Email To Diane Schmidt Worth Reading

From: Andy Woodward
Sent: Saturday, February 02, 2013 5:17 PM
To: Schmidt, Diane 01
Subject: Haiti email

My daughter, husband and I returned from a mission trip to Haiti two weeks ago. We heard all the stories of how our lives will be changed forever and to be careful because it is a third world country and watch out for all the diseases down there. It did not fill me with confidence, although going on a mission trip has been something I have wanted to do for years. I did all the research I could on Haiti and what to watch for, what to drink or not drink, what to eat and not eat. I am here to tell you, don’t believe everything you read.

We flew into Port au Prince and the airport has been re-built after the earthquake. It is clean, air conditioned, organized and safe. There were 32 of us in our group and we all had orange bag handles on our suitcases. It was easy for the first of our group that made it though immigration to start pulling our bags off the luggage carousel. We each took a suitcase filled – 44lbs – with medical supplies, deflated basketballs and volleyballs, tennis shoes, socks and personal hygiene kit we assembled before we left. We packed all our personal items in our carry on bag and backpacks. The supply suitcases stayed in Haiti.

We were assigned travel groups and those groups did not go anywhere without each other. If one person stopped, everyone in that group stopped. When we were leaving the airport, we were told not to let anyone carry our bags. There were many willing people to help us, but we carried our own. We had buses there to pick us up and it went very smoothly.

Once we were on the road away from Port au Prince, we could see the tent cities that sprung up after the earthquake. According to the people who went on the trip last year, the roads were 100% better than they had been. There were still areas that had not been fixed, so there were a few bumps and detours along the way. The closer we got to Merrotte, where the church and school were, the more beautiful the scenery became. Spectacular ocean views, palm trees, sandy beaches and fewer tent cities.

When we pulled into the church, there was a small child at the gate waiting for us. When she told the other we were there, the gates opened and a large group of kids came running up to our buses. They were thrilled to see us. There were hugs from everyone, huge smiles on their beautiful faces. We made instant friends. They are poor people, but they are happy. They have so little and only want our love.

Over the week we were there, we built a volleyball court, taught them how to play, held basketball clinics, had a medical clinic running every day, mixed concrete for the kindergarten building, fitted as many kids with tennis shoes as we could, did Bible study with them and played games. It was truly amazing. There was a language barrier, but if you speak some French or Spanish, you could manage. French Creole is their native language, which is like French slang.

Here are my suggestions on what to bring with you. Bring old clothes, shoes and if you are going to church, an outfit that you can leave there and share with the kids or adults.  I wore no jewelry I was not prepared to leave there. I only came back with one pair of shoes and the jeans I wore down there. You don’t have to do this, but why not?? We have so much.

The meals that we were served were mostly rice and beans, French fries, some type of meat or fish, fried plantains and a few vegetables. The meat was beef, goat, chicken or something we did not ask about. The breakfast we had always had wonderful fresh fruit, toast, bacon, crepes, pancakes, oatmeal and eggs of some kind. There was ice cream served one night, but usually there was no dessert. I packed two jars of peanut butter, several boxes of Clif bars, nuts, granola and fruit bars. They came in very handy. Bring one or two good-sized water bottle that you can attach to your backpacks because you will need to drink a lot of water. They should provide you with bottled water or filtered water. We did not drink from the tap or eat salad that was washed in the water. It gets really hot there, so pack a hat or bandanas. Bring sun screen and Chap Stick that has SPF protection.  We took some electrolyte gummy sharks and they came in handy for the people working and playing outside. Powdered Gatorade to put in your water bottles is also helpful.

Wet Ones will be your best friends along with hand sanitizer. If you are lucky enough to have a bathroom, you never flush the toilet paper, if you are lucky enough to have that. We used flushable wipes that we threw away, but at least we were clean. Take some Kleenex with you. We brushed our teeth with bottled water and never swallowed water in the shower. Bring Pepto Bismal, first aid ointment, Band-Aids, pain reliever and any other medication you might need. There is no WalMart down the street.

The kids love to play games. They are very good at soccer (football to them). They love to touch our hair because it is so different from theirs. They loved playing hand games where you clap and sing. The girls love to have their nails polished. We brought all kinds of small toys to hand out while others in our group brought candy. We waited until the last day to give out the toys because once you give them one thing; they will not stop asking for more. We also took crayons, activity books, bubbles, colorful hair bands for the girls, Chap Stick, stickers, toy whistles, the plastic wrist bands that we wear for all different causes and the expandable wash cloths that are packaged in shapes. We found all these items at the Dollar Store. If you take candy, take Dum Dums, Smartees, fruit snacks, gum or mints. It is too hot for chocolates and you don’t want to add too much weight to your bags. It is great to see them get a roll of Smartees and share them with their friends.

Pack a camera. If you have a digital one, they love to see their pictures once you take them. If you put your camera down, it will get taken. Wear a money belt or a pouch that goes under your clothes. Bring only small bills if you want to buy things from the vendors. They don’t like to give change. You can barter with them for a good price. We even traded granola bars and clothes for some items.

We never saw any type of violence and were never scared. We never saw a weapon except for the guard at the place we stayed. Mexico was scarier. We never saw drugs and only saw one person smoking a cigarette. If you use your head and stay with your group, you will be perfectly safe.

We played cards and talked about our day after dinner each night. It is a very overwhelming feeling and can be very emotional. We did not have TVs or radios, so playing cards in the dinning room was the way we relaxed and got ready for the next day.

On our last day at the school, there was not a dry eye anywhere. It is a very emotional experience for them knowing you won’t be back for a long time, if ever and for you to leave those beautiful faces and new friends that you may never see again. The translators become like family members because they are with you everyday.

The group leaders talked to us about what it would be like when we got back home. They called it re-entry. I have been fortunate to have traveled many places and did not get why they were making such a big deal about it. I work with needy families and see the poverty in Kansa City every day. I know how blessed we are and how much we have. I was sure it would be no big deal.

I was terribly wrong. After working with a group of exceptional people very closely for a week, then not seeing them every day was very difficult. Coming back to all our electronics and all the noise that comes with them was overwhelming. Seeing the news and all the senseless violence is numbing. Your friends and family who did not go on the trip can never really understand what you went through. Your classmates or co-workers only want to hear about it for a day or two. This experience stays with you forever. The impact that these children and their families have on you is so much greater than the time, care and love you gave them. Make time to get together as a group when you get back. It eases the transition. Our group’s age ranged from an eight year old to a 65 year old. It hit all of us the same 

Enjoy this experience. Share your love and open your hearts to the people of Haiti. Remember you are representing your country and your family. You are there to make a difference in their lives and to learn how important it is to serve others and make the world a better place.

Best, 

Andy

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