I will post in my blog soon. I apoligize for not doing so while I was in Haiti and when I returned. I went to Haiti on 01-30-2010, and stayed for two weeks. I became very sick and I recently have arrived in Alaska and working at the inn as well as doing fund raisers to help our partners as well as the many of lives living in encampment all over port au prince, Haiti.
02-20-2010
Geoff and I participated in a fund raiser for www.pinpartnership.org Here is the video from channel 2 news.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5M13qmY_kAs My heart feels heavy, and I wish I was there searching for the staff of people in need partnership, children, the partners ,lives and families that I was personally involved with. Not only did we make many accomplishments while I was there but we grew into wonderful friendships. We spent a lot of time helping the lives in Cite Soleil, and Port au Prince and still we haven't heard from anyone.
I mentioned several times that I had stayed at St.Joseph's house, Father Michael is still missing. The earth Quake took place at 5pm , their time..and usually father Michael around 5 to 5:30pm would pray with the boys and guests before having dinner at 6pm. . I pray that he is alright and that all the children and guests are accounted for...
If anyone wants to donate to People in Need Partnership, please go to our website at : www.pinpartnership.org and click on the Donate button, then you can put in as much as you wish. Between $1.00 to thousands . Also we have a project that we started shortly after my return from Haiti, it is called Feast and Famine, if you wish to help deliver a package of food to a person or family in Haiti , you can donate just 50 cents or as much as you wish and a package will be delivered to a person or family in Haiti. Millions are in need of food, water and shelter right now.
We are asking for everyone's help. Please help People in Need Partnership help in the relief efforts after the terrible earth quake devastated lives that were already suffering and in need. This is a more unique way to help them in the disaster that hit their country and form a partner with a person desperately needing your help.
God bless and protect all of our staff, and pull them back together in Haiti. Bless the restovic's (children slaves) and all our partners and people in Haiti.
One of the many things that I noticed in Haiti, is there are few to no street signs, and speed limits . Which means there are no speed limits. I think it is so dangerous to cross the streets, or walk through the cities with out noticing every car, bus or taxi. You have to always be alert because they don't have any laws on the street for the safety of the pedestrians crossing the street or walking down the roads. I saw many people with out legs, or handicapped and thought , is this from the people driving? It is worse in the country and the roads are very narrow and wind all the way through the mountains and valleys. There is another think about the roads and streets in Haiti..there is many pot holes, and even sewer , work man holes that are open, so on top of watching the traffic- you also have to look down and make sure to not fall into a hole.
There was 5 children that I spoke to outside of St.Joseph, by the front gate.They asked me for my help one evening. When I asked how I can help them, one of the little boys who spoke english a little said he needed water. Since I was a guest at St.Joseph, I had to ask Father Michael if it was okay to give the boys some water. Father Michael said "no Jennifer, you can't give our water to the boys. Because once you help these children , then many will come and then we won't have water for our boys." It is sad that the simplest things that we take for granted , there is a life that desperately needs these things.
I thought about the Bette Midler song , "from a distance" and in the sound it states, " from a distance there is harmony" it goes on to say that from a distance everything is find, no hunger, no suffering, etc. When you actually arrive into the reality that surrounds you, then you truly see what suffering is.. what hunger is , and the truth that a lot of lives are starving , that there are countries that have slavery still and you see that the future in these environments needs immediate help. There are some American's, who look at a person in America who drops out of school- as trash, and then they think they will only end up in a bad situation. Imagine living where only 10% even go to school. I was fortunate to finish elementary, secondary education and then some college but I stop and thank of how lucky I was to be able to have everything essentially that I needed growing up.
I was able to speak to many people either on the streets, food vender or just walking. I noticed that even the business owners were in desperate need and when I spoke to them they were trying to make me a deal to buy their merchandise. There are some wonderful artists, painters, woodmen and so many other forms of artists in Haiti. Each either learned from family or on their own. I was very fortunate to be able to bring many of these beautiful art pieces back with me for my family and friends. I spoke to an old man who said he has been working on his art since he was only 9 years old, and that is all he knows how to do. He was happy and had a very genuine smile. He told me that he always creates something different with each one of his paints and he was so happy to show me all his art work. I bought many of my gifts from him. In Haiti he is very fortunate because only 20% of the population can contribute their work or can afford to learn the tectonic to develop their talents.
My work involved speaking to the partners with People in Need Partnership and write about their future goals, dreams and also review their program as well as find out what their immediate needs were from their partners. I spoke to 14 of the partners, and the deep compassion and truthful suffering that I listened to for hours at time and each day I would see these partners and we would go over details on their life, their struggles and hardship, and deeper into the conversations they would express to me their dreams. Most of the dreams or goals surfaced around Doctors, Nurses, Mechanics, Dress Making or Cooking. I can understand why most of them would state they wished to be a doctor or a nurse because of what they see and have seen. Many have died in their arms or beside them and there was a lot of tearful moments with some that have lost everyone in their life and they were just twenty years old.
There was an interview I had one sunny hot day in Haiti and it was actually ironic that she showed up on the day that I had already scheduled the two interviews with partners and after I finished the young girls going to school now thanks to our program , who looked so malnourished and in desperate need healthy nutritious food .. I explained to Cajuste that I can interview since we still had a few hours left before closing the office that day. I had a translator with me that day and both him and I were not ready for what this young lady was about to tell us. I stop still thinking about the truthful pain, suffering and human abandonment that she must feel and yet she is strong and shows no sign of the struggles she faces day to day.
After we introduced ourselves to each other, I asked her the basic questions. Her age, year in school and then I asked her about her family situation. I think now, in my life I will be very careful to ask people "so how is your family or family life" because of this young lady. She was only twenty years old, and her mother died at the age of nine, her father at the age of fourteen and then she became pregnant . She had no family, all her uncles, grandparents, everyone was gone but her and her son. I asked her, after catching my own breath, "what about the father to your son? Doesn't he help you?" ..there was a long silent pause. I looked to my translator , worried now about the answer she would soon give me. She looked up with tears in her eyes, looked right into my eyes , and said, " after my son turned four months old..the father to my child died." I was speechless, and here I was trying to give encouragement, words of wisdom, light of hope and this young lady sat in front of me with only her son. She has many health problems and each day she goes to the main streets in Port au Prince to sell Lemon , and hopefully if she makes 50 gouds , she can have enough to feed her and her son. 50 gouds is like $1.00 in America. I had to drink some of my bottled water..paused for what seemed two minutes, then I turned to my translator and asked how her relationship is with her partner. She spoke only the kindest things about her partner and I could see in her eyes how special her partner was to her.
Most of the children or young mothers I interviewed seemed very malnourished and in desperate need for healthy food and water. At times, I would have to take a break to breath because when you hear the reality from the source, see with your own eyes what extreme poverty is and then you can't help but want to do anything and everything humanly possible to solve this crisis. There is so much need and so much help needed in Haiti, and I hope that people will also want to help these people in need.
I will write soon. Peace and Love.
I have returned from Haiti and it has been only 10 days. It was hard for me to adjust not only to the temperature outside but the cultural environment. I have so much to say and so much to share with the world about my experience, I want to apologize for not keeping up with my blog. Like I had mentioned before, I never have left the familiar soil of America before, excluding the trip through Canada. It was an amazing adventure, learning experience and in two weeks I felt like I had been there a thousand years. It is hard to explain the depth of learning, and understanding that I have gained by volunteering for www.pinpartnership.org. I can only express a thank you to all the lives in Haiti that not only taught me a valuable lesson in humanity, but also touched my heart in a way that I have never felt before. I am not trying to have anyone feel pity, or sadness for me. I had wanted to go for sometime now to Haiti, but it was not the right time..obviously. But , is there ever a right time and wrong time to help the kindred spirits on earth? Is there ever a moment in your life that you can truly say, that you feel remorse when doing something your heart feels you have to do? I feel that with every sadness, every remorse and every struggle there is a better approach and there is a chance to see ones potential. But the beauty is watching it grow. The true beauty after what you do for others is watching them bloom...like a sunflower. It is amazing that it is more then helping, more then money can buy..to truly give from the heart and feel that light within you shine.
I will tell share with you my story of Hait, the adventures I had in Florida and the wonderful miracle of my new grandson Bradford Leeland..which I have decided to nickname Bradlee. I want to wish everyone a safe and happy new year, feeled with giving, love, happiness, and eternal joy. I want each one of you to think of a new year resolution that will help those in need, that will inspire the dreams in ones soul and help them to reach for the stars..but promise me that you will never let them fall. If you can only see the changes in me , thanks to the man in my life..which I will call Sun. Because he is the sun to me. In the morning when I awake I look for him and when it is night I wait for him to rest. It is a beautiful think to feel love, and it is a reward to receive love in return. I pray that humanity is at a changing point, that people will start loving one another and sharing, caring and respecting the ways of the old..the ways when the prophets walked on this earth. The earth we live in,breath in, eat in, and connect with one another in kindred spirit of one. As g-d said , along long time ago.."love is all things...and love is the greatest." Happy 2010. May all your dreams, wishes and quests continue into the new year. Happy New Year!! Love Always, Jennifer Johnson
Ps. I have decided on a name for the future orphan. I want it to be called : St.Louise , Children of Humanity.
Love, Happiness, Joy, Truth, and Peace Always...and the greatest is LOVE!
Today , I had a lot of work to do today.. I interviewed 3 girls that are attending school for the first time at the ages of 9 through 11. One was enrolled for the 1st grade and the other's are starting 2nd grade. It was heart felt to hear their stories, and to see what joy they have to be able to go to school. It is amazing, that a child who never has read a book or learned to write is so excited to learn and then there are the children I have seen in America, who have free education available to learn everything and wish they weren't in school. I suppose when you have seen something you wish you could have it when you have nothing, and when you have everything you want nothing , or the self- serving people who want more..It makes me wonder, if we had nothing what would we want? and if we had everything, what do we need? Imagine how blessed we all are that we have clean drinking water, in America. If you were here, you will see how difficult it gets, when temperatures outside feel like 105 degrees. I wait at times , I hope that soon I will be done, and there will be good water to drink. Yet, they will be here wanting clean water. This is a huge problem and we need to help Haitian's with clean drinking supply system, with a way for the waste to not be near their bedroom door, and for the food. I heard from some people , who I will call self-serving that said it is their fault, they shouldn't buy leisure things like chips and candy. I never thought of chips or candy being leisure? I thought of them as junk food, as snacks. Never as a leisure. Yet, it is amazing what we all have taken for granted., the ones who have had everything.
The weather has been steady at 95-98 degrees each day, I have wanted the rain so bad, but they say when it rains it floods Citi Soleil too and can harm or kill the whole family that live in sheds. WOW. is an understatement. Imagine, you need the rain for the trees, land and for the humidity to change, yet if it does rain then there could be several with out a home in that same moment that you are receiving the rain.
It is getting closer to my departure. I hope that through my experience here in Haiti, that you have felt and seen in a sense what I experienced that these people are experiencing day in and day out with even more horrific details. It is important for everyone to appreciate the clean air, clean water, and what you have is really good enough. It is not important what you have or have not, it is important what is in your heart. It is important to have G-d in your soul. Then you will see the happiness. It is a pure happiness, that is complete and perfect. It is not good to be angry, but be humble. It is not good to rush and be busy but to be patient.
There are many lessons I have learned here and the most important is this from an old man, " Do not give them the fish, but teach them how to fish."
This is true. I will write more tomorrow.
So far, I have learned- Bon Joir, Bon we, Merci bo cu, wi , no and I think that is it for now.
I will try to sleep 7 hours but.. like I mentioned a few blogs ago, the rooster wakes me not my alarm. I mean they scream cock a doodle doo..repeatedly.
