Parting Shots

Two of our young guests find the couch very comfortable.

A regular fruit buffet as part of our breakfast this morning - mango, pineapple, watermelon and banana. Guests sometimes comment ahead of time as to whether it will be a 3,4 or 5 fruit breakfast, depending on what is in season. There is always fruit in every season in Haiti.

Some of the guests enjoyed the outside dining room while having their breakfast. The fruit was followed by french toast served with real maple syrup donated from Canada.

This group that started with 18 was with us for a week. Many were adoptive parents. Time to load all the souveniers for the trip to the airport.

A final view of our inviting pool at the guest house. I was able to refresh the mural by mixing a number of paint colors to try to blend in with the original artist. Swimming is the norm 365 days a year here and a welcome relief from the heat.

I will be leaving for St. Catharines, Ontario on Sunday so this will be the last blog entry from Haiti. Pam had already returned at the beginning of June to resume her job and I will be looking for employment after the initial priorities of getting my motorcycle running again and playing a game of golf.

Reflecting for a moment on our year here I would have to say that our goals were achieved and exceeded. We wanted to take a year away to have more time for each other rather than the fast pace of life and jobs in North America. We wanted to experience some risk and adventure while trying to adapt in a new culture - one that had warm winters! We wanted to learn to know new people and we've met dozens, actually hundreds, of fascinating people from all over the world. Then in terms of the guest house we wanted to help establish a wider client base to ensure a successful future, especially for the staff who work here but also for the agricultural cooperatives who are also partially supported by funds generated here. In our first full month of September 05 we had 38 guests for the entire month. Last night we had 42 who stayed with us and the month's total will be just over 400. The political climate is a great determiner of guest occupancy but God has been very good to the ministry of the guest house and to us as a couple. Yes, we did sample a few of the local illnesses but they are long gone from our memory. Thank you to all of you who have taken the time to follow our blog, to pray for us and to send us notes of encouragement.

The guest house is currently looking for a new North American manager to work with our very capable Haitian manager Veniel to carry on the service of the guest house. Because the majority of our guests are North American we find this arrangement to be the most beneficial. We are delighted to welcome Sandy who will be here for July and August but then come September the assignment is open for application. The guest house is part of a non profit organization called Foundation for International Development Assistance. Please write to the exective director of FIDA Canada - Betsy Wall at: Betsy.Wall@fida-pch.org

Scene This Week

On one of my guest tours this week we stopped at the Olafson Hotel. On the grounds there was work being done to create a completely mobile stage for Haiti's first all Creole opera. Nick Whalen, one of our guests, had been able to secure an interview with the director, Hans Fels one evening. Fels had told him, "This country is so beaten, they deserve a good opera for a change". The opera will tour the Haitian countryside as well as the major cities. The numerous paintings were brilliantly done by a Port au Prince tap tap (taxi) painter. The painting below depicts the blowing of the conch shell which is the symbol of the beginning of the Haitian revolution for independence from French slavery. You can view Nick's complete article and photos by going to: berkshireeagle.com "Dispatches from Haiti"




I noticed this hotel as I looked over the trees beyond the Olafson Hotel. I asked a Haitian workman what it was and he said it was the "Hotel de Haiti" and "Baby Doc" Duvalier used to live there when he was in power. It looked abandoned at this point but would have overlooked the ocean and been a prime location in its day. Port au Prince has many buildings which give indication of its former glory and hopefully one day soon the fortunes of the city and the country will improve.

This week we heard a huge "boom" which announced that another truck tire had met its match in one of our potholes in front of the guest house. The inside of the rear dual was finished. What I found especially interesting was the caption on the truck. Obviously it once said: "Trust in God" but was now reduced to "Rust in God". Various applications can be made. When trust wanes, faith gets rusty. Or - over time if trust erodes, we need to re-establish our spiritual priorities to give a creditable witness. Or - just because a person does trust, it doesn't mean that negative circumstances won't still occur - like blown tires. Or - you can add your own. At any rate, the water haulers decided there wasn't much they could do to fix it with a full load of water so they got back in the truck and continued on at a slower pace. An example of blind _rust.

Celebration of God

On Thursday, June 15, a holiday in Haiti, I happened to look over the balcony and notice that police motorcycles had closed our street. Soon after I heard music and singing and that drew me to go out to investigate. I came upon the street scene depicted in the first picture. I discovered that it was a Catholic holiday called "Fet de Dieu" or in English - Feast of God or Celebration of God. There were about 1000 people gathered on the street listening, singing and celebrating.

A truck equipped with an assortment of huge speakers amplifying the music was the means of letting people know they were in the neighborhood. It would stop every few blocks for the people in the area to gather round. In the truck was a worship team leading the songs in harmony. It was obviously very meanigful to the gathered crowd as many were praying and singing along.

When one song had a chorus that repeated the name of "Jesus" many of the gathered crowd raised their arms in worship as well as waving flowers. It felt good to be part of this celebration of faith and I had to think of how different this was than Canadian society. First of all on a holiday shopping is a major concern while in Port au Prince not even the small convenience stores were open. Having music played openly on the streets, especially religious music, would likely have required numerous permits to be obtained first, if they would even be granted. Then would people have come out of their homes to worship and celebrate on the streets in an obvious display of spiritual vibrancy and dedication to God? Most likely not.

One way the celebration was similar to Canada was the way street vendors were able to take advantage of a great selling opportunity with the gathered crowds. This man makes snow cones and these individuals with their carts are familiar all over the city. In the center of the cart is a large block of ice covered by a sheet of plastic to try to keep it from melting too quickly. When he has an order he uses a small tool to scrape the ice into shavings which he puts into a plastic cup. Several filled cups are visible on the top right side of the cart. When he has made the desired number he then asks which flavor of snow cone they desire and the bottles all around the cart contain a great variety of colored and flavored syrups. This is poured on the shaved ice and the snow cone is complete. A great treat on a hot day in any country!

Captured and Captioned from the Balcony

Introducing the head table . . .

The journey gets more difficult when you bottle things up.

Feeling bagged on a load of charcoal.

How can you balance that stuff on your hand?

Best seat on the truck!

Please break down beside the curb next time!

Coffee Run to Jacmel

This past week I made a coffee run from Port au Prince to Jacmel with my niece Janine who was visiting from Barrie. Unlike a Canadian run where you go to the next Tim Horton's, we were actually transporting 10 bags of coffee beans from one of our mountain co-ops to a coffee exporting co-op on the way to Jacmel. After traveling along the coast for an hour we needed to wind our way over the beautiful mountain range as you see depicted.

However, the road had a curve every hundred feet so with all the turns the truck looked distorted when we got out for some pictures. This is Jacques who is an agronomist with Productive Cooperatives Haiti which is the organization that Walls Guest House is affiliated with.

We delivered the coffee to this warehouse which made our ten bags seem like a drop in a cup.

These tables are normally occupied by the individuals who hand sort the coffee beans. Make sure you appreciate all the work that goes into your next cup of coffee.

After our delivery we continued to the beach outside Jacmel and spent a few hours snorkeling in this cove. We were out beyond the rocks on the far right and saw some beautiful fish and coral formations.

On our way back to Port au Prince we were behind this motorcycle family. In Canada that would mean at least two motorcycles. If you count carefully you'll notice four heads and the shoe sticking out the front is the youngest daughter riding side saddle on the tank in front of her dad. Three and four on a bike is common. Five is becoming crowded but at least the helmuts don't get in the way.

Pam has returned to Canada as of June 1 to continue her employment and I'll be joining her in another month. The scenes there won't be nearly as impressive as many that we've come across in Haiti in this past year.

Cite Soleil

We have wanted to visit the notorious Cite Soleil for some time. Before the election, it was not considered safe to do so.










One sees the rows of tin housing from the plane as when you approach Port-au-Prince from the air. However, you get a different feel as you stroll amongst the houses on the ground - if indeed they can be called houses.
Six of us had the opportunity to meet some of the residents of this part of the city Sunday as we walked amongst the crowded shacks.







We met children and adults but as usual I enjoyed meeting the children the most. The children here do not have difficulty with childhood obesity like many in North American do.








This is the area closest to the water - usually the preferred location for real estate. Somehow in this city, it does not meet the criteria for most preferred housing.










Instead of playgrounds and yards, the children play on garbage remains. When it rains, all the garbage from regions higher in the city runs down to the water's edge and - you guessed it - right into this neighbourhood.










The children were curious about us - and those that knew some English tried to start conversations - we did not get asked for money once - they simply wanted to be our friend. I noticed runny noses and productive coughs - we heard that there is only one doctor for 1000's of residents.

The only animals that seem healthy are the pigs that you may notice in the water behind these children.



No doubt Janine is wondering just how to feel about everything she is seeing.

I know I am.









In the afternoon, we visited 2 friends further up the hill. One lives in a penthouse apartment and the other in a house along the ridge of the mountains much like this one.










The higher one goes up into the mountains the bigger the homes are. Security becomes more of an issue then as well.











This is an indoor garden that is common in many of the homes here.












This home is a spacious, multi-bedroomed 3 level home. One can't accuse the owners of not caring about their fellow Haitians - both are working to improve the standard of living for the less fortunate. One has a large school in Cite Soleil, one is working with peasants in rural Haiti.
The problem of poverty has never been simple.








On another note, I happened to come upon two scenes in the "staff lounge" (laundry room) this week that I thought were amusing. I peeked around the corner of the door one afternoon to catch Henri with a pile of feathers on the floor, calmly plucking a small bird clean. I gasped and hurried out but later returned to catch him on camera. He is always ready to laugh at my reactions.




The other time involved the women calling my
name as I walked by one morning. They wanted to show me their "new clothes" and the fashion show that they were having. So we took pictures and laughed at them strutting up and down the room in some of my clothes and shoes. You see, I am packing and giving away some things that I don't need. It's true - I am leaving tomorrow - back to Canada to resume my job in St. Catharines. Waldo will stay another month to carry on assisting at the Guest House and will keep us informed of his adventures here until the end of June.

The Way We Saw It

One last view of the remains of the former Toyota inferno in front of the guest house. This resting place is a few blocks away and it sits upside down with all the parts removed. However, recycling is never complete in Haiti so there may still be more plans for what's left.

Meet John, Gorman and Omega who have come to the guest house for the last few Tuesdays for a few hour cram session on English pronunciation, word meanings and idiom explanations. They are three keen young English teachers who are committed to teach the English language as expertly as possible.

Tony, one of our street vendors is busy staining and varnishing window slats from the guest house. We have employed him to refresh some of our wood surfaces which also include panels, doors and a bannister. Not only does his labour improve the look of the guest house but he hires his two sons to assist him plus another friend so the good fortune of a short term job is passed on to others.

Pedestrians beware on any Port au Prince street. You not only need to look both ways before you cross but also during as the guest house location is on a corner. (try this at home with 50 pounds on your head) Brakes are used to avoid collisions and open manholes but those on foot need to constantly listen for vehicle sounds and horns as any part of the road or even sidewalk is fair territory for a driver.

Our guest house driver, Tillus, is the proud father of three of these girls and two of them and their friends celebrated their first communion today. He rented a suit and we provided him with our truck for the day to shuttle his family between home, church and reception.

One of the girls was enthralled with Pam's white skin as she pinched and rubbed her arm to see how it would react. Whites are a definite minority in Haiti and many people would never have the opportunity to interact with a white skinned person up close. Pam didn't mind the scrutiny and made another new friend.