Elevate Haiti

St. Joseph's Home - Construction Progress

2011-03-25T13:11:00.000-07:00

The first time I was in Haiti was in May 2010. It was 4 months after the earthquake. It had been 4 months since St. Joseph's School for Boys had been ravaged and Bill the director had fallen from the 7th story to the ground below, saved from being crushed by the rubble only by the strength of a sturdy tree that held it back.

May 2010- St. Joe's demo'ed down to the 3rd story & the tree that saved Bill's life

At that time 4 stories of the building, had already been demolished, by hand, by workers with pickaxes and hammers. They were working on the 3rd story demolition and plans for the new St. Joseph's were in the process of being developed, in the same location, just sturdier and not built so high.

When I returned in August 2010 with our first group of volunteers, the demo was finished and the foundation was in the process of being dug out. Our volunteers jumped right into the swing of things, hauling buckets full of earth from an ever deeper hole in the ground, passing each up through a chain of helping hands, all working together towards the same goal.

August 2010 - Digging out the pit

In November 2010 I returned again with my husband and the hole was deeper still, at the final stages of digging. Chris jumped in to the work and added to the progress.

November 2010 - Final stages of digging the foundation

November 2010 - View into the pit (Bill's tree on the left)

It's the end of March 2011 and we are back. The foundation has been dug and rebar sticks straight out of the ground in patterns that are beautiful, if only in their significance as a future opportunity for so many children.

March 2011 View from the Pit

March 2011 View into the pit - rebar foundation!

Port-au-Prince - a crash course

2011-03-24T13:38:00.000-07:00

Post-earthquake Haitian Art

If you have never been in the developing world, and even if you have, Port-au-Prince can be an intense experience. Bright and early Monday morning we set out on a tour of the city with our trusty driver Rony and Jacqui - a seasoned tour guide, who knows the ins and out and history of the country like the back of her hand.

Tap-tap - public transport

Just driving through Port-au-Prince is exciting, there is so much going on. People are out and about, going to work, school or selling anything you can dream of, generally from a basket on their heads.

A market scene

We stopped to see the famous Haitian "gingerbread" houses - houses constructed out of wood in the 18th and 19th centuries, many of which withstood the earthquake.

Haitian Gingerbread House

We also had a chance to see the many gorgeous statues of Haitian heroes and leaders. Unfortunately, most of the plazas they stand in have been covered in tent cities where people still live more than a year after the earthquake.

We also were able to see the extent of the earthquake damage in the cathedral and presidential palace before going to catch a bite to eat at the famous Oloffson Hotel.

Cathedral

Presidential Palace

Arrival in Port-au-Prince!

2011-03-23T13:30:00.000-07:00

The volunteers arrived on safely to Haiti on Sunday. Everyone was happy that we had prepared them for the intense airport experience - bustling, hot and with porters (over) eagerly attempting to help them with their bags. We could see the relief on everyone's face once they saw us outside the gates holding the Elevate Destinations sign! We got to St. Joseph's quickly since on election day private vehicles that are not airport bound, or on official business are not allowed out. To me this first drive into Port-au-Prince is a portal into another world that leaves you speechless with its sights, sounds, smells. Below is a quick video of a drive through Port-au-Prince's Grand Rue for a glimpse of what our volunteers see on their first drive through Port-au-Prince.

The volunteers were received at the entrance of St. Joseph's with a glass of cool water, as is customary at the home. This welcome is one that all visitors and newcomer's receive.

After an orientation and a tour we sat down to a group dinner, complete with rice, beans and a delicious creole sauce. Everyone is excited to be here and excited for what surprises Haiti will bring!

Back in Haiti!

2011-03-20T09:20:00.000-07:00

Hi All! We are back in Haiti with another group of volunteers! Everyone is getting in today and we are preparing for a great and productive few weeks in Port-au-Prince and Jacmel. Stay tuned for updates!

Andrea

2010-12-01T09:18:00.000-08:00

My husband accompanied me to Haiti on November 17. While I was busy in meetings and on my laptop, he volunteered with the group of construction workers that are charged with rebuilding St. Joseph's Home for Boys in Port-au-Prince and got a firsthand look at the work that our volunteers assist with on the ground when they come to Haiti.

This article has been reblogged directly from http://www.embryocreativegroup.com/blog

Working in Port Au Prince @ St. Joseph's. Picture by Andrea Atkinson

Haiti Blog #1: Life Lessons from the Bucket Brigade

Posted By: cantonowich | Date Posted: November 30, 2010, 4:37 PM

In late November 2010 I spent a week in Haiti's capital—volunteering on a rebuilding project at St. Joseph's orphanage. The following is the first in a series of blogs about the culture, values and traditions I experienced during my brief time in Port Au Prince.

"Yo, Blanc!"
Out of the tens of thousands of words uttered amongst this emboldened group of Haitian construction workers, these are the only two I can understand. Roughly translated, they mean "hey, white dude!"
For three days, I volunteered in a hot, dusty, deep ditch in an effort to help rebuild part of St. Joseph's new orphanage in Port Au Prince. I was part of a bucket brigade - carrying 30 pound buckets of dirt up three flights of makeshift stairs (essentially toppled boulders) and dumping it off in a large pile of earth. For the brigade, this ritual would continue ad nauseum for 8-9 hours a day in the blistering hot Haiti sun. Doing my best, I was able to put in about 2-3 hours of labor a day before I felt like my heart and head were ready to explode. These conditions are grueling, to say the least, but for me it offered a unique opportunity to understand and appreciate how people in this world earn an honest day's pay.
The workers have nary an ounce of fat on their frames. These guys are all built like NFL cornerbacks. And they can probably hit just as hard. On day one, I feel they are wary of my presence. I enter the brigade and pick up a bucket. I cautiously climb down the mountain of rubble to the bottom of the ditch to get my bucket filled. I climb up with the rest of the group to add to the ever-expanding dirt mound. "Yo, Blanc - here!" yells one of the shovelers - identifying where to dumb my bucket of dirt. I look around and see that I am the only white person in sight. It's a feeling I don't believe I've ever felt before - to truly be a minority of one based on skin tone. Since the language barriers are too much to climb, and given my limited knowledge of Creole, I decide that my best path for success is to shut my mouth, work hard and smile as much as possible.
This tactic seems to pay off, as day two when I enter the pit, a few guys say things to me in Creole and greet me with a fist bump. For the first time, I feel welcomed. It makes me want to work harder to prove myself to these guys. The trouble is, my body simply isn't built for 8 hours of hard labor in the sweltering sun. I make it my personal goal to get 10 buckets at a time (about 1/2 hr of work) - then stop for 5-10 minutes for water and to slow my heart rate down from a boil. During these 10 bucket stretches, I learn to distract myself effectively. I think about work to be done for Embryo. I think about friends and family. I think about sci-fi movies. I try to recount the names of old high school acquaintances - people I've forgotten about for years. I do just about anything to try to keep my mind off the fact that I'm carrying 30 pound buckets of dirt again and again and again up a 3-story boulder hill.
For the most part, this technique works. I go deep into thought, the workers sing or carry on conversations - anything at all to keep you brain occupied while your body goes through hell.
On the third day, the brigade is happy to see me. I get a greeting from almost all of the men - fist bumps abound. I feel like I've earned their respect - even though I've hardly done more than 50 buckets a day to their probably 250+ each. Nevertheless, the last day comes to a close and we say our final goodbyes. I talk to them through an interpreter about the idea of getting new shoes - since most of these men work in flip flops (hard to believe). They seem luke warm to the idea but I promise them I will reach out to American work boot manufactures to donate 20-25 pairs of boots by this January.
I learn many lessons from my experience with the bucket brigade. I learn what it means to dedicate mind and body to an seemingly insurmountable challenge. I learn what it takes to earn an honest day's pay in Port Au Prince. I learn that carrying 30 lb. buckets of earth on your head up and down a flight of stairs in the Haitian sun is the most extreme cardiovascular workout ever (it's inspired me to climb stairs in my gym carrying a medicine ball for my new workout). But more than anything, I learn that being a part of an effective, hard-working team is the best key to success.
If you'd like to support the effort to rebuild St. Joseph's, donate to Hearts with Haiti here - the money goes directly to rebuilding costs: http://www.heartswithhaiti.org/

Photos & Reflections from Haiti - by Sarah Liberatore

2010-09-30T08:06:00.000-07:00

Seven months after the 7.0 magnitude quake thousands are still living in tent cities, trying to move on, rebuild and I hope be able to use people like me for some labor. Enter Hearts With Haiti, an organization that has three schools throughout the country and was in the midst of expanding their school in Jacmel when the earthquake struck. The school where we will stay tonight in Port-au-Prince, St Joseph's, was also badly damaged and has a rebuilding project occurring at the same time. Our project: Complete the construction of a classroom and computer room for the school and orphanage in Jacmel. I couldn't ask for a better opportunity to celebrate my 28th birthday and spend the next two weeks. See you in Haiti.

View from St. Joseph's, Port-au-Prince

Presidential Palace, Port-au-Prince

Getting off the plane in Haiti is like a punch in the face of your senses. The heat, the noise, the smell, the seeming chaos, the rubble, tent cities everywhere. The Haitian five piece band banging out a welcome tune and the French Creole all combine to leave you feeling overwhelmed, nervous, out of place and excited.

I'm ecstatic to see both my suitcases arrive and after fighting my way to the van with Jackson, our one armed porter, seeing Andrea's wave and welcoming smile was a huge comfort.

We arrive at St. Josephs School off 91 Delmas and meet our eclectic crew. After we settle in for the night we have a delicious dinner of vegetable soup and fried plantains. Then we hear the amazing story of St. Joseph's from the founder Michael Geilenfeld and Director and former Restavek child, Bill, who entertained us with some of the best Djembe drumming I've ever heard.

Tomorrow, our crew heads south to Jacmel's Trinity House and the rest stay to help rebuild St. Joseph's.

View from the roof of Trinity House, Jacmel

Haitian Dinner of Poisson and Diri Djon Djon

Week one is complete and we are now well into week two. Access to the internet (and electricity) remains intermittent but I have come to see both as a blessing when available. We have taken to sleeping on the roof of the school where it is much cooler and waking up every morning we are greeted by the most incredible panoramic view of mountains and the sea.

Sunday, we hiked to Bassin Bleu waterfalls in the mountains and cooled off in the aquamarine pools. It was the perfect reward for an intense week.

The computer room construction project is well underway and the crew we are working with is incredible. Several are working barefoot and everything is done by hand with few tools and meager supplies, but the progress is amazing. Knowing our work is going to produce a computer room is a rewarding feeling at the end of each day even if we won't be here to see the finished product. Boss Niki, who heads up the construction crew, invited us to his 80th birthday at his house and we were treated to the most delicious meal and opportunity to meet his family.

When we're not working we are getting to know the twenty-eight boys here at Trinity House. Many are Restavek kids or orphans and their stories are incredible. Each has seen more in their young lifetime than I could ever imagine. St. Joseph's is an amazing place where they have been adopted until age twenty-one. They are now one big family and it is an amazing family to be welcome into. Last night, the boys put on a riveting dance performance for us. All their passion and pain and joy explodes when they are performing and doing what they love.

Yesterday, Melshi, the Director of Trinity House showed us how to cook a delicious traditional Haitian meal of poisson (fish) Diri Djon Djon (creole rice) and fried plantains. We began with a trip to the local market to pick up the ingredients which was an adventure. The market was a maze of tightly packed vendors hawking their goods and bartering back and forth. Some of the women in the market started singing and pretty soon everyone had joined in. It was a true feast for the senses. The food was amazing and I have a new appreciation for what goes into every meal here.

Outside Trinity House, about 40 families are living in tents on the soccer field. We ventured out and ended up being great entertainment for the kids serving as part amusement and part jungle gym. They brought out their carnival masks and gave us a quite a parade.

It's hard to believe we have only a few more days here. Time has passed so quickly. Haiti truly is a place of incredible contrasts. There is so much beauty here and so much hope.

If I can convey anything from my short time in Haiti it is that there is an unbelievable amount of hope and tenacity, right there along with the bad, that will overcome. Haiti has been knocked down, but it's no where near being out. Now more than ever the international community needs to support Haiti and deliver the pledged aid. Haitians need jobs. There is a large, skilled labor force that is unemployed while aid organizations pay to bring in foreign contractors, planners, etc. Projects like St. Joseph's and Trinity House are saving the lives of kids and preparing them for the future. There just aren't enough places like this...yet.

Trinity House construction crew

Andrew at Bassin-Bleu

Mountain road to Jacmel

Tap-tap

Tent City

View from Trinty House Roof

Lulu and me

Trinity House Last Day

Photos From Haiti - by Matt Kopko

2010-09-29T07:46:00.000-07:00

A selection of images taken by one of our great Haiti volunteers, Matt Kopko:

Haiti Photos - Ian McLaughlin

2010-09-28T07:57:00.000-07:00

A selection of photos from trip leader Ian McLaughlin:

3rd Report from Haiti

2010-08-25T05:09:00.000-07:00

The last Pitbull hit the hay about 4.15 AM Friday,
after a blast listening and dancing to RAM (dancers, drums,rattles,wild horns etc) at the Oloffson.
The hotel owner, Richard Morse, white,6'6'', top hat, white
cravat, touch of Abe Lincoln?, is lead singer. His Haitian mother &
grandmother, plus his wife, lead female singer, all practice --
voodoo, that is. Let your mind go.

Driving thru Port au Prince at night is like being on set of Mad Max,
or dress rehearsal for the end of the world.
Rubble piles, mountains of garbage, dogs, pigs, random apparitions, maybe 2 street lights.
Mind you we felt very safe, as we did everywhere in Haiti.

Crowd at Oloffson grooves on demon rhum punches, and we joined
right in. The first set by RAM ended about 2 am, whereupon a 1st wave (incl writer) decamped.

Full work day Friday, possibly up to 20 tons hefted by each,
followed by exhausted flop.
The whole episode might have effected our monastic routine.

Followed the weekend in the mountains, where it's cooler, much cooler
Stopped at Wings Of Hope, sister org of St Josephs, where they care for 38
handicapped children. Haitians regularly just abandon the latter, bad
spirits etc. Really!

Just being with these kids ( no organized activities on weekends) was
moving beyond all else. We coincided with lunch & helped with feeding.

On to the Lodge at Furcy ( next to President's retreat)
Talk about contrast. Rhum punches, steaks, hot showers, blankets, enuf said??
Brisk 3.5 hr hike at 5500' on Sunday AM.
Then back to the inferno.

Monday now, and the Bulls have dispersed back to their respective lives,
and I'll go for a quick wrap up, but in the last report, please.

Quick note on my last history precis.
It was the French that were defeated in 1803,
Napoleon's brother -in- law in command, to be precise.

The British had a role, ie control of the North,
in the 18th century. At one point, they tried to trade all of Canada
for Haiti, such were it's riches.
Donnez fifteen (that would be lashes) is still used
to describe smacking somebody.
Lord Sinclair recused himself from being Governor because he hated slavery.

Ian McLaughlin,

Port-au-Prince Team Leader

Life in Jacmel

2010-08-23T07:56:00.000-07:00

Jacmel is beautiful and sleepy town. I delight in demystifying new experiences for our volunteers, including riding a mototaxi for the first time, being shrieked delightedly at by children in the streets and picking delectful morsels off a fish fresh (head and tail on) served right off the grill. Andrew and Meryl are working seamlesly with the Haitian crew and Sarah floats between helping with construction and working with the children, whom she quickly has become attached to.

We have all had amazing interactions with the trinity house boys. Ralph, a burly 16 year old with great english and who favorite words are "no problem" has become our guide and walks or moto's us to and from all our evening outings. He seems to know everyone in the neighborhood and we are starting to become acquainted on the outside of Trinity House as well. Yesterday on our evening stroll we heard a boisterous BONSWA! beyond the normal din of voices. We turned to find Boss Nikke, our foreman on the jobsite, waving at us excitedly and Meryl, who he calls Miriam (his daughter's name) greeted him with a big hug. Meryl calls him "Mon papa ayicien" (my haitian papa) and he responds by patting her on the back proudly. We were pretty thrilled to recognize someone on the street, and have begun to be immersed in the Jacmelian culture.

Sleeping has been one challenge we have had to negotiate. It is rarely quiet in Jacmel between dogs, roosters, children that get up at 5:30 am and the weekend parties blasting compa and creole hiphop from tent city radios. We have begun sleeping on the flat concrete roof of the Trinity house, where we find cool breezes, a bit of distance from the buzz below and a breathtaking view of the caribbean.

Andrea Atkinson

Haiti Trip Leader

Life Goes On

2010-08-20T09:08:00.000-07:00

There is an undeniable purification process that comes out of repetitive days
of hard physical labor, in conditions beyond the scope of Bikram.
Add bright sunshine (clouds usually come in the PM).

And then add the attitude of the Haitian co-workers,
turbocharged with Michael Jackson' s "Beat It" or "Billy Jean" on the boom box,
and irrepressible optimism flourishes.

Mind you this is a nation populated by African slaves in the 200 years after
the native Tainos/ Arawaks died out during the 1500s. (Disease/forced labor in Spanish times.)
In about 1800, they organized themselves to fight the British Army & Navy,
and WON, securing their independence under black rule ever since, with the exception of the occupation by US Marines 1915- 1930s. For better or worse.
That's the 'cliff notes' history, but quite pertinent.

My group of 7 is dazed with satisfaction & fascination.
We Pit Bulls have bonded.
We're staying up late tonite , as we are all going to the Olafson (sp?),
gingerbread hotel of Graham Greene fame. It survived intact cuz built of wood,
not unbending cement blocks
Band is Ram, combo reggae/voodoo.
And we will be back in the Pit at 6.30 tomorrow AM.

Ian McLaughlin,
Port-au-Prince Team Leader

Accidental al fresco

2010-08-19T05:36:00.000-07:00

Accidental al fresco...it seems to be the rule of Haiti.

We are sitting in a bar (Florita Hotel) in downtown Jacmel, and can look up to the hazy night sky to see the Haitian moon. There was once a roof there, but now it is a jagged opening where brick and corrugated steel have ceased to serve as ceiling. It make a former interior space feel like a courtyard. Even though this is a clear result of the earthquake that took down the vast majority of buildings here, it seems, in some ways, to fit right in with the Haitian lifestyle.

Disaster or no, Haitians spend incredible amounts of time outside in community. Family baths and hair braiding happen in yards as we walk down rubble-strewn hills and roads smiling our "Bonswa" (Good Evening) greetings that never cease to bring a smiling reply of "Bonswa" or "Ca Va" (How are you?); groups of teenagers laugh at us then with us when we, without fail, engage; the older women with improbable loads balanced on their heads bloom with smiles.

There is trash everywhere, the predominant items are deflated water bags (drinking water is regularly sold in bags, not bottles) but there is plenty of organic debris as well--which makes the free-roaming goats happy.

There is, also, bountiful music and laughter and kids who giggle and play soccer in the dusty road. Barefoot. Tent villages everywhere drive plenty outside into groups since the plastic tarps with giant UNICEF or USAID or other NGO logos are wickedly hot.

Even if their homes weren't destroyed...if there wasn't still, more than six months later, fear of sleeping indoors....the people of Jacmel would be outside. To greet us and make us feel welcome.

I am so glad they are not tucked away behind curtains and doors--this would not be the same if they were--and this is huge for us.

Andrew Mersmann

Haiti Volunteer

Working in Port-au-Prince

2010-08-18T05:13:00.000-07:00

"You lift 16 tons, and what do you get?"...
many of you might not remember this song,
so what?

I'm down in Port au Prince, Haiti
leading a group of volunteers ,from across the US, helping to rebuild
a shelter for homeless boys called St Joseph's House. 9 day tour.

The rubble of a 7 story building that was St J has been cleared down
to basement and we are finishing this as a human manual backhoe
machine lifting debris out of the "PIT" by the 30lb bucket on a line.
Each, to include about 20 Haitians ( some of boys from St.J),
lifts about 18 tons each day. To say nothing of pick axe ,shovel to fill buckets.
The weather is sunny, and between 112-116F heat index, so we drink plenty of water.

Such is the construction technique in the poorest country in
the Western Hemisphere after a shattering earthquake.

Enough of me crowing about how much fun I'm having,
so let me continue.
This is my first experience in what I call 'participatory philanthrophy'
(not just writing checks). The younger members here just call it
"volunteering".
I had some trepidation. There's no running water, sporadic electricity,
BARs(big ass rats) etc

The take at St Joseph's is "do the best you can with what you have"
and we can all learn alot from that.
The former street children and slave children (seriously what they call them)
are proven transformations. The arts based program (dance ,music, crafts) is a catalyst, now turbocharged by the earthquake.

Was that Kool Aid they slipped into my water?

Spot outside observations: intense views of devastation on ride from airport
(baggage claim in a 120F tent). Vast tent cities, impossible roads, mountains of garbage & rubble.
The Haitian spirit seems irrepressible, thru the extremely slow progress.

I was calmed by a communion service in Creole Sunday morning,
and able to grasp the 'parole vivant' of some speakers.
I was last here in the 70s when French was more prevalent.
Creole is now the official language and is now in written form since 20 yrs ago.
So the Haitians continue to guard their mysteries for themselves,
but when they share, you can be happy.

Rest of group is downstairs, arguing about pros & cons of this & that.
To be expected after a hard day of physical labor.
They were all in bed at by 8 last night
Our humor is great.

Sorry I can only attach 1 pic.
That building in background used to be 3 story,
so the 2nd floor imploded. There are still bodies inside unrecovered,
so they say. BARs anyone?

Ian McLaughlin,
Port-au-Prince Team Leader

First Day in Jacmel

2010-08-18T05:07:00.000-07:00

Team Trinity, aka our team of volunteers, arrived in Jacmel, yesterday after an amazing drive from Port-au-Prince to the Southern coast of Haiti. Along the way we traveled through the neighborhoods surrounding the center of Port-au-Prince and drove past the Palais National, the Haitian Presidential Palace. This "Haitian Whitehouse" suffered much damage during the January earthquake, and the center of this beautiful building was almost completely collapsed. In the square across from the presidential palace the famous statute Negre Marron celebrating an unknown Haitian freedom fighter (google it) is currently obscured by a tent city full of people displaced by the earthquake.

After navigating the embouteillage (traffic jams) out of Port-au-Prince we drove through Léogane, the epicenter of the earthquake. Virtually every building was leveled, and it seemed that almost everyone was now living densely packed in tent cities, creating shelters for their families with whatever materials were available. We saw USAID tarps, UNCIEF tarps, and many others. Ubiquitous along the road were taps-taps (Haitian buses), each uniquely painted and decorated with everything from extra rearview mirrors to "air france" logos and everything in between. Almost every tap-tap gives thanks to Dieu, Jesus or someone else. After navigating the mountain pass, we understood why.

Following the winding road up into the mountains brought us more dust, but also cool breezes, and absolutely breathtaking views of the country. After crossing the rise we wound down to Jacmel. Jacmel is a much more laid back town by the sea with beautiful historic architecture, even despite many buildings being destroyed or damaged in the earthquake. Less crowded than Port-au-Prince (but then where isn't?), we have met all welcoming and friendly people in Jacmel.

Upon arrival we were given a tour of the St. Joseph's Trinity Center by Melshi, the Director. We saw the chapel where all 22 boys pray, sing, and give thanks every morning at 6 am and again every afternoon at 3 pm. The boys living at Trinity center each arrive with their own story, but all face the difficulties of poverty, lack of a family that can take care of them, and some are former child slaves. Waking up to the soft sounds of boys clapping, singing and celebrating their lives at St. Joseph's, is, every morning, a humbling and uplifting experience.

We also saw the newly constructed bakery where the older boys and members of the surrounding community will begin baking and selling bread to help generate income soon. And we saw the completed classrooms and the soon to be finished classrooms and computer room-- our worksite for the next two weeks. Following the earthquake, many families in the community around the Trinity Center lost their homes and the Center gave over its football field for temporary tent camp. After our tour, Sonson, one of the boys living at the Trinity Center, walked us down to the beach and gave us a tour of the two best local swimming spots. Dipping our dusty, sweaty, tired toes into the Caribbean felt great. But as Andrew remarked, it was certainly "more wet than cold".

Walking back up to the center we met many of the children who live in the camp surrounding the Trinity Center and spent a wonderful hour or so navigating our significant language barriers with the universal language of PLAY, aided by a bottle of bubbles, a frisbee, and some bracelets (a big hit with the boys).

More soon as almost every minute here brings some amazing, challenging, or enlightening revelation. Know that we all miss our friends and family, but at the same time, are appreciating and enjoying getting to know our new family here at the Trinity Center.

Meryl Zendarski,
Jacmel Team Leader

First Update from Haiti

2010-08-17T12:02:00.000-07:00

First day of work went very well.

I calculated that we lifted between 17-19 tons of weight(ie 34,000-38,000 lbs)

that's each one of us, handling buckets on the line removal

out of the "Pit". Certainly exceeds my personal best for weights in a day!

The weather was actually quite benign, slight N wind, never exceeded 110 F

heat index ((116 expected on Tues). Just enough to melt the soles of both my LL Bean hiking/

work boots.

Group ( monickered Pit Bulls) bonding fast & developing "espirit".

The Haitians a complete delight.

Summation:

participatory philanthropy stock + 2 tbs of altruism +

4 cups of hard physical labor + dash of grueling weather =

success recipe.

Accommodations & spirit @ St Joseph's top of line,

despite no running water & sporadic electricity,

far exceeding expectations.

I should have a fuller report + pics by tommorrow.

It's 8 PM .

Turning in

The party animals went to Jacmel

Ian McLaughlin,
Port-au-Prince Team Leader

The beginning

2010-08-13T16:31:00.001-07:00

This is the story of the journey of 13 strangers, brought together by one thing – the desire to help others.

The setting is Haiti, 7 months after the devastating earthquake that killed over 220,000 people and left millions homeless.

Two locations:

Group 1 will be in Port-au-Prince: rebuilding St. Joseph’s school for Boys which collapsed during the earthquake.

Group 2 will be in Jacmel, a seaside port town, working to build a computer lab that will provide educational resources to the community.

Thank you for following along on our journey. I will be blogging for the next 2 weeks as will my two co-leaders Meryl and Ian and hopefully the rest of the group!

I invite you to join us on this journey by commenting and asking questions. We will fill you in on our perspective of what we see and experience. Welcome to Haiti!

Andrea

Welcome

2010-08-12T09:59:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the new Elevate Haiti blog!