Not Always easy

October 27th 2016
The second week
The workshops that had been rescheduled because of Hurricane Mathew were to take place this week. The first one at the Center in Grepin was to be on Wednesday but it was pouring rain Wednesday morning and we had to cancel. Thursday we did hold the workshop at our Center. It was amazing how well it all came together. We had sixty participants and about twenty staff including our selves. The Haitian Agronomist and his technicians lead each of the three sessions. There were also members of our agricultural group that helped with the presentations. The participants were engaged and asked questions.
We tried a new thing by holding a raffle to encourage people to come on time (a real problem In Haiti) it seemed to work out very well. The prizes were digging forks and plug trays for starting plants. Everyone seemed to enjoy the day. We brought the ladies who cook for us to do the cooking and they prepared a delicious lunch. The workshops do seem to be a good vehicle for encouraging change in farming practices.
Sometimes I feel like being here is really, really hard. Sunday I was trying to get ready for church and was interrupted several times because of some ones health concern, or other need they might have had. This goes on pretty much all the time. When I step out the door the many children that are always in the court yard want candy, on the street people want money. It gets very tiring.
We are trying to move to a model that people take more responsibility for themselves, their schools and their children. We asked last spring for each of the schools to have a parent volunteer program and a garden to help offset the expenses of the lunch program. This year we have raised about half of the money we need to buy the food for the lunch program. We only know about the two schools by us as of yet but one has complied and one has not. We had meetings with the parents, we had meetings with the teachers, we had meetings with the school committees, I cannot believe they didnt understand what we wanted, I gave them all the reasons why this would improve the schools in many ways.
The lack of cooperation goes on and on. I cleaned out the clinic we opened last spring. It took a year of asking Fr. Gracia for permission to open the clinic. I told the people if they dont support the clinic they will lose it. No one came for three months after I left Haiti last spring. The first Tuesday (day the clinic used to be open) I was back in Haiti, there were several people here for the clinic. Too little too late, the nurse had to travel for an hour to get here, and the clinic needed to be self sustaining to work.
I understand this is a major change in the culture here. NGOs come and hand out free supplies and services. The people are very poor so it seems like the right thing to do. But nothing will change without a change of attitude on both parts. The attitude has to become instead of these are the poorest people in the Western Hemisphere to this is a developing country. The people here can make their own community better, they can contribute. Maybe not financially but they do have gifts they can contribute. I feel no one is truly free as long as they are dependent on others for their survival. But change does not happen overnight. What can you do? Support programs in education, check out who you are donating to, and how funds are distributed. Ask for Haitian products such as coffee and cocoa . Buy Haitian art. By these things you are creating jobs here. By educating you are giving a gift that cant be lost. By giving the opportunity for education you are giving the Haitian people an opportunity to solve their own problems. Bob and I ask the groups we work with all the time what problems do you want to solve?
Well you can see I am feeling a bit discouraged. Or you could say I am in a foul mood. Well on Sunday when it came time for me to serve communion I removed the communion from the tabernacle and was almost taken to my knees, feeling so humble in the presence of our Lord. Who am I to whine and complain? I asked to be Christs hands to these people; I ask to represent him and here. But I guess I want it to be on my time, my way. I pray for more patience, I pray to be more compassionate, I pray to be more understanding, I pray for strength.
Thank you for your interest and your prayers,
Denise
The second school has now started a garden. One of the parents is in charge. This is encouraging to me to see people are starting to get it.