On Your Mark, Get Set....

With all of the exciting changes that have been happening over the past few months, I cannot believe that the summer is almost over.  That means packing up my life in New York City, saying some very hard goodbyes and making the big move to Haiti where I will begin my work as Mission of Hope's newest staff member in just one short month!  I could not be more blessed to have so many friends and family that have been inquiring as to my finalized position with MOH and have been completely overwhelmed by the amount of support that I have already begun to receive.  For those of you who have been on this ride with me since the beginning, complete information as to my new job and pending move is on its way to you as I type (thanks for sticking with me).

What I Will Be Doing

While I am always in awe of the ever-expanding reach of Mission of Hope’s influence every time I return, I constantly feel myself being called back to the schools and orphanage to work with the children.  Because of this, I could not be more pleased that I have been named both the Sponsorship Coordinator for MOH in Haiti as well as Children’s Counselor and have committed to live in Haiti initially for one year starting in September 2012.  I am deeply humbled by Mission of Hope’s allowance of me to work in areas that are so rapidly expanding and have so much room for growth.  What started out as a small school on MOH’s campus has turned into multiple schools around the country with thousands of students, every single one of them needing sponsors.  With plans to build even more schools and fill them with even more students, it will be my job to manage a program that will effectively collect the data of every student, make sure they are sponsored, ensure that their sponsors are receiving correct, timely and intimate correspondence from their student and vice versa.  This job alone comes with great responsibility and I am anxiously diving in to learn more about the sponsorship process and how we can continue to educate the nation of Haiti.

As Children’s Counselor, I am blessed to be creating a program that will help guide and support those young adults who will be transitioning out of Mission of Hope in the coming years and into daily life as a Haitian citizen.  Making my visits to MOH over the past couple of years and catching up with the 60+ kids at the Village of Hope (MOH’s on-site orphanage), it began to hit me that these children are growing up quickly!  Generally speaking, children in Haiti look much younger than they actually are and it is oftentimes difficult to guess their age correctly.  Looking back at their documented birthdates, I realized that a staggering 49% of the children at the Village of Hope are at or over the age of thirteen!  This means that almost half of the family is at an age where they should begin considering their future with or outside of Mission of Hope.  It is my goal as Children’s Counselor to create a program that will help support them in their transitioning time, getting to know their strengths and aspirations, plugging them into apprenticeships where they can study and learn, and looking into their options for furthering their education or starting careers.  This is a program that I hope to expand not only to all of the children at the Village of Hope, but also to every student attending any of the schools funded by Mission of Hope.

How You Can Support

It is always such an encouragement to me to look at the great amount of responsibility I have been given with MOH, realize that it is way too much to handle in my own power and see a constant stream of support coming in various forms from people that are just as passionate about the work being done in Haiti as I am.  There are many ways that you can continue to support both Mission of Hope and myself throughout the coming year.  The first thing that I would ask everyone to do is simply to pray.  I know now more than ever that I need to stay in constant prayer and trust God with my uncertainties and anxiety about the coming year.  I ask that all of you continue to pray for my life in Haiti: for confidence in my new job, safety, health, for the children with whom I will be working, etc.  This more than anything is what I hope you will commit to do in support.  Another way you can support the work being done at Mission of Hope is to stay connected.  I have created a home webpage (www.about.me/bethfionda) that will make it easier than ever to receive updates from my blog, pictures of the kids and links to all of my social networks that will have new information posted weekly.  If it interests you, I also ask that you send me an email to my new address, bethf@mohhaiti.org to become a part of the mailing group where I will be sending out regular email updates.  The last way that I hope that you will consider supporting is financially.  All Mission of Hope staff members continue to live and work in Haiti based on their financial support that is raised monthly to cover the cost of living healthily and safely.  If you are interested in donating to either my life in Haiti or any of Mission of Hope's areas of influence, I have provided a link on my homepage that will take you directly to my donation site.  For more information on how to donate via mail, please send me an email.

I want to again thank everyone who has supported me over the past few years: to my family who has never second-guessed my passion for the Haitian people; to my friends who have probably heard my favorite stories about the kids way more than they would like and to those of you whom I have never even met but continue to follow my story; your support is an inspiration to me and I thank you.

These adorable faces also thank you!

A Change is Gonna Come

It feels like just yesterday that I left Haiti in June of 2010 saying, "As soon as I graduate, I'll be back here." But then again, so much has happened since then that I cannot believe how much God has blessed me with what I have experienced and how many memories I have managed to pack into such a short amount of time. Two years later, I am graduating from NYU in just a month (fingers crossed, you never know) have traveled to placed like Beijing and Sicily (all in the name of research, of course), have made incredible lifelong friends and, of course, have been back and forth to Haiti as much as possible. With all of the blessings that have been coming my way, it is almost unbelieveable that Mission of Hope would come to me just a month before my graduation date offering me a position on staff starting in the Fall!

Me at the Great Wall of China

The beautiful fields of Corleone in Sicily
Of course, it took almost no thought for me to know that this is exactly where God wants me to be starting in September since it has been on the top of my daily prayer list since the day I moved back home two summers ago. And just like I said then, as soon as I graduate, I'll be back! So it is with great pleasure and thankfulness that I can announce that I will be working with Mission of Hope this coming Fall, committing intially for one year. I look forward to sharing more details and plans as my departure date draws near and will do my best to keep this blog updated with exciting stories, struggles and triumphs throughout this inevitably-eventful journey. I want to thank everyone who supported me financially and prayerfully through my initial trips to Haiti and who will be supporting me in the future as well. If you would like any information about my big move, Mission of Hope or how you can support, please don't hesitate to call, text, email or comment. Thank you all again for your continued support because without you, none of this would be possible!

Above: Just a couple of pictures from my wonderful visits to Haiti over the past two years

A Big Day

Yesterday was just another normal Sunday at the Mission of Hope- NOT!!! I should know better than to expect that by now. But what I thought was going to be just a relaxing day planning for my last week turned into so much more.

To start off, this past Friday was Mother's Day here in Haiti so church turned into an all-out, 3 hour celebration. It started off with normal praise and worship and somehow turned into a Haitian game show, complete with catchy music, cheering and dancing up and down the aisles. Granted, it took me until about thirty minutes into the game to understand what was actually happening, but once I caught on, I realized that this Bible trivia was going to last a long time. About an hour later, the game was wrapping up and all the mothers were called to the stage for special recognition. Imagine my surpise when all of the Hope House children tried to pull me on stage with the rest of the moms, claiming that I was their "manmie" too. Let me tell you, there aren't many greater feelings than that!

After church many of us rushed upstairs to start making food for our big day. Since it was my last weekend with the children, I planned a special beach day for them, the mommies and the supervisors to show them how grateful I was for allowing me into their family for so long. With the help of many people here at the mission, we were able to make a picnic lunch for over 100 people, get changed for the beach and load all of those 100 people (sixty of those being crazy, excited children) onto a bus headed for the beach in just over thirty minutes. I don't think I officially caught my breath until this morning!

Miseline and Chrismene during their long-lasting water fight

What a wonderful time at the beach! I don't think I can even explain the sense of joy I felt to watch the mommies dip their toes in the water and the kids jumping in the waves, completely carefree for a few hours. Even the bus ride home was filled with excitement. Although we had at least four people in each seat and the aisles filled with supplies and people, it didn't stop the kids from singing and dancing the entire way home- what an amazing ending to an amazing journey! After all of the minor setbacks, frustrating days and change of plans, it was such a treat to spend some uninterrupted time together.

Esther was very proud of her fancy bathing suit

Thank you to everyone who helped make our beach day a success and also to everyone back home who has supported me throughout this time!

Wrapping Up

I cannot believe that I only have a week left here; I'm not sure how I will be able to leave these kids and this place that has become such a home these past months.

While I thought about what to share this week, I couldn't help but think back to the beginning of this jounrey. Although it has flown by as a whole, the first few weeks seem like decades ago. I couldn't help but laugh thinking about my first week where my only English-speaking assitance was out with malaria, I was making worksheets and copying them by hand and honestly spent all of my free time figuring out how to even begin English classes with no common language and students ecompassing every skill level possible.

It's hard to even imagine those days now. My relationship with both the children and the mommies have come so far that figuring out what to teach is almost instantaneous and the daily setbacks have become more humorous than frustrating. As a person who always "needs" for everything to go exactly according to plan, Haiti has taught me wonderful life lessons. Even if the speaker for the movie doesn't work for the first thirty minutes or we have to start class an hour late because a study group has decided to use the only open classroom, the kids are still just as happy that we are spending time together. It really puts things in perspective.

Each and every child at the Hope House is special to me in their own way. It's very refreshing and almost overwhelming to feel such constant and unconditional love at all times from people who didn't even know you this time last year. It will be a struggle to leave knowing that I won't be rushed by a mob of children calling me cow (Bef) every morning or pulling on my hair, arguing over which one gets to braid it that day.

I am officially Haitian- I've got the hair to prove it!

I am so thankful for my time here in Haiti. This is a special place that can not be left in the past; Haiti will always hold a special place in my heart and will be visitied often. I have made so many zanmi pou toujou (friends forever) that this will always be a second home.

Me with my wonderful staff friends on our mountain climb.

Angelie

Precious little Angelie

Over a week ago, a man came into the clinic with his very sick infant daughter. He never gave her name, but it was obvious from the beginning that she was very sick and malnourished, not even able to lift her head or move her legs. While waiting to be seen, the father handed his daughter off, saying he needed to use the restroom, and never came back.

From that point on, this precious little girl has been living at the Ward, constantly watched by the mommies at the orphanage and different nurses. She was given the name Angelie and is getting stronger everyday. Now eating rice and beans, she can move her feet and suck her thumb. While it would be ideal for Angelie to spend time at the Hope House with the other children, she is not yet strong enough to survive without constant care. I had never before held a baby that wasn't strong enough to move on its own or even open its eyes for more than a few seconds.

Please pray for Angelie as the Mission of Hope is trying to decide the best situation for her. While it would be possible for her to become a Hope House kid, certain papers are needed and without the family present, there is no telling how long that process could take. Angelie is a beautiful little girl and it breaks my heart that anyone could leave their child behind, especially her. But I am confident that she will receive better care and will be able to thrive more here than she would living in poverty. This is truly a blessing in disguise.

Time to Pray!

This week is incredibly eventful and has been much anticipated. Today is Flag Day, the Haitian equivalent to the 4th of July and the kids have not had school both yesterday and today. On top of that, the OU girls basketball team is here to have a basketball camp with the kids all week; meaning that for the past two days, I have just been able to spend quality time at the Hope House with those precious children. But in the midst of all the excitement, I am constantly reminded that this place needs to be lifted up in prayer at all times; and the moment I let my guard down is when this hits me the most.

Nicole and me at the river in Cabaret

On Friday, my good friend Nicole, one of the oldest girls at the Hope House, came to me with the news that her brother, only 19 years old, had been killed that day. She was surprisingly calm, as if this wasn't a new situation for her or anyone involved, which is extremely saddening to me. His funeral was yesterday and she was still back in time for our special Flag Day movie night, ready to converse with her friends. The strength that the people of Haiti have is incredible; but I have begun to notice that this "strength" that I have admired in them for so long is almost a hardening of their hearts. Living in a place with so much pain and suffering, many of them have become so hardened that it is hard for them to feel any pain at all.

The next day, I visited the Good Samartian orphanage in Cabaret. Despite it's name, it was one of the worst excuses for an orphanage I had ever seen. While most of their buildings had been destroyed by the earthquake and all of the kids were huddled under a tarp, half-dressed, bathing in the same dirty river from which they were drinking. Some were so sick and weak that they couldn't even swat the flies and gnats away from their face. But of course, these children weren't in plain sight, they were hidden behind closed doors so we couldn't easily see them. Coming from the Hope House where the kids are joyful because they are loved and nourished, it was heart-wrenching to see these children. They were eerily silent because they didn't have the energy to express any sort of emotion and could barely gather up the strength to sing a simple song with us. These are the times when I wonder- what else can be done? There has to be a solution...

Kids at the Good Samartian orphanage- this boy didn't move from that spot the entire afternoon

Sunday is usually a day of rest here at the mission. The clinic is closed so even the doctors and nurses are able to attend church, go to lunch and then relax. But this past Sunday was by far a different story. Just as it was starting to get dark, Tap-Taps (the Haitian version of a taxi) poured into the gates of the Mission of Hope, bringing half-conscious people up the the clinic. After looking in one of the trucks, I realized that most of them were American. On a trip down one of the mountains right next to the mission, a truck carrying a group of around 25 Americans and a few Haitians lost its breaks, swerving down the hill and eventually rolling the rest of the way down. All of the doctors, nurses and even physical therapists rushed to their aid while I helplessly sat above the clinic, watching people pour in without any skin left on their faces or rocks stuck in their skulls. It is times like these that I fail to understand God's plan for the situation. I have always been told that God will protect me while I am here in Haiti- "I am doing wonderful things and he will watch after me". But these people from Illinois were here for the same purpose; and with their flight the next morning, they just wanted to take a casual drive through the mountains. I thought about all of the families that weren't even informed that their loved ones were in danger. All I could do was pray.

After three people were taken directly to Miami by helicopter that night, the rest of the group miraculously made their flight back home the next morning. While many are still in critical condition, everyone survived the gruesome accident. There was one leg and one hand amputation but lives were not lost. I still cannot comprehend how a woman can get on a flight in the morning when she was convinced she was at a WalMart with George Bush Sr. as the president the night before. That is the power of prayer.

Constant Reminders

Clara and me at church on Sunday

WOW!! Another week in Haiti has flown by and I've honestly lost track... it seems like it was just yesterday that the Hope House kids were running up to the truck to greet me upon my arrival.

English classes were very successful this week. My youngest classes now know the days of the week, months of the year and numbers to 100; along with many fun English songs that we practice during class and then sing together at movie nights. My oldest class is really getting into the book Holes, and after reading on Wednesday, the kids wouldn't get out of their chairs... they wanted to read more and sat there until I agreed to "just one more chapter." The mommies are now having small conversations in English with eachother during class and are excited after class to teach me some Creole.

Volleyball at the Hope House is starting to get pretty competative and I LOVE it! Of course, time spent playing with the little ones is very carefree. We will bump and set across the net and I love watching the kids jump for joy when the ball goes in the right direction. But when the older kids step on the court, it's time to get serious! Just like any regular game, there's arguing over bad calls, cheering during exciting points, and even a little bit of light-hearted smack-talking. I am so glad that the children are loving this sport in which I have invested so much of my time throughout my life. Even with a language barrier, I am constantly finding more common interests that strengthen my relationship with each child.

_______________________

While most of my time is spent with the wonderful children at the Hope House, I do go out into town a few times a week and it is always a reminder that while the kids I am teaching are so joyful and thankful for how they live, right outside the walls of the Mission of Hope, a nation is still writhing from disaster.

Just last weekend, I was taken on a trip into Port au Prince to visit some of the other hospitals in Haiti. On our way, we stopped at the mass graves right outside the village of Titanyen where it has been said that 100,000 people are buried. Although it is a very powerful place to visit, it did not quite hit me that so much heartache was buried here until I looked down to see the skull of a child laying carelessly next to my feet with its vertebrae and ribs scattered a few feet away. What a sad reminder of how many people were tossed there, without a proper burial, because the death toll was so overwhelmingly high. Visiting the hospitals was another reality-check for me and the smell of death is a memory I will never forget. It is something that I smelled upon arriving at both hospitals in Port au Prince and was almost too overwhelming to stand when I walked through the morgues. I could not believe that people were strewn across the streets outside the morgue, fresh out of a surgery that was done in a room without a ceiling.

So many amazing things are happening in this nation. Although it is hard to see that there is still so much suffering happening today, it is definitely a motivation that the work happening here is not in vain. Going out into the villages makes me thank God even more that the amazing children at the Hope House are giving the opportunity to thrive in an environment where they are given nutrition, education and an opportunity to build a relationship with Christ. I truly believe that these kids will be the leaders of the next generation here in Haiti.

Wilner, Macline, Mansado, Samuel and Thamara-

Some of the beautiful Hope House kids