Teacher Workshops Part II

I'm sitting in the Ft. Lauderdale airport, very thankful for the free internet they provide.  The eight hour stop-over may not be so bad after all!
I want to go back in time just slightly, back to the week of Teacher workshops, I really didn't do the week justice with the short entry I made.  The week was amazing, everyone involved was challenged and enjoyed a wonderful time of fellowship.  The Haitian Teachers eagerly anticipated the arrival of the Canadian teachers, as they had already had the privilege of working together the summer before.   Despite a much changed Port-au-Prince,  the Canadian teachers were quickly put at ease as they saw familiar faces and smiles and received familiar hugs.  Friendships begun 12 months ago were deepened and many more memories were accumulated.   Ruth, Al and Keith (the Canadian teachers) came with some great resources and some even greater ideas to share with the teachers.  Al challenged the teachers to make Math fun and shared a variety of ways to do so.  The last day of the workshops he encouraged them to demonstrate what they had learned and the result was encouraging to us all.  Ruth, came with boxes of fun art treats and the teachers showed off their creative sides with paintings, shapes made with clay and beautiful decorations for their classrooms.  Keith made us sweat, literally.  He had us running, jumping, and having a lot of fun.  It was really neat to see the teachers getting involved in the games and showing their oh so competitive sides.  My favourite moment from the entire week was when the teachers finally understood how to play kickball (aka soccer baseball) and the team in outfield stopped trying to get a homerun:) 
The last day was filled with laughter, a goodbye solo, tearful thank you speeches and lots of words of blessing and love.  It truly is amazing that after only two short weeks together a very strong bond was established between the teachers.
Friday we were quite the subdued group as we reminised about the good times we had and we looked at all the pictures that were taken over the week.
The few short days after the team left were a whirlwind of activity as I tried to tie up loose ends before heading out myself.  And now... I'm really looking forward to a rest, and time with family and friends.

More Teacher Workshop Pictures

Teacher Workshops

As always, when there is a lot to write about, there is no time to write! 

The Canadian Teachers arrived Friday and we spent a nice weekend together.  Saturday we drove out to the metal smith village to check out the iron-work and then up to Petionville to buy a few souvenirs.  Sunday we worshipped at First Presbyterian Church and drove around downtown.  Having been to Haiti before the earthquake, they are able to discern the difference between pre- and post-quake sights. Despite a heavy rainfall all afternoon, there was a group of guys who were very eager to play some basketball with the teachers and therefore played for two hours in the rain.  It was a bit more like water polo than basketball but they had fun. 

The workshops are going very well.  The teachers came with more ideas than could possibly fit into four days so they are whittling down their ideas and cramming as much as possible into each lesson.  The teachers have learned a lot about math manipulatives , played a lot of great fitness games and even got a chance to work with clay.  The time has flown by so far and it’s hard to believe there is only one day left!

Games Day

Games day was a hit!  Despite a last minute change... thirty minutes before we started the ministry of health stopped by to give all the students free vaccinations.  I begged for them to come back another day but this was apparently the last possible day.  So we put the games on hold for a bit, but still manged to have enough time for  all the groups to visit each game station.  The kids had a blast and so did the teachers!
Monday we start the teacher seminars so the students also get a week vacation, not a bad deal for them!

No News = Good News

Has it really been 10 whole days since I last blogged?  tsk, tsk, tsk what a bad blogger I have been.  If you are at all interested in my excuses they are lame... no internet at my house still (time to switch companies right?), being super busy these days (I'm all by myself) and a general lack of interesting things to share.
I have been "manning the fort" for the last few weeks by myself.  Randy and Karen and Maia are enjoying a well deserved break in Canada and therefore I'm flying solo.  So far so good, but then the time's not up yet so I shouldn't get too cocky, and to be completely fair, I'm not totally on my own, I've got a great staff helping me out.
Tomorrow afternoon we also have a team flying in so I've been busy getting ready for them.  They are three repeat visitors, teachers who will be facilitating teacher seminars with the teachers here.  It's somewhat rare to get repeat visitors so the teachers are excited to see "old" friends as opposed to getting to know new ones. 
Friday the visitors are in for a big trip, we are having a "Games day" at school.  They have no idea what a day of somewhat organized chaos awaits them! 
I am also getting ready to leave soon.  July 27th I fly back to Canada for some rest and relaxation, a wedding, some doctor visits and hopefully lots of time with family and friends.  I may even squeeze in some shopping...
So that's the news around here.  School is going well, the students don't seem all that upset about going to school during the summer months, and although it's been HOT the heat broke slightly yesterday with a very brief rain shower.  I'll upload some pictures of Games Day and the teacher seminars soon I promise!

Caught between two worlds

When I tell people from North America that I live in Haiti I usually receive one of two reactions:  1) Wow that's so amazing, what's it like?  or 2) Wow that must be so difficult?  How do you like it?
To be honest it's a bit of both, amazing and difficult.  But what's even more true is that living between two worlds is also amazing and difficult.  When I'm in Haiti, I often wish I was in Canada.  I miss my family and friends, I crave certain foods that are not available here, I dream about having the freedom to walk outside by myself the list goes on and on.  When I'm in Canada I miss the warm temperatures of Haiti, I miss my friends here, I miss the chaos and energy of life in PAP, I miss rice and beans, and fried plantain (I really, really do!), but mostly I miss being able to buy a cold drink from my car window without ever having to leave my car!
Its truly amazing to be able to be apart of two very different, very wonderful cultures.  I get the best of two worlds.  I find the best part of traveling is the anticipation leading up to the trip.  Right now, for example, I'm counting down the 3 1/2 weeks until I leave for Canada.  I daydream about all the great things I will be able to do when I'm 'home'.  I get excited about seeing my family and friends.  What would normally be mundane and boring in Canada is fresh and exciting again because it's been so long since I did it.  Then at the end of my time in Canada I start to look forward to coming back to Haiti, seeing friends and settling into my routine here once again.  So you see, it's not so bad, you don't need to feel sorry for me, in fact you should really be jealous of me!  Of course not everyone can live between two cultures, and not everyone would even enjoy it, but for me, for right now, it's a good fit.

World Cup

Sorry for the silence, my internet is still not working and I`ve fallen out of the routine of updated every couple of days. I`ll try to get back into the routine, since I`ve had a few complaints!!
Along with most of the world, Haiti has gone crazy for football (AKA soccer) and the world cup. Now I`m not much of a sports fan but even I have joined in the hype. Football fans in Haiti are divided over two teams, Brazil and Argentine. Stats vary from person to person, but Brazil has considerably more fans than Argentine. (maybe 70 - 30) When either team is playing, the streets are eerily empty, so we`ve begun to plan our trips for during these times, it cuts your travelling time in half, if not more!! The first time I drove on the streets during one of these games I became alarmed by a large group of people crowded together on the `sidewalk`, upon closer inspection I realized there was nothing to be concerned about, they were all crowded around one TV trying to watch the game.
In the spirit of the world cup, I`ve decided to become a diehard Argentine fan. I put a lot of thought into this decision, I didn`t want to cheer for Brazil because it was just too popular and I didn`t want to follow the crowd, on the other hand I didn`t want to cheer for a team that no one else was cheering for. (boring) That being said, my idea of being a die-hard fan may be different than most people`s; I have an Argentine jersey which I wear every time they play, I bought a flag to hang on the outside of the office and I`ve watched one entire game. For someone who NEVER follows sports this is a big deal. The teachers find my enthusiasm quite amusing, since I rarely know the score of the games, they say that I`m faking my love for Argentine. One of my friends gave me a keychain with an Argentine flag on it. The other day I was in a hardware store and I had the keychain in my hand, the guy working behind the counter became quite excited to find a fellow fan (remember we are the minority) and wanted to sit and discuss the teams prospects. I smiled and nodded for a while but I really just wanted to purchase what I came for. After assuring him several times that I too think they will be the champions he let me go. Now when I go into hardware stores I hid my keychain! When either Brazil or Argentine wins there is usually a celebratory parade in the streets. If Brazil and Argentine play each other I think I`ll make myself scarce when the game is finished, either way they`ll be some pretty unhappy people around here.

Memorial Service

Yesterday morning was a pretty special one for me.  Every since the school re-opened we've wanted to have a memorial service to commemorate those we as a school community lost in the earthquake.  But up until now we haven't had a place to have the ceremony, the classrooms are too small and the yard is just too sunny!  As much as I love the sun, even I can't sit in the sunny yard for more than a few minutes at a time without feeling quite uncomfortable.  So this past weekend, a large tent was set up on the temporary property.  A group of men worked VERY hard Friday and Saturday to put it up and cover the ground with gravel.

On Monday morning we were able to have the memorial service.  It was a time of grieving, healing, and a time to reflect on all that God has done for us.  Randy spoke about Job and how he was able to say "God gives and God takes away".  A lot of tears were shed but it was a beautiful time of remembering those who we loved, celebrating their lives here on earth and rejoicing that they are now in heaven with their heavenly Father.  We were also very thankful to have Jim and John here, they are the two board members who were here at the time of the earthquake.

Samuel, Guerdson, and Mackson we miss you.

An update finally....

No internet or electricity has really cramped my blogging style.  I have new batteries at my house and I have to admit that I got a bit cocky... I was running the fridge off them and loving having a cold drink at the end of the day, until I realized I wasn't getting any electricity, so I put a quick stop to that and turned everything off!  back to fans only and only when we're sleeping, but alas it wasn't enough.  The batteries lost all their power and we went a few sleepless nights without any fans.  Fans are interesting really, they simply blow the same hot air that is all around you but somehow it manages to cool you off considerably, so much in fact that I REALLY  noticed the difference when I didn't have one. 
So things are really falling into a routine once again, no exciting teams coming to visit and giving me lots to write about.  The school property is almost complete, the toilets are almost ready to use and hopefully sometime this week we will set up a large tent to house the waiting room for the medical clinic, the church and any other large events we hope to hold.
We have visitors this week, the same two board members that were here during the earthquake.  They were evacuated with us and now they are back to see Haiti post-quake and see all the exciting events at Adoration.

New pictures!

The new toilets are almost done!  No more port- o-potties.Lunch:  rice with our new vegetable sauce courtesy of Ontario Christian Gleaners.

The new playing field.  The offices are at the end and the classrooms are on the right.

The First week

The first week of school is complete!  It went quite well all things considered, most of the students showed up and the teachers put them right to work.  The students apear happy to be back in school and they are already up to their usual trouble making. The floors of the classrooms are covered in small rocks which keeps them nice and dry but it also provides the students with a lot of ammunition to throw at each other! The toilets are half built and the land is mostly leveled. We are glad to be "back in business". 
I have a temporary roommate right now and my social life has improved greatly.  She is working with CRWM (Christian Reformed World Missions) and their staff has invited us to several dinners and today we were even invited to go swimming.  I might try to convince her to stay longer than her planned month.
The internet is barely working these days which is SUPER frustrating.  I can't upload pictures unless I visit someone with better internet.  I'm feeling quite uninspired to write right now but I can't miss out on the opportunity to use the internet. It's been a good weekend and now it's time to have a good nights sleep and prepare for another busy week.

First Day of School!

I have three very valid reasons for not posting earlier this week.  1.  My internet is not working for longer than five minutes at a time and therefore won't upload pictures.  2.  I've been very busy with the re-opening of the school.  3.  I've been feeling quite under the weather and when I get home I go straight to bed.
Now that I'm done defending myself, let me tell you about the first day of school!  It went off with only a few small hitches. The students are very eager to be back at school and arrived on time.  Most arrived with their uniforms and much excitement.  The classrooms work beautifully and the yard is a great size for the kids. 

Here are the students and their parents waiting outside for the gate to open and let them in.

A Day of Firsts

Today we used the new kitchen for the first time!  We also ate a delicious vegetable sauce courtesy of Ontario Christian Gleaners for the first time!  We had running water for the first time. And last, but not least, a backhoe arrived on the property for the first time!
Today's weather was very unusual for Haiti, it rained almost all day long.  The teachers and myself weren't too concerned as we had a lot of work to do indoors. Yesterday, we purchased a lot of books to replace the books lost in the school or in family's homes and they all needed to be taped and plastified (to help them last longer).   So we worked on the books and set up the classrooms for Monday morning.  The men hired to work on the property continued to work on leveling the land by hand, despite the falling rain.  By mid-afternoon we had given up any hope of the backhoe showing up and the rain wasn't letting up, so we started to pack up and decided it was time to head home.  Then, out of the blue the backhoe showed up!!  I've never been so happy to see a vehicle in my life.  This guy didn't mess around and got right to work.  We all watched and cheered him on as he quickly started leveling the land!  What a blessing!  What an answer to prayer.  Now the land will be leveled and the gravel put down and there won't be mud EVERYWHERE when 120 kids arrive on Monday morning.  YEAH!!! 

One of the classrooms, ready for students.

The water tower (and Samuel).

 The backhoe busy at work.

 Several of many supervisors.

Last, but not least, the new office!  I love it.  A HUGE thank you to the many team members who helped make this a reality!  We really appreciate all that you've done. And another HUGE thank you to all those of you who donated money to enable us to pay for everything!

Almost Done

Finally some "almost done" pictures of the site.  If only the backhoe would arrive, then we'd really have something to show!!
We will officially be starting school on May 31st!  Only one week behind our original plan (not too bad:)  If the toilets are not functioning by then we'll have to rent a port-o-potty.  Right now I run to the hardware store around the corner almost once a day to buy something and use their washroom!  We always seem to need another paint brush or tape about half way through the day:)  However, once school starts, I think it will be a bit obvious if I try to sneak into "Ecko Depot" with 120 children in tow!
The Haitian government has announced that all schools must run through the summer and take September off for vacation.  We want to honour the government's wishes so we will be doing the same.  It will be HOT during July and August, but our hope is that the majority of the students will be able to complete their current grade and move on in October when we re-open again.

I spoke too soon!

Friday was day three of no electricity and I knew that my batteries would never survive.  My roomate is out of the country right now and the idea of going home to an empty house with no lights was a bit scary to me, so Randy and Karen invited me to stay over at their place.  No sooner had I settled into their couch to watch a movie and the electricity came back on.  I figured I'd still stay the night seeing as you never know how long it will last.  Strangely, we've had electricity ever since, all day Saturday, and now it's Sunday afternoon and we still have it.  This NEVER happens in Haiti, and most definitely NEVER in my neighbourhood.  I really hope this doesn't mean we won't get it again for 2 weeks! (I'm such a pessimist)
On another more serious note, security is starting to become a problem these days.  There are a variety of reasons for this, first of all, there is A LOT of money flowing into Haiti these days.  There are more NGO (Non-government organizations) than you could ever imagine driving around the city with their brand new SUV's and they are spending a lot of money.  The temptation is just too much for some and kidnapping has starting once again, not as bad as when I was here before (2005-2006) , but it is something to be concerned about.  Secondly, there is supposed to be an election in November of 2010 which is fast approaching, however, President Preval has announced that he would like to stay in power for a bit longer (into 2011) until things are a bit more stable.  After the earthquake, Preval wasn't as visible or supportive of his people as he could have been and he is therefore not very popular right now.  There have been manifestations (riots) throughout the city for a few weeks now and some have become violent and innocent bystanders are sometimes robbed or hurt.  As well, during the earthquake many prisoners escaped from prison and are back on the streets once again.  Lastly, people are still living in tents, the promises of aid are not coming as fast as they would like and some are getting angry.   Needless to say, we are being extra cautious.  Normally I don't like to write about these sorts of things on  my blog, I know that I have lots of loved ones back home who worry about me a lot and when things get worse here, they worry even more.  The reason I'm writing about it is to ask for prayer.  I know without a shadow of doubt that I am in the arms of the Lord and I don't worry about myself.  However, right now, Haiti needs security, they need investors to come and invest in Haiti to create jobs and change the economic situation here.  If this unrest continues investors will move on to other countries and things will get worse here instead of better.  Right now, Haitians need NGO's to help them get back on their feet, but in the long run, Haitians need jobs and that requires business people coming here and starting factories etc. Please pray for security to return to Haiti.

No EDH!!

When you begin to take something for granted, it is often taken away from you so you can appreciate it more:)  For many months now we've been receiving electricity every night for approximately 6 hours.  This is enough time to charge our batteries and keep our fans going through the night.  The batteries at my place are nearing the end of their life, so we've been rationing their power for a while now, but the last two nights we haven't received any electricity and even rationing isn't working any more.  Only fans are permitted at this time and tonight it'll be a miracle if even they work!   Some people have generators which they can use to charge their batteries, but we don't have one at my house so that's not an option.  When I drove by Randy and Karen's this afternoon I heard a generator running and discovered that they had borrowed a generator for a few days, and therefore have power right now which is how I am able to write this post.  Ah the joys of Haiti.
One another note, the Ontario team left today and we will miss them.  They were a great team, enthusiastic throughout, even with the heat.  They were able to accomplish A LOT!  Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures today because I thought there was no electricity, therefore no computers or internet.  Next week I'll try to update some pictures.  A lot of painting has been completed and it's starting to look GOOD!  I've met with the teachers each day this week, which has been good.  Unfortunately we had to push back the opening day of school until May 31st, so next week will also be full of meetings and preparations, without the joy of actually seeing the student's faces.  All in God's timing, I know! This will likely be my only post this weekend, so until Monday!

Sweating the little stuff, literally!

Dave and his assistant(s) are busy making new tables and benches.Samuel and I are sweating it out, painting inside the offices and bedrooms.  My new desk in my new office!  The water tower is nearing completion.  (It's upside down don't worry.)Martin is busy trying to fix the generator so he can keep welding the water tower.  The generator kept overheating, I can't imagine why:)

Dave is smoothing out the cement floor of the medical clinic.

The backhoe never showed up, which is a disappointment and a blessing at the same time.  The disappointment is that the property was never leveled and we don't have washrooms, therefore, we won't be able to open school the day we had hoped.  The blessing is that the team has done a lot of little jobs that would probably never get finished due to lack of time i.e. the tool room is organized and ready to use, benches and tables have been built, office desks and bookshelves have been built and A LOT of painting has been done.  I can't believe how much painting, we have done.  Several students from Adoration have come everyday to help paint.  To be completely honest, they come in hopes of being able to "play" with a drill or some other tool that makes noise, but they usually end up with the job of painting and despite getting paint all over themselves (literally) they seem to enjoy it and work pretty hard.  It has been HOT lately without much of a breeze, which causes us to sweat like crazy.  It's been one of those weeks when you don't mind at all that you don't have a hot water tank:)

Weekend etc.

On the weekend the team took a short break on Saturday afternoon to visit Forth Jacques and the Baptist Haiti Mission.  We had a nice lunch and then explored the fort.  It was sad once again to see how much it was damaged in the quake.Sunday morning we had a great time of fellowship at First Presbyterian Church.  The team appreciated the fact that the sermon was translated into English for them.  After lunch they decided to play some basketball, Haitians vs. Canadians.  Despite my repeated offers to play for either time, I was assigned the job of cheerleading with Maia.  We had fun cheering on the Canadians, but despite all our efforts they only won one of the three games.

Things at the new property are not going exactly as planned.  (oh Haiti....)  The backhoe that is needed to level the property as well as dig out the septic tank, has yet to arrive.  This puts things at sort of a stand still as far as the big projects go, so everyone is busy making tables, benches and putting the finishing touches on the offices/kitchen/bedrooms and of course painting.... there's so much painting to be done.  The teachers came into today and I got them started on a variety of jobs.  They are always happy to see each other and helped out a lot today.