
Notes on August Trip (Haiti update, August 2010)
We returned from Haiti at midnight. This morning, Friday, August 20th, I sat in our spacious, lush garden, allowing the green, beauty and cool morning breezes to welcome me home. As I reflected on one of Thomas Merton's psalm prayers on nature, I couldn't help but feel joy and gratitude for the beauty and morning calm. At the same time, I was aware of this sad, hollow, helpless feeling as I thought in silence: there is more beauty and more food in this small community garden than in any of the encampments that continue to cover every inch of available space in the destroyed city of Port au Prince.
We returned to Haiti in order to continue to work with Dr. Joey, the health care agents and members of the board to further develop the Kay Lasante Project for health care and disease prevention services. In addition to assisting at the clinic and visiting the Solidarite' des Handicapees Moteurs, the camp for the disabled and elderly, and other organizations, our time was spent primarily in meetings to assist with staff development and to better understand how we, The House of Grace, together with Tom Gumbleton, can best continue our accompaniment of St. Claire's parish as they continue to provide health care and outreach services for the community.
We returned from Haiti at midnight. This morning, Friday, August 20th, I sat in our spacious, lush garden, allowing the green, beauty and cool morning breezes to welcome me home. As I reflected on one of Thomas Merton's psalm prayers on nature, I couldn't help but feel joy and gratitude for the beauty and morning calm. At the same time, I was aware of this sad, hollow, helpless feeling as I thought in silence: there is more beauty and more food in this small community garden than in any of the encampments that continue to cover every inch of available space in the destroyed city of Port au Prince.
We returned to Haiti in order to continue to work with Dr. Joey, the health care agents and members of the board to further develop the Kay Lasante Project for health care and disease prevention services. In addition to assisting at the clinic and visiting the Solidarite' des Handicapees Moteurs, the camp for the disabled and elderly, and other organizations, our time was spent primarily in meetings to assist with staff development and to better understand how we, The House of Grace, together with Tom Gumbleton, can best continue our accompaniment of St. Claire's parish as they continue to provide health care and outreach services for the community.

Our first meeting with the health agents and board members was, as usual, hopeful and inspiring. The health agents and board members shared their reactions to the experience of their recent participation in the Open Space/ Circles of Change Seminars. We had arranged for participation in these seminars as part of staff development. Open space is a method of assisting groups of people working together, or who are concerned about issues, to develop collaborative leadership styles in approaching and resolving problems. Their participation in these seminars and circles of change has proven to be very useful in creating cohesiveness within the group. Since our team of health agents and board members are leaders in their community, these tools will be very valuable as they continue not only to work at the clinic together, but to deal with the complex issues facing Haiti during this critical time of recovery. We were encouraged by their enthusiasm over the seminars.

The clinic continues to operate out of the tent site in Ti Plaz Kazo two afternoons each week. The work that Dr. Joey and the health agents are doing is most impressive. We were amazed at how many people lined up in the hot sun to be seen. It was heartening to see that services are being provided and that the people of the community know that they have somewhere to turn for help. Basic health issues can be dealt with very easily. More involved cases become challenging to deal with. For example , we saw two older women - both very sick; one with a possible tumor, the other with cardiac disease. They needed to be referred for further lab tests. We await the results to determine what can or cannot be done to help. We do take comfort in knowing that the health agents will follow up and assist these women to get what services they can.
The most exciting part of the trip was discovering the availability of a building across the alley from the tent clinic site in Ti Plaz Kazo. Daniel, our liaison, and the board members, Pierre and Carlo are in the process of negotiating the terms for renting this building. It is in very good shape and will serve our purposes very well . In addition to three rooms that can be used as exam rooms,a bathroom, and storage space, there is a large meeting room. Dr. Joey and the health agents are looking forward to using this space for the clinic, community education meetings, staff meetings, and circle of change seminars for the community.
What continues to amaze us, is that out of the chaos, suffering and utter devastation of the earthquake the people have found within themselves the courage to carry on. We meet the most incredible people - - Haitian people first of all, but also so many others who are working in solidarity with them.
As mentioned above, we made a return visit to the Solidarite' des Handicapees Moteurs, the camp for the disabled and elderly in Cite Soleil. We were pleased to see the people again. It was touching to be recognized and so warmly welcomed back. We were able to visit with a number of the people living in this camp and do an assessment of their health needs. We plan to have a health care delegation visit this camp in the near future. Since our first visit in June, the situation for the people has greatly improved thanks to the generosity of people like you. While this is by no means the ideal solution, the people do have much better tents, a water tank on the property, and a small outdoor kitchen for cooking meals. The kitchen is actually an unbelievably hot little bamboo-like hut with a dirt floor. However, they do have what they need in order to provide meals: pots, pans, cooking utensils and charcoal. We have made a commitment to continue to support the people of this camp with finances in order for them to purchase food and water.
What is so impressive is that this camp is being organized by the people for the people - some of the most vulnerable people. A few of the women of the camp have come forward to take responsibility for cooking the food for the 150 members of the camp. They are proud to be serving local Haitian food. Daniel explained how much it means to some of the residents of the camp that the children from the nearby Pax Christi soccer club carry the meals to the elderly and disabled who are not able to walk to the little kitchen area
The most exciting part of the trip was discovering the availability of a building across the alley from the tent clinic site in Ti Plaz Kazo. Daniel, our liaison, and the board members, Pierre and Carlo are in the process of negotiating the terms for renting this building. It is in very good shape and will serve our purposes very well . In addition to three rooms that can be used as exam rooms,a bathroom, and storage space, there is a large meeting room. Dr. Joey and the health agents are looking forward to using this space for the clinic, community education meetings, staff meetings, and circle of change seminars for the community.
What continues to amaze us, is that out of the chaos, suffering and utter devastation of the earthquake the people have found within themselves the courage to carry on. We meet the most incredible people - - Haitian people first of all, but also so many others who are working in solidarity with them.
As mentioned above, we made a return visit to the Solidarite' des Handicapees Moteurs, the camp for the disabled and elderly in Cite Soleil. We were pleased to see the people again. It was touching to be recognized and so warmly welcomed back. We were able to visit with a number of the people living in this camp and do an assessment of their health needs. We plan to have a health care delegation visit this camp in the near future. Since our first visit in June, the situation for the people has greatly improved thanks to the generosity of people like you. While this is by no means the ideal solution, the people do have much better tents, a water tank on the property, and a small outdoor kitchen for cooking meals. The kitchen is actually an unbelievably hot little bamboo-like hut with a dirt floor. However, they do have what they need in order to provide meals: pots, pans, cooking utensils and charcoal. We have made a commitment to continue to support the people of this camp with finances in order for them to purchase food and water.
What is so impressive is that this camp is being organized by the people for the people - some of the most vulnerable people. A few of the women of the camp have come forward to take responsibility for cooking the food for the 150 members of the camp. They are proud to be serving local Haitian food. Daniel explained how much it means to some of the residents of the camp that the children from the nearby Pax Christi soccer club carry the meals to the elderly and disabled who are not able to walk to the little kitchen area

There is one woman living in the camp who is 80 years old. She is disabled from being hit by a car four years ago. She talked with us about the chronic pain in her left leg. She had never received any treatment following the accident. Her leg is now completely deformed. For pain management she wraps her left knee with a piece of cloth from an old dress and ties it tightly with a shoe string. She was quick to smile and make sure that we knew that this does not stop her from being active: She attends church, helps in the kitchen, and visits her grandchildren. Her eyes are so clear, her spirit is so strong. She beamed because she will now have a photo of herself with Tom to show her family.
We were also privileged to visit with Sr. Marthe Van Rompay. She is a Missionary Sister of the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Sister Marthe has lived in Haiti and worked with restevek children for 30 years. These are children who, for various reasons, are forced to live life as slaves in the homes of wealthy Haitians. The children are treated inhumanely. Their basic human rights are denied. Although often times their parents think otherwise, the children are not provided an education, and life is not better for them. Sister Marthe rescues these children from the abuses of this situation and finds them better homes to live in where they will be cared for and treated like human beings.
Sister could not contain her joy over our visit. She bowed her head and cried " I can't believe it". She was overwhelmed to finally sit and talk with Tom whom she met in Detroit 30 years ago and with whom she has been corresponding these many years. She was truly delighted to know that I was working with the Catholic Worker, and that Manuel Padilla was with Pax Christi. She kept repeating how blessed she was by the visit - as were we. To be in her presence and hear about her journey and her dedication to these children was most inspiring.She has devoted her life to helping these children to be free of a life of virtual slavery and to helping them find their dignity and worth as children of God.
We had the good fortune of spending time with Sasha Krammer and Amy Ross of SOIL. Sasha, the founder of Soil, has been working in Haiti since 2004. SOIL, Sustainable Organic Integrated Livelihoods, is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting soil resources, empowering communities, and transforming wastes into resources in Haiti.
Sasha has graciously agreed to work with us in Ti Plaz Kazo to place some community composting toilets in the neighborhood near our clinic. In addition to this being a much needed, wonderful service for the community, our goal is to use the installation of these toilets as an opportunity to do health education in the community, especially with the children.
We were also privileged to visit with Sr. Marthe Van Rompay. She is a Missionary Sister of the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Sister Marthe has lived in Haiti and worked with restevek children for 30 years. These are children who, for various reasons, are forced to live life as slaves in the homes of wealthy Haitians. The children are treated inhumanely. Their basic human rights are denied. Although often times their parents think otherwise, the children are not provided an education, and life is not better for them. Sister Marthe rescues these children from the abuses of this situation and finds them better homes to live in where they will be cared for and treated like human beings.
Sister could not contain her joy over our visit. She bowed her head and cried " I can't believe it". She was overwhelmed to finally sit and talk with Tom whom she met in Detroit 30 years ago and with whom she has been corresponding these many years. She was truly delighted to know that I was working with the Catholic Worker, and that Manuel Padilla was with Pax Christi. She kept repeating how blessed she was by the visit - as were we. To be in her presence and hear about her journey and her dedication to these children was most inspiring.She has devoted her life to helping these children to be free of a life of virtual slavery and to helping them find their dignity and worth as children of God.
We had the good fortune of spending time with Sasha Krammer and Amy Ross of SOIL. Sasha, the founder of Soil, has been working in Haiti since 2004. SOIL, Sustainable Organic Integrated Livelihoods, is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting soil resources, empowering communities, and transforming wastes into resources in Haiti.
Sasha has graciously agreed to work with us in Ti Plaz Kazo to place some community composting toilets in the neighborhood near our clinic. In addition to this being a much needed, wonderful service for the community, our goal is to use the installation of these toilets as an opportunity to do health education in the community, especially with the children.

There is much speculation about the upcoming elections. The elections are scheduled to take place on November 28th. These elections will be flawed. In an article, The Assault on Haitian Democracy, posted by the Institute of Justice and Democracy, Kevin Edmunds states, " the strongest and most popular political force will again be excluded from these elections... the United States and the principal International power brokers have stated over and over again that the promotion of a stable and democratic political process is the primary goal in Haiti. However, the international elites continue to support and fund an election that openly excludes the political party Famni Lavalas , the party founded by former Haitian President Jean Bertrand Aristide." As a result of this, there is no candidate who is clearly a champion of the poor, or committed to bringing about the changes needed to promote justice for all.
It was good to be in Haiti and see that life, however fraught with challenges, continues. The Haitian people are full of life. A spirit of hope and determination persists in spite of abnormal circumstances, and the painfully slow progress towards recovery. We remain in awe of the dignity and beauty that the Haitian people bring to such difficult life situations.
We thank you for your continued interest, support and prayers.
Peace,
Johanna Berrigan, House of Grace Catholic Worker Community, Phila., Pa.
Bishop Tom Gumbleton, Detroit MI.
It was good to be in Haiti and see that life, however fraught with challenges, continues. The Haitian people are full of life. A spirit of hope and determination persists in spite of abnormal circumstances, and the painfully slow progress towards recovery. We remain in awe of the dignity and beauty that the Haitian people bring to such difficult life situations.
We thank you for your continued interest, support and prayers.
Peace,
Johanna Berrigan, House of Grace Catholic Worker Community, Phila., Pa.
Bishop Tom Gumbleton, Detroit MI.