That's a meaningful mission trip.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Preventive Health Strategies
11/26/2912
Working with local community leaders in Haiti to make sure water is restored to 70,000 people Meaningful missions believes in direct support. Meaningful Missions finds the individuals in a community then makes sure they have what they need.
This community needed water. Meaningful missions talked to community leaders to find out what their water solutions were. The plans were well thought out and obvious. This was an obvious preventive health strategy, meaningful missions had the ability to help and we did.
The Preventive Health Strategies used only Haitians to do this project. The only support given was direct financial support and accountability. Training Meaningful missions local leaders to always follow up and make sure the work is completed and that nothing else is needed.
Eighteen local leaders showed up to "meaningful medicine" accountable.
Www.meaningfulmedicine.org
Preventive Health Strategies
1) See the need
2) show compassion, observe, learn,
3) If possible meet the need.
The mayor explained to me "help tomorrow just means you are not going to help my people today!"
Water was restored to this community.
Working with local community leaders in Haiti to make sure water is restored to 70,000 people Meaningful missions believes in direct support. Meaningful Missions finds the individuals in a community then makes sure they have what they need.
This community needed water. Meaningful missions talked to community leaders to find out what their water solutions were. The plans were well thought out and obvious. This was an obvious preventive health strategy, meaningful missions had the ability to help and we did.
The Preventive Health Strategies used only Haitians to do this project. The only support given was direct financial support and accountability. Training Meaningful missions local leaders to always follow up and make sure the work is completed and that nothing else is needed.
Eighteen local leaders showed up to "meaningful medicine" accountable.
Www.meaningfulmedicine.org
Preventive Health Strategies
1) See the need
2) show compassion, observe, learn,
3) If possible meet the need.
The mayor explained to me "help tomorrow just means you are not going to help my people today!"
Water was restored to this community.
Traffic jams
I have experienced traffic jams on this trip to Haiti.
Reasons for the traffics jams. If you have worked in Haiti or any other third world country you have experienced the rounding that happens in translating.
Think of the game telephone now it goes down a long line of people gets to your translator who tries to explain the situation to you.
Transportation taxi jams:
1)Accident: I understand this one
2)Bridge out: happens in America too
- this added an hour to our commute both directions everyday
3)The bridge is out and somebody has blocked the detour bridge on purpose.
4)Heavy commute traffic: rush hour happens in America too
5)Vehicle stuck in a pot hole and needs to be pushed out.
6)Police stopping every vehicle
7)One lane road and heavy traffic from other direction
8)Funeral procession
9)Communication Errors with driver
- end up at the right business wrong location
- driver doesn't arrive on time.
- because he runs into one or all of the issues listed above
-missed church yesterday because driver got to us two hours late
10) livestock crossing the road
11) Market Day- Some communities the market is right next to the only road going through town. This can bring traffic to a dead stop.
12) Americans- trying to help. Guaranteed will stop traffic
13) celebrations - same thing happens in America, Macy's thanksgiving day parade. Feels random as an American though.
14) Being lost
15) Donkey loaded down with things for market won't move.
Reasons for the traffics jams. If you have worked in Haiti or any other third world country you have experienced the rounding that happens in translating.
Think of the game telephone now it goes down a long line of people gets to your translator who tries to explain the situation to you.
Transportation taxi jams:
1)Accident: I understand this one
2)Bridge out: happens in America too
- this added an hour to our commute both directions everyday
3)The bridge is out and somebody has blocked the detour bridge on purpose.
4)Heavy commute traffic: rush hour happens in America too
5)Vehicle stuck in a pot hole and needs to be pushed out.
6)Police stopping every vehicle
7)One lane road and heavy traffic from other direction
8)Funeral procession
9)Communication Errors with driver
- end up at the right business wrong location
- driver doesn't arrive on time.
- because he runs into one or all of the issues listed above
-missed church yesterday because driver got to us two hours late
10) livestock crossing the road
11) Market Day- Some communities the market is right next to the only road going through town. This can bring traffic to a dead stop.
12) Americans- trying to help. Guaranteed will stop traffic
13) celebrations - same thing happens in America, Macy's thanksgiving day parade. Feels random as an American though.
14) Being lost
15) Donkey loaded down with things for market won't move.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
What to pack for kids going to Haiti
The most important thing is to admit what comforts your kid. Does your fifteen year old still sleep with his blank y. Then you better pack his blank y. Haiti is so alien that I have seen seasoned travelers have complete meltdowns. Before you commit to going own the fact that there is a mortality rate associated with in going to a third world country.
My suggestions:
1) What makes them comfortable.
Blank y
Ipod
Bible
Book
2) Sunscreen
3) Bug repellant
4) Water bottle
Take the medicines your doctor gives you. I choose the Haitian Tap-Tap to travel in I think this provides a more engages trip. The smells, sounds, involvement with Haitians is added. But nice AC vehicles can be found for the same price.
Make sure you have a translator. Then remember the translator is in charge you and your kids need to do exactly as told. This should lead to an experience that will unite you as a family. An experience you share and can refer back to in difficult times.
My suggestions:
1) What makes them comfortable.
Blank y
Ipod
Bible
Book
2) Sunscreen
3) Bug repellant
4) Water bottle
Take the medicines your doctor gives you. I choose the Haitian Tap-Tap to travel in I think this provides a more engages trip. The smells, sounds, involvement with Haitians is added. But nice AC vehicles can be found for the same price.
Bedtime stories from 2000 miles away
I have seen this feature advertised for months. I honestly had no desire to try it. I took my three young boys to Haiti. My wife had to stay home. My boys are well traveled. I didn't think much about the trip. My six year old started complaining about missing mom.
I tried Google Hang Out, I'm in Haiti. Odd we have internet for free but no cell coverage($3/min) equals no cell coverage.
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I sent her a Facebook message to try Google Hangout. The whole process took a few minutes to get it to work the first time. This was a great experience, the next night the fun of playing with the funny hats and sounds was done and Annette got to make her normal funny sounds. The boys loved it (including me).
I tried Google Hang Out, I'm in Haiti. Odd we have internet for free but no cell coverage($3/min) equals no cell coverage.
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Mayor
This picture does not do this man justice. In Haiti a country that has been plagued with corruption the leaders are very hard to meet. This mayor is different. The open door policy is literally practiced. I think if anybody (Haitian, American, Canadian) had an idea and the means to make his city better/cleaner he would act on it now.
This garbage pile is a great example. The garbage has been building in this spot since 2008. This is before the earthquake. As an American this is unimaginably disgusting. The mayor to his credit was offered the chance to make it go away, and he took it.
I think we are going to have a good relationship. I know he is the one in charge, has the power, the ability to help things happen. I like the fact that he has been rational and predictable in our talks.
A mayor in any country showing up and cleaning a garbage pile all day would shock the people they represent.
For this to happen in Haiti is amazing.
Push Back
Ralph Waldo Emerson described this truth of human nature accurately:
Men succeed when they realize that their failures are the preparation for their victories.
POINT #1: YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES AREN’T YOU
POINT #2: YOU CAN’T CONTROL WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU, ONLY YOUR REACTIONS
POINT #3: WHEN YOU STOP BLAMING, YOU TAKE BACK YOUR POWER
Today when I look at the kids in Haiti. I have more hope for them than I do my own kids.
The statement that has stuck with me about Annette's ordeal is "shocking to one's sense of fairness."
The Haitian kids don't expect things to be fair. But, they do expect to be able to have a rational and reasonable conversation.
They don't expect to be treated fairly by the government. The expectation by Haitians is that if you are noticed by an official (doing above average) your lively hoods, business, kids and land will be taken by the government.
Drop off
The little kids in the back of the tap-tap are being dropped off at a Haitian orphanage.
The whole experience brings back memories of taking livestock to market in the back of a pickup with my grandpa when I was a kid. The only difference being that at least some paperwork was done on the livestock(a check if nothing else).
The whole experience brings back memories of taking livestock to market in the back of a pickup with my grandpa when I was a kid. The only difference being that at least some paperwork was done on the livestock(a check if nothing else).
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