You've got to start somewhere.... 🇭🇹

    Our time at HATS Haiti has been a whirlwind adventure with lots of laughs, smiles, hugs, great food, lessons in Creole, and thanks to the roads of no repair, we had some VERY bumpy drives through the countryside. The roads are incredibly bad and really need a travel advisory of their own. The so called "roads" are mostly varying degrees of horrible potholes, some gravel, and very rare patches of concrete. On more than one occasion, Karen had to move to the opposite side of the road to avoid losing the back end of the truck in a hole! I admire her driving skills, which are definitely acquired with experience, because there's no way any driver's ed class could prepare you for driving anywhere in Haiti! The only thing I could think of comparing it to is the game of "whack a mole," where the truck is the hammer, and the potholes pop up like the moles in the game! Driving ANYWHERE is always an adventure, and you never know what you'll run  into!

When you need to move a small generator, you use your motorbike and bring a friend to ride on the back, just to make sure it stays in place!

     One other thing that's kept me, Beate, and Mackenzie on our toes was learning Creole. Karen was a great teacher, and so were the children, and the kids took great delight in hearing us try to adjust our Canadian accents to make a sensible statement in Creole. Beate and I were very good students, because we did our homework and practised... and practised...and practised! Mackenzie was a quick study, too, because he spent most of his waking hours with the children. Learning a little bit more of the language each time we go just adds to the whole experience. We were able to talk a little more with the empoyees, and they seem to appreciate our efforts, and they, too, helped us out when we struggled for words--it takes a village to teach me and Beate how to speak Creole!

     When it comes to education in Haiti, these children will have learned 3 languages by the time they finish school in grade 13: Creole, English, and French! And these kids certainly have a wide variety of subjects to study-- Karen's oldest boy, J.J., showed us his report card, and it has 17 subjects on it! Yep....17! The Haitian system teaches them everything from languages to the other regular subjects, like history, math, and science, but they also take subjects that will prepare them with ways to make a living, if they don't continue their academic studies. Still, with an average ANNUAL salary of $350 USD, and most people earning less than $2 USD/ day, life is a struggle. I so admire and respect the hard work they do, just to have the basics, like food and water, and the water, for most people, comes from a community well where they go to pump it into buckets, not from turning on a tap at home ....
     Since my first trip to Haiti in 2015, people have asked what it's like after I get back home to my first family. To be honest, I have a hard time adjusting, and it sometimes takes a few weeks before I can start to get back to "normal." I carry the sights and sounds of everything I've seen, and not just the happy ones from inside the walls of the compound; there is a feeling of guilt for having so much, in comparison, and a feeling of helplessness that I can't do enough. For that reason, I am SO incredibly blessed to have an understanding husband who keeps things going when I'm gone, and supports my need to go, and gives me time to adjust when I get back. Also, I am so fortunate to be able to share this trip with Mackenzie for his second year. As a mother, this really is something special. It makes me so happy knowing that he loves Haiti and everything about HATS as much as I do, and I could see it on his face every single day, whether he was swinging the little ones around, or when he was in a huddle with the boys, who are now more like his Haiti brothers. Traveling with him, I have realized the importance of letting kids experience the difficulties and challenges other people face on a daily basis. I love that he doesn't see skin colour, not that he ever did, and in his own words, he said he has some new Haiti brothers and sisters! And to think that, last year I was afraid of him not being ready for the trip 💕

     Bottom line-- if you feel the need to do something, whether it's a gift of time or money, just do it, because something is still more than nothing, and if you want to make a difference, you've got to start somewhere! For the last time this year, Hugs from Haiti 💕 🇭🇹

Bring back the roosters!

Anyone who camps knows there is a certain amount of natural outside noise to be expected at night. At home, though, that noise is usually limited to crickets, and maybe the sound of the ocean, dependng on where you're staying. Being in Haiti at HATS is like camping, too, because we choose to sleep outside in bed tents, and there are always mosquitoes and other flies buzzing around, along with the familiar sound of crickets and the sights of some other creepy crawlies. Here, unlike any camping I've ever done at home, though, the roosters crow, incessantly it seems, morning and night, or at least they used to, up until this summer...

Flashback to 2015, my first summer, when the constant "cockadoodledoing" was a bit annoying, especially seeing as I was such a light sleeper to begin with. As the time went on, however, the sound of the crowing roosters became almost hypnotic, and there was even something peaceful about sleeping outside and hearing them; we went to sleep with the roosters and woke up with them, too. And the past couple of summers, I almost found myself missing the roosters after I went home to Canada, because I came to associate the sound with the peace and quiet of warm, starry nights, and the absence of stress when I am here.
   

This year, though, the melodic tones of the "cockadoodledo" have been overtaken by the dogs next door that Beate has named "Yippy" and "Skippy," although I think it's more like "Yippy" and "Yappy"! No matter what we call them, there is NOTHING peaceful about their constant yapping, along with the dogs in the other part of the neighborhood. I'm not sure if it's their idea of trying to show who can bark the loudest, or if they're just doing it to annoy us... 😭 Who would have thought that our biggest annoyance in this warm, tropical country would be dogs!

Now, I am an animal lover-- I have 3 cats and a beautiful dog at home--and all around HATS is like a garden of rice fields, and beautiful  mango, papaya, and coconut trees, with a giant petting zoo contained within its boundaries, and I absolutely love it. I've had closeups with goats, chickens, and horses, and I even had friendly run ins with cows and bulls, on occasion. And when we walk along the canal during the day, the little dogs over the fence come out with their tails wagging, and it almost seems like they're even smiling at us as we go by; then, at night, when I have come to count on the lullaby of the roosters, all Beate and I hear are those dogs next door fighting and barking, and answering the other dogs throughout Deschapelles! And the dogs, like it usually is with kids, never seem to act up until we turn out the lights, of course! It has gotten so bad that I have had to resort to ear buds, with over the ear headphones on top of that, sealed with a pillow! That, at least, brings the barking to a dull roar!

Beate and I and Mackenzie have made many jokes about the dogs and how they have kept us awake at night. Beate has tried "shushing" them, but we think they don't understand English! So, a heads up to anyone coming this way in the next little while--bring heavy duty ear plugs, or a heavy sleeping pill, because if you're anything like we are, you, too, will be wanting to bring back the roosters! Hugs from Haiti 🇭🇹💕

What's it like in Haiti? Same, same... different...

Before we leave to come here, and after we get home, people always ask what we do when we're in Haiti. Well, it's like visiting with family, a family that happens to have 17 children and only one Mama Karen, so there's always lots to do. If you imagine the things you have to do at your own home every day, then add in the fact that you have 17 boys and girls to look after, ranging in age from 5-17, along with close to 20 employees, I'm sure you can begin to think of many of the things that need doing every day-- cleaning. entertaining kids, settling an occasional argument, organizing, teaching kids to share and follow rules, grocery shopping--  same home... same here. 

Although "where" is different, and maybe "how" things are done is different,  to borrow a line from Beate, it really is mostly the "same, same," with an occasional "different." That usually happens here when normal, everyday tasks turn into an adventure. For that reason, I always love when Karen says she has to get groceries, or go to the bank in Saint Marc, because that's just like at home-- same, same, but anyone who has read my stories before, knows that the "same" becomes "different" before we even get to the bank, because here, we pick up two of Karen's security to travel with us-- Daniel in the front, and Ronald squeezed in the back with me and Beate-- but, unlike home, Daniel almost literally rides shotgun... he hides his gun under the front floormat as soon as he gets safely in the truck! WAY different!

Me, Beate, and Ronald leaving with groceries and a VERY large wad of cash!

The idea of security is a noticeable difference all over Haiti, including where we stay on the compound. The 24 hour security guards are armed, of course, and they can monitor things both inside and outside the property from the two watchtowers. At night, I've finally gotten used to the late night footsteps and the bright beams from the  flashlights that light up the compound walls. When you sleep outside, it's comforting to know that the only thing you really have to worry about is getting into your bed tent before too many mosquitoes follow! It's a "different" that adds a little comfort to your sleep!

But back to Saint Marc....Part of the reason we needed to get groceries was to get ready for the August birthdays party-- same, same-- but when you have 17 children, there's always more than one birthday celebrated one day each month, and on this day, we had five birthdays, which meant we also needed more than one cake! Different! But, just like home, the weather didn't cooperate with our outdoor plans, so we quickly organized the kids to move things indoors -- definitely same...same! ☀️🌨⚡

It was like a little episode of master chef in the kitchen, but without all the yelling, because Mackenzie was in charge of the three little chefs, and they patiently awaited their turns for measuring, blending, and pouring, before cooking. The only thing better than the sweet smell of one cake baking in the oven is the smell of three cakes in the oven, although, when there's a "feels like" temperature of well over 40`outside, turning an oven on to bake cakes makes it possible to just about pour a chocolate bar out of its wrapper! 😓

What I've learned is that, no matter where your travels may take you, no matter how different things may seem, they're really quite the same. At home, Tim Horton's is where you find out what's happening around you. There's obviously no Tim's here, but people still enjoy their coffee and local gossip, and, as Beate pointed out, it just happens to come from a tiny shack at the start of our gravel road, and sometimes, you might have to wait in a lineup there, too! The socializing is the same, the coffee is still hot, and who cares about anything else!

Although "different" doesn't matter, sometimes the differences still affect us--some of them tug at our heartstrings and put a tear in our eyes, but some of them make us smile. Fortunately for us, during our visit, we're lucky enough to be hanging out with our second family, and that's the "same, same," and that's all that matters... Hugs from Haiti 🇭🇹 💕

Focus your lens

     The last few years, I have missed Karen's special Saturday morning walk because of rainy weather that made the walking unsafe and unstable in spots. But the other thing that makes these walks different is that only the older children can go, because we have to cross the bridge in the opposite direction of the home, and the walkways sometimes become more like a billy goat trail. This year, I had my fingers crossed that the weather would cooperate, so that I could lace up my sneakers and see what the other end of the canal had to show off. Luckily, the rains had been almost non existent, and my wish came true, and wow.... the scenery at this time of the morning is like a page out of paradise.... 🌺
   

     Walking out of the compound, we were still in some darkness, but there was a beautiful pink tint in the sky behind the mountains, and the air was already warm and heavy with humidity.
     So, this was my first Saturday morning walk, and I was excited, but at the same time, I felt a little out of my comfort zone. Everyone took a hand of someone else, but I was anxious to get across the bridge in front of all the men standing, waiting, and hoping for a day's work in the rice fields. It's an awkward feeling when you find yourself the subject of hard stares and some unkind comments. But I always tell my kids in school-- being uncomfortable is not always a bad thing, and it often leads to a little lesson in understanding of what life is like when "uncomfortable" is a DAILY reality for many other people....
     It took a few minutes for before it was safe for us to dash across the road, amid the early morning rush of motos. The men at the bridge filled every space across the span, and there was much chatter among them; you could compare that crowd of men at the bridge to that table of men you might see at Tim Horton's, talking about the important matters of the day. The difference here is that, amongst the chatter, is the hope to LEAVE that group at the bridge for a day of hot, tedious work in the rice fields...
     I said there was some discomfort, but even amidst that feeling were many more moments of friendly interaction with the people we saw and met walking the same path.... It was nothing but "Bonju" and smiles from the people Karen sees on a regular basis, because they understand that we "blancs" (whites) are there for the children.
   

     Although this is my fourth summer, there is always something new to see and learn. Poverty does not make everything ugly and terrible, because in our first world lives, we still have plenty of that. The difference is what you CHOOSE to see and focus your lens on; beauty and kindness can be seen in some of the most unexpected places.... you just need to have the right focus! Hugs from Haiti 🇭🇹💕

Home to Haiti

   I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little more nervous coming to Haiti this summer, considering the unrest a few weeks ago. Travel to Haiti is one of those trips where, at the best of times, it's always an exercise in caution, from the time you land at the airport, until the time you leave. The travel advisories this year, though, put a few more knots in my stomach. Mackenzie kept me posted, just about every day, because he was getting  notifications from the Government of Canada website! There I was, trying NOT to think about it, and there HE was, excited to finally tell me that the travel advisory was back to, what he described as, the advisory for the "normal chaos" that is Haiti. The teenage brain and the mom brain certainly aren't wired the same, but I've come to realize, at least in this case, that's a good thing!
      All the worrying was put to rest, however, as soon as we saw Karen's red hair, Luc's beautiful brown skin, and tall, blonde Beate at the airport in Montreal-- it was like a multicultural family reunion, and the butterflies were gone. 😊
    After four relatively smooth hours in the air, and another hour getting through customs and paying our $10 entry fee, we all met at the baggage carousel, which was much less of a nightmare this year-- no struggles at the baggage carousel, because all the bags were piled in a corner by the time we got downstairs, and thank goodness for small miracles-- all four of our bags arrived, and all of Karen's and Beate' s bags arrived, so we quickly joined the crowds of people to wind our way to the final police check to get out of the airport. Phew!
     This is when things usually get a little trickier--pushing away the many men who want to take your bags to "help" you get to your vehicle. This would be okay at home, but as they say, "Dorothy, we're not in Kansas anymore!" We always wait for Karen's nod of approval, before we accept help from anyone, because I've discovered over the years that, even though someone may be wearing a uniform and identification tag, it really doesn't mean they're official airport employees. So, when "the nod" comes, it's off through another maze of people and carts, in the stifling heat, to the safety of our van, our driver, and our security.
    The drive from Port Au Prince came with the normal honks of horns, traffic tie ups, and an occasional close call, but I've realized it has become part of my normal expectation now. It has taken a few years, but I am much more unfazed and relatively unaffected by the things that used to make my heart race and my knuckles white! The only reason I can come up with is that this is now truly a vacation with family, and my heart is full, because I have come home to Haiti! Hugs from Haiti  xo 💕🇭🇹

Find YOUR Haiti

   

I love the time I get to spend in Haiti, and after 3 visits to HATS, it has become like a second family home, but I didn't know these trips would become a regular thing for me. When I first went to Haiti in July, 2015, I figured I would spend the week, see and learn a little about the country, as well as the workings at HATS. After that, I figured I would find somewhere else to go the next summer, because I've always had a love for traveling, as well as trying to do my small part to try to help out somewhere, in some way. But I wasn't counting on the children at HATS stealing a piece of my heart so quickly. You can't help but love each and every one of their beautiful faces and bright spirits--they truly fill your heart and soul. After one short week, I was hooked, and I knew I would continue to return as long as I could.
     Besides the children, though, there were two other important pieces of the HATS experience--Karen and Beate. There are no words to describe the kind of person Karen is, other than maybe an angel! She's lived in Haiti since 1995, which was when she decided to dedicate her life to helping the children in Haiti, and that's when HATS was born. Karen not only bettered the lives of countless children, but she has also saved the lives of many who were abandoned. She has a Haitian son, Luc, who has cerebral palsy, and he is one of the smartest, funniest, most loving children I have ever met. He has adapted to using his feet so well that I am sure he can  do some things better with his feet than you or I could do with our hands! He types on a computer, plays games on his Ipad using his feet on the controls, and he does his school work with his pencil between his toes! He even has a way to feed himself with a fork at the end of a long stick. He has taught and reminded me of the importance of patience and perseverance, and I'm a bit embarrassed to think of some of the little things I have complained about in my "first world" life.
     But Luc has been able to prove the Haitian doctors wrong because  of his Mama, Karen. You never tell Karen a child won't be able to do something. She had Luc from the time he was about 7 weeks old in 2005, but because of his CP, doctors questioned why she would even take him. They told her he would never walk or talk, but they obviously didn't realize who they were talking to. He speaks Creole and English (and some Newfanese!), and he runs like a deer, especially when there is a soccer ball in play. He continues to make his Mama proud with all that he does, and there is nothing he won't try.
     At 72 years young, Karen has the energy and dedication to Luc and the other children of HATS that would put some mothers to shame, and she is another part of the reason I keep going back. So, besides the children, I carry a little piece of Karen with me too... ❤
     And then there is Beate...
     I met Beate as a stranger in the Toronto airport in 2015. She was the team leader for the two other women and I who were going to  HATS for our first visit. (This year was her 7th time at HATS!) She is a tall, short-haired, blonde lady with a welcoming smile, a friendly face, and an easygoing, fun-loving personality.
     When we first found each other in the airport, we carried on a conversation as if we were long lost friends. I immediately knew I was in good hands, and that I was going to have a great experience in Haiti, but it was an unexpected bonus that she has become one of the best long distance friends I could ever imagine. In only these 3 short times we have spent in Haiti together, she has become a bright light and a positive presence in my life.  And now, after this trip with Mackenzie, he's a member of the "Beate fan club" too! It's people like Karen and Beate who continue to inspire me...
       Haiti has been life changing for me. I realized I have the courage to take some chances to travel on my own, at times, because there are too many things I would miss out on if I waited for the right time, or for other people, or for when I could truly afford it. I'm also lucky enough to have a husband and family who support my "need" to go, and who take care of things while I'm gone.
     Haiti has forced me to become comfortable with being "uncomfortable" at times--adjusting to being the minority, adjusting to different food, adapting to a different way of life that includes some different cultural rules and expectations, and I can't forget the language. This year I challenged myself to try to learn and speak a little of the language, and I did manage to learn enough to say my goodbye in Creole, without needing Karen to translate! 
     Although Haiti is what I love, and it works for me, it isn't the place for everyone. You do need some courage, a sense of adventure, and a willingness to adapt to a life quite different from your own. What people need to realize, though, is that they can find the same fulfillment in other ways of giving and helping. You don't have to look far to find something that feeds your soul and fills your heart, because you never know where you might find YOUR Haiti!  Hugs from us to everyone we left in Haiti, and thanks for being part of our journey!

Kids will be kids

     

    Before we came to Haiti this year, I had a discussion with Mackenzie about some things he should expect during the week here, and how it might be different from home. We talked about the weather, the food, where he would sleep, and, most importantly, the children. We talked about their names, I shared some of their "stories, " and I told him he would figure out the rest when we got here. 

     None of my kids are perfect, and I have never strived for that as a mother. I have only ever wanted kind, helpful kids who realize not everyone is as fortunate as they are. And still, trying to teach those lessons is an ongoing process, and, as any childcare provider knows, there's no instruction book!

     I knew Mackenzie was ready for this trip as much as he could be, but he has far surpassed what I expected of him. From the moment he stepped out of the van on that first day, I knew he would be as happy here as I am. His smile lit up his entire face, and the kids ran to him with hugs as if he was a long lost brother!

    Mackenzie spent the first night outside with me on the second floor in his bed tent, and then decided he'd move his mattress onto the floor on the screened-in balcony--away from his mother 😟 --for the rest of the trip! He had his own little piece of paradise under the Haitian sky!

    But now, he has moved even farther away from me, probably a whole 100 feet down the driveway! He's spending his last two nights sleeping with "the boys" in their house "en bas" (down below)! I kept asking him if he was sure he wanted to do that, but then I realized I wasn't asking because I was worried about HIM...it was me! I, his mother, foolishly worried about him being away from me to stay with the boys he's spent so much time with since last week. They've worked together and hung out together, doing all the things kids do, no matter whether they're "vanilla" or "chocolate," as Karen says!

     Having Mackenzie here has reminded me of an important lesson as his mother--I can only teach him so much, and the rest he can figure out on his own. The children here have the same hopes and fears in their lives as any child would, although their circumstances make things more challenging, but not impossible.

     When we teach our kids lessons in kindness, compassion, and some life skills, there's no need for us, as parents/guardians, to keep "fixing" things for them. Things won't always "go right" for them, but they don't always "go right" for any of us. Our kids WILL survive and find their way, and they will be all the better for it, because no matter where you go, kids will be kids! 🏃⛹🏀⚽💕 Hugs from us in Haiti