We are back home in Minnesota. It's crazy that people live here! We had a long day of travel with a big layover in Miami. We had good seats from Miami to Minneapolis. Our arrival at MSP at 12:20 am made us 4 pretty tired compadres. It was an awesome trip and an awesome experience. It's good to be home. We look forward to sharing our stories and continuing to walk the journey to justice with the Haitian people. God Bless. - Paul

Cange

Yesterday (Thursday) we visited the amazing facilities at Zanmi Lasante at Cange. If you have read Mountains Beyond Mountains this is the hospital that Paul Farmer co-founded and has earned him international recognition. We toured this amazing facility that offers virtually free care to everyone in Haiti. The road to Cange is rugged so getting patients to the hospital is now their number one concern. I was struck personally with the 4 new neo-natal incubators, I remember the blessing of the care that our new, premature twin grandbabies received in Des Moines when they were in the NICU for over a month. There were 3 babies in the incubators yesterday. We were told that Senator Dick Durbin recently visited and was given an opportunity to see what is possilbe in Haiti. Hopefully Senator Durbin will pass this along to his good friend, President Obama.
http://www.pih.org/where/Haiti/Haiti.

The U. N. presence in Haiti as witnessed on the way to Cange and our previous travels is oppressive. Their posture is unbelievably aggressive with machine guns and huge armored vehicles. If this is what peacemakers are we are in a bad place as a world. The new US Embassy is easily the largest building in Haiti. We were not welcome to take pictures of "our embassy" and got scolded by the police. I am not sure what message the UN / US is trying to send to the masses in Haiti but the intent seems extremely questionable given our recent and long time history of nefarious actions in Haiti.

Today we leave for the airport at 11:00. I am sad to say goodbye to friends but excited to see the rest of my family. Daniel, our interpreter has been awesome.
- Paul

Tuesday and Wednesday experiences

Yesterday (Tuesday), we went to St. Clare's feeding program. Started by Father Jena-Juste, the program feeds 1200 children a day. Father Jean-Juste is well known leader in Haiti having been a political prisoner who was falsely charged after the last coup (when Aristide was forced to leave). The feeding program is in an extremely poor part of Haiti. In the United States, we are disconnected from this level of poverty. It was overwhelming to see 1200 children standing a gate waiting to get their only real meal of the day.5 yeaar old children stand on line with their two year old siblings to get fed. The five year olds feed the younger children. Still they are children and full of wonderment. Their curiosity about us was great. They wanted to touch our white skin because they were curious about it. For some one who has worked in low income communities in the U.S. most of my adult life, there is nothing to compare to this level of extreme poverty. This is the result of a country with a history of being exploited by the U.S. and other wealthy countries. There are an increasing number of children who are dying of starvation recently because of the increasing food prices.an

Today (Wednesday), we went to visit with Mario Joseph of the Bureau des Avocats Internationaux (International Lawyers Office). I have such respect for his courage in organizing Haitians and challenging horrendous imprisonment of political prisoners in Haiti. He has been successful in getting the release of high profile prisoners within Haiti and challenging Haiti's unfair legal and prison practices in the International Court in the Hague. BAI partners with organizations in the U.S. to get judgements against former Haitian military and political leaders who have been at the center of oppression and torture. In such a volatile political atmosphere, and Mario Joseph shows great courage in leading these challenges.

This afternoon we met with a couple, Ari and Carla. Ari is Haitian and Carla came from the United States. They educate foreigners about the history of Haiti - especially what slavery, racism and oppression has done to the culture and society. The talked with us about voodoo and how it is central to Haitian identity, culture and world view. Missionaries and others who have asserted their power in Haiti used it to suppress voodoo.

Oddly enough we went to lunch at restaurant that was just like a subway sandwich shop. Marcy

Matthew 25

Today I learned the meaning of Matthew 25. We were eating lunch at a gas station with a lunch mart kind of place. Mr. Porfil, our Haitian guide for the day at St. Claire’s and the man who is responsible for the feeding program, was with us along with Daniel, our friend and interpreter and Jocelyn, our driver. As we were eating there was a homeless boy that was looking in the window, begging. Natalie said how hungry he looked. I didn’t know what to do since going out and giving him money could have brought out a whole lot of people expecting to get money, so I told Natalie about that. I have seen that be pretty ugly in Haiti.

Within a short period of time I saw that the young boy was in the restaurant and that Porvil was giving him all of his food. The boy was famished and grateful and began eating the warm beans and rice and fish or something. Natalie and I decided that we should share our food with Porvil since we had plenty, still. We gave him the rest of our beans and rice for him to eat which he promptly added to the heaping plate of food for the homeless boy. Out of our group, Porfil clearly needed the food the most.

The other day I re-read Mathew 25 because I had heard that Visitation House in Haiti where we used to stay had been renamed Mathew 25 House. I wanted to refresh myself on what Mathew 25 says. Of course at the end of Mathew 25 it says, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you’.

Today, Mr. Porfil peeled away a layer of the onion or removed the scales from my eyes. I don’t think we hold back all the time out of greed but do so out of fear of the unknown and not wanting to do the wrong thing. There is a way. It doesn’t come from ones abundance that overflows or trickles down to these the least of these my brothers, it comes from seeing with the eyes of the heart. Porfil simply said, “I like children and I see that you do, too. I was humbled beyond belief and can only hope that someday I can see with the pure eyes of my heart like I saw Mr. Porvil do on this day.
- Paul Miller

Like an Onion

Like an onion with its paper thin layers - each of which can be peeled back to reach its heart.

This morning I wake in the half light before sunrise, I round the corner to the bathroom next door, reach for the light switch and then pause. "Wait a second" I say to myself, I can see easily enough without it. Then I recall, when I first came to Haiti, there was no electricity after nine pm throughout the city..... so there was no choice - no electricity anywhere in the city.

Back in 2000, when I wanted to take a shower, hot water wasn't readily available. "No problem" I thought. I'll improvise by taking a "BWCA shower". A pot of hot water from the kitchen, a second empty pot, mixed with cold water in the second pot and pour over your head.

This morning I bathed as most Haitians do - who simply use a face cloth, towel and cold water. No electricity used, nor wood burned, or worst of all charcoal. One has to let Haiti happen to you if you want to grow.

Coming to Haiti will change your life, but only if you are an onion...... with many layers that are slowly peeled away - so Haiti can reach your heart. - Don Kelly -

With thanks to Natalie Miller:
for a young homeless boy, the hug may be more significant that the food or cash.
(Natalie has a great story to tell)
- Don Kelly

The boys at St. Joseph start their day at 5:00 am with prayres and songs in the open air chapel on the fourth floor. In a circle they start their day as a family, some sleeping others more awake. Sister Marie, a 67 year old nun from Boston who left Haiti in 1967 joins the boys and then watches the sun rise over the mountains. In Boston here day starts at 3:00 am in order to serve communion at the 6:00 am service. Through her eyes you can learn some of Haiti's history and future. She has been building a house in Haiti since 2001. Each day she catches a tap tap to go to the work site, when she leaves, the workers leave. She is a marvel.
At 6:00 the sun comes up and the boys do their chores no matter how young or how old. On Sunday they have the family dart tournament in the kitchen. In their routine is the comfort of a home, a family and the love of God that they share with each other. Every story is a miracle. St. Joe's is building a new art center, the beautiful art on the walls serves as models for the art they can make. Walnes runs the dance troupe and is an amazing artist. He is a graduate of the St. Joe's program. Our friend and interpreter Daniel is coming to the states to go to school this July. He is our guide and protector. He adds so much to what we see.
At 7:00 breakfast is served to the guests and the bell is ringing. God Bless!