Posted by Lauri
Wow. Apparently I have been avoiding writing on the blog enough that when I spoke to my mom upon arriving back to the States she thought the blog was only designated to Mike and Bev! I can't say that I have consciously not wanted to write, but I do seem to focus on my whereabouts and try to be present as much as possible when I travel. We are here in the Miami airport right now, waiting for the plane to Denver. There is no internet so unfortunately I will be writing and posting this later- So, here it goes..
When I think about this trip- including all of the preparation, the trip itself, and the re-entry, 4 things come to mind for me- Patience, flexibility, resiliency, and the contrast that we both witnessed and experienced. Not only is 'time' very different while abroad, which requires a lot of breathing, waiting, and relaxing into a different pace of life, but it also requires one to let go of any preconceived notions you may have when entering into a 'mission' type trip. I personally enjoy this way of being much more than the rigid, fast paced life we are faced with in the States!
Although I have witnessed the notion of 'Resilient' on other trips to different areas around the globe, I can honestly say that it is tenfold in Haiti right now. It has been humbling and heartening to hear peoples stories of survival and loss, of courage and hope. When driving down the roads of Port-Au-Prince, Cite Soleil, Leogane, plus others, it is hard to feel anything else when you see houses/buildings collapsed, roads covered with remains of buildings, tents and camps set up anywhere there is space, and a sewage/waste removal system that seems to be almost non-existent. Yet among all of this, people are working hard, selling their goods, rebuilding, enjoying each other while supporting individual and community needs. And most of all, people are smiling, while they find the inner light and strength. Most of all, you can see this in the children- in their faces and behaviors, in their play or their sorrow, in their innocence and vast experience. Resilience mixed with contrast- a combination seen here as lightness and heart. The idea of contrast also arose for me while seeing, collapsed buildings standing next to exquisite beauty of nature/standing architectural beauty. Or while hearing people's stories yet experiencing their courage. And while witnessing (and experiencing) deep poverty against those that have more wealth.
In Petit Troupes our work was well received. I believe that the Mental Health and Trauma focused work was well needed, and I have high hopes that both the women volunteers, the vocational students, and the teachers will continue to utilize these concepts with themselves and others- especially the children. Although there was not as much physical evidence of the earthquake way out there, it was felt by all- both in the people that were displaced there (IDP's), in the orphans, and those that lost family, livelihoods, and memories. I feel blessed and grateful to be able to not only share knowledge and support that I (we) was able to offer, but to also learn a great deal from everyone there. My work was based on Security and Resiliency, as well as basic reactions and behaviors during Crisis's or Trauma related events. I also did some Art Therapy which was well received, and created an atmosphere for sharing and vulnerability that seemed to be new yet welcomed. (True for the adults and children!) Some of the work followed Mercy Corps basic concepts as we were basing this training on programs they have going in PaP- I hope that they are able to connect with Mercy Corps in the future, and that this work continues through individual and community connections.
I also feel lucky to have met such wonderful individuals that I can call friends for life, and a place that I can continue to back to and call a home.
With that said, I think that I must write something about all of these factors in terms of our group. Having done Global Mental Health in the past, I can not have asked to be with a better group. From the leadership to team work to friendships made, it has been an amazing experience. I feel like we were all able to be present and engage, be heartfelt, empathic, and compassionate in truly genuine ways. We helped each other, learned from each other, and gave support- and space!- as needed... And at the end of the day, we could talk and laugh with each other- very much required while engaging in this trip!
So, all in all things went really well, with a few bumps and minor ills along the way… However arriving back with this accomplishment can seem like a feat. Yet when you compare this to the day to day lives for the residents of Haiti, it seems like nothing.
I think others have done a great job at detailing our experience, so I am trying to keep this a bit more general- I am only posting a few photos- out of thousands! For those of you that know me, documenting and doing a bit of 'photo journalism' is a love of mine, yet the space on this blog is limited. We will be creating a 'Snapfish' account soon, and will post it on here ASAP!
Thanks to all of you for your ongoing support and for reading this- it means a lot to all of us to know that there is continued interest and dedication to areas that need sustainable efforts!
Take care, and until next time :)
Lauri
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
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