Crossing Cultures

Port au Prince, Haiti

I reach up and steady myself by gripping a handle conveniently located above me, as Jason maneuvers the Prado over the rutted dirt streets. It’s early and the morning sun bathes the dirty city with her still gentle rays. The familiar sounds of roosters crowing and goats bleating reach my ears as the smell of charcoal cooking fires filter through the vehicle. Vendors selling colourful products sit on the sidewalks hawking their wares as brightly coloured tap taps flit in and out of traffic.

Haiti, my home.

At the Port au Prince International departures I kiss my man goodbye and then it’s time to go. The journey awaits. What will it bring?

Florida, United States of America

I peer intently through the airplane window and marvel again at the differences; multi-lane highways, sky scrapers, overpasses, bridges, sidewalks, parks. The contrasts between my Caribbean country of residency and the United States of America are sharp. As our aircraft lands on the beautifully paved runway I consciously attempt to put on my “North American” thinking cap. Culture hopping can strain the brain. Although the flight between the two countries is only a little over an hour, I might as well be flying to the other side of the world.

This becomes more evident as an hour later I find myself walking around in a daze through a massive Target Store.

“Get a grip Will,” I tell myself again as I clutch my list. There’s only 5 items on it, but it’s hard to concentrate when my brain is experiencing severe stimulus overload.

“CAUTION, SYSTEM OVERLOAD. CAUTION, SYSTEM OVERLOAD.” The warning flashes through brain cell connectors as thousands of products vie for my attention. Reverse culture shock, it happens when you’ve been away too long.

“You can do this, Will.” I tell myself, still clutching my list. “You knew this was going to happen. That’s why you made the list remember?”

Blocking out all outside stimuli I carefully read the first item on my list.

Travel size conditioner

I look up and like a woman on a mission begin my search for the hair care aisle. When I finally find it I’m overwhelmed as I’m bombarded by a 100 different bottles of every brand, colour, size and shape.

“How do you pick one quickly?” I wonder. There are so many things to consider; brand, price, size, hair type. At a loss I walk slowly down the aisle until I finally spot a small, familiar bottle of conditioner. Perfect. I sigh in relief. One down, four items to go.

I check my list and read the next item.

Travel outlet adapter

Looking around I absently pull on my pony tail as I try to figure out where to begin looking for one. An older man stops and stares at me for a moment and I wonder what he sees. Do I look as lost as I feel? I flash him a grin and then focus on the task at hand.

Travel adapter.

“Hmm, they’re probably in the electronics department.” I muse. I make my way over there and ask a sales associate for help.

“You can find those in the luggage department,” he informs me, pointing in the opposite direction. “Thanks.” I reply.

I wander through aisles of toys, books, lawn furniture, clothing, baby items, arts and crafts, snack foods, and bathroom scales until I finally spot some kids backpacks. Turning a corner I walk right into rows and rows of suitcases! Jackpot!

I find the adapters nestled between the travel pillows and then spend the next half an hour finding the correct one. Phew, that was tough!

Now there’s only three items left on the list.

Decisions, decision and more decisions. By the time I’ve found all five items my head is spinning. It’s not over yet though.

After meeting up with Shelley and Janell, a new friend who lives in Florida, we decide to get something to drink at the in-store Starbucks.

Once again I’m faced with a long list of options. What to get? I don’t recognize anything on the menu so when Jinelle thoughtfully suggests a Passion Ice Tea, I gratefully take her advice. The delicious, fruity tasting tea is just the sugar kick my weary brain needs.

More relaxed now that the shopping is over, I sip my drink as we tour the produce section.

“Look at all this fake looking fruit!” Shelley marvels.”Fruit in real life is just not that perfect!” Laughing, I let myself unwind and just enjoy the feel of a massive department store. A store with perfect fruit, a 100 brands of shampoo, and an aisle full of bathroom scales. A store where for a few hours I can blend in.

Countries, cultures, people groups.

It won’t be long, God willing, before we enter yet another.

What will China be like? I wonder.

China

I want to take a moment to share the exciting news that, God willing, I hope to travel with Shelley to China this Friday!

Last week Monday when I was helping out at the Apparent Project, Shelley mentioned that she still didn’t have someone to go with her to organize the shipping of supplementary beads and fabrics from China for the artisans and seamstresses. When Jason really encouraged me to take this opportunity and promised that between himself and Denise, Jayden would be in good hands, I offered to go with. Shelley thought this was great, so in a very short time period we booked the tickets and received our visas!

Now I would just like to ask you to pray for us as we go to yet another completely different part of the world. Also pray for Jason and Jayden as they will be on their own for 11 days.

PS: Don’t forget to check the blog! Jason is giving me his netbook and I hope to post pictures and stories while I travel.

Will

Dedication Service

Smoke from a nearby charcoal fire breezes past as I shift in my seat and focus on the pastor.

Today we’re at Anoud and Denise’s church to witness, as godmother and godfather, the dedication of their three children.

The church service started at 6:00 a.m. and now it’s almost noon. Jayden wiggles tiredly in my lap and then rests his head against my shoulder. I pull him closer and give him a quick hug, thankful that he’s stayed sitting for so long.

The pastor closes the church service with singing and prayer and then it’s time to stand up front for the personal dedication service of Nicholas, Sabboule, and Jocemine.

Early this morning, Anoud, Denise and the three kids had gotten all dressed up; Anoud, in Jason’s tux, Denise in my grad dress, Nicholas and Sabboule in special clothing donated by a friend, and Jocemine in a new white dress.

Now we stand, altogether in a half circle in the front of the church.

The pastor begins the dedication service by praying for Anoud, Denise and their family and then together we sing in Creole ‘What a Friend We Have in Jesus.’ He then picks up Jocemine and holds her up as he begins to pray. Jocemine cries loudly, very upset about the fact that someone she doesn’t know is holding her. When Jayden sees we aren’t going to intervene on her behalf, he finally decides to take matters into his own hands and walks up to the pastor and slaps his leg.

“Pa fe sa!” (Don’t do that!) he says.

Embarrassed, I pull him back, but thankfully the pastor takes no notice and continues to pray. When he is is finished he hands Jocemine to me and she instantly stops crying. I hug her tightly as her body continue to heave for the next five minutes.

Sabboule is next and he cries too as the pastor holds him up and prays over him.

Nicholas, the oldest at the age of five, bravely does not cry when it's finally his turn.

Once the pastor is finished, we sing again and then Anoud gives the pastor the birth certificates of the children. It is now the pastor’s job to sign them to make them legal.

Walking up the steps out of the church, I thank God silently that we were able to witness and be part of this special dedication service.

God is All-Powerful

I push open the wrought iron gate and it shrieks shrilly in protest. Out of nowhere a rain drop lands on my face and splatters. I look up, but the sky is dark, revealing nothing.

With Jason and Jayden following close behind, I step out on the rocky street. We've just finished our bi-weekly MAF staff meeting and are now ready to walk back home.

"It's raining Mom!" Jayden complains as more drops begin to fall.

"That's okay, Jay, rain is fun!"

He looks up at me skeptically and then importantly clicks on his flashlight. These last days city power has been scarce, and tonight, like many other nights, no street lights illuminate our path.

"Would you like a ride home?" a MAF volunteer and his wife ask, as we walk past their running vehicle.

"Yes," Jayden says. "Good idea!"

"We'll walk," Jason and I say unanimously and then laugh. "I've been stuck inside too long today and there's nothing more refreshing then a walk in the rain!" I add, thanking them for their offer.

"But I want to go in the car Mom!" Jayden complains.

"Come on Jay, have some fun!" I laugh as we walk on.

"You know he's probably right!" Jason points out. "We've lived in the Caribbean long enough to know that a few rain drops one minute could mean a full blown tropical rain storm the next!" I nod in agreement as right on cue the rain's intensity increases.

As I dance to avoid the puddles that are beginning to form, Jason scoops Jayden up and lifts him onto his shoulders. I can feel the water droplets begin to trickle down my face and back. "Kiss the rain," I sing and Jayden starts to giggle.

By this time, we're so wet there's no need to rush anymore and we leisurely stroll through the warm tropical downpour. As we pass by a large white gate, it slides open and a dark figure of a man appears. Shielded by an umbrella, he walks several steps towards us. I can make out the shape of a large black garbage bag in his left hand.

"Here," he says in Creole, "Take this!"

"No mesi" we reply thoroughly enjoying ourselves as the warm rain pours down our faces. He looks at us as if we're crazy and continues to hold the garbage bag out to us.

No Haitians walk in the rain if they can help it, and if they do, they use umbrellas, rain ponchos or garbage bags to cover themselves up. Many will even wear shower caps, to keep their hair from getting wet!

We thank him again and continue on in the dark. By now the puddles are impossible to avoid so we merrily slosh through them, still singing. The air smells so fresh, something sadly lacking most days, that I can't help but take deep breaths between the lines.

Lifting my face up I feel more alive then I've felt in a longtime. There's something energizing about feeling the power of God's elements.

God is all-powerful.

The Wait Is Over

I move the curtain aside and look out at the ever changing sky. One moment it's bright, the next somber clouds darken the sun. I let the curtain fall and then go back to restlessly pacing the house.

Finally, what feels like for the hundredth time, I log onto my computer. Within seconds I've signed on to twitter and type 'haiti elections' in the search bar. The screen quickly fills with one sentence updates. Most say that Michelle Martelly is the winner of the presidential elections, but a few report that Madam Manigat won by 50.48%. No one knows for sure.

I scan the lines and notice a few, "This is Haiti, you don't know till it happens." I also read that the streets have turned from celebrating Martelly's victory to a tense quiet. Waiting, waiting. I sigh, It's not something I'm particularly good at it.

I log off the computer and stretch.

"You want to read a book Jayden?" I ask, looking for a distraction. He looks up from his Thomas track set on the floor and grins. Quick as a flash he's monkeyed his way up two shelves and stretches to reach his Thomas books.

"Careful Jay."

He looks at me, clambers down and then dives head first onto the couch. I pull him close and open the book. "Click, Clack! Click Clack!" "Thomas puffs down the track." Jayden interrupts. I turn the page and let him say the words. He has the book memorized and it's fun to listen to him recite the whole story by heart.

We're barely half way through the book when I hear a familiar honk.

"Daddy's home! Daddy's home!" Jayden jumps off the couch and makes a beeline for the door.

Jason walks in a minute later, smiling.

"I just had the UN pull their guns on me!" he says.

"WHAT?"

"Yes. They had our street blocked off, so I had to kind of go around the roadblock. No one was in sight. When I started to honk for Anoud to open the gate they jumped out of their armored vehicle guns drawn!"

"Weren't you scared?"

"Nah. Once they saw it was me they sheepishly grinned and waved. I knew they wouldn't shoot me."

"You don't know that!" I reply. "They've been rotating different soldiers through, so there's a possibility they may not have recognized you!"

Jason shrugs as I shake my head.

An hour and a half later we're eating dinner as the news quietly plays in the background. We don't normally listen, but they are finally announcing the results and we don't want to miss it. At first we were planning to wait with eating dinner, but after listening to an hour of senators names and percentages we decided to just go ahead. The announcer's voice drones on and on and I do my best to listen. Finally he pauses and Jason and I look at each other. Is this it? With my chicken burger half way to my mouth I strain to listen.

"Michelle Martelly 68%, Mirlande Manigat 32%." Cheers break out in the background. I drop my half eaten chicken burger and head outside. Cheering, fireworks, gun shots, yelling, singing, laughing. All happy noises.

Jason goes outside to tell Anoud and Denise and they shout for joy too. He was the people's choice and with him voted in, there won't be rioting on the streets. Instead we hear chanting, music, honking, gunshots, and fireworks. For a moment in time, it sounds like the whole country rejoices.

The pall this country has been under since this whole nightmare began last November lifts. The people rejoice. Silently thanking God that all this is over, I pray that God will work in the heart of this man. He has a big weight on his shoulders now and the people have great expectations, but only with God's help will he truly be able to make a difference here.

President Michelle Martely, center.

God Is Still In Control

Helicopters buzz overhead as I lean closer to the razor sharp security wire, careful not to touch it, and peer over the wall. Thick branches of leafy Bougainvillea block my view of the street below.

"Mom, what are you doing?" I hear Jayden's questioning voice below me.

"I'm coming Jayden, just wait there!"

I shift positions, but other then glimpses of the dusty rocky riverbed that's supposed to be our street, I can't see the tank.

"Hmm, what now?" I wonder.

"Mom!" Jayden interrupts my reverie and I turn around and climb down from my perch.
"Were you tricking me Mom?" He asks now. "No Jay," I laugh. I just wanted to get a picture of the tank!"

I look down at my pajama clad little boy with his messy bed hair and bare feet.

I'll get him changed in a minute, I decide, as I scoop him up and peer through a narrow opening where the gate meets our thick security wall.

The tank is still there. I walk to the opposite end of our gate and notice a half a dozen police officers and a UN vehicle on that end of the street. Better not try anything sneaky, I decide. I don't want them to think I'm spying!

If I want a picture of the tank now's my chance though! It's not every day we have one protecting our street!

Balancing Jayden on my hip, I ease open the gate and walk up the rutted street towards the tank. A soldier is sitting on a lawn chair and as I come closer I point to my camera and then at the tank. He nods and then stands up, posing with his gun. I guess I'd better have him in it too, I decide, not wanting to offend him.

I snap one picture and then walk closer to the tank.



I snap another picture and am just ready to turn around when I hear knocking on the tank window. A second later the door opens and four more soldiers spill out, guns and cameras in hand. Their uniforms proudly displaying the word 'Bangladesh'.



They smile and wave hello and once I've snapped some more pictures they beckon for me and Jayden to come stand with them.




Jayden, not terribly impressed with the whole paparazzi thing, turns his head as cameras get passed from hand to hand and pictures are snapped. A minute later my camera batteries go dead, so I thank the soldiers and say goodbye.


Walking the short distance to our house, I can't help but wonder about the almost daily increase in security. Now our tiny street sports a tank with 5 soldiers, a UN truck with 5 soldiers and at least a half a dozen Haitian police officers! Just when I think there can't possibly be more soldiers and police guarding our dusty excuse of a street, more show up!

Not that I mind. Both the police officers and UN soldiers have been the epitome of politeness and friendliness and besides that, extra security around our house is never a bad thing.

Back inside my thoughts wander to the conversation I had with Denise earlier this morning.

"If Madame Manigat (one of two candidates) gets voted in, fairly or not, I'm afraid this country is going to explode," she had said. "I was listening to the radio and President Preval said he would rather die then have the other candidate Michelle Martelly become president! At the markets right now it's almost impossible to find machetes or knives. Martelly's supporters have bought them all, so if he doesn't get in they'll burn the city down and go on a rampage. Food's going to get even more expensive, so I'm going to shop today before results are announced Monday!" She sighs.

"God is still in control," I remind her gently as she worriedly runs her hands through her dark hair. She looks at me for a moment and then nods.

I think back to the verses I memorized yesterday. Hebrews 13:5-6 For He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

God is still in control, also of Haiti, and whatever political drama may or may not transpire in the days ahead.

God is on His throne.

Refreshed & Renewed

Fluffy white clouds hang motionless in the humid Caribbean air as our airplane glides smoothly over the city. I edge closer to the window and play with my camera settings until I find the aerial mode. I point, focus and click.

Port au Prince from above is something to see!


The city slowly disappears from view and is soon replaced by dry, arid mountains. Deforested to manufacture coal.

It's a sad sight.

Just like we regularly need rest and renewal, Haiti needs it too, badly.


We continue to climb until we reach the clouds.


Their bright whiteness makes me squint and for a moment takes me back to a time and place where I'm surrounded by snow. A pang of homesickness hits me. It's been a year since I've seen snow. Not that it's snow that I really miss, but it reminds me that it will have been a year before I see my family again in June, God willing.

A year is a long time.

I reminisce for awhile and then drag my attention back to the present. Today is an exciting day and I am looking forward to a relaxing and refreshing week.

We're on our way to the Dominican Republic for our MAF staff retreat, and to top it off we're flying all our own airplanes!

A year ago, when a team of Americans were detained by the Haitian justice system, MAF provided both emotional and physical support to the team members. As a thank you, the church where the team was from sent money and one of their pastors and his wife for our staff retreat. To keep costs down we decided to fly our own planes, and since the Dominican hotels are cheaper then the ones in Haiti we opted to fly across the border!

The total flight time is only an hour and 15 minutes and I marvel at the changes in landscape as we cross the border. Dry, bare mountains are replaced by flourishing green ones. Lush, tropical, beautiful.

It doesn't take long before a nice paved runway appears. Jason lands the plane smoothly and before I know it we're on the ground. 15 minutes later we're on a bus headed to our destination.

The hotel consists of individual villas and they are beautiful!


We put away our bags and then walk hand in hand to the beach. Turquoise ocean, sparkling sand. My eyes feast!



Jayden armed with Thomas and friends soon gets to work making tracks in the sand.


We walk further and enjoy the view from a rocky cove.


The landscape and bird-life are beautiful.


Walking back to our rooms the sun begins to sink. After an early dinner I fall into bed exhausted. 13 hour later I feel a lot better but continue to sleep 13 hours a night for the remainder of our stay. We've been so busy these past months!

Not only do we now have time for physical rest we spend hours each morning studying God's Word which provides spiritual refreshment. Under the guidance of Pastor Hamm, we spend our mornings studying the book of Philippians. As we study each of the four chapters, these truths in particular speak to me.

Philippians 1: Rather then focusing on our circumstances, to look at suffering and trials as opportunities to advance the gospel.

Philippians 2: Jesus wants us to be unified in Him regardless of our backgrounds, denomination, or character traits, to advance the gospel.

Philippians 3: To count everything we've done as nothing in the light of who Christ is and what He has done for us.

Philippians 4: The God of peace is the provider of all things.



When we've finished one of our morning sessions, the entire MAF team gathers together for a group photo.



The days go by quickly and before we know it, it's time to pack up and fly back home.


Once again I peer out the window and marvel at the beauty of God's creation.


Nearing the Port au Prince airport, I notice newly planted fields of trees.


How fitting it is to see physical proof of hope and renewal for Haiti, especially after experiencing rest and renewal ourselves!