Haitian Proverbs

Today I bought a book of Haitian proverbs with the aim of learning more Haitian Creole as well as learning about how the people of Haiti think; to take a peek inside their worldview.

Tonight I'm enjoying browsing through the book.  It's so easy to use!  First there's the proverb in Creole, then the literal translation in English and then an explanation in English (for those like me who are cryptically challenged and need the proverb explained).

Here's some food for thought....  or some tasters to begin with:

Degaje pa peche

To make-do is not a sin.

Explanation: Doing what one must to survive is not evil.

Bef san ke, Bondye pouse mouch pou li

God shoos away the flies for the cow with no tail.

Explanation: God takes care of those who cannot help themselves.

Se pa tout moun ki ale legliz pou priye.

Not everyone goes to church to pray.

Explanation: You cannot know another person's motives.

Move zafe pa janm gen met

A mess never has an owner.

Explanation: Nobody wants to take responsibility for a bad situation.

Sa ki fe pwomes bliye, sa k'ap espere sonje

Those who make promises forget, those who are hoping remember.

Translations and interpretations by Wally R. Turnbull

A waterfall in the city...

If you ask me for directions I could not tell you how to return to the peaceful and serene waterfall that is just minutes away from the bustling streets of Port-au-prince... I can recall taking a tap-tap for the first time, which I was nervous about and prayed fervently for safe travels!

I can also tell you that we walked for a couple of hours alongside bustling traffic, on dirt roads with open gutters and through street trash (which sadly, is not uncommon in Haiti); as we entered a village close to the waterfall the roads were quiet and we trekked through mud!

But the beauty we found at the end of our trek was well worth it!  I owe thanks for this adventure to my risk-taking colleague Josiah and his hand drawn map, as well as our local interpreter Fred.

The lovely Amber and Katie.  

(If you look closely Katie is wearing a bandage on her left ankle; the night before she injured herself in a volleyball game but still soldiered on the next morning! That's what I call a "go-getter".)

 Beautiful views along the way.

My favorite flower in Haiti: bougainvillea.  

I love the splash of colour it brings to Haiti.

Katie and I.  Katie is teaching music at Quisqueya.

We had to jump of streams of water as we got near to the waterfall. I was the only one who tried extremely hard to keep my runners dry!

Along these streams we came across locals bathing and others washing their clothes by hand.  

I secretly took this pic.

The waterfall.

Below... my adventurous colleagues Amber and Josiah, and our tour guide Fred; as they trekked higher Katie and I stayed at the base of the fall.

All are welcome to join us next time!! 

What is strength?

The 3rd Graders' perspective on strength...

A day at the beach...

Beautiful mountain views on the way to the beach.

Art and Miquette; posing as my friends! ;-)

Thanks Art for driving "the gang" an hour and half to the beach and over two hours on our return.

Julie, this pic is for you!

I've enjoyed getting to know Robbie and Irene; they are such a sweet couple!  Robbie is the High school Bible Teacher and Irene is the Guidance Counsellor at Quisqueya.

Overall, it was a quiet and relaxing day with great company!

Handmade Haitian Jewellery

Yesterday I went to visit TeacHaiti, a school of 70 sponsored children from 1st to 5th Grade.  Haitian schools don't begin until October 3rd, hence the classrooms at TeacHaiti were filled with empty desks.

TeacHaiti also sponsors the school tuition of another 200+ students who attend other schools in Haiti, many who are high school students.  I was able to meet some of these students on top of the roof of the TeacHaiti school where handmade jewellery is made every Saturday.

100 per cent of the profits made from this jewellery is saved in a college fund for these students.  After they've graduated from high school the college fund will enable them to continue their education at a university.

The jewellery making process is more detailed than I can explain; in brief here are the steps I saw...

Recycled cereal boxes are cut into long triangular pieces using a guillotine.

The cardboard is wound around a stick and then sealed with PVA glue to make a bead.  Repeat the process. (see attached video)

Here is a string of beads I made; these are then put to dry in the sun.

Afterwards the handmade beads are taken off the stick and assembled onto nylon string, together with other plastic beads, to make bracelets and necklaces.

 

What I most enjoyed about yesterday was spending time talking with the students; with the limited Creole I knew and the limited English they knew, we were able to laugh together, teach one another and most importantly I was able to contribute to their future by supporting what they were doing.  

I look forward to making regular visits to TeacHaiti which I had decided before receiving the students' request to return.

Hope you enjoy the movies!

Tired...

This will probably be the shortest post on my record.  All is well... I just wish I had more energy!  At the end of a teaching day I feel.... tired..  That was the case back home too. So maybe it's just a sign of feeling "at home" in Haiti...

Prayer requests: please pray that I would have more energy for teaching and the ability to recount good things from my day.  This tiredness seems to be weighing on my mind... I need to think more positively!

Green Weekend...

Jill and I visited Croix-des-Bouquets this weekend.  Just 11 miles away from Port-au-prince; equivalent to an hour's drive on a bumpy road.  The bumpy ride was worth the country experience; it was so peaceful and green out there.  Jeff and Jean Graham were our hosts;  Jean is the 4th Grade teacher at Quisqueya.  They cooked for us all weekend and made us feel "at home".  I most enjoyed our walk through the sugar cane plantations, my visit to the girl's orphanage and holding a newborn baby who'd recently lost her mother.  She was beautiful!  I had tears in my eyes just thinking about her growing up without a mum.