FAQ: Are you fluent in Creole?

Q. So, you're fluent in Creole, right?
A. Um... no. I am still very much learning the language. As far as speaking goes, I can generally express the basic version of what I want to say, but I'm often corrected. But that means they understood what I wanted! If I have time to think about what I want to say, the conversation goes much more smoothly. But if I'm put on the spot, then I forget my Creole and make a mess of things.

My listening skills are getting better, but there are still a lot of things I don't understand in Creole. I'm probably the best at understanding school related conversations, but I'm also getting pretty good at figuring out the sermon on Sunday too. If I know the verse or theme of Sunday's message, I can normally get the gist of what's being said.

If I were a serious student I could probably understand a lot more than I do now. But my students love to translate for me at school, and normally either Arold or Beth is with me when I go out. I have a bad habit of letting them talk for me at the first word I don't understand. Maybe someday I'll be brave enough to flounder on my own.

FAQ: What do you eat?

Q. What do you and Arold eat? American food or Haitian food?
A. I do most of the cooking and I'm much more proficient at American food, so that's what I make most of the time. However, I have mastered some Haitian dishes that taste pretty good--even if my husband thinks I don't add enough salt. And, Arold cooks too. When we're both home, it's almost always a team effort to get dinner on the table. Sometimes he just does the cooking though.

Here are some links to some of our favorite dishes:

• Homemade Pizza, using this super easy crust with no yeast--we eat this at least once a week! (I use a modified version with more flour and some olive oil from one of the comments.)
• Baked Mac & Cheese, using the sauce from this recipe
• Mostaccioli, recipe from my friend Kristin (basically it's pasta, seasoned beef, sauce, and parmesean baked to ooey goodness)
• Homemade yogurt, easy and delicious! (only I eat this, he's not a fan of yogurt--but there is Haitian yogurt I could buy at the store... but I'm cheap so I make my own!)
• Indiana Style Corn Dogs--we've only had it once, but it will probably be a frequently used recipe
• Rice and Bean sauce--this is Arold's favorite meal of all time, but pizza is a close second
• Chicken cooked in sauce
• grilled ham and cheese sandwiches--my go to when I don't want to cook
• Bannann Peze, twice fried plantains--these are typically a side dish, but sometimes we make a ton of them and eat them as a meal

For breakfast Arold eats an egg sandwich (American) or seasoned spaghetti noodles with ketchup and mayo (very, very Haitian). I always have the egg sandwich, unless we're out of eggs and then I find something else to eat.

Brave I Am Not

Often when people hear that I left my job, my family, my entire life to move to Haiti they say things that make me uncomfortable. They say, "Wow! You're so brave." And when you only know that I moved to a third world country where there are hurricanes and earthquakes you might be inclined to think the same thing. But the truth is I'm not brave. Not at all.

The truth is I don't go anywhere by myself. Part of that is the fact that I don't have a vehicle to drive. The other part, which is much bigger because let's face it I would have found a way to get a car if I really wanted one, is comprised of what if questions. What if someone asks a question I don't understand? What if they ask a question I understand but I can't give them an answer that makes sense? What if I get lost? What if I get hurt and need some medical attention?

I also don't try new things without a thorough explanation from someone that can be trusted. I don't take risks, and I don't generally like to be in situations that make my adrenaline flow.* To be honest, my heart does a lot of panicking in those moments when other people are brave. Sometimes my fear (mostly of looking dumb) keeps me from experiencing some pretty awesome things. You might be wondering how I live here if I'm such an un-brave person.

The reality is there are a lot of times I'm uncomfortable here. But its the good kind of uncomfortable, the kind that stretches my faith, challenges my insecurities, and grows my character. It's only by the grace of God, and I do not say that lightly, that I have adapted and adjusted to life in Haiti. Please, please don't tell me how brave I am. Instead recognize that God is incredible and amazing, and it's because of HIM that I am where I am.

*Disclaimer: Not being brave is not new to living in Haiti. I have never liked taking risks, situations that make my adrenaline flow, or trying new things without a thorough explanation. 

Haiti Q & A: How are you paid for teaching in Haiti? Part 2

Q. How are you paid for teaching in Haiti? or How do you get money?
A. I am a true missionary this year, meaning I am financially supported solely by the generosity of other people. I explained the support raising process previously, so you should read that post if you haven't already. Once someone decides to partner with me as a financial supporter, they send their monetary gift to the Mountain Top Ministries office. When the ladies in the office receive a donation that is designated for my ministry, they put it into my fund. (When they receive gifts for other projects they put those donations into other funds. Deb, who handles all the money, does a fantastic job keeping track of where all the donations are going.) Because the money that is being donated goes to a 501(3) non-profit organization instead of directly into my hands, it is all tax-deductible.

In September I started receiving monthly paychecks from Mountain Top Ministries. The money in the paycheck comes from my fund at MTM, which is the money that my supporters have given. On the first of each month, a direct-deposit paycheck is made to my U.S.bank account. I am able to use my debit card at many stores, and I get cash by writing a check at the local grocery store. For the US expenses that I have, I am able to use my bank's online banking feature. It works out really well.

Any other questions about this topic, let me know. I'll be happy to try to explain it better.

Haiti Q & A: How are you paid for teaching in Haiti? Part 1

Q. How are you paid for teaching in Haiti? or Does Mountain Top Ministries pay you for teaching in Gramothe?
A. I am a true missionary this year, meaning I am financially supported solely by the generosity of other people. I took a leave of absence from my job teaching reading in Indiana. While not officially unemployed this year, my paychecks stopped in the middle of August. I am volunteering my time to Mountain Top Ministries, but in order to live in Haiti (or anywhere) there are expenses that must be covered. Without an income, there's no way that I can pay for food, housing, or other expenses that come up. In order to have money for these expenses, I needed to raise support.

It can be difficult to wrap your brain around the concept of "raising support." Basically what I did was write a letter that A) explained why I decided to leave my job in Mishawaka to teach in Haiti and B) invited people to partner with me in several different ways. I asked people to pray for me regularly, financially support me, and/or send packages of school supplies if I needed them. I sent this letter to pretty much everyone I know, and then I waited for their responses. In addition to sending letters, I also contacted several churches and groups to see if they would be interested in supporting me. I was able to share with several congregations and small groups about my hope to live and teach in Haiti. I also created a prayer card, which is kind of like an over-sized business card, with information about how to financially support me on the back.

 Sometimes it can take missionaries years to raise the support they need to leave the United States. Thankfully I had many positive responses in a very short period of time. By the end of August I had enough support to leave for Haiti. When I arrived in Haiti during the first part of September, I had nearly 80% of the financial support I needed to live in Haiti for the entire school year. God has been faithful to provide for all my needs since I arrived in Haiti, and I'm happy to report that as of today my financial support is at 88%. I only need about $3,000 to complete my support.

If you are interested in supporting me as I teach and touch lives in Haiti, you can give tax deductible financial gifts to Mountain Top Ministries, a registered non-profit. Just send a check to Mountain Top Ministries at P.O. Box 7053, Terre Haute, IN 47802. Write the number "0500" in the memo line and the office staff will be sure to put the money in my account.

Only God Knows

Every team that comes in is curious about my role here at MTM. They want to know what I do and where I live. When they find out I’m teaching English, they want to know how I get to school each morning (I walk or catch a ride with the teams that are here), if I’m learning Creole (I have a really good tutor and many others willing to help me practice), and how teaching here is different than teaching in the States (that’s a whole other blog post!). Inevitably, they also ask me how long I’m staying in Haiti. If Willem is around he tells them I am going to marry a Haitian man and stay for the rest of my life! I just laugh and tell him that I’d like to meet the guy. My standard answer is that I have committed to being here until July, and only God knows what will happen after that.

But this question of how long I will stay weighs heavy on my mind. I love working with the kids from Laboule. I hate to think about what it will be like to say goodbye to them. I also really like my high school students. The boys that are my escort home from school have become some of my favorite people here. They asked me last week why I didn’t want to be their teacher again next year. It hurt my heart to hear their question and I wanted to promise that I would be here again next year!

But I can’t make my students any promises because my heart also hurts when I think about my family, friends, home church, and dog in the United States. I miss them! Facebook and Skype have provided avenues to connect, but they’re not the same as being there. I can’t make library runs with Jen or attend impromptu game nights at the Shipes’ apartment. I can’t go shopping with my mom or call my dad to fix something at my house.

I guess what it boils down to is this: Only God knows what the future holds. So instead of being distracted by questions of where I’ll be a year from now, I am choosing to rest in the knowledge that God will let me in on the plan when I need to know. Until then, I need to spend my energy on the here and now—loving and investing in the people God has put in my life.

Haiti Q & A: How much English do your students know?

Q. How much English do your students speak?
A. Honestly, it varies. I have some students in 7th grade, which is the first grade to study English, who speak pretty good English.On the flip side I have students in the 11th and 12th grades who barely understand me. For the most part the students in grades 7, 8, and 9 don't speak a lot of English. They know some basics (except 7th grade), but having a conversation with them is...difficult at best. The students in grades 10, 11, and 12 know more English, but some of them do not do so well at conversing.

It's sometimes frustrating to know what to do with the higher grades because the students are at such different levels. (Oh, and there are no books right now. The publisher isn't finished with them yet. That also complicates planning.) The lower grades on the other hand have been much easier to plan for. Since they know next to nothing, we covered basic colors and numbers in grades 7 and 8 on the first day. Next week we'll review those and move on to objects in the classroom.

Haiti Q & A: What is church like?

This was taken during Sunday school back in April

Q. What is church like in Haiti?
A. The church service in Gramothe is very similar to traditional services in the States. The service opens with a welcome from either the pastor (Willem) or an elder. That's followed by a prayer--typically passionate and lengthy. Then we sing 3 or 4 songs that must have six verses each. I'm not joking; we sing for a long time. Sometimes I recognize the tune, but the past two Sundays I haven't recognized any of the songs.

After one song (or maybe before we start singing) there is a part of the service that is not something I've seen in the States. Each Sunday school class is called on to stand and recite their memory verse. They work on it during Sunday school and presumably practice at home as well. Today it sounded like each class had a different verse they were working on. Then after each of the 4 or 5 classes has said their verses some banners are given out as awards. Last week one lady received all the awards, but this week it seemed that someone from each class received one. The banners must be returned at some point because the same ones are used each week.

After the classes recite their verses we sing some more songs. There is a band that plays the music. Today we had three guitars, a piano, a drummer on the standard drum set, and a conga drum player. For some reason the music is always turned up to the top volume level, so the sound is not always pleasant. Today it seemed especially loud. Anyway, after the singing there is another prayer and the offering is taken. Today during the offering, one of the students from the high school gave her testimony. She will be the first student to go all the way through the Gramothe school and graduate. She hopes to go to medical school to become a doctor after she finishes her last year of high school.

Because there were teams here this week, Willem asked one of them to speak. Pastor Steve is on the construction team from Illinois and did a fine job preaching. He spoke and Willem translated for him. When there aren't any teams here, Willem just preaches. Those Sundays are hard for me because I don't understand anything during the service. It can be a very lonely time for me because church is supposed to be a time when believers come together. On the Sundays when everything is in Creole I feel very isolated. Today I was very thankful for at least part of the service being translated into English!

Generally the service comes to a close shortly after the sermon is finished. Willem either prays for us or has one of the parishioners pray. Then as everyone leaves they shake hands and greet one another. The older people often make a beeline to me or any Americans in attendance. They shake our hands and the women kiss us on the cheek. Last Sunday I sat near the door and after church I felt like I was in a receiving line because every single person who passed me shook my hand. It made me feel very welcomed. Today with the big group at church I didn't feel like I was in a receiving line, but there were still some elderly Haitians who made a point to come and find me.

Haiti Q & A: What money is used in Haiti?

Q. What money do you use in Haiti?
A. The official Haitian currency is the gourde. If you should exchange $1 USD for gourdes, you would get just under $40 HTG. However, people also talk about Haitian Dollars. This is quite confusing to me, but in doing some research I found this article that helps explain the thoughts behind Haitian dollars. The article talks about the "exchange rate" as 5 gourdes is equal to a Haitian dollar, but most signs say it's 7 or 8 gourdes as a Haitian dollar.

It's kind of an interesting process to get money here. First I write a check to a local grocery store that will cash it. The only one who will do this for me right now is Hispanola, but it's the only one close to my house anyway. The other grocery stores I've been to are all "in the city", meaning Petionville (about 20-30 minutes away on a good day). However, at the grocery stores in Petionville I can use my debit card.

It's hard for me to say if things are cheap or expensive here because it really depends on what we're talking about. I bought a 20" stainless steel stove with a cover for the range for $350 USD. I thought that was pretty good. On the other hand, I didn't buy any liquid hand soap because it was more than 200 HTG for one of the little softsoap bottles you keep next to the sink. That's more than $5!

Some sample prices
Half pound of ham from the deli     $94 htg=$2.35 usd
roll of paper towels                        $58 htg=$1.45 usd
light bulb (1)                                 $10 htg=$0.25 usd
Kraft mac and cheese spirals          $39 htg=$1.00 usd
dozen large eggs                            $155 htg=$3.87 usd

14.1 oz can of powder milk           $136 htg=$3.40 usd  (This can of milk should last me quite a while.)

Haiti Q & A: What do you eat?

Q. What do you eat in Haiti?
A. So far I have eaten whatever Beth's cook, named Mira, has made for me. I can't tell you how wonderful it is to have someone else cook a nice meal every single day! Mira is an excellent cook and makes a variety of dishes. Most of the the time she cooks eggs and oatmeal for breakfast. There have been a few days I've just eaten some fresh bread (I could live on the stuff it's so delicious!). The for dinner she has a system. She generally makes some sort of rice/beans, a meat or meat dish, gratinay (casserole), a hot vegetable, a salad and bread. So far I really like Haitian food. I'll try to take some pictures of other things we eat in the coming weeks.

Tonight we had ble (pronounced blay), which is a crushed wheat/grain, instead of rice with our beans.

Our meat dish was fried meatballs with a red sauce (my favorite sauce).

The gratinay tonight was something new. It's normally made with cabbage or potatoes and had a cheese sauce. It's baked in the oven and is yummy. Tonight Mira made it with lom, which is a gigantic vegetable that seems similar to a potato.

Tonight we had okra as our vegetable. Thankfully that one doesn't show up very often. My mom made me eat it once. I still think it's as disgusting as it was when I was a kid.

Yummy fresh bread. It takes on different shapes, but it tastes the same everyday.

Haiti Q & A: What language do they speak?

Q. What language do they speak in Haiti? Do you speak it?
A. There are two official languages of Haiti, French and Creole, and I speak neither. As I understand it French is the language of the educated and is used in government and business dealings, whereas Creole is spoken by virtually everyone in Haiti.

In Gramothe where I'll be teaching I assume few people speak French. The vast majority of the adults are illiterate and never attended school. I'm not even sure which language is used at the Gramothe school. They may be teaching and learning in Creole. At any rate, Creole will be the primary language spoken around me, so I've attempted to learn some basic Creole before I go to Haiti. I downloaded a program from Byki.com that has enabled me to learn some phrases and words from native speakers. I also bought a book that is teaching me about the grammar and sentence structure of Creole. Both have been fantastic resources--and Byki has resources for more than 70 languages.

I'm also employing the use of labels around the house. I have about 40 post its around my house with Creole words marking different items.

Haiti Q & A: When are you leaving?

Q. When are you leaving for Haiti?
A. The short answer: when I've raised the rest of my support. I would really like to leave for Gramothe (gruh-mott) by September 1st, but I need to raise the remainder of my support before I can leave. At this point I know where 35% of my funds are coming from. I'm so very grateful for the people who have joined Team Gramothe. I feel blessed that they have chosen to partner with me in this ministry, but there are times where I freak out about where the rest of the money is going to come from. I am confident that God has called me to go to Gramothe, and I know he will provide what I need to do what he's called me to do. However, there are still days when I struggle to to trust God because in my human mind it seems impossible to raise all of the support I need by the end of August.

Haiti Q & A: Your responsibilities?

Q. What will you be doing in Haiti?
A. I will have several tasks while I am in Haiti, most of which revolve around teaching English. What I'm looking forward to most is teaching English to 13 kids living at Laboule Children's Home. All of them are orphans between the ages of 7 and 14. The Red Thread has generously donated curriculum for this intense instruction.

Another big chunk of what I will be doing is helping the high school students at Gramothe Community School (I'm not sure what it's actually called) learn English. There is a Haitian who teaches English already, so I will be collaborating with him. My job will be to provide a language lab of sorts. From my understanding the students will attend regular class with the other teacher and then come to my class for extra practice on listening and speaking skills.

Someone at The Red Thread has created English curriculum for use with smaller children. I'll be providing basic English instruction for the kindergarten and first grade classes at Gramothe Community School. This is a little out of my comfort zone, but I think it will be a fun challenge.

The last part of my assignment is probably the one that causes the most trepidation for me. Willem and Beth have been given some moringa tree seeds and a program of sorts to implement that will teach people about the tree. They've asked me to incorporate the moringa tree into my work with the high school students. I'll be using some literature on the tree (in Creole) to teach about it's amazing nutritional value. In addition, I'm supposed to teach the students how to plant and care for the trees. Willem has a plot of land ready for me to use, and Beth has promised to help me implement the program. Frankly, I'm quite intimidated by this task!

Haiti Q & A: Why Gramothe, Haiti?

Q. Why are you moving to Gramothe, Haiti?

A. The short answer is God has called me there. If I were to choose a place to live overseas, it would be a Spanish speaking urban area with a good public transportation system. On my own, I would never choose to live in a place that is frequently hit by hurricanes and apparently also experiences earthquakes. The desire I have to move to Gramothe, a small mountain village outside of Port au Prince, is completely unnatural. I can only attribute the peace I have about this move to the Lord.

Over the last year I have become more aware of this thing called human trafficking. I've joined some friends in the Michiana area to raise awareness about its existence. In my research I've learned that Haiti has a serious human trafficking problem. Even before the earthquake, extreme poverty forced parents in rural Haiti to send their children to strangers who promised their children a better life. The problem is that not all of those strangers kept their end of the bargain--an estimated 300,000 Haitian children are what we would call slaves. "The name for these children in Haiti is restavèk, a Creole word that comes from the French reste avec, "stay with," but has evolved to become a general slur meaning worthless." (Marian Wright Edelman)

One way to fight against human trafficking is to prevent it from happening in the first place. In Haiti preventing rural children from becoming victims of human traffickin is pretty simple: education. Providing free education to the children in rural villages allows them to build skills they can use to get a real job. Throwing in a free meal while the kids are at school helps them focus on their school work and helps their parents use their meager finances for other needs. By helping the students in Gramothe learn English, I'll be giving them invaluable skills and preventing those students from experiencing the evils of human trafficking.