Maddie's participation in the great Pink Out

What I learned from Eko

This is Eko. He's one of my favorite people in the world.  Eko is 24 and has down syndrome.  He went with me pretty much anywhere I went throughout the week.  I learned so much about joy from him last week in Haiti.  The closest he's ever been able to pronounce my name is "Kame"

Eko has a way when he walks into a room that he makes everyone feel important.  He walks in with joy radiating out from him (most of the time), walking up to each person and giving them this special kind of Eko hug and pronouncing each person's name in a way that sounds sort of like their actual name.  If you hang out with him long enough, you learn to understand him. Speaking creole seems to helps - which I don't.

Tom informally adopted him when he got to Verette and has helped him learn to communicate more clearly, and given him a place to hang out.  Tom has also unofficially donated his entire CD collection to Eko, who will sit for hours listening to music, and singing along with everything from James Taylor to worship music.  One of my favorite moments in Haiti was driving through the streets of Verettes with just Eko and I.  He wanted to start singing a song, "Come, now is the time to worship" so I joined in.  You had a tone deaf guy and a down-syndrome guy who doesn't understand most of the words singing a worship song at the top of their lungs together.  I'm sure God smiled as he put cotton balls in his ears.

"Tout mon konnen Eko" in Haitian Creole means "Everybody knows Eko", which they all seem to in the town of Verettes.  You'll be driving through the streets and you'll hear a random "Eko" shouted out as someone recognizes him. If you drive by the police station, you see the local police yell out his name.  Kids in Haiti are no different than kids in America, and some of them can be mean and it kills me to see them being mean to Eko.

Eko has a great sense of when others are getting into tough situations and will redirect you away.  Sometimes it's because I can't understand what's being said, sometimes it's because he thinks I'm doing something dangerous.  I reached out to pet a horse and he grabbed my hand back and demonstrated that the horse could bite my finger, by putting his own finger out in front of the horse.  A group of teenagers were being rude to a woman in our group, and Eko grabbed her hand and led her away.


Tom explained to me that the Haitians don't understand sarcasm.  I'm pretty sure Eko does - at least he gets me and he never failed to make me smile when I saw him.

Reflections on my second Haiti Trip

I'm back after my second week long trip to Haiti.  This trip was radically different than the first trip for a few major reasons, which created a very different outcome for me.  Cathie commented that when I got home I was a whole different person than the first time, that I'd come back full instead of empty.

One of the biggest differences was that fact that I went down to Haiti with a large group of people (14 of us) this time.  On my first trip, I'd gone with Bill, a 70 year old man that I'd just met from church.  Bill had been to Haiti on and off for 10 years and Tom had been down in Haiti for 15 years.  I stayed right with Tom and his family, but it was still a little overwhelming and lonely - though I wouldn't change it for the world.  I think both Bill and Tom appreciated seeing Haiti through a fresh set of eyes, but it was tough not having anyone with whom I could process what I was seeing and feeling.  Having a broader group of friends around this time me to think through what was going on, to see others going through what I had went through and even to have some levity at times about what we were seeing made it easier to process.

The fact that it was my second trip made all the difference in the world.  My first trip, so much energy seemed to go into processing the huge paradigm shift I was going through in terms of what I saw with the poverty, the culture, the language and coming from being the majority to a minority. I almost felt guilty for not being shocked by what I was seeing this time, but it was interesting watch the others in my group process what they were seeing - what shocked them, what silenced them and what blew them away.  I laughed so much this trip, which may sound trite, but it was wonderful.  By not spending all of my energy on the paradigm shift, I was able to spend more time enjoying and learning from the people I came into contact with.  I focused on learning the language prior to the trip, and even that little bit of extra creole was a big help in terms of conversations with people.

I went into this trip with a whole different mindset thanks to a book that our pastor had us read before we went: When Helping Hurts.  The book flipped me 180 degrees on my purpose of going into Haiti.  My first trip, I had gone down focused on the question "How can I help the people of Haiti?".  I was all about taking in everything in order to fix it: absorbing the culture, talking to several missionaries and tried to understand where I could apply myself to help with the plight. I brought stuff to give out and analyzed inefficiencies and inadequacies that I saw in order to help.  I left feeling very helpless, that what was broken with Haiti was too big to fix.

This time I went down with the question, "What can I learn from Haiti?"  I can't begin to explain the freedom that came with my asking a different question.  I begin to see the beneficial aspects of poverty, including the of lack possessions.  I realized how much what I thought would be helping was actually hurting the Haitian people.  I watched the joy that my friend Eko, a down syndrome man of 24 brought to a room.   I saw the freedom in a lack of urgency and lack of focus on time as a finite quantity.  I wondered what it would be like to not have the burden of my stuff, to build pieces of a house as I could afford it, and even to not know that people existed in the world with so much more than me as a measuring stick.  I did a lot more reflecting, I walked away without any real solutions, but a couple of ideas, but a lot to think on and even more motivation to move forward.

I came away with a vision of how I want to retire, inspired by my friend Bill.  Instead of playing golf and sitting on a beach in a retirement community, I'd like to live down in Haiti for a few months at a time with my wife and help out somewhere, doing something bigger than myself.  My Dad has been a great model of this for me - pouring himself into helping others, making a gigantic dent in the world around him for good.  I want to follow his example... Only 25 years until retirement, and the small task of getting my wife to love Haiti as much as I do.

So what am I going to do with what I learned?  That's what I'm chewing on and praying over now.  Something in my heart is connected to Tom, my friend in Haiti and helping him with his vision around Faith in Action.  I'm trying to figure out how I can bring to bear what I do well to intersect with the needs of the organization.  Another thing I'd like to do is bring back my family to Haiti to experience it.  I think that Cathie, Maddie and Nathan would get a lot out of going to Haiti for a week with me.  I'm not sure Em is ready.  I really would love them to experience the people and the culture the way I have and fall in love with both.

Trixie is one of the finest sequence coaches in the world

The 4S has arrived!

Waiting in the Port Au Prince Airport to come home

We're tired and excited to see our families.

Decompressing at the beach

We left Verettes today and stayed at something I've never seen in Haiti: a bit of luxury. We're heading back to Port Au Prince later today and flying home tomorrow.

Jesse had a Jellyfish run over her arm in ocean. Without missing a beat, Rodney quickly responded, "do you need me to pee on it?"

Leaving Verettes, Heading to Port au Prince

Rodney is too tall for Haiti

Barb wire is everywhere down here. The convent had tiny old nuns and low barb wire that nearly gave Rodney a haircut.

Hunting Tarantulas at Night

Justin discovered the spider holes in the yard, so we went out tonight looking to catch ourselves a pet tarantula. We didn't have much luck other than this big fella.

Justin is riding dirty

How many people have a motorcycle in their kitchen?

Day old baby goats

There are goats everywhere in Haiti. I have no idea how the Haitians know who they all belong too. You have to dodge them when driving down the road. This pair had just been born near where we're staying.

French Nuns with Problems

Rodney and I are over at a local convent helping French nuns with computer problems. This keyboard is killing me. Can you see why?

Giant Moth

Can't beat the view: Verettes, Haiti

The view at night from the mountains is equally amazing. You see 5 or 6 lights across the valley; the opposite of what you would see in the states where you would have millions of lights everywhere.

Baby Tarantula

Justin saw a spider hawk wasp and followed it to the spider hole where it was hunting. He put a stick in the hole and out popped a baby tarantula.

My first time driving in Haiti

I drove through Verettes today, running errands for Tom. It was a wild experience, crazier than NYC traffic. Instead of dodging cabs, you're dodging chickens, goats, motorcycles stray dogs and people drying out their rice. I am living up to my nick-name (self given) of 'Blanc Haitian' - The White Haitian.

Getting Water

Getting water is no small chore. We head up to the Culligan to get fresh water. Instead of juice bags, they have water bags for the kids. You bite through the plastic and suck from the bag. These way us about 50 lbs, nice putting that on your head.

Obenes and the view

This was the view from outside the church. Obenes is our friend (Zami) and translator who is with us most of the time. He helps Tom and FIA has sponsored his schooling. He has great potential.

Haitian Church Service @ The Salvation Army Church

We dressed up and went to the local Salvation Army church, the same one we saw play soccer yesterday. We didn't understand a word, but the pastor spoke some English and switched between Haitian Creole and English a bit for us. Everyone wore their finest and it was a wild contrast to the naked children playing outside the church. The view from the chirh was amazing.

Can you guess which bed is mine and which is Justins?

The infamous Echo out cold

Rodney teaching the Haitians linear algebra

My First piece of Art

I bought this piece of art today from a place in Verettes. Beautiful acrylic, my first piece of art ever - aside from cool posters on my wall in college.

Blown Generator

It blew a rod last night. No power, fans or lights.

Sophia

This is Sophia, a slave girl I befriended last time I was here. She remembered me and greeted me with a big smile.

We don't look like tourists do we?

As if we didn't look like tourists by being white, we went to the market and bought the one thing touristy: straw hats, and some cane.

Festival in Velo up in the mountains

We went up into the mountains tonight up in Velo to see a festival at the catholic church.

Prestige World Wide

We went up into the mountains tonight up in Velo to see a festival at the catholic church.

This is the only beer in Haiti. It's great cold. Decent warm.

Kelly and the goats

Kelly wanted to take one home like a puppy until we explained how big they get.

Off road

We heading up into the mountains to see some of the goats that Faith in Action has been helping to breed for more food. Echo, Willie and I rode in the back of the truck standing up through some pretty rough terrain.

Haitian sunset

We took three trucks, two for luggage, one for us. Our driver must have been a NASCAR driver prior to a bus driver. The sunset was a nice break from the poverty and devastation we saw in Port au Prince. It was nice being able to take in what we were seeing as a group and be able to talk about it. The roads were crazy, with three cars simultaneously trying to pass each other on a one lane road.

Arrived in Haiti

We made it into Port au Prince safely.

Rodney loves Ricky Martin

Rodney insisted that i take a picture of him posing next to this picture of Ricky Martin on the 'Miami Latino Wall of Fame'. Who knew Rodney felt such a connection?

Something to ponder

Found in the Miami Airport

I saw this woman wearing this feather outfit walking through the airport with her dog in the suitcase. I plan on bringing one of these home for Maddie.

Running in Michigan: Hill Block View???

I went for a run on Saturday (click the link here to see the map and pictures in the context of the map) and there were times I just stopped in awe of what I was looking at.  I ran down a bunch of back roads that I don't normally go down and I was reminded of part of why I choose to continue living in Michigan.


The trees were changing colors and it was unbelievably beautiful.  What I love about running is that you don't just see fall with your eyes, you smell it with the smell of leaves, damp leaves, burning leaves, dry leaves; you hear the crackling of leaves as they crunch under your feet, you feel the leaves surrounding you as you run through the tunnels of color.  These pictures don't do it justice.

Maybe it's part of getting older, but as much as I hate to compromise my times while running, I couldn't help but stop and stare at what I was seeing.  I've come back from motorcycle rides and tried to explain to Cathie some of what I'd seen and she jokes that I'm the double rainbow guy (click here to see what that means).  I was out riding my motorcycle as the sun was low on the horizon.  I was coming through a tunnel of trees and on the other side of those trees the sun's orange light lit up the dust from a horseback riding area, creating this amazing contrast and color.  I tried to describe this and the "Double Rainbow Guy" label was born.

I'm not an artistic guy, but I like the fact that God created this beauty in the world with no real function, just to be appreciated and enjoyed, and that God has wired me up to be able to enjoy it in my own small way.

Em & I's trip to the Animal Shelter

Last year Emily and I took a series of training classes at the Humane Society of Livingston County so that we could become certified volunteers and be able to walk the dogs and play with the cats. It's a great time for just Em and I to spend time together and talk and meet Em on her own turf.  When we drive, it's normally her playing DJ and we both end up singing Taylor Swift songs at the top of our lungs.  We head out there every few weeks to volunteer.  Saturday was a perfect day to go there on the motorcycle, so we did.

Emily loves riding my motorcycle, probably more than any of the kids.  She loves the speed, especially the expressway where we'll get upwards of 75.  We have a great time riding together, she'll point out different things she sees and tell me what she's thinking when we stop at a light.


We go to the shelter and do anything from walk the dogs, take them out and play with them in fenced in areas, do dishes, laundry and general clean-up.  We normally play with 2-3 dogs and a cat or two over the course of an hour or two's visit.  Em has this amazing affinity with the animals, and this deep love and compassion for them.  She sees each animal, no matter how old, how injured or how ugly - she sees them all as beautiful.  She sees animals the way Jesus saw people.  She sees the intrinsic value in each of them where lots of people can't get past the surface.

When we go get a cat to play with, you can see which cats have been played with by the cages that don't have a colored ring on it any longer.  Those cats are normally the mean ones that no one wants to play with, and what was explained to us was that those are the ones that need it most, in order to be socialized for adoption.  Emily will always pick one of those mean ones, wanting each one to get a chance to be played with and feeling like she's giving that one a chance to make it.  I'm the one who ends up paying the price as I take these cats with all of their claws out of their cages into a carrying case.

We ended the trip with a stop at 7-11 to get some slurpees.  What better way to end a perfect day!