Pictures from the week

Here is a link to a compilation of pictures from our team's week in Haiti.  Enjoy!

Illini Life's March 2012 Team Pictures

Back Home

After a day of travel, we’re all back in the States and getting ready to return to work and school tomorrow. 

Our team was made of a wide mix of personalities and skills and it was so awesome to see how everyone joined together.  Jay and I are very thankful to this team of people and feel honored to have gotten to serve beside you and for the chance to know each of you better!

We pray for Mountaintop Ministries and the work that they are doing.  God is moving mountains through them.  I encourage you to head to their website and learn more about them.

We pray for our team (and those that will hear about Haiti through us) that we don’t forget the many people and situations we encountered.  May we each seek God to determine how we might be a part of his plan for this country (in small or big ways). 

A compilation of pictures from our week should be posted within the next week, so keep an eye out!

Day #7 – Haiti Reflection

 

It’s Friday evening and dinner just ended. The laughter of fellowship after the shared meal cascades up to the porch where I sit and write, watching the afternoon sun slowly settle on the mountain. A cool breeze welcomes the coming night. As for dinner, meals at the Guest House of Mountain Top Ministries are much anticipated affairs as we gather together to enjoy. Tonight’s meal – rice, beef, fried plantains, French fries, sweet potato fries, fresh vegetables (the avocadoes were a treat) and ketchup. Yes, ketchup, the real kind, whose ingredients include tomatoes and sugar. Corn syrup, that American staple, was absent from the ingredient list and the resulting condiment was enjoyed by many. As it is with much of life, the little things are often worth remembering, particularly here in Haiti.

So, as our week comes to an end, now is the opportunity to reflect upon our time that we may remember and celebrate the time spent in this community that is not our own, but who, with warm smiles, welcomed us to learn and share.

1.  Kids are kids (what an obvious truth to realize!)

Throughout the week, we commented again and again that kids are kids regardless of where they come from. For Brian, whether chemistry in Haiti or in a classroom in Champaign, some high schoolers just don’t care about the experiment while others stay late to learn more. In the computer lab, Ms. Brittney, the computer teacher, answered questions about facebook and email, not dissimilar to many of the questions the non-technically adept (myself included) would ask. Roxanne joined a session of “head, shoulders, knees and toes” with the pre-schoolers on the playground while Kirk acted as the human jungle gym for some of the others. David (little David to avoid confusion), incapable of speaking any Creole, was welcomed into the puddle jumping with the Haitian kids. Language skills unnecessary. And those nearing graduation communicated their desire for the future – engineers, doctors, mechanics… their hopes and dreams are the same. Kids are kids. Just for these kids, the obstacles that they overcome are greater than we can truly appreciate.

2.  Education = long term growth

In Haiti, the trials are endemic – food, water, medicine, employment. Solutions are not easy, nor short. But they are as simple as education. This spring, the school in Gramothe will graduate its first high school class since the school’s inception in 1999. The opportunity that a high school diploma offers these students cannot be overstated. It will be education that draws these students and their families out of the cycle of poverty they have always known. For our team, focusing on education this week allowed us to utilize many of our God given abilities, align our time with the mission of the ministry and support the school in areas they are still developing. Merv led a team in the painting of the grade school exterior.  Strom, Febus and David updated computers, performed IT system maintenance, added computer translation programs and created tutorials on using common computer programs. Collectively, they have provided the technical foundation for the students, connecting them to the broader world of the internet. Jay and Brian and a large contingent of support taught classes – graphing calculators, chemistry demonstrations and lab skills. Investing in these kids is a long term solution, it’s a solution as deeply invested as the trials are deeply rooted.

3.  “the battle belongs to the Lord…” 1 Samuel 17:47b

Our trip has been a week, Mountain Top Ministries has invested 12 years and God has been working His story of redemption since the fall. The battle is His and He is victorious. Our trip is nothing more than an invitation to participate in His redemptive story, and yet, that invitation is everything for those that are willing to follow. God is present and active in Haiti. His work will be completed and we are thankful that He allowed us to join.

When we return to the States, many will ask “What did you do while you were in Haiti?”. The details of each of our answers will differ, but the foundation will be the same. We did the work that we were asked to do. We painted, we taught, we stocked shelves, we solved IT problems, we upgraded computers. These are the tangible acts of being the church, of coming alongside a ministry who is investing in this community daily with their lives, that we might be God’s hands and feet to them and those that they love. Equally, we laughed, we played with kids, we taught English, we practiced Creole, we interpreted, we climbed mountains, we worshiped, we photographed, we made friends, we dressed as a banana, we captured video… we shared this week of our lives in all the ways we knew how. And now we leave, but this ministry - a church, a school, a clinic – this work of God, Mountain Top Ministries, remains. Thus, we leave in prayer. Prayer for the ministry that they would continue in the redemptive work God has begun. Prayer for the people that they would know His truth and the richness of life He has to offer. And, praise unto the Lord, for His unfailing love and His faithfulness to all.

Thankful,

Kimberly

Day #6–Measurement, Computers, and Paint

Today was a great day. We continued to work on our projects of painting the school, maintaining and training in the computer lab, and teaching in the school.

Painting today went great and the crew got a lot done. In the morning Kirk, Morgan, Roxanne, Micah, and Merv painted up a storm. I was amazed at how much they accomplished. Kirk and Morgan helped teach in the afternoon but as soon as they were done teaching they went back to paint.


In the computer lab Strom, Febus, and David worked on some networking issues and creating some tutorials for students. These tutorials could be used to train upcoming classes of students for things like adding a picture in a word document and how to use the file server. 

Today might be our last day of teaching. We don't yet know what classes we will teach tomorrow nor if the students will be there. Teaching this week has been amazing and quite the challenge. We have learned a lot about teaching in Haiti and added new skills and knowledge.

We were scheduled to see three or four groups of students per day.  We were able to teach a few of the grades twice during the week. The first lab we did on Monday with students was identifying a “mystery powder” or “powder X”. This is the first lab I do with my chemistry students and I thought it would be a great place to start with my new Haitian students. We figured out quickly that this lab was difficult for them in ways we did not expect. While the students here have a very impressive rote memory, application and observations are tougher for them. This was the first data table they had ever made and making observations was confusing for them.  The students wanted to write down symbols and not tell us what they were seeing with their senses (even though we asked them not to, one student tasted the mystery powder ).  The next day we had to rethink our plan and try the lab with a new approach.

The students had a clear knowledge of chemistry. What was new was doing a lab activity and using that knowledge in a hands on way. What helped is having Morgan translate the instructions into French, and have those instructions posted on the board or on the lab tables. We also took a step back and taught them how to make observations. I did the “elephant’s toothpaste” demo and had the students write down their observations of the demo. They loved this and one student jokingly called it “white people magic” (we quickly corrected him and told him it was science). The lab taught them how to observe, how to organize their observations, and how to identify an unknown based on known information. They had a lot of fun.

Today we ran another lab with students that we felt was even more successful. We set up eight lab stations with things to measure at each station. We did more difficult measurements with pH probes for the 12th and 13th graders and had simpler measurements like length of shoes and temperature probes for the 7th and 8th graders. This “shotgun” approach to teaching let us hit many different measurement tools in the short time we had with the students. It was clear that the students had never measured liquid in a graduated container, temperature with a thermometer, or time using a stopwatch before.  It was enjoyable to get to introduce these to them.  For the larger classes, we split up the class and Jay had time to do some graphing calculator training. The lab today taught how to use a meter stick, triple beam balance, electronic balance, measure using a graduated cylinder, measure pH with a probe or pH paper, measure temperature with a thermometer or a probe, and how to use a stopwatch.

We have only scratched the surface of what skills and knowledge to teach these students. Today while I watched students measuring and using the calculators, I noticed several of them smiling. They genuinely wanted to learn, and we had the opportunity to be a part of it. Today two classes of students came to class only to do the labs we prepared (the high school students had testing this week, and some days they were not required to be there). The students kept finding things from around the room to measure. The students did not want to leave class when Jay was showing them calculator tricks. We even had students try to sneak into our class and learn science. There was a need and we helped to fill that need. The students will continue to learn, and the teachers at the school were excited to see the materials we were donating.

Last night the team reflected and we expressed how we were feeling about the week. The thought that keeps coming into my mind is how much support I have. I know that this week would not be possible without all the people that supported us financially. We also have so many people lifting us up in prayer. The Shedd Aquarium donated about 1000 dollars worth of Pasco probes and equipment for the students. Most of all I have felt God support me in such a big way while I am here. I know that I would not be able to do anything without God’s love and the people he has put in my life.

There is clear hope for Haiti.

Bryan

Day #5–Already Halfway Done

It has been another good day in Haiti, right now I’m sitting out on the second-floor balcony at the guest house about two hours after sunset.  Other than the light on the patio, there’s very little other light outside since most other places don’t have much in the way of electric lighting.  The birds are chattering constantly, and every once in awhile I can hear a dog barking and the occasional rooster (well, the broken ones that haven’t quite figured out that this is the night and not the early morning).  However, right across the riverbed, the MTM church is all lit up, and is one of the few things that can be seen that isn’t complete blackness.  They’re having their Wednesday evening worship service, and right now, I can hear their singing and praising God from all the way across the valley. 

Yesterday was the last day that the medical team was here, so the clinic was closed up and we said goodbye to all of them before bedtime.  They headed out to the airport at 5:45 this morning, much too early for me to be up, so I woke up to a much less crowded guest house this morning.  It was really cool that we were able to have the overlap with their team, because many of us were able to help in the clinic in some capacity.

It rained again last night and into the early morning so it made for a relatively slick walk down across the dry riverbed.  I’m one of those crazy guys who likes to “walk to work” every day (there’s about four of us that have walked every day).  Usually we take a shortcut trail that we like to call the “goat path,” where we have to descend a pretty steep grade to get to the riverbed, but we thought it would be a little too muddy for us to safely traverse so we took the main road down instead (however, on the walk home, a native Haitian told us that he walks the goat path every day, rain or shine).  The rest of the walk consists of about half a mile of very steep ascent up an old, paved, one-lane road.  It was good the road had grooves this morning because they were the only things that kept us from sliding down due to all of the moisture.  We also had an ATV that had a little bit of engine trouble, so there was plenty of excitement to fill the commute this morning.

Today our group painted some of the school exterior, worked in the computer lab, and taught three different science and math classes.  I started out the day with a brief spell of painting, and then helped as a class aide for the math class.  The main goal of our classes is to supplement what the students are currently learning in their classes, and to expose the students to topics that they have never covered.  The students have never had a science lab so Bryan has organized introductory lab classes for them and we have had great success.  In the math portion, we used graphing calculators to teach the students about solving algebraic equations graphically.  None of these students have ever solved equations this way before, and it has been a great experience teaching them how to do basic functions on the calculators.  What is even cooler, is that there has been a little bit of a buzz on the school campus about the calculators, so it’s good to know that some of the students are excited about using these new tools.  We don’t really know if or how they may be integrated into the math curriculum, but at the least, we have been able to expose these students to tools that they will run into sometime in the future, because some of the students are dreaming about becoming doctors and engineers. 

For dinner tonight, we had meatballs with rice, spicy red sauce, and black bean sauce.  The combination of spicy red and black bean sauce has been a favorite among us, so it was a very good dinner.  That’s all for now, so take care!
-Kirk

Day #4 – Last Day of the Clinic

Today was our second day “on the job” up the mountain. It was also the last day that the clinic team we were working with would be in Haiti for work. I spent nearly all of my day helping out in the “pharmacy” which was one floor above the clinic itself.

 

My morning consisted largely of counting and sorting pills; Kim, Bryan, Esdras, and myself were in charge of separating, counting, and compiling individual doses of several medications so that the clinic was well stocked and could run smoothly. We also took some time to enjoy the incredible view from the pharmacy balcony. Our work station was set up on the backside of the clinic building which overhangs the edge of the mountain; from there you can see down all the way into the valley as well as all the buildings, houses, and vegetation that adorns the mountainside(s).                                            
After lunch, I went back to the pharmacy to assist with the final inventory of all the medical supplies. Lou (the pharmacy boss) put me to work organizing several of the medications, sorting through which ones were expired, and providing a final estimate of the materials. Once that was finished, all the supplies and bags the medical team brought with them needed to be moved to the truck to come back down the mountain. After several trips to and from the truck and the clinic, uphill both ways, the work for the day was done and the clinic was left in tip-top shape for the next medical team that comes in.

Our group started a lot of other tasks today as well. Bryan’s chemistry lab experiment was a huge success today and many of the students thanked him personally for doing the lab. One of the students was so mesmerized by his experience that he dubbed it “white person magic,” to which Bryan properly informed the class that it was not magic, but in fact science. Additionally, Jay taught a calculator class for mathematics in which many of the students got to use a graphing calculator for the first time. Some of the Haitian students even wanted to come back another time to get more practice with their new equipment.
                                 
A few other of our group members helped with filing for the medical clinic to provide more documentation for who was being seen as well as medical histories. Furthermore, Merv headed up our painting project today and many of the group began working with him in the endeavor to “beautify” the school.
Today was my first experience riding in the back of the truck; I had been riding in the ATVs up and down the mountain up until this afternoon. It was a bit terrifying whenever we had to drive over a massive “pothole” and the entire truck leaned towards the drop-off to the mountain base. We got moving really fast a few times; I was glad Willem was driving so I didn’t have to navigate the “roads.” It’s pretty incredible what counts as a road here in Haiti; think of the rockiest hiking trail you’ve been on and then think steeper inclines, more rocks, and more treacherous pitfalls. Yeah, it’s crazy and it’s simply normal life for the Haitians (many of whom walk these roads).

Something that has really stood out to me thus far in Haiti is the people. In general, people are much more cordial and friendly; it’s pretty common to drive or walk past someone and exchange “bonjour”s (good morning) or “bonswa”s (good afternoon). Also, there is very little sense of personal boundaries among Haitians; on several occasions at the school, the students will just reach out and grab or touch you. Today, three small girls just came up to me and grabbed my hand; who knows, maybe I’m the tallest person they’ve seen before or something.
                             
I also was able to interact with Madam Cheap-Cheap, one of the vendors who came to sell us merchandise and souvenirs. I was surprised that, after buying some items from her, she gave me another item she had with her as a gift! It was refreshing to interact with such a kind-hearted and generous woman; I don’t think I’ve ever had someone state-side who was so happy just to do business with me. Willem and Beth have been very inviting and accommodating; Esdras, Bryan, Strom, and myself are actually staying in their house while the medical team is here since their isn’t enough rooms at the guesthouse.

It’s been fun having another team here to interact with; we’ve really been able to function as one larger group in teaming up to keep the clinic running at full speed, even though we don’t have any medical training. I’ve enjoyed working alongside of them, having conversations over meals, and making new friends. They are leaving tomorrow morning before our team will likely be awake, so tonight we’ll bid each other “au revoir.” It  will be interesting to adjust to doing work entirely on our own projects rather than supporting the clinic for the next three days while we’re here. I’m excited to see what all we can accomplish and what God has for us in our remaining time in Haiti.

-(Big) David   

Day #3–Up in the Village

Today was our first real day of work in the village. But before we left we got the chance to buy some souvenirs from local vendors. There were some really nice pictures and a beautiful table, but I’m not sure how I was supposed to get the table back on the plane so I stuck with some jewelry.

Going up the mountain was an adventure. It always is, but it rained last night so it was pretty slippery in the truck. Almost everyone had an assignment for the day, and mine was painting the school. The only problem was it was too wet to paint. So with no specific job I just went wherever I was needed. It was interesting, when I‘m at home I’m always the one with a plan. I usually need to know exactly what is going to happen, but that was pretty much impossible today.

I started the day in the computer lab making exam kits for the students. It’s exam week here so the students each got a pencil, a blue pen, and some colored pencils just for fun. The youngest kids got crayons. I learned that in Haiti, you have to write your exams with blue ink pens and that every student learns cursive, even the youngest ones. Some of the team members taught a science lesson today and needed help setting up, so I left the pencil project in capable hands and helped them set up. I also got a chance to see the demonstration and help test the cool science tools they brought over.
With the science project set up I went up to the clinic to help in the store room. The medical team is leaving Wednesday morning and they needed help organizing and doing inventory. It was nice to get to work with some different people.
Lunch was next and we ate at the school with the students, beans and rice. It was pretty good. This was also about the time the science team members asked me to help with the afternoon science lesson. I’m so glad I went. The students here have never had a lab before. Even some of the teachers had never seen one. The lesson was pretty simple, there were three known powders and one mystery one and they had to figure out what it was. It was so cool to see how interested the students, and even the teachers were. I also got the opportunity to talk to some of the teachers about the school and classes and our families. It really made me realize how blessed I am in America.

We cleaned up the lab materials and I headed back up to the computer lab and my pencil project, but some of the 8th grade boys here finished most of it for me. So I just sat and watched them look at Mountain Top Ministry on Google Earth with Strom (they thought it was awesome – which it was!). Some of us were able to leave early and decided to walk back to the house. The walk down wasn’t so bad, but the walk up is very, very steep. There were some places where I was literally climbing with my hands and feet. But it was worth it. The mountain is just so beautiful, it’s hard to describe in words.

I’m really grateful for this opportunity. I’ve only been here two days, but I’ve learned so much about myself and the love God has for us. I also learned that sometimes you just have to adapt and be able to go with the flow. Hopefully this lesson is one that stays with me forever!
-Roxanne