Breh and Joo

One of the most unexpected things that I grew to love about rural Haiti is the symphony of animals that wake you each morning. Roosters, donkeys, cows, goats, and chickens are up with the sun. It brought a smile to my face each and every morning, which says a lot, being that it was about 5 a.m. Haiti time (meaning 4 a.m. Colorado time). I think that qualifies as the best alarm clock I’ve ever had!

Day 2 was a Friday which meant the kids started to show up early for school, around 7am. Some walk for miles down rocky and/or muddy roads while others hitch a ride with mom or dad and their 4 other siblings on the family motorcycle. It really is a sight to see all these little ones being hoisted off the motorcycle in their adorably checkered, impeccably ironed school uniforms and their ruffled little white lace socks--at least for the girls. After spending a good 30 minutes greeting all these cute kiddos, we headed to yet another feast. Breakfast consisted of a ham, veggie and egg scramble, bread with Mamba Piman (spicy peanut butter) and gelee, mango, and fig banan (bananas). Just so you know, the spicy Haitian peanut butter is pretty much the greatest thing ever. Add it to a list of things you should try.

For this particular day, we planned and prepped to visit 2 classrooms where the kids would work on a mural that would be brought back to Colorado as a gift for the churches that sponsor their grade. First, we visited the 5^th graders, about 30 in total. Mario translated for Teresa as she explained what we were looking for them to write/draw on their mural including their name, age, and what they want to be when they grow up and a nice picture. Then we split the boys and girls into separate groups and let them have at it. Several boys took some convincing but they finally participated, mostly because they only wanted to use their gray pencil…not markers or colored pencils. The girls, however loved all the colors and went to town. All of the 5^th graders loved to use their protractors for drawing and made very precise lines for the “legliz” (church), “cay” (house), or “machin” (car) they were drawing. After a lot of giggling, unanswered questions, blank stares and “m’pa konprann’s” (I don’t understand), they started trying to use what little English they knew and had Mario ask me my name, how old I am, etc. I used what little knowledge of Kreyol I had trying to practice with them. Thank goodness for Mario because Haitians speak so softly and quickly that it’s very difficult for my “blanc” ears to hear them let alone try to dissect what few words I know from the sentence. Somehow they can manage a very hushed conversation with someone across the room while everyone else is talking, too! I have no idea how they do it.

We learned that Haitians say their last name and followed by their first name (prenom and nom) making it extra challenging to figure out what to call them. Thankfully, writing it down did the trick! I, too had to write my name down. The looks on their faces when they would try to repeat “Bri”. It was more like, “Breh???”—noses all wrinkled up, head tilted to the side, as if to ask if I really consider that a name! “Brianne” was much more well received. “Wi, Breyon” was followed by big smiles with fewer wrinkled noses and questioning looks. “Drew” was also a hard one. Mostly it came out as “Joe” or “Joue” and half the time he didn’t hear people calling him because it sounded like….well, like “Joe!”

The girls would touch my skin, or pinch it, tickle my foot, touch my red nail polish and giggle. They would gently rub their fingers on my ankle and say “tre bel” (very pretty). And then they discovered my hair…both mine and my friend Jackie’s. We were swarmed with girls, touching, petting and pulling our hair in different directions. We were foreign and different and we weren’t afraid to let them see us and feel us and discover the “blan”, as we’re called. We’re not the only Americans that come to St. Paul’s School. In fact, they are far more used to seeing “blans” now than they were 5 years ago. What I loved is that we were all learning together in those moments: learning how we were different, how we were the same, and how joy flooded the room by being in each other’s presence, being unafraid of connecting.

Drew did his best to talk with the boys, practicing his Kreyol and because they are so anxious to learn English, they were thrilled to have him teach and coach them. They would ask for our phone numbers so they could write it on the board, next to the “I love Brianne” or “I love Jackie”. It was beyond humbling to be so adored by these incredibly brilliant, talented and motivated kids. I wonder if they’ll ever know just how much we adore them, too? They have planted a richly, deep love for Haiti in my heart and they don’t even know it.

After a short recess, we were on to the 6^th grade class which was much smaller (about 12-15 students). They took a lot longer to warm up to us (I think they may have been too cool) but they certainly did some incredible drawings. The boys loved to draw colorful faces and the girls drew beautifully intricate flowers. They also loved on my hair and my white skin. 

Now we were off to lunch, consisting of Haitian spaghetti (with dried fish flakes…), watermelon, cassava bread (their gluten free option, if you will) and fig banan. Drew and I got A LITTLE carried away with the Madam Boulo hot sauce on our spaghetti…lesson learned: this “blanc” can’t hang with Haitian hot sauce! During lunch, we had a great discussion with Abiade about int’l influence and how it breeds corruption in the Haitian gov’t. It was fascinating to hear his truth about the struggles to overcome corruption and realize that he chooses to separate us, as Americans, from the role our gov’t/agencies play.

Next we ventured to the back of the campus where Agronom Emerson, our Agriculture Education teacher Kenel, and several other men were working on the new goat enclosure. They had been building it for weeks out of wood from coconut trees in anticipation of the goats arriving. Selfishly I wanted them to show up already, but instead the goats arrived after we left Petit Trou. This is a great new program that will have a huge impact in the community! There are 3 female goats and one male, all of the Boer breed. They’ll hold community meetings, teaching the people how to properly care for their goats, how to identify diseases, and best practices for their entire family. Then, they’ll be able to breed their healthy female goats with the Boer male, creating a crossbreed that will grow faster as well as bigger, stronger, and more valuable. This will allow families to sell the goats sooner and for a higher price in the market. (The goats arrived early this week, so watch for updates on Colorado Haiti Project’s FB page!)

After a few other important meetings, we were headed “downtown” to the city of Petit Trou for a cold beer. Drew and I were surprised to discover the Haitian beer called Prestige, and even more surprising is that I drank it! I don’t know if it was because I actually liked the way it tasted (very light…kinda like mineral water) or if it was just too dang hard to pass up a cold drink. We waited out a standard afternoon downpour on the tin roof of Freche Nip, drowned out by the blaring Haitian dance music. We eventually got them to turn it down so we could talk (hey, we were the ONLY people in there) and soon headed back to campus for dinner.

10 of us gathered around the table for fish (with eyeballs intact), rice, polenta-ish stuff, black bean sauce and eggplant. Many discussions were had around agriculture in Haiti and how it can make a big impact. As conversations continued, I watched Benita and several other friends spraying Raid into the air at bugs flying around the kitchen light. The good news is that all the food was out of the kitchen, and all the bugs were now swimming to their death in a puddle of poison on the slick tile floor. Better there than landing in the food, right?

And then…time for showers and bed.

**I realized on Day 2 what an incredible opportunity this trip was. Not only were we expanding our knowledge of Haiti, learning about the culture, practicing Kreyol, making friends with locals in Petit Trou…We were also being given such incredible insight into the beauty that is Haiti. The beauty that you may never see in the bustling madness of Port au Prince. We can share pictures with our kids from this trip and perhaps it will be the start of a deep connection to them, seeing us with our friends in Haiti. We can honestly say that we’ll ABSOLUTELY be back to visit. Yes, it’s impossible to avoid the chaos of the city, but we can bring our kids out to the country and let them experience their true roots…the calm, quiet, overwhelming beauty and sense of community, pride, strength and hope of the people. We are honored to be a part of their discovery and blessed to have realized just how special this country, the people and this trip really were. Unforgettable.