More about January 25th and 26th

When we returned from Jacmel on Sunday, we were in the most incredible traffic jam in Port au Prince. It was gridlock, after dark, no streets lights and lots and lots of people on the streets. Though this was in a very developed part of Port au Prince, the highway we were on was not paved, and was flooded. Cars (fortunately we were in an SUV) drove though incredibly rutted streets with deep water. For Haitians, it seemed very routine. Lots of horn honking - but no sign of road rage.

The part of the road where we were on was in front of a huge power plant - but still the road wasn't paved. This is one of three power plants recently donated to Haiti by Hugo Chavez and Venezuela. The power plants are located in CAP Haitien, Gonaives, and Port au Prince.

This afternoon I watched a practice of the St. Joe's residents as they prepared for dance performances that they give. The performances are fantastic, and the dancers and drummers are so talented. They have traveled to the U.S. to give performances. We also got to see paintings done by one of the staff (and former resident) of St. Joe's). They are unique and beautiful. All of the residents are former street kids. The impact of the program on the kids is so far reaching on their lives. They are able to express their talents and who they are. It is such a well developed program that truly empowers these kids.

The trip to SOPUDEP yesterday was incredible as Paul said. The kids were so delightful, and it was wonderful to see them getting an education. The school has had to struggle for its survival because the Mayor of Petionville where it is located wanted the building and property where they were located. The director of the school talked about how important it was to have the support from people in Minnesota who advocated for them so that the U.S. State Department intervened and used its power to prevent the school property from being taken away. - Marcy

Today we started with a meeting with the amazing Anne Hastings at Fonkoze. She has a very busy week so we were fortunate to get an hour of Anne's time to catch up with Fonkoze programs. Their major program is "Chemen La Vie Miyo", A Pathway to a Better Life, where the poorest of the poor are assisted in getting the bare necessities of life. The first people in the program are graduating with a 90% graduation rate. It is the first block in a model of stepping stones to a basic quality of life based on a 5 year program that at the end guarantees that the participants will have access to food, school, will be able to read and write, have basic assets, some form of housing and confidence for the future. We are hoping to go visit some rural participants on Thursday.

From Fonkoze's office we went to SOPUDEP school. When we got there at 10:30 am Paul said, "oh good, the kids are on break, we can hang out with them". When we pulled into the compound all 502 kids were waiting for us with signs saying welcome and had our names on them. It was the most amazing experience. Those of you who have been there can imagine just where they were gathered and how beautiful they all looked in their uniforms. Those that haven't been there need to come and experience it! Natalie's pictures do a great job of showing the joy all around. We will write more - the kids all had big plates of diry ak pwa, rice and beans. IT WAS AWESOME!!

Mr. Patrick, Mr. Joseph and Little Joseph are here. They are the world's greatest vendors. They want to know where Budha is. I (Paul) told them I will not come back to Haiti without the Budha Man. Somebody get the word to Marvelous Marv Tonn that he is due to get back to Haiti. WHERE'S BUDHA.

Tomorrow we are going to St. Clare's Church to observe the feeding program sponsored by the What If? Foundation.

We had a great trip to Jacmel today. We stopped at Trinity House which is the guest house and boys home that St. Joseph's has started in Jacmel. There are 18 boys living there, a Montessori school room and a free school for 51 of the neighborhood children who can't afford school. It is very impressive. We walked about 6 blocks to the ocean front. Later we met Melinda Miles and her children Simbi and Kaya for lunch. Melinda heads up a non-profit organization called Konbit Pou Ayiti. There mission statement is:

"Konbit Pou Ayiti/KONPAY (Working Together for Haiti) strengthens existing organizations, builds national networks, creates relationships between individuals and organizations in the U.S. and Haiti, and and supports collaboration and the sharing of technology and expertise. KONPAY focuses on Haitian solutions to environmental, social and economic problems and provides training and funding to grassroots and community-based projects. KONPAY is supporting Haitian-led efforts to reforest Haiti and protect the environment."

After the hurricanes there has been great devastation to the environment with tremendous impact on the people. The work on the environment with a national focus that Konpay is working on is critical to improving the living conditions of the Haitian people.

We arrived in Haiti at 10:13 am and, oh darn, it's 70 some degrees.  We had a great day.  We visited Wings of Hope, a home for Haitian children with disabilities. The boys that lived at St. Joe's were determined to take all the kids that were being abandoned when the original home was going to be shut down.  There are 39 disabled children being cared for.  This is really an unbelievable place and service for children who previously in Haiti would have been discarded.  They are loved and make great progress.  Natalie loved the kids.  Don's church sponsors Hope, a 12 year old girl.  This evening Madam Rea, the director of SOPUDEP school stopped by to greet us. We gave her the two trunks of school supplies.  She was thrilled.  Don had brought down a laptop that was donate to a gardening / composting program.  Tomorrow we will travel to Jacmel.  Jacmel is coming to life with the arrival of Carnival. We are tired, ready for a good night's rest and a full day tomorrow. Haiti is such an unbelievable place with miracles that come our of the extreme hardships that exist. It is humbling, challenging and beautiful.

Bon Voyage

Our team is ready to launch on the last leg of our trip down to Haiti.  We are in Ft. Lauderdale with an 8:35 flight to Port au Prince.  I hear its minus 13 in Minnesota, ha. It should quite a bit warmer in PAP.  Our flights to Chicago and Ft. Lauderdale went well. God Bless and thanks for the support!

World traveler Natalie leaves DC in an hour and a half with a stop in New York and then back to Minneapolis.  She attended the Obama staff inaugural ball last night in DC.  We anxiously await her report.  Last we heard via a text message was that Joe Biden was speaking at the ball.  It will be very interesting to hear what the Haitian people think of Obama's election.  It will be fresh on everyone's minds, that's for sure.

We leave Minneapolis on Friday afternoon, January 23.  We fly to Chicago and then to Ft. Lauderdale.  We will overnight in Ft. Lauderdale and leave the next morning at 8:30 am for Port au Prince, Haiti!!  Our intent is to stop at St. Joseph's Boys Home, where we are staying and then head up the mountain to Wings of Hope near the Baptist Mission in Fermathe where the air smells sweet and the vendors are plentiful.  Don's church, Pilgrim's Church of Christ, sponsors a child at Wing's, a home for disabled children.  We will be spending several hours with the children at Wing's then returning to St. Joe's for dinner and our first night's stay in Haiti.