As I mentioned in the last post, I went to Haiti in September, 2012. This trip needed its own post because it was such an important part of my life.
My mom and I went together (there was no way my mom was going to get out of a trip to Haiti...and the fact that I was not old enough to go by myself). I loved being able to travel with my mom to Haiti. It is something that we will be able to cherish together for the rest of our lives.
While my mom and I were waiting until it was time for us to meet the rest of our group in the airport, we went to get something to eat. Everyone who was going to Haiti with Soles4Souls had to wear the green shirts that came with our travel pack. While we were eating Brian Granfors came up to us in the restaurant and introduced himself. From that point on I knew that it was going to be an amazing trip filled with people who cared just as much about Haiti as I do. When we met our group there were 11 people total including my mom and I. There were three employees from Soles4Souls, David Graben, Kelly Hoskins, and Brian Granfors. That monday morning was Kelly's first day on the job with Soles4Souls. Mr. Graben at the time was the interim CEO of Soles4Souls. Throughout the two and a half years that I had been in contact with Soles4Souls I most of the time talked with Pattie Graben. When my mom and I met David Graben we said, "OH, you're Pattie's husband! We love her!!" Mr. Graben was surprised because people usually say that about Mr. Graben to Mrs. Graben.
The people who were in our group and traveling with Travel4Souls was awesome. I was the youngest one on the trip but it didn't matter. My mom and I roomed with a woman named April. She was very funny and I loved being able to talk with her and my mom in our room at night. We had many laughs throughout the trip. One morning the others on the trip asked if we could try and keep it down because we were being to loud.
Dianna and Jared were on the trip as well. It was their first time to Haiti as well. They were fun to talk and hang out with throughout the trip. Karen and Jim were another couple on the trip. They were strong supporters of Soles4Souls as well. They do amazing work where they are from! There was also another woman, Caroline. She was a very sweet woman who liked to sing "Hallelujah" a lot!
We met Annie when we got to the airport in Haiti. She was our tour guide/friend/translator. She lives in Haiti with her family, her husband and three boys. Annie was willing to answer any of the questions that we had about anything. We met Paul at the airport in Haiti as well. His real name is Kesnel, but he thinks it is easier for us to call him Paul. He was our tour guide/body guard/friend/translator as well in Haiti. Paul was one of the most spiritual people that I have ever met! I think that we would have been very lost if it wasn't for Annie and Paul helping us during the trip.
Last but not least, the Soles4Souls employees, David, Kelly and Brian. These three were the glue that held us together, along with Annie and Paul. Even though they have gone on multiple trips there will always be a special bond with our group. Brian was the photographer for Soles4Souls, he made a video about the trip, with video and pictures. Soles4Souls has impacted me in amazing ways. I don't know where I would be now without them!
The airport was more like a warehouse than an actual airport. After, we were in the buses that were taking us to the community center. The community center was about 17 miles away from the airport but it took us close to an hour to get there. In Haiti there are not paved roads every where. There are not many stoplights or other road signs. For a better way of saying it, the roads are not as well trafficked as the roads in the US. Driving through the roads of Port-au-Prince was amazing. I have never been anywhere that I was immersed in the culture as quickly as in Haiti.
The community center was up in the mountains so it was not as hot as it was down in the main part of the city. The community center had different rooms for sleeping and there was not really a set meeting or living room. The place where I spent most of my time was either on the court that did not have a roof over it because of the earthquake and the flood that hit Haiti. Where we tended to meet was on the roof. The roof was above where we slept and it was solid concrete. Every night there was a lightning storm. The lightning storm was probably the one of the coolest things I have ever seen. Since we were in the mountains, we were in the clouds too. All that we saw of the storm was the lightning and it wasn't scary it was peaceful. What some people may not realize is that Haiti is the most beautiful place that I have ever been. The landscape with the mountains and the cities, and houses that are built on top of each other were crazy! Even though I only saw a little bit of the country I plan to go back and see even more and to see what else the country has to offer to the world.
We had four different distribution times throughout the five days we were there. The first distribution was within walking distance from the community center. There was a system to distributing the shoes. First the kids had to be sized, then they went to get their feet washed. After that they went over to where I was to get their shoes. Not only did we have shoes, we had toys, wristbands, soccer balls, t-shirts and many other fun things. Once they had their shoes we let the kids pick a little toy to take with them too.
The second distribution was at the community center. This distribution was for women only. My job at this distribution was to wash, dry and put the shoes on the feet of the women who were coming in to get a new pair of shoes. To see the smile on the women's faces was absolutely priceless. In Haiti they speak Creole. It is a broken up version of the French language. It didn't matter if I couldn't speak their language I could tell that they were happy and felt special. To be in a third world country and helping out the people who live there is a feeling that I cannot explain (amazing for lack of a better word).
On wednesday we went to an school that was on the side of the mountain. Our group felt so much love and care from this school that we decided to "adopt" the school. We set up a fundraising page to help rebuild part of their school and so they can get more supplies for school.
After that distribution we went into downtown Port-au-Prince. There we went to a place called the Iron Market. What it was was a place where we did some shopping. It was full of different types of art projects, and other things like that.
Thursday we went to our last distribution that was about two hours away from the community center. We also were able to see Paul's internet cafe! After we visited there we went to Club Indigo. The water looked like the Caribbean. When we were finished floating in the ocean we went to an orphanage that was mostly disabled kids. We spent about an hour there playing with the kids and they responded really well to us.
We had to leave on friday morning. I knew that the trip would end but I didn't want it to. I felt like I could have stayed there for months. When I got onto the plane I sat there thinking that I am going to come back. There is no way that I would come back to the US and not have a longing to come back. Every person that I have talked to has said the same thing.
Here is the link to the video that Brian made about the trip.
I gave this boy a soccer boy and he was very excited!
My mom at the first distribution
My mom and I before the first distribution
One of the many beautiful views of Haiti
In the Iron Market
Our Friend Paul
Some of the artwork on walls off of the street
