I've spent some time thinking about how best to describe the children of Haiti.  Do I focus on their huge smiles and infectious laughter?  Or maybe their playful nature and their love of "selfies". Perhaps I should emphasize their strong faith or respect for education.  They are sassy and happy. Inquisitive and loving.  Resilient and fragile.  I've concluded the best way to capture the essence of the children I met, is simply through pictures.

​My first glimpse of the children of Haiti was at church on Sunday.  I mentioned how quiet and well-mannered they were during church.  I watched them watching us during the service, especially the way they stared at Catie, someone a little closer to their age, but so extremely different.  After church was our first opportunity to interact with them and they could not get enough of us and our pictures!  They would surround you, posing for pictures and begging to see themselves on the cell phones, giggling uncontrollably.  Here are some pictures we took after church on Sunday.

We got ready each morning to the beautiful sound of children singing.  The students congregated in the courtyard, lined up by class, and sang songs of faith for at least thirty minutes.  (I tried for way too long to attach the video of them singing, but I could never get it to work but you can see it on my Facebook page).  It was beautiful and always brought a tear to my eye.  We would see the children when they arrived at school, we were able to visit them in their classrooms, and spent some time with them at our clinic when school was dismissed at that location.  Again, I think the pictures speak much more eloquently than my words.

But the most life changing experience involving the children of Haiti, was the honor and privilege of meeting the children we sponsored.  

There is no public education in Haiti. Wikipedia reports that international private schools (run by Canada, France, or the United States) and church-run schools educate 90% of students. Haiti has 15,200 primary schools, of which 90% are non-public and managed by communities, religious organizations or NGOs. The enrollment rate for primary school is 88%. Secondary schools only enroll 20% of eligible-age children.  We were told if you have a 6th grade education there, it's like the equivalent of a doctor in the United States.  These 6th grade students read and sign all pertinent paperwork in the household concerning all matters.  We spent lots of time in the primary school but we were also fortunate enough to visit the newly built high school.  They were only able to accommodate 7th grade, but planned to have 7th and 8th grade next year and continue adding a grade each year.  The students were so respectful and thankful to be in school.  It was amazing.

Being privately owned, these schools usually require tuition fees.  Along with the cost of transport, books, and the mandatory uniform, it is very hard for Haitians to send their children to school. Here's where sponsorship comes in.  The following comes directly from the Haiti Outreach Ministry website.

The HOM/MICECC schools give students an opportunity to succeed that they may not otherwise have in Haiti. We currently have over 1,200 students enrolled in the primary schools in three locations; Cité Soleil, Terre Noire, (Blanchard) and Menelas (Repatriote). Our students enroll in pre-school classes at age three and continue until grade six.  Because of the quality education available at each of the schools, parents are eager to have their children attend. Each school is able to enroll 60 children per registration period, but they receive many more applications. The education the students receive gives them the opportunity to develop and enhance the talents the Lord has given them.  Not only are the children learning educational subjects such as math and history, but they also receive Biblical lessons. We are primarily a Christian ministry; the educational programs are extensions of that. The children are taught Bible stories and verses, as well as lessons important to leading a Christian life. The students are able to spread the Gospel to their families and be a light for Christ to those around them.
The sponsorship program makes the educational goals of HOM possible. Through their sponsorship donations, all students receive academic instruction in a Christian environment,  a hot lunch, vitamins, books, classroom materials, health care exams, and Christmas and birthday celebrations.  After leaving primary schools, students may continue their studies through secondary school, college and trade or vocational schools.

​The cost for sponsoring a primary school student is $30/month.

 All of us who spent time in Haiti have sponsored children.  I hope my own sponsorship of Lory and Obed (currently in Preschool) can continue through high school!  Here are some pictures of us with our sponsored children.

If you would like more information on sponsoring a child in Haiti, please visit http://www.haitiom.org/hom-schools/ or feel free to contact me privately or on this page.

Up Next:  Haiti...Political Unrest
My final installment of seeing Haiti through my eyes!

To get the full experience, it was decided Catie and I would work Monday and Tuesday in the clinic and Wednesday and Thursday in the schools.  After spending time in the clinic and realizing how much we were needed, our plans changed and we spent all week (except a couple of hours on Thursday) in the clinic.  For me personally, this was the most life changing part of our trip.

​Our clinic was located about 3 miles away from Blanchard (where we stayed) in Cite Solei, an extremely impoverished and densely populated commune located in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area in Haiti.  The area is generally regarded as one of the poorest and most dangerous areas of the Western Hemisphere and it is one of the biggest slums in the Northern Hemisphere. The area has virtually no sewers and has a poorly maintained open canal system that serves as its sewage system.  It has few formal businesses but many local commercial activities and enterprises.  There is sporadic but largely free electricity, a few hospitals, and two government schools.  HOM operates this clinic along with a church and school on the same site.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, we were not allowed to tour Cite Solei this year as we have in the past because of violence in the city while we were there.  Therefore I’m sharing some of my friend Frank Clark’s pictures from their tour of the city in 2015 in a slideshow below.  (Thanks Frank!)  Since I was not able to see the city for myself (beyond the clinic), here is a description from Brian Fitzpatrick and Michael Norby from as recently as 2014. (http://newint.org/features/2014/07/01/haiti-fighting-for-change/)

“At the sea’s edge, toddlers play naked among wild pigs, and people rummage across mountains of rancid trash and human feces. Most housing consists of ramshackle huts, like ovens under the Haitian sun. When it rains, an ankle-deep soup of sewage fills the interiors. Years after the earthquake, the famous mud cakes of Cité Soleil are still being sold at the side of the street: discs of baked dirt, water and salt eaten by starving families to stave off hunger.”

We arrived at the clinic around 8:00 most mornings.  Hundreds of men, women and children were already lined up waiting for us. Half of the clinic is set up for mission groups such as ours and is staffed only about 6 months a year, depending on the number of medical missions scheduled through HOM.  The other half houses Haitian doctors.  It is determined ahead of time who should see us and who should see the Haitian doctor, but I witnessed many examples of teamwork between both sides as thoughtful decisions were made on behalf of the patients.  Our side of the clinic was set up with a triage room (Amy, Jennifer, Marcia, and Catie), four exam rooms manned by our doctors (Evelyn, Karen, Christy, and Frank), a surgical room (Dr. Mike and his son Austin), Pharmacy (Kerry, Diron and me), and a Lab.  Interpreters were with each person and what an important job!  Our work could not be done effectively without efficient translators.  Sidenote:  On Monday, I actually worked surgery with Dr. Mike, but spent the rest of the week in Pharmacy, thus the stories of me in surgery! 

Every patient who came in was given worm medicine and weighed.  We took their blood pressure, temperature and a detailed description of their symptoms.  If needed, pregnancy tests and urinalyses were given.  They then waited to see a doctor.  After the appointment with the doctor, they brought their prescriptions to the pharmacy window and waited for it to be filled.  The entire process could take hours.  The vast majority of what we saw was high blood pressure (and I mean HIGH...in very young people!), pediatric malnutrition, skin rashes, respiratory infections, asthma, GERD, abscesses and worms.  But we also saw some very sick people, especially babies.

As mentioned earlier, I worked one day in Surgery with Dr. Mike and the other days with Diron and Kerry in Pharmacy.  When you are in Pharmacy, you are doing extremely important work, but a little bit isolated from what's going on in the clinic.  Therefore, I've asked Amy to share some of her stories, as she was right in the heart of it.

This is a 7 month old little girl. Her mom brought her to the clinic for fever, cough, and loss of appetite.  She was so light that I had to repeatedly ask her Mom her age.  She weighed only 12 pounds!  I noticed also she did not interact as most 7 months would, she did not attempt to stand,  and she never smiled.  She had a fever, her lungs sounded full of gunk, and she was dehydrated.  This little girl was sick! Dr. Christy Fagg saw the baby and ask that she get a breathing treatment, antibiotics and an IV.  This 30 year OR nurse hasn’t started IVs in years so I ask Marcia Chew (great ICU nurse) to start the IV.  Thankfully Marcia agreed!! It’s seeing children like this in Haiti that just rips at my heart.  It also makes me pause to appreciate my own children’s health, my grandson’s health and the ready access to healthcare!  
-Amy Woods

I wish I could articulate what it was like to see the sickness that came in that could easily be prevented with any kind of access to health care.  Wikipedia reports that "In terms of health care spending, Haiti ranks last in the western hemisphere. Economic instability has limited any growth in this area. Per capita, Haiti spends about US$83 annually on health care. There are 25 physicians and 11 nurses per 100,000 population. Only one-fourth of births are attended by a skilled health professional. Most rural areas have no access to health care, making residents susceptible to otherwise treatable diseases."  We had twin girls come in that were so sick they needed to be taken immediately to the local hospital.  One doctor described the hospital as "something from the civil war era".  Because the parents couldn't pay, no service would be given to them and the only way they received any medicine was because we brought it to the hospital for them to administer.  In fact, the hospital would not even release the children back to their parents until they could pay.  It was very stressful and maddening for our group.

As sick of some of them were, they were the strongest people I've ever met.  I did several surgeries with Dr. Mike where patients were only give a local anesthetic.  They rarely whimpered or said a word and were so appreciative when it was all over.  It was fascinating to watch not only the surgeries themselves, but the the way Dr. Mike made each patient feel like the most special human being he had ever met.  Each of our doctors (and pharmacist) did this and it honestly brought tears to my eyes each time I witnessed it.  I wish I had the medical background and memory to relay the amazing stories I heard throughout each day from our oh-so-talented medical staff.  Their experiences are so unique and fascinating, they really should write a book!

Sunday...
Religion is a fundamental part of Haitian culture.  We awoke early Sunday morning, had breakfast, and headed to church. The communities put on their best clothes and pack the pews.  Children (and even babies!) are so well behaved and quiet.  Church in Haiti can last up to three hours as it is a primary social infrastructure for the community. Religion shapes the fabric of everyday life and from this faith comes hope, a sense of purpose, and resilience. Their faith gives them strength.

​Sunday was "free day" so after church we changed clothes and headed to Cite Solei to set up our medical clinic for the week.  Transportation in Haiti is through tap taps, America's version of a taxi. Tap tap literally means "quick quick" and are privately owned and ornately decorated.  Most tap taps are very old and an extremely bumpy ride.  In fact, The US State Department warns travelers not to use tap taps "because they are often overloaded, mechanically unsound, and driven unsafely."  I can attest to this!  Haitian interpreters were with us at all times to help us navigate, negotiate, and also as a security measure.  From the clinic, we drove to Port-au-Prince to The National Museum of Haiti.  It was very interesting learning the history of Haiti. So much I didn't know!  Including that Christopher Columbus founded Haiti in 1492 and the museum houses the original anchor from the Santa Maria which sank after running aground in Haiti.  After our guided tour, we stayed in Port-au-Prince to have lunch at the United Nations.  The restaurant was very Americanized and our table was filled with burgers, fries and Prestige, the local Haitian beer.

After a late lunch we headed to Croix des Bouquets, a local artisan colony.  It was hut after hut of homemade (mostly metal) artwork made by the locals.  The artwork was beautiful and each of us bought pieces to take home for ourselves, family and friends. As beautiful as the artwork was, the trip to the colony enabled us a further glimpse into the poverty and desperation of the Haitian people to make a living.  We were encouraged to always stay together (and with our interpreters) and my fear of theft was heightened as I thought about how much just the cash in my wallet could afford someone in their country.

Our Sunday was extremely busy and hot and full of all kinds of experiences.  Our first taste of Haiti.  We headed home, showered, ate dinner, congregated as a group for a devotion and hit the sack pretty early.  Tomorrow we were about to get our first glimpse into the PEOPLE of Haiti...and what a strong group of people they are!

​The months leading up to our trip were filled with the logistics expected for a trip of this nature.  Packing was unusual because Haiti (or at least the site that housed us) has a strict dress code.  Shorts or skirts must come to your knees and you must cover your shoulders (no tank tops).  You also must wear closed toe shoes.  We also knew that working in the school required wearing a skirt.  Knowing the weather would be in the 80’s, Catie and I hit the clearance racks at the end of the summer and Goodwill to buy what we needed, with a plan to leave all of our clothes there as a donation when we left.
 
A strong mosquito spray with DEET was essential.  I had trouble finding it here this time of year so we ended up ordering it through Amazon.  Thank goodness we did, because as we were on our way to Haiti, we received word that the Zika virus was rampant in Haiti.  Zika virus is a mosquito-borne ailment similar to dengue fever.  Symptoms, which usually are relatively mild, can include fever, rash, conjunctivitis and headache. In more serious cases, they can include muscle pain, swelling and an itchy rash.  The virus is really only dangerous for pregnant women because it can lead to birth defects and miscarriage, but would definitely be uncomfortable and miserable to have a virus of this nature outside the comforts of home.  Unfortunately our two team members who had come a week earlier, Mike and Austin, came down with a virus the first week there that sent them from our boarding house to a hotel to recover.  They were never tested but it was widely assumed they had the Zika virus.  Fortunately they recovered completely and were able to spend the next week with us feeling much better.  We stayed coated in mosquito spray all week.  Getting out of the shower fresh and clean only lasted a few minutes as you immediately coated yourself with the oily spray that didn’t have the most fragrant aroma either!  Zika is just now entering the United States and you are probably hearing about it on the news this week.
 
We also had to make an appointment at the Health Department to be sure we were up to date with our vaccines.  To travel to Haiti it’s recommended you have the Hepatitis A and B vaccine and Tdap.  We were also prescribed medicine for Typhoid and Malaria and got our flu shots.
 
During most of this preparation, my husband was very quiet.  He was not really thrilled about us going, especially Catie.  He was proud of us, but nervous and worried.  Amy assured him it was safe but he gave us each a can of mace and made Catie promise to carry it with her at all times.  We teased him but I also took his concerns seriously.  I did a bit of research on the violence in Haiti and it appeared to be relatively safe compared to other countries with similar conditions.  In fact, while crime can certainly be an issue, Haiti might actually be one of the safer countries in the Caribbean. Its murder rate pales in comparison to that of some of the Caribbean’s top destinations – half that of the Dominican Republic and barely a quarter of Jamaica’s, according to the UNODC’s 2013 Global Study on Homicide. Port-au-Prince, the heart of recent political demonstrations and most tourists’ main point of entry into Haiti, dominates the crime statistics but foreigners are rarely targeted: figures are skewed heavily to inter-gang violence primarily in neighborhoods that tourists are unlikely to visit such as Carrefour, Cite Soleil, Martissant and Bel Air.  With that being said, I knew our clinic was in Cite Soleil and we would NOT be touring Cite Soleil this year (as we have in the past) due to safety concerns with two feuding neighborhoods within Cite Soleil.  I planned to be smart, but not let fear ruin the experience.  My biggest fear was theft, so we wore no jewelry (except a cheap pair of stud earrings), took only our passports, driver’s license, cash and one credit card.  I kept these items on me at all times.  Our group did not encounter any problems with theft, but the other mission group there from South Carolina was driving in a taptap (Haiti’s version of a taxi…more on that later) and someone reached in and pulled a necklace off a woman’s neck while they were stopped.  Bottom line is no matter how many years you have safely been to Haiti, you can never get too comfortable.
 
In preparation for our work there, we also participated in a “pill packing” party hosted by Blacksburg Presbyterian Church.  We spent several hours, with the help of many volunteers, packing the medication and supplies to stock our clinic and take to the school in 22 large suitcases.  We also sorted medicine such as vitamins and antibiotics from the large containers to smaller quantities in order to save time in the pharmacy once we arrived.  Because all of our checked luggage (two suitcases each) were filled with medication and supplies, we were only able to bring one carry on with our personal items and a backpack.

​Catie and I were both nervous leading up to the trip.  I was more worried about things like safety, our living arrangements, and food.  Catie was worried about getting homesick and being so far from home.  Fortunately none of our concerns were founded!  On the day before we left I sent Catie the following text…
​
“We are going to Haiti!!!  WTH?!?!”
and she replied immediately,
“Hahahaha I know mom oh my gosh!!!” 

And that pretty much summed it up!  On Saturday morning we woke up early and met our fellow team members to caravan to Charlotte.  (Thank you Janet Sims for seeing us off…so sweet!)  We drove to Charlotte and caught a flight to Atlanta.  We had a layover in Atlanta so Catie and I decided to honor our last taste of American food with a huge bacon cheeseburger and fries!  From Atlanta we flew to Port au Prince arriving around 7:00 pm. 

​As we began our landing, I asked Catie, “Are you ready?”  She looked at me and said “Ready or not, here we come!”  And boy was she right…here is where our adventure really begins!

Next Blog Post:  We Arrive and a Sunday in Haiti

I’ve listened to my sister-in-law talk about her trips to Haiti for about 4 years now.  She would show me pictures, bring me back gifts, and become very animated in trying to describe her experiences.  Honestly, I just never really “got it”.  I would, of course, listen politely and try to wrap my head around the things she would tell me, but it just seemed like a world away…and now after being there, I realize it is.

I wish I could say that a deep calling to make a difference in the world is what propelled me to make the decision to join her on her most recent trip, but it was not.  It was the mama bear in me.  Although I was extremely intrigued by the idea of going and I did want to make an impact on others, I would always tell myself “one of these days”.  One of these days came in the form of my daughter announcing that she needed a passport because she was going to Haiti with Aunt Amy.  Ummm, not without your mama!  And that was that.  The decision to go to Haiti for a week on a mission trip was made.  And I couldn’t be more grateful to Amy and Catie for pushing me outside my comfort zone and giving me the experience of a lifetime.

​Catie and I joined Amy’s medical team, who is sponsored through Blacksburg Presbyterian Church and coordinate their mission work through Haiti Outreach Ministries (HOM).  The work of Haiti Outreach Ministries (HOM) is done at three mission sites.  Each site is anchored with the sound foundation of a church whose congregants worship regularly. Each church campus supports a school, clean water program and medical care to help meet the needs of the people.  Mission trip opportunities include:  Construction, Education, Teacher Training and Religious Instruction, Medical, and Long Term Volunteer Opportunities.  As I said before, we went as a Medical Mission team with the idea Catie and I would spend a couple of days in the medical clinic and a couple of days in the elementary school.  I do not hesitate to say that we were not only blessed with this trip, but blessed to go with some of the most compassionate, kind, and fun people I have ever met.  Catie and I were privileged to share this adventure with 11 other amazing human beings.  My sister in law, Amy, who is an Assistant CNO at a hospital in our area and frankly, our hero.  Evelyn and Christy are very talented and empathetic Physicians.  Frank is a Psychiatrist with such strong faith and his beautiful new wife Jennifer is a Nurse Practitioner practicing in the mental health field.  Karen (our fearless and FUN leader!) is also a Nurse Practitioner working in Oncology and Marcia is an RN who treated every patient as if they were family.  Kerry is a conscientious, caring (and very popular!) Pharmacist and Mike is a General Surgeon with the kindest heart I've ever met.  Rounding out our group was Diron, a very genuine guy (and comedian in disguise!) who just happens to be an Information Technology Director that also works at a hospital, and Austin, Mike’s 23 year old sweet son who braved Haiti for 2 weeks with his dad for his first mission trip!

​Before I get ahead of myself, let me tell you a little about Haiti.  Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Haiti makes up the western one-third of the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean. The eastern two-thirds of the island is the Dominican Republic.  Haiti is slightly smaller than the state of Maryland with close to 10 million residents (if you are wondering like I was, Maryland has a population of close to 6 million).  More than two thirds of the population is unemployed. Roughly 80 percent of Haitians are Roman Catholic, while fewer than one in five claims to be Protestant. Roughly 95 percent of Haitians – regardless of religious affiliation – hold at least some Voodoo beliefs or superstitions.
 
As described by Chelsea Evans on http://borgenproject.org/top-five-facts-about-poverty-in-haiti/, in 2010 Haiti was struck by what has been called the strongest earthquake since 1770. The 7.0 mW quake with aftershocks ranging from 4.2 to 5.9 affected at least 3 million people (over 220,000 killed) and left them in need of emergency aid. But in the last three years, the world at large has turned away from the struggle of the Haitian people to focus on newer problems. The fact remains, though, that aid is still needed. Here are the top 5 facts you should know about Haiti’s poverty.

• Even before the earthquake hit, 1.9 million people were in need of food assistance. Around 60 percent of the population lives on less than $1.00 a day. As a result, malnutrition and anemia run rampant. Haiti is the third hungriest country in the world.​
• Only 50 percent of the people have access to an improved water source, such as a hand pump or a well. This means that most of the population depends on lakes, streams and rivers for their water, regardless of the cleanliness. Even if some people can get to better water than others, a total of 80 percent do not have adequate sanitation available. So even if they run less risk of becoming ill from bad water, they are unable to clean themselves and are susceptible to disease and infection.
• Only fifty percent of children living in Haiti are able to go to school, while 30 percent of those only progress to the fifth grade. As a result, half of Haitians are illiterate. Without a proper education, the people are unable to break free of the cycle of poverty.
• Haiti is the poorest country in the world with a poverty rate of 77 percent, closely followed by Guinea with a 76.7 percent poverty rate. The World Bank estimates that the earthquake caused about $8 million in damage, or 120 percent of the GDP.
• There is a large population of orphaned children in Haiti, many of whom are living on the streets. There were an estimated 380,000 prior to the earthquake and untold thousands added to that number after it. There are also about 250,000 restaveks, or children working as servants and often treated as slaves.

 
The statistics are staggering and heartbreaking, but not as much as seeing it in person. And that's just what we are about to do...see Haiti through my eyes!  I hope you will follow along with me on this journey!

Next Blog Post:  Haiti...Prepare and Take Off!!

I really miss writing.  It’s something I truly enjoy.  I love going back and reading old blog posts and remembering certain experiences, people or memories.  I hope one day it will be a small glimpse into my life and my heart for my children and grandchildren.

With that being said, I haven’t written anything since May 2015.  I’m not sure why.  I’ve composed more posts in my head than I can count.  I’ve “written” about my first experience with empty nest and how scared I am about it being completely empty next year.  I’ve “written” about how friendships and marriage change as your kids graduate and leave home.  I’ve “written” about the changing dynamics once our parents begin to age and roles begin to reverse.  I’ve “written” about my journey towards gratitude this year and how it’s changed my life.  I’m not sure why I’m not putting anything down on paper anymore or why I’ve become a bit afraid of that “publish” button I used to push so freely.  When I started LimitlessLessons it was just for me.  A way for me to express my creative side, to record important moments for my kids to look back on when they are older, and to find support of others going through the same things I am.  I guess as time went on I realized I wasn’t ready to be as vulnerable as I thought I was.  I realized I had stopped writing for me and I had started writing for others…making sure I was politically correct in all my posts, worrying about stepping on toes or hurting someone’s feelings.  They say as you get older you worry less about what people think, but I was finding just the opposite.  I wondered what people were saying about my writing behind my back and began to feel anxious every time I published something.  It wasn’t as fun anymore.  It felt like work.

​Obviously I needed the break and I’ve been able to re-energize and re-prioritize.  I’m ready to write again.  I can’t promise to publish everything I write, but I’m ready to express myself again.  There is so much to talk about!  I’m starting today to document my trip to Haiti.  As I take some time to process and best articulate these experiences, I will be sharing some of my favorite posts from years past.  I hope revisiting these will remind me why I started this in the first place.  So thanks for reading if this is the kind of thing that interests you.  And if it doesn’t, thanks for scrolling on through quietly and loving me anyway! Xo
 
P.S.  After I wrote this, I went back to look at some of my old posts and realized my first published post was on this very day (February 1) in 2013.  Coincidence?  I think not!  The universe is telling me it’s time to begin…again!