal Press Article.

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Day 7: The "Car-dash-ians" do Haiti: Bodyguards, paparazzi and shopping.

After such a full and emotional day on Sunday, it was nice to lounge around a little bit this morning before our adventure. Clark showed up at the Villa with news that the bus was broken, so we would have to wait for a while. (I wrote about Pastor's driving yesterday- so you put two and two together.) So we lounged in the pool and visited with Clarke until the bus showed up. It was a wonderful way to start this perfect day.


The bus arrived around 10:30 with Claude in the driver's seat (praise the lord! lol) The plan was to take a scenic drive up to the top of a mountain with an overlook of Port-au-Prince. Rob had been there once before and remembered it having gorgeous views and souvenir shops at the top. Pastor brought along our friends/chaperon/bodyguards for the trip to make sure we were safe. We joked that he must have had a meeting with them, assigning two Americans to each of them. I was really happy that they could come with us. Yesterday I spoke with our Haitian friends about our plan to go up the mountain, and NONE of them had been up to the top of the mountains. None of them. I joked with Ernst, "I have been in Haiti one week and I made it to the top- and you've lived here for 34 years- and never did."

[I wonder if it is cost prohibitive or just not something you do.]

I am completely fascinated with this city, staring out the windows like a little kid. One week has transformed my eyes and heart. Our journey took us through the varied landscape of Haiti, both physically and socio-economically. We drove past the tent cities and the huge open market. A week has given us perspective. The tent cities are completely different from where we have been staying. Our Haitian friends live better than this, because of the support of St. Paul's church.

Signs of progress are everywhere. Today I noticed a big rig clearing the main canal and the huge billboards advertising the future waterfront development project. It looks like a typical American restaurant, shops and hotel complex- I wonder when it will be complete. Now I wonder about the displacement of the nearby tent city- where will those people go? Why do they still live there, in such poor conditions? What does the future hold?

As we turned the corner and began driving up-hill the changes in social class were clearly evident. The streets got smoother and eventually paved with proper medians. The shops that lined the street transformed from food lying on the street to modern kiosks to glass store-fronts. Traffic went from disorganized congestion to orderly traffic flow with proper passing distance between vehicles. Architecture gradually got larger and was well maintained. There was still some rubble, but there were also more, larger, impressive structures. The streets were lined with the same bougainvillea flowers cover fences and walls, but here they give the area a very European look. This area of Haiti reminds me of Spain, with the flowers and housing built into the hillside.

Claude parked the bus at a very large, modern gas station where Pastor had arranged a Tap-Tap rental. As we waited for it to arrive, we were swarmed by vendors pushing drinks and snacks at our windows. There were also armed police men surrounding our bus which would have created a sense of fear, but we had Clark and the gang to keep us safe. When the tap-tap arrived, the driver backed it up right to the bus door and actually swept it out and wiped down the benches. Rob couldn’t believe that they were taking such special care of us. Claude opened the doors and we were ushered into the tap-tap and our bodyguards took the positions by the door. As a surprise, brother Evens showed up, making our group complete. Pastor bought us all ice-cold sodas from a vendor and we were on our way.

Breathtaking Vistas

Riding in a tap-tap is an authentic Haitian experience, though we traveled through more organized traffic, not the congestion of Courerfour. The open air ride in close proximity to our friends made this ride even better. As we climbed the winding mountain road the temperatures dropped. I sat in awe, staring out the windows- taking it all in. Haiti is utterly gorgeous. Bright bougainvillea draped over the road like gems on this royal landscape. The homes in these hills remind me of the Spanish and Italian hills. The architecture varies but there were some massive homes in European fashion set among the green hills--at one point we even saw a castle.

At the top of the mountain colorful paintings lined the street leading to a very beautiful, modern restaurant. We hopped out of the tap-tap and walked out to an empty terrace over-looking the city. Photographs will never capture the beauty of this place and this moment. From our vantage point we could see the entire city of Port-au-Prince and the harbor that gives Haiti its distinct shape. The smoke and dust hung in the area, providing a hazy, dream like appearance.

Sharing this experience in a beautiful location with our new friends, both American and Haitian, I fell in love a little today. Wonder filled our eyes, laughter filled the air and friendship filled our hearts. It is a moment I will never forget.

Shopping:

Tracie and I were in heaven walking through art avenue. It was like being in a museum- except the canvases hung on the stone wall or lay on the ground. Oh- and then there are the vendors constantly pushing their jewelry, woodwork or paintings at the American tourists. The group meandered along this street, with our Haitian bodyguards/chaperons close at hand.

The quality of the artistic talent and craftsmanship here is amazing. I wish I could have purchased many paintings, but I found “The One” and will settle with that for now. We negotiated the price down to half of his original price, rolled it up and kept walking. Tracie and I went into a small gallery, admiring the work. I asked Evens if he had paintings like this in his house and he said no. I asked Ernst and he said no. Hmm… Pastor Widelson’s house was decorated with art- so I was curious.

Everyone else was still shopping, so as we slowly made our way back to the tap-tap, I asked people to pick out their favorite paintings. Ernst picked a market scene that I had considered buying. Evens chose musical instruments (of course.) Mardoche pointed out a geometric piece and Pastor chose a village scene. They were all very beautiful and it was interesting to see their choices. I told Ernst and Evens that we should have made paintings for their walls this week instead of coloring with the little kids the whole time- and they just laughed.

Unfortunately we couldn't stay at the top of the mountain all day. We drove back down to the city and laughter flooded the tap-tap. Pastor took us to another small tourist market by the port where the group purchased more souvenirs. (I won’t spoil the surprises for you, though.) The constant pushing of the products is stressful for me. We were in a narrow alley and couldn't really move forward or backward. It got to be too much for Syd and a few of us, so we made a break for it and waited outside the market with Evens and Kisnier. However, the vendors followed us out there too. It actually wasn't too bad in comparison to other markets I've been too, but after a long week it was overwhelming. Clearly having a big yellow school bus full of Blancs draws attention. They think we are tourists… Sydney said it was like being a Khardashian, the way they are swarmed all the time by the paparazzi when they go shopping. Kinda.



The Villa

It was much later than we thought it was, so we went straight back to the villa. Everyone was starting to wind down- and some kind parting words were taking place and some laughter among friends. The awkward phase of the day had begun. Good-byes are hard.

Our vendor friends were outside the villa with our requested items (secret for now) and then everyone came inside. To delay the goodbyes and thank them for all the work we put them through today, we set up an impromptu “pool party” bringing out all the Deli-Mart treats (American junk food) and sodas to a patio table. It was relaxing, hanging out with everyone. It was kind of quiet- the Haitians were speaking Creole to each other and we were talking to each other- so I pulled a teacher move. I asked everyone to share their personal highlight of our week together.

Darlene: “The concert and the guest singer.”

Lori: “The drumstick lesson, recorders and ‘Jesus Loves Me.”
Mardoche: “The whole week.”
Ernst: “Everything- the whole week.”
Kisnier: “Same.”
Kharinsky: “Same.”
Clark: “Same.”
I interject here, with Sharon’s support- saying that boys in our classes do this too. I jokingly called them cheaters.
Ernst: “Okay- Sarah’s flute solo and Sharon and Adam’s song.”
Evens: “The first day to today.” Boys….ugh.
Sydney: “The mountain view today.”
Adam: “The view today and the feast at Mrs. Marcellus’ house.”
Tracie: “My creole lessons with Kisner”
Sarah: “Taking photos with all the kids.”
Sharon: “Seeing Ernst’s face as we unloaded all the instruments.”
Lacy: “Looking over the city with you today.”

We toasted to, "A beautiful country and beautiful new friends. As we clinked the glass soda bottles we discovered that "Cheers" is "Cheers" in Creole and English. Perfect.

That broke the ice a bit but then it was time for our friends to leave. Hugs and hand-shakes. Teary eyes. We will see a few of them tomorrow on the way to the airport, but not everyone. Good-byes are hard and awkward. Lori commented that this picnic by the pool was a nicer way to say good-bye than getting dropped off on the street. True. Heather insisted that saying good-byes are not hard, but I added, “Good-byes should hurt. They hurt because it mattered.” And she teared up.

Last night in Haiti

Our last dinner at the villa was RICE and Beans! Our new favorite food. Then everyone hopped in the pool. I ducked away to write this blog and as I type laughter is emanating from the pool. Some are reviewing the photos from the day. Things are winding down and it is clear that we have grown closer on this trip.

Travel changes you. Relationships change you. Haiti changes you.

Day 6: Things that happen in church

We just returned from a 13 hour day. Honestly it will me a while for me to fully process today's events. I apologize for the short and sweet version.

Church:
The church service was incredibly moving. Pastor introduced us and explained our mission and importance. Tears welled up in my eyes as the impact of our work hit me. So many connections and relationships flashed through my mind. My heart is heavy. (I actually started writing down my thoughts right away in church- and I have five pages... but that was 11 hours ago and I'll need to sort through those later. Sorry. They seemed pretty profound at the time, too. :)

Side note: the Haitians are beautiful people. They also dress to the nines for church. Crisp white shirts, ties, black dress pants and shoes. The ladies were beautiful dresses and cute shoes. The little girls wear frilly dresses... like our Easter dresses, flower girl and bridesmaid dresses. And we Americans are wearing keen man-dals here, with our dresses. :(

The Feast:
Mrs. Marcellus prepared a feast for Team Haiti 2014 back at the orphanage. We sat in her coral colored dining room at a formally set table. She came in to wish us a good meal and then Pastor started serving us. The table was initially set with bbq chicken, grilled chicken, fried plantains, homemade french fries, carrots and broccoli, lettuce salad, and fried baby potatoes. They gave us ice and coke in a glass bottle. Yum. We happily loaded our plates and ate this delicious feast. Then Pastor came out with Mami's homemade pizza for us. Then he came out it with her homemade lasagna. Then he came out with rice and beans. Her food was beyond delicious and knowing the love and care she puts into it makes it even more special.

The Orphanage:
We got to spend a little time with the kids before heading back to the concert. (They ate rice and beans while we at the massive feast.) Rob took his annual photos of each child while we handed out beanie babies. They LOVED them. Then we played with the kids. I was swarmed by my girls again and they wanted to take photos AGAIN. So I did my best to further our culture and showed them how to take selfies, duck face and crazy faces included. You are welcome, world.

Side note: Technology and photography was the third part of our mission trip. Kids love taking photos and immediately flipping it around to show you the image. They also love looking through your stored photos and videos. They all know my dogs' (chen) names by heart :)

The Drive to the Concert:  Pastors should stick to teaching, not driving buses.
Claude, the amazing bus driver, took the red truck to pick up Evens, his students, and the amplification system. That left Pastor to drive the bus to church. The turn out of their driveway is 90 degrees, and quite a challenge, even for Claude. Well, Pastor took the tail light of a parked car. But then it was okay. I had two girls on each side of me, looking through photos, and then just holding my hands or hugging me. It was beyond nice. (The UN troops were actually out on the street stopping cars- is there something going on?)

The last steep hill before you get to church has a ravine on one side, so we were all holding hands and praying. When we finally made it the top the bus erupted in applause.

The Concert:
The church was decorated with red flowers, ribbons, fans and bows. It was beautiful. Everyone was dressed up and hugging us or shaking our hands. All of this was comforting and fun, but then the realization that this is the last time I may seem these people. (For at least a year... Jake.) sank in. It was bittersweet.

Ernst and Enelsen were charming emcees for the festivities. The band, featuring Sarah and Sharon, performed three songs. Then the choir, led by Kissnee, sang a beautiful song and Ludi sang a solo. Then the emcees made their special surprise. They played Happy Birthday to Pastor and honored him and Mrs. Marcellus for their 29th wedding anniversary. Then they brought up a guest singer. She sang a song with such showmanship and zeal that she brought the house down. I wasn't sure if it would be appropriate for me to dance, but when the stoic Mrs. Marcellus started dancing, I jumped right in. It was fantastic!

The band came back with a spirited rendition of In the Mood and then the show was over. Hugs and handshakes were everywhere. I personally had a heavy heart and felt a bit withdrawn. We snapped a few photos, but it was kind of a madhouse as we cleaned up, said good-byes and got on the bus. Some of our friends didn't ride back with us, which made it all the more sad.

( have I said how striking the young ladies are yet? )

Haiti After Dark:
Well, much to our dismay, Pastor took the wheel again. The sharp turn to get down that steep hill had us all praying and holding hands again. We were scared! But then the rest of the drive went pretty well. The streets are still crowded even though there are no street lights.

Monday: Our last day
Tomorrow we are going to make a stop at ISSPAM the nursing school, a potential meeting with Pastor, and then a drive to the top at the mountain for the scenic view of the island. We'll have to take a truck and hopefully Claude is driving.


Quotes of the Day:

Sharon: This is the song that never ends.
Adam:  I am really attached to Claude. I want Claude back.
Lori: There is not an oil for THAT.
Sharon: "Pool party! Bring your snacks and malaria pills.!"
Lacy: I want to go to HER concert. Dance party! Love her.

Day Five: why did the Blanc cross the road? Deli mart

Saturday

7 AM we woke up to a full church baptism in our pool. It was beautiful. Breakfast at the Villa was biscuits and gravy. Pastor was a little late today but they had already picked up most of our other riders prior to us. The drive gets better and better as we see familiar sites and visit with our new friends.

We were told that today would be a short day- but it ended up being another full day of band and art.

The art stations consisted of drawing, nail paint painting and friendship bracelets. We set up our classroom first and had Evens explain the stations to the kids. Bracelets were a hit. Tracie was drawing up pictures for the kids to color- and the kids liked getting their nails painted SOO much that they would wipe it off and come back for more.

David is a church teen that has been assisting us all week. He translates, takes photos and constantly offers us cokes. He frequently says,"I am stressed," in response to the chaotic kids. Tracie brought her lavender oil today... and he felt ,"much better already." Ask Sharon about the flash story.

Rob and Heather visited with Hollywood and held his baby boy. They also saw one of those solar power panels... it powered a radio. Awesome.

Piano lessons and band practice continued. Sharon and Sarah are playing in the band tomorrow. They were exhausted after hours and hours of practice today. There are several special surprises for tomorrow.

During the beautiful choir practice I say outside to admire the ocean view. The light was perfect and the view is so gorgeous. Cameras cannot capture the beauty of this place. Portraits cannot capture the kind, loving spirit of the people. I already know I will miss Haiti.

Traffic was HORRIBLE today. At dinner Sarah asked us if we saw the tap tap that almost hit us. Rob said,"which one?" We laughed and then Std added," the red one with Jesus painted on it." We all died laughing. Come to Haiti and you know.

Sydney and Rob really wanted to stop at the Deli Mart on the way home. With traffic it took forever and "always hungry" Syd was growing impatient. We started joking around with her and Pastor Widelson jumped right in. He knows growing teenagers and just laughed. I said she might run across the street when we stopped, so Widelson grabbed her hand to cross. It seemed like he chose a Haitian friend to chaperone us. One of the kids grabbed Darlene and Evens guided Sarah across the road. The team loaded up with snacks and Haitian sodas. We bought the kiddies peanut butter and bread- their favorite. As we went to cross the road again, I could see that they were chaperoning the Blancs.

We got back to the villa just in time for dinner. I was exhausted and everyone else looked pretty tired, too. A new mission. Group in matching shirts had arrived.

After dinner we jumped in the pool and it turned into a giggle fest. We are all becoming friends in this experience. There is so much going on everyday and we all have different stories to tell. The new group probably think we are crazy with laughing so much.

Tomorrow will be a busy day. Church in the morning, lunch at the orphanage and then back to the church for the special concert.

Reflections
Syd: Highlight of the day- Deli mart.
Darlene: Jean's piano playing skills are amaxing.
Lori: Choir practice and the fact that Evens made a photo slide show of our trip and gave each of us a photo collage.
Tracie; the lavender oil. Sydney saying," I could never be a Kardashian. " (all the boys say she is very beautiful.)
Adam: learning "Lord I lift your name on High" in Creole.

Day Four: Sea Cookies and Paper Flowers and a Bright Future

Friday

7 AM Breakfast consisted of delicious omelets, coffee and fruit. Then we got on the bus and picked up our other passengers.  Then Pastor stopped the bus and told us we were going to get "sea cookies."  We all looked around confused until he said ,"oh... sea shells..haha!"

He took us along the road and then had us walk through some tiny restaurants to get to the sea. The ocean was gorgeous. The entire beach was made of shells.  No sand.  Just shells.  It was beautiful.  I can't wait for you to see the camera photos.

Once up at the church Pastor and Ernst set up a white screen and the LCD projector to present his plans for a new church. It is amazing and he said it is a 50 year plan. It will have to be excavated and built by hand. Seriously.

After that a man came to show us a new enterprise the Pastor would like to start.  Manufacturing solar panels. Details later. .. but it sounds like a really great opportunity for jobs and sustainability.

Music and Art Lessons resumed after our meeting. More kids showed up today and it was chaotic.  They were grabbing the burger king crowns and fighting over stickers in a small area. I enlisted Even's help to get them all outside so we could set up a class room in the church. The structure allowed us to resume in a nice calm manner. 

Today they drew pictures, colored, made tissue paper flowers and folded paper projects. Some kids made bracelets. They loved the bubbles and light up bouncy balls.

Music lessons resumed with large group music theory and small group lessons.

After the participants ate their rice and beans meal we packed up to go. It was a little earlier than normal because it is a Friday.

Guest blogger: Sharon.

Wow!  We have had some amazing music filled days!  Sarah, Adam, Darlene, Lori, and myself have been busy!  The first couple days we taught lessons on rhythm, notes, and dynamics.  We mainly used drumsticks and the music books that were brought down, but the recorders have been making random appearances all week. Yesterday when we taught about dynamics we used the songs "Lord I Lift Your Name on High," and "Jesus Loves Me."  Yesterday we also split into sectionals.  Adam had drum off during sectionals.  He got stumped once in the drum off, but he also taught them a Latin beat which was new concept to them. Sarah worked with woodwinds.  She played along and hung out during the sectional.  Darlene worked with the trumpets.  She was impressed by some of the players.  I worked with two piano students.  During our small group times we have found some differences in the whole concept of playing and teaching music.

Many Haitians play two different ways.  They say they play for themselves from their HEARTS but they also play by the SPIRIT.  Many of them are AMAZINGLY talented musicians.  They read music, but it is sometimes slow going for them.  Give them an instrument and NO music and they can play beautiful, beautiful music.  Yesterday I was serenaded by a tenor saxophone player who played me this beautiful Creole song.  It was so soulful and rich.  He played everything from memory and ear.  The Haitians come to us and say "play for me" or "play me a song" and Sarah and I respond, give us music and we will play.  They tell us to play from our heart.  For us it is so hard.  When we are in a band (unless it is a jazz band) we are trained to play as a team.  You want to blend in, you want to play in tune, read the music, and make it sound as one.  The band we are seeing is loud and boisterous.  They have some intonation difficulties, but they play with a lot of spirit and excitement. In the U.S. we pick an instrument and are given music to help with our training.  In Haiti, many are given an instrument and have to figure it out without music.

Yesterday I worked with two piano players.  They told me they wanted to learn gospel music and how to accompany singers.  I found some camp songs that had guitar chords.  I drew out chords for them and explained the correlation.  One of my players speaks English very well so he helped interpret for our little lesson.  They struggled with the concept of chords and scales.  After I gave a mini lesson and sang the song Sanctuary and Lord I Lift Your Name On High over 30 times each, they finally started to catch on to the concept of chords, improvising, scales, etc...  They took my lessons to heart and must have practiced, because they came back to lessons today and showed me multiple different ways to play the two songs we worked on.  They definitely were playing with their hearts!  Last night one of the students wanted me to bring back the song Go Light Your World.  Today we worked on it at length.  The piano students like having me as a guinea pig and say to me "again, sing again!"  or "start again!"  I think one was trying to suck up when he told me my "voice was like an angel from heaven".  I wouldn't go that far.
 
Some other differences we have noticed in our lessons include the scale... They use the Solfege scale.  Today Ernst lead a lesson for the band on intervals.  Being a teacher, I wanted to sit in on his lesson and just observe.  Evans, one of our amazing helpers and translators sat next to me and helped translate what was going on.  The band was very confused by the lesson they were having difficulty understanding the concept.  There were no visuals except for a long vertical line of the scale.... Do Do# Re Re#..... While I was sitting off to the side, I drew a staff and a piano keyboard.  I was able to find my answers quickly and participate in the lesson.  The other students and teacher were very interested in how I discovered my answers and when I explained through my amazing helper/translator the light bulbs started setting off.  The interpreter wanted to know how I know to teach this way and that I have many good teaching ideas.  I'm glad all my education finally paid off :)  Tomorrow my goal is to start spreading the word about tuning your instrument.  It is taking everything I have not to walk around adjusting mouth pieces and slides.  It is making Sarah and I crazy, but we are working on "leaning into the discomfort".

Otherwise, today I had a blast playing with the band.  Although I am now partly deaf from the trumpet players behind me, the band played with great enthusiasm and were so excited to have Sarah and I participate.  I'm glad I could find a saxophone, even if it was an alto one, instead of the French Horn to play on.  I was definitely more in my element and had a blast playing a very slow version of In The Mood and Somewhere Over The Rainbow.  It was pretty sad my mouth was killing me after an hour of playing, but I'm building up my tolerance again.  I was informed by Evans that tomorrow I WILL be playing a solo during In The Mood, so he told me to go home and think about it so I can channel my inner spirit to play tomorrow.  Apparently Sarah, Adam, and I will be playing in the concert Sunday.  We are going to go start working on our act.  When I told them I would play piano and sing a song, I was informed that was not okay and I would be playing my saxophone.  They will have to settle for a piano, flute, and guitar ensemble instead.

The progress we have seen and the eagerness is so amazing.  Our students are seeking us out, practicing, and soaking up the many things we are working on them with.  It has been so fun to teach music this week and I look forward to the concert on Sunday!!  It's going to be amazing!

Day Three: "I don't understand." or Creole lessons...

Thursday

7 AM Breakfast at the Villa was oatmeal and fruit today.  The bus came  around 7:30, but Pastor met with Rob and Heather until 8. It was fun to chat and reflect on the previous day. I posted a few on day two this morning.

We were only on the bus for an hour today. We picked up several students and musicians along the way. Widelson had invited a few other congregations' bands/directors, including Evens Nelson.

As we take the same route to church each day we are observing more and more of the city and people. It really is a beautiful place and we are recognizing the daily routines. Tracie is learning a lot of Creole and we bought some translation books.

Sidebar: we are all still having a hard time with the garbage all over. Ths t will take time though. Other things are more important...

Music and art lessons started at 10am. The music groups were split up into groups and throughout the day. Music theory, singing, drums, scales, piano, rhythm and dynamics using drumsticks and vocal music. They sang JESUS LOVES ME. they slso played our National anthem... which was funny and touching at the same time. There was an AMAZING drum/percussion lesson/throw down with Adam. Adam got challenged as much as they did! I wish you could all hear it!


(So many tiny stories... too many to write down now.)

(We plan on recording the concert on Sunday.)

Tracie, Sydney and I set up the art station for the little kids in the back of the church. We started out simply with crayons and coloring. We started out with 25 and it quickly grew to 35. They Loved this activity and worked so hard for an hour straight!

We gave them a break to play soccer. Then we gave the cameras to the kids and that kept them entertained for a long time. They take photos and immediately show the subject their pic. Everyone wanted pictures with us or just of us. this went on all day :)

Drawing activities resumed and kids started drawing on blank paper. One girl did a self portrait, some boys drew roads and then cars and played with them... making motor noises. Another one drew a 3-D image. The more serious students stuck around and the others took photos or played.

We bought rice and beans meals for the students again and then the day wrapped up. We were visiting with people and all took away stories. I chatted with a guy, a band leader at another church. It started out with his love of Luther Vandross and Peabody Bryson. Then we talked about our jobs and he loves history. Well I happen to be a professé istwa and his eyes lit up. He was talking about his favorite history stories...including President Lincoln freeing the slaves.  He asked me about Egypt and Israel because he didn't understand the geography from the biblical stories. I drew a map... we chatted and I promised him some history books. :)

On our way home we stopped at the Deli mart grocery store. It was a modern, air conditioned grocery store like we have at home. We bought snack and Haitian drinks.

At the villa merchants set up shops along the outer wall... and there was a wooden tap-tap... so I bought it for my classroom. Widelson will have it painted with his logos!

6 PM Dinner at the Villa... RICE AND BEANS... and chicken. Rice and Beans is my new favorite food. Seriously.

Rob and Heather had a meeting to discuss things with Widelson and Enelsen. I chatted with him a bit... he is an accounting teacher at a university. I asked about phones snd he said most people at school have Samsung Galaxy products and a few iPhones. he has a smartphone with data. They buy minutes as needed... no contracts.

Widelson said there was a recent graduation and many found jobs.  He said it is hard to find a job in Haiti. High unemployment and high inflation... worse combination... stagflation. Schools and education ate plentiful, but there are not many jobs.

After dinner we took a dip in the pool and enjoyed chatting about mutual friends, school and our day in Haiti. Too many good stories are flying out to catch right now..

Team Reflections on the day:
Tracie: the artistic talents of the kids.
Sydney: teaching a few girls duck face and all the cute pictures.
Heather: Lacy's hairdo courtesy of two little girls.
Adam: Getting challenged in drums.

Day Two: music is the universal language

Wednesday

7 AM Breakfast at the Villa was delicious. Egg bake, toast and fresh mangoes- for those of you who are curious. Oh, and good coffee.

Pastor arrived with the bus at 7:30 to load it up with instruments for the lessons at the church. The church is about an hours drive from the villa.  It is in a developing community, where people are building new homes to escape the city. The drive took us through nicer areas- meaning less crumbly buildings and no tent cities. We actually caught glimpses of the sea a few times. There is no shoreline drive or anything- in fact they built a huge landfill where they burn the trash. Seriously. The water is a perfect Caribbean blue.

We stopped to fill the bus with gas at a National gas station. Pastor purchased bagged (not bottled) water for the students and coca cola for us. Along the way we stopped and picked up additional passengers so the ride took two hours.

Sights: cows, goats, chickens, cats and dogs. .. wandering. Shops are inches from the bus as we pass. There is an abundance of food and merchandise. .. but the prices are what we pay here for most items. It doesn't smell out this way, but the roads aren't paved so it is really dusty.

The morning drive was relatively calm... and it was nice to see everyone setting up their shops or walking to work.

Claude is an amazing bus driver. He navigates narrow gravel roads and steep winding hills like a magician.

Music Lessons took a while to set up. Ernst and Watson divided them up in to beginner and advanced groups. The little kids were left out, so we gave them the pre recorders and had Adam and Sydney teach them notes. That class grew and grew... and it sounded like your typical elementary school recorder unit :)

Ernst led the advanced group and taught them to read music. They loved the new instruments.

Sarah and Sharon took on the beginner level class. Sharon's gift for teaching was clear to everyone.  Together they team taught notes with drumsticks. Then they moved onto recorders. After while everyone was looking overwhelmed so they took a break.

67 students signed up for the classes.

Sarah taught small group lessons and learned some Creole along the way.
Adam broke out his guitar and led a sing-a-long with the little kids.
Sharon grabbed a French horn and joined the band.
Darlene assisted the basic music lessons.
Lori assisted wherever she was needed. At the end of the day little kids were cuddled up to her.
Sydney taught recorder lessons and the kids were drawn to her. She grabbed the camera and took photos of the kids and let them play too.
Tracie had her camera and then continued her Creole lessons. She was surrounded by little kids the whole day.
Rob and Heather spent time with Pastor and helping out throughout the day.
Lacy- well I helped out where I could but mostly observed. Everyone was shy at first. However I was swarmed by teen/young women the minute I took out my journal. It was really difficult to communicate. But they all wrote down their cell phone numbers for me.. ?

The whole Hanover crew was worn out by the time Pastor brought a rice and beans meal for the students. It was quite a feast for them and it smelled delish. The students turned the tables on us and took photos of/with us before we left.

We stopped at the orphanage to see the baby goat that was born today. We met Mrs Marcellus and most of the kids. We got a tour and visited a bit. Tomorrow we will go there to drop off the clothes and toys.

6 PM Dinner at the Villa was nice.. spaghetti and cake. Right now the gang is cooling off in the pool and reliving the favorite moments from the day as I type.


Team Reactions
Darlene: the small group lessons worked better than the big group class. The personal conversations.

Lori:
The student band was much more musically talented than I expected.

Sydney: Connecting with the kids.

Lacy: the dogs. At the church  three or do dogs hang out. One in particular was literally skin and bones. She was a light brindle and stayed near the people at all times. A black and tan female was healthier and a tiny puppy showed up in time for rice and beans. People were feeding the puppy right away and then the other two got some chicken bones and leftovers.

******Additional reflections from last night/Thursday am:

Sharon chatted with the band as she played.
the saxophonist said that he "plays two ways... with his heart and with the spirit."
The band plays together extremely well... and only a couple of them can read music. Seriously.

Also, Sarah is "leaning into the discomfort" as she experience real teaching for the first time. The best laid plans can go horribly, but organically learning magic happens. I told her we all have to monitor and adjust every day... or every 20 minutes. Sharon did the best FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT. .. drum sticks up.crossed.or down. :)

Heather witnessed the little kids not wanting to let go of candy or recorders... even when it was time to potty... :)

Day One: Culture Shock and Our first impressions of Haiti

MSP 5am flight- check-in went smoothly. All 21 bags made it and they checked our carry on bags for free at the gate.

Atlanta Layover- gave us enough time to grab a hearty breakfast. This flight was over full and it was so hard for me to hear them offer a $1500 air credit to fly tomorrow instead. The plane was delayed a bit but we made it to the newly renovated Port-au-Prince Airport around 2:30pm.

The line to get through Customs was long,  but in the new space it was air conditioned and comfortable.  Adam discovered the free WiFi and Rob texted Pastor Widelson. Widelson met us inside at the new and modern baggage claim. Two bags broke, but nothing was lost.

Luggage and Porters: once we made it through the airport we paid a group of professional porters to navigate the parking lot as Widelson walked us to the school bus. YES- THAT school bus! He brought a host of teens and young adults from the orphanage to help us load it and chat. AWESOME!

The bus ride was not nearly as traumatic as my husband described from his evening arrival in 2011. We arrived in the day and ride comfortably in a MN yellow school bus.  I sat next to Jean Rene and shouted him some pics of Jake and home.  We chatted a bit with others too, although I don't know their names.

The road was treacherous with stretches that were mate gravel pit than street.  Markets and tiny "stands" selling EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN lined the street.  One huge complex seemed to take a whole square mile. Seriously there are piles of fresh bananas, piles of onions, charcoal, clothes (I guess they are super expensive, even used), toiletries, car oil, building supplies, etc.  Actually- it is kind of like New York City in that way- having "shops" lining every street.

We passed a funeral procession. It is very similar to a New Orleans funeral procession- a walking parade of musicians and family members, all dressed in black and white. Most of the cemetaries are above ground crypts, like in New Orleans, too. French Influence?

The destruction, debris and garbage are worse than I expected. I have seen the photos and heard the stories over the past six years- but it is everywhere. Actually- there is a beautiful contrast here in Haiti. The devastation, garbage, and pollution is disgusting. Yet people walk around and live their lives here- in really nice Western clothing. They are hanging out with their friends and family, shopping, and walking amidst piles of items at the market. And garbage is EVERYWHERE. I kept thinking, "I wish  Randy's Sanitation of Delano could send down all their trucks and lead a garbage mission trip. Seriously- bring in bulldozers, front end loaders, etc... and clean it up. Oh- but then what? People have to change their behavior, too. Ugh... it will happen eventually with education and time, right?"

Animals are wandering everywhere, too. Actually they kind of stay in their areas. Black hogs wallow in garbage filled irrigation canals and cute little goats tromp around on the garbage piles, eating away. Chickens roam freely, and get purchased, bound by the feet and carried around the market. Oh- and goat and chickens get carried on motorcycles, too.  DOGS? I didn't really see any until we got closer to the Villa. Then I noticed small packs wandering around- little red street dogs and doberman looking dogs. Skinny dogs! Some dominance scuffles, too.  At the villa they have a few house dogs.  No cat spottings yet.

We passed a few tent cities and then some "nicer" neighborhoods with patched together tin siding. Most remaining buildings are crumbled cement debris piles. The government ministry buildings were pristine and guarded by high fences. Buildings got progressively nicer as we drove to the villa. Some neighborhoods were reminescent of Italy and Spain, with curving staircases going up the hill, and houses and shops tucked in all corners. In the right light and frame of mind' it could be beautiful.

Arriving at the Villa' it really is a compound. 15 foot high walls surround the facility and Claude successfully backed a yellow school bus through the 15 foot high gate. Once inside it was immediately quieter and calm. We visited with Pastor Widelson, got our Nursing School shirts and said our goodbyes. Then we found our rooms which are spread around this tiny campus. There are lush palm trees, a crystal blue pool and lovely garden terrace. It feels like we are in a different world. We are.

We made it just in time to eat dinner at the Villa. Rice and beans, beef, salad, spicy! coleslaw and bread. There was dulce de leche pie for dessert, too.  Eating a hearty meal after such a long, hot day felt amazing. After dinner we opened all 21 bags to sort and organize our gifts. This took two hours and was hot, sweaty work. It was amazing to see everything that made it here. A full, detailed list will be published later.

The kids wanted to go swimming and convinced the rest of us to jump in. So we did. They were right. The water rinsed us of the day and we felt cool for the first time. We socialized a little with the other group staying here.... they are from Florida.

Overall it was an exhausting, exhilarating day. Tomorrow we start by heading up to the church at 8am where they have invited MANY PEOPLE to see us.



Smells: human sewage, coal fires, garbage, diesel fuel.
Sights: overwhelming.
Sounds: honking horns, trucks without mufflers, hawkers selling roadside beverages

Team reactions:
Adam
Worse: the conditions were worst than I anticipated. Not ready for the extreme level of poverty and conditions we saw on the bus ride.
Better than expected: The smiles and appreciation of Pastor and the kids. We just met them and they loaded the bus for us, but they are so excited all ready.

Sharon: I actually thought the city would be worse than it was. It was really cool to see the instruments and supplies all unpacked.

Sarah:
The Villa is better than expected. It is an oasis in the dust storm of chaos.
Nothing could have prepared me for Haiti itself. You just have to experience it.

Don't worry, Pray.

#firstworldproblems

Tuesday July 15th at 3 am we depart for Haiti.

Leading up the trip members of our team were waking up in the middle of the night with (somewhat) irrational fears. I'm probably the worst offender, as I tend to get anxiety about random things before I travel. After the fears subside, all of our team members eventually come to the realization that, "God always makes it work." Pastor Widelson says, "Don't worry, pray." Good Advice.

So what was I worrying about? 

#firstworldproblems. (Get ready to laugh at/judge me... I am aware that I worry too much.)

***If you haven't heard of #firstworldproblems before, watch this one minute video. (My students showed it to me when we were discussing global income distribution in economics class. It is painfully true.)

The Mosquitoes- I'm not a fan of MN mosquitoes, but bugs in Haiti carry more diseases. I'm currently taking anti-Malaria medicine, but there are a few other viruses they are delivering to humans. On the news last month I heard about a Minnesota woman that contracted the chikungunya virus. Watch the video and you'll quickly see why I'm paranoid. At the packing party Darlene and Tracie showed us the deet spray for pre-treating clothing. They are not messing around!  At least, we also fortunate enough to afford DEET infused bug repellent. Yay, for bug spray. #betterthanadisease

The Airport- 10 white people with 21 huge suitcases and personal items... seriously- we're going to stick out. I keep thinking we're gonna get hassled or caught by customs and thrown in Haitian jail. Then I come back down to reality and think- we're bringing in musical instruments, not contraband. Will we get hassled? Yes. However Rob figured out that you should actually say YES to the porters and they get you through customs quickly.  I'll let you know how that goes... as long as I don't end up in jail.

The Food- I am allergic to wheat, and I don't want to get sick. I really don't want to get sick in front of my students! I also know that I go from hungry to H-Angry real quick. But- many people in Haiti go hungry and survive on much less than I do in a normal day. I (and most Americans) struggle to keep my weight down- talk about #firstworldproblems. I'll be fine- and bring my KIND bars.

The Water- I don't want to spend the trip in the bathroom- especially not surrounded by my students. I certainly want to avoid dehydration and hospitalization in Haiti. Gotta stay hydrated! I bought the two stage iodine tablets for purifying water, and Rob has a fancy water purifier. We'll be fine, right? The fact that I've never have to worry about clean drinking water...

The Heat- Haiti is a tropical island and it is July. Sharon was really good at reporting Haiti's temps at church- it was in the 100s regularly. My latest check on weatherchannel.com says it will be in the 90s with afternoon storms. High humidity. No air-conditioning. Its going to be HOT. We're going to be sweaty. But, the orphans never have air-conditioning and most people around the world live like this.

The Air- The smell of Port-au-Prince as been described as a blend of ,"diesel fumes, burning rubber, kerosene, sewage, smoke, rotting garbage and body odor." Jake said the air is thick with dust and odor and that was the first shock to his system. I live in rural Minnesota with fresh clean air everyday. Occasionally we are gifted with wafts of manure, but that is rare. In New York City we got wafts of garbage or sewer off and on throughout the day, but Jake insisted that was "nothing." Again- clean air is something we take for-granted in America.

The Language Barrier- The Haitians speak Haitian creole. This is blend of French, Spanish, Taino,West African and Portuguese according to Wikipedia.  I have a few years of Spanish from years ago, but Jake said it was nearly impossible to understand creole- even though he would recognize a word here or there. I spent six weeks in Europe with my minimal Spanish and did just fine- but most Europeans know English. Jake reassures me that Enelson and a few of the young adults know a decent amount of English. I feel guilty for going on a trip and expecting them to know my language...

The Internet- Electricity and internet are sporadic in Haiti. I will attempt to blog every evening after dinner, but I know the connections will be limited. How upset do we get when the power goes out for a day? How crabby do we get when the internet is slow? #firstworldproblems.

Lucky

OK-Some of those fears are legitimate. All of them make me realize how fortunate we are to live in America. This has been the essence I try to get across to my students. "Is our government perfect? No. But, you and I don't have to worry about the air we breathe, the safety of the food we eat or the water we drink daily." My garbage gets picked up weekly and we have a sewage infrastructure so good that we forget about it. Our country runs so smoothly that we take all of those things for-granted. However, hiccups in the system send us reeling. When flood waters overwhelm the sewage system, as they did in Mound this summer, everyone gets upset. What if that was your daily life?

A few people can't understand why the 10 of us are volunteering to go to Haiti for a week to endure these challenges. Speaking for myself, I want/need to experience this. Most of the world does not live the way we do. From everything I've heard, the people we are visiting in Haiti are some of the happiest, hopeful people, full of faith in Christ, that we will ever meet. They are hungry for education and are making real changes in their lives for the good. Yet, in America- land of abundance- depression runs rampant and we have a huge drop-out rate at schools. I'm not expecting to get all the answers, but I want to experience this myself.

My next fear- Will I struggle to adjust back to American life with all the #firstworldproblem whiners?

Packing Magic

The whole team (minus Sydney) got together Sunday to do the final packing.

Doug Voerding stopped by to snap a few photos and gather information for the Buffalo News Paper, so look for that this week.

What: 10 people, 21 suitcases/instrument cases.

(19 cases up to 50 pounds each and 2 bags weigh 70 pounds.)
Here is the unofficial list of what we're packing:

1 autoharp
1 accordion
2 bells sets
3 baritones
6 clarinets
2 French horns
2 trumpets
4 cornets
2 keyboards
1 drum set
1 snare drum
4 alto saxophones
1 soprano saxophone
7 flutes
1 trombone
100+ drum sticks
15+ mallets
40+ collapsible music stands
50+ recorders
3 tuners/metronomes
3 drum stick bags
3 French horn mouthpieces
1 clarinet mouthpiece
45+ clarinet reeds
36+ alto sax reeds
18+ cork grease
2 bottles slide oil
7+ bottles valve oil
7 cleaning pads
2 flute cleaning rods
3 cleaning snakes
1 Master Key chromatic pitch instrument
1 tuning fork
1 drum key
3 shakers
1 tambourine
150+ lesson books
Guitar
12 Quilts
Over 200 beanie babies and stuffed animals
Clothes and shoes - at least 5 boxes worth
Candy
Art supplies -
4 lap tops
USB storage devices
1 printer

Also:

Each of us get 1 personal carry-on and 1 personal item, too. I think Adam K is going to carry a guitar on board for his item.

As for the 21st bag- that costs $150 dollars... which is a bargain versus the $500 shipping cost with Fedex.. plus we KNOW it will get to the orphanage this way.

Who and Where in Haiti?

Reality is setting in-we leave for Haiti.
Here's the lowdown on Who and Where in Haiti.

Who: There will be many people (50-150?) we interact with, but a few key names you should know.

Pastor Widelson Marcellus has been our main contact in Haiti since 2008. Widelson is a very well connected man, and we learn more about him and the amazing things happening in Haiti every time we visit. He is married and has four grown children of his own, and one grandchild. His home is the orphanage, he owns nursing schools and he cares for his church congregation.

Ernst went to college to be a music educator and has been teaching music lessons over the past few years. He is excited to get some help and instruments from Sarah and the team.

Enelson is Pastor Widelson's son and he is one of the key planners in this trip. Enelson graduated this spring with an Accounting degree. His English is pretty good and he has been sharing his knowledge of business and technology with others. He is very interested in helping others start micro-businesses and creating sustainability.

Where: Carrefour is just west of the capital city, Port-au-Prince. This is a very poor, run-down neighborhood of the capital. Our home-base will be at the Villa. The villa is a pretty nice place to stay and many America mission trips spend time there. (They have a pool but no air conditioning and the electricity is unreliable.) Villa is very close to the Widelson orphanage where we will spend most of our time.

The Orphanage:  St. Paul's congregation sends monthly support to aid the orphanage in his home. I hesitate every time I write the word ORPHANAGE because it is not the typical orphanage most of us envision. Technically many of the children have at least one living parent and they are "poverty orphans" or "children of grace." Regardless, many (35)  children live with the Marcellus family. All of the kids are sent to school and attend church with him. The older kids were part of the technology class in 2011 and gone on to teach those skills to the younger kids. Many move onto college or nursing school, too. It is really fun to look through Rob's photos of Haiti over the years to see the growth of all the kids. Look HERE.

The Nursing School: Widelson became the owner/director of a failing nursing school in 2008. St. Paul's raised money to build desk/benches for the school. This has been a blessing to give his kids access to education and careers.

The Church: This church is up on the mountain side, in the country, overlooking a growing village and the sea. The church is a wooden framed building with tin roofing. It gets really HOT during service. Most of the music lessons and activity will take place here. We will all attend the Sunday service as well.

---------------------- Widelson in MN Storytime Break---------------------

Its my blog, so I get to do this :)

Pastor Widelson came to MN in the spring of 2013 to learn more about us, including a visit to Buffalo High School. Pastor got a personal tour of BHS from principal and St. Paul's member, Mark Mischke. Widelso was blown away by our school's sheer size, organization, and music facilities. They stopped by my classroom to visit and he loved seeing the Haitian flag and mementos in my room (Sister Jake, as he greeted me.) Actually the WHITEBOARDS were his favorite. BHS presented him with some BHS gear, which he proudly wore the rest of the week, including at St. Paul's where he received a bit of teasing from the STMA students, but he proudly insisted that, "Mark Mischke is my friend!" -- Love this story!!

Oh- and Widelson loved the Irwin's pitbulls, Jasper and Tito. He affectionately gave them nicknames, ti tet "little head" and gwo tèt "big head." Dogs are not seen as family members in Haiti, or most developing countries, so this was a fun surprise. When my husband was down there, he of course made friends with the dogs that hung out at the villa. (After the Sochi dog situation in Russia, I am curious about Haiti's dog policies, but I am having a hard time finding anything. Clearly we don't want un-vaccinated strays wandering around for public health and safety.)

He was able to see both snow and experience a warm spring day while he was here. He also had his first s'more around a MN backyard fire pit. The Mall of America was a bit overwhelming, but he asked to take photos by the amusement park to show the orphanage kids.

Overall it was a great visit. Relationships take time to develop. Trust is important.

Meet the team..

Meet the Team: Haiti 2014

Last year on his Minnesota visit Pastor Widelson said he would love more musical instruments for his church in Haiti. When the Irwins brought this request to the St. Paul's congregation, the call was answered. Sarah K. was inspired to lead an instrument collection project that was described in my last post.

This instrument project is a major undertaking, and sending the collected items to Haiti is not an easy task. In the past the Irwins sent some instruments by mail, but customs charged a HUGE fee, so it was more cost effective to have volunteers deliver them in person and serve for a week as well. Each of us will have two 50 pound checked bags- full of instruments, tech gadgets, art supplies and some clothing/toys and other filler supplies to maximize space. While the main mission of this trip is to deliver the musical instruments, the volunteers will teach classes, collaborate on music and art projects with the kids of the orphanage during the week.

Rob I.- Most experienced member of this Haiti mission team. He has traveled to Haiti many times since 2008 and hosted Pastor Widelson during his visit to Minnesota. Rob organized this trip and looks forward to visiting again. In Haiti he will focus on the tech aspect of the trip and taking photos. Career: Electrical Engineer. Married to Heather I. and father of Brian and Kiley.

Heather I.- wife of Rob and longtime supporter of the Haiti mission trips. She traveled to Haiti in 2013 and presents Mission Minutes monthly at St. Paul's Lutheran Church. She can't wait to get back to Haiti to visit everyone again. According to Pastor Widelson, Heather and he "have the same heart," and she will use this time to visit and learn more about the church, orphanage, and nursing schools he runs in Haiti. Career: Human Resource professional. Married to Rob and mother of Brian and Kiley.

Sarah K. will be a senior at Buffalo High School this fall. Sarah began thinking of a global music project when Pastor Widelson came to Minnesota in the spring of 2013. She can't wait to see how her plans all unfold in Haiti with her mother and brother at her side.  At home Sarah is involved in many activities at BHS - including band, swimming, student council, and NHS. She plays the flute in concert band and the saxophone in jazz band. She is also a drum major for Buffalo's 2014 HERD Marching Band.

Adam K. graduated from Buffalo High School in 2013. He is currently a sophomore at Concordia College in Moorhead and pursuing a degree in biology with plans to attend medical school in the future. This summer Adam is working as a camp counselor at Luther Crest in Alexandria, MN. Adam is excited to meet all the kids in Haiti and to spread God's love through music. Brother and supporter of Sarah K.

Darlene K. is the mother of Adam and Sarah and married to Brian. She is currently a math teacher at St. Michael-Albertville High School. Darlene is thrilled to be able to share this amazing experience with Adam and Sarah. She is anxious to see and to begin comprehending the extreme poverty that people in this part of the world live in. She is so excited to see Sarah's project come together and to see excitement on the Haitian faces when they see the amount of musical equipment that we are bringing.

Sharon G. teaches 2nd grade at Big Woods Elementary in St. Michael. She grew up in the community and has been a member of St. Paul’s "forever." Sharon teaches confirmation and sings in the church choir. “I was sitting in church back when Bonnie and Dennis Kueng first asked to raise money to buy mattresses to send to Pastor Widelson. From that moment on, I knew I would travel to Haiti. I have taught overseas and done mission work in Hungary and Spain. I am looking forward to using the skills I have learned on those trips to make connections, share stories, and build relationships with our brothers and sisters in Haiti. I am also so thrilled to go to Haiti for this trip because of my musical background.”

Lori E.has lived in Hanover for 25 years. She is married to Karl and one son, Taylor, a recent graduate of UWRF. She works as an independent sales rep in textiles, which is perfect because she loves quilting. Lori sings in the church choir (with Sharon) and played in her high school band years ago. Those experiences inspired her to join the team this year. "I have listened to the stories of St. Paul's Haiti mission trips and put it on my 'maybe in the future' list. When I heard about Sarah's project, 'I thought this is the time, some of what I know might help!'"

Tracie C. is the mother of Sydney and Taylor and married to Tom. She is CEO Chief Creative Officer at Curb Crowser, a retail brand design company. Tracie is coordinating some art projects to do with the kids at the orphanage. "We plan to share our time and talents of art with the Haitians, old and young. Thanks to the tremendous support of our congregation, St. Paul’s filled a suitcase of basic art supplies. Depending on what the kids and adults want to explore, I plan to share color, shapes, mixing colors, drawing cartoon faces and how to express oneself with art. We may not have enough time!" She adds, " This is the right time for Sydney and I to go. We have so much love to share with the Haitians, and we are ready for laughs, tears and lots of hugs. We all appreciate prayers of safety and good health."

Sydney C. will be a sophomore at Buffalo High School this fall. She has traveled with her family and hopes to connect with the kids through art and soccer. "I am looking forward to going to Haiti, because I am excited to meet new people and help them." Daughter of Tracie C.

Lacy S.- Teacher at Buffalo High School and Director of Save-a-Bull Rescue. Team blogger. My husband Jake went to Haiti with Rob in 2011. No known music skills. (Seriously I struggle to clap in a rhythm.) I love ART and appreciate music, though, so I'll help where I can. As a teacher I hope to discuss education tips and tricks with the teachers, too. I look forward building relationships and learning as much as possible so I can share this experience with my students back at home.

One more week! Look for my next post highlighting some of the people we will work with!
~ Lacy