Monday, December 8, 2014

Haiti 2015 Hello!

Hello family and friends and welcome to our Haiti ABST (Alternative Break Service Trip) experience!  We are so excited to have you along on the journey.  Spring break may seem far off but we are working hard researching the Haitian culture, growing as a group, and starting to learn Haitian Creole, the native language. Gannon University's Center for Social Concerns has made this great opportunity possible.

In Haiti we will be partnering with Outreach to Haiti, an organization that bridges the gap between the United States and Haiti. We will be doing service at a variety of locations including a medical clinic and an orphanage for children affected/effected by HIV/AIDS. We are all ready to form a relationship with the Haitian people, make a difference, and have a life changing experience by opening up to a whole new world.

My name is Nicole and I would like to take a moment to introduce our Haiti Team Members. I asked each member, “Tell me a little about yourself and why you would like to go to Haiti?” The responses are displayed below! Along with Dr. Bomburger, Father Michael Kesicki, Gannon University’s Associate Vice President for Mission and Ministry will be accompanying the students on our trip to Haiti.


Dr. Bomburger, Gannon University’s Honors Program Director

First, indulge me in some mama-gushing: I am the mother of a vivacious 9 year old named Maya who loves to sing, dance and read. She's a joy. She attends Erie Day School and so she makes the daily trek up from Meadville with me. The commute is a lot less stressful now that I spend it singing show tunes with Maya instead of composing an elaborate "to do" list in my head. My husband, Pat Bywater, shares Maya's and my quirky sense of humor. He is the editor of The Meadville Tribune, sharing my passion for writing, community engagement, and travel.   He was the one bold enough to suggest that we move to Turkey for a year after I finished my PhD.  The thought had never crossed my mind to live abroad until that time, but Turkey is an incredibly beautiful country and I am so glad that I had that opportunity.  It also deepened my love of international travel.

I first started thinking in a more focused way about Haiti by reading the works of the memoirist/novelist Edwidge Danticat, a Haitian American who spent part of her youth growing up in Haiti and part of it in New York.  I love her work because she helps readers picture people in a loving, good family who find themselves amidst political turmoil in Haiti and the U.S.  Her work spurred me to read some non-fiction works to better understand the political and historical background to Haiti. So I’ve read a lot about Haiti, but I’ve never been there. As an academic, I love reading about things, but I also like doing.  My classes often have experiential learning in them to help connect what we read to action steps.  For instance, my students have created the http://greeneriepa.org site, a portal to all things green in Erie County, PA.  If students are going to spend time writing pieces for me, I’d rather have those pieces have a positive use in the real world than just being read by me.  Similarly, my background in African American literature has gotten me involved in the MLK committee and has encouraged me to have students do oral histories to connect lived experience with that in books.


Nicole Ray
Hi, my name is Nicole and I am currently a junior Physician Assistant Major at Gannon University. Right now I am interested in labor and delivery, but I am looking forward to doing rotations in many different medical field areas to find what I like best. I am so excited to have the opportunity to go to Haiti and do service with children in this country. This will be my first ABST trip and I know that it will be an exceptional learning experience by opening my eyes to other parts of the world. I cannot wait to share this journey with the other members of our team!  




Cristiana Sibley
Hello! My name is Cristiana. I am an English major hoping to be accepted to a law school. This semester I enjoyed expanding my love for photography. I also love relaxing with friends and occasionally rocking to some karaoke. (Sometimes I can't even tell the difference between my vocals and Taylor Swift!) 
(Actually, that last statement might be slightly exaggerated.)
(Actually, it was probably verging on completely made up.) 
I do still really love music regardless.  
I graduate in May, and I could not think of a better way to end my career at Gannon than to serve in a new culture. I am so excited to be blessed with this opportunity. 
Stay tuned! I know my new friends and I are going to have stories to tell. 


Leanna Gosser
My name is Leanna Gosser and I’m from Greenville, PA. I am a third year PA student and am considering specializing in geriatrics one day. I’ve always wanted to go on a trip like this and when a speaker came in to my PA leadership seminar to talk about the ABST trips, it seemed like the perfect opportunity! Through this experience, I hope to make new friends, learn more about myself, and discover different ways I can serve others and God. I am very grateful and excited to have the chance to travel to Haiti and be a part of an ABST experience. ​




Tasha Antoine
​Hello,
My name is Tasha Antoine, I am a freshman at Gannon University in the legal studies program. I have always enjoyed learning about other cultures and helping those in need. I feel like this trip to Haiti will be a perfect learning experience as well as a reality check. I am half Haitian and half White, I have never been to Haiti but have always wanted to visit. I am excited to get those to every student in this group as well as the people that we will be helping. I am so ready to start our exciting journey to Port-au-prince. 




Linden Lester
 Hey everyone, my name is Linden Lester and I’d just like to tell you a little bit about myself. I am a junior early childhood and special education major here at Gannon. I have a passion for working with kids and doing service and that is what has got me so involved in the ABST trips. I went to Guatemala my freshmen year and Mexico last year. I love adventure and experiencing new cultures so that is what intrigued me about Haiti. When applying for the trip I really knew nothing about Haiti. I figured with this experience not only would I be able to work with kids and do service, but I’d also get to learn a lot and experience a completely new culture. I am very excited for this opportunity and can’t wait to spend a week in Haiti.

Kaylee Achman
Hi guys! My name is Kaylee. I am currently a junior physician assistant major, and that is part of the reason I want to go to Haiti. In my future I want to be a physician assistant that specializes in pediatrics. Going to Haiti we will be working with children affected the HIV and AIDS. There is no better way to expand my horizons then going to Haiti. Haiti will give me insight to other healthcare systems then those in the United States. I will get to experience different cultures, learn from all different interactions, and help to the best of my ability. I cannot wait to interact and learn more about these children. Not only that, I am excited to get to know the group of people I am traveling with and create lifelong connections with them!

Tyler Beers
 Hello everyone, my name is Tyler Beers and I am a Junior Physician Assistant major. This will be my third ABST at Gannon, but my first time leading one! I am very excited for the opportunity and feel very blessed to have a wonderful co-leader in Patrice helping along the way. I really am a person who loves to be busy, I am involved with a number of activities in campus including clubs, organizations, and jobs. I am a second-year RA in Finegan Hall and I just started a tutoring job with the Go College! Program at Strong Vincent High School. On campus, I am involved with Habitat for Humanity, Honors Student Advisory Board, P.A.T.C.H.E.S, and a physician assistant club known as GUSPAS. In my free time, I really enjoy running, playing racquetball, golfing, fishing, hunting, reading, and just about anything outdoors. I have the unique situation of being able to return to Haiti after I went there as a participant last year. It was a truly amazing experience and so it was a no-brainer that I would apply to lead the trip this year. The people I met there have had an amazing effect on my life and I am very excited to have others share that same experience. I hope everyone will continue to follow our blog as we prepare for this transformative experience!

Patrice Swick
I feel blessed to be participating in my fourth and final ABST with such a dedicated and fun group of people! I am looking forward to being immersed in the Haitian culture for as Pope Francis states "culture embraces the totality of a people's life". As we learn and eventually live this culture I know we will all come away with a better understanding of how we are all connected and how that will influence our daily lives.


Iziah Waugh
Hello Everyone!
My name is Iziah and I am a sophomore Chemistry major at Gannon University. On campus I am involved in many clubs and organizations including Student Government Association, Chemistry Club, Art Club, and Delta Sigma Phi.  I one day plan to work for the Government. This will be my first ABST trip, I’ve always wanted to accept an opportunity like this and give back to those in need. Accepting this trip to Haiti, I will be able to learn about different cultures and help those in need and most importantly have personal growth. I’m looking forward to this once in a lifetime trip that I will for sure not regret twenty years down the road. I’m truly blessed and ready to start this journey with this unique group of people! 

Thank you all so much for you interest in our service experience! Your support and prayers are greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Nicole

Friday, March 7, 2014

Reflection in our last hours

While taking in everything we have encountered here in Haiti over the past week I realize how big of an impact one small person can make on the world. I realize that faith never fails. And most importantly I realize how truly blessed I am.

"With legs to take me where I go, and eyes to see the sunsets glow. With ears to hear what I may know, and a mind not cursed with being slow, oh God forgive me when I whine, I'm blessed indeed, the world is mine" 
-Joy Lovelet

I am praying for safe travels home tomorrow. I cannot wait to share my stories and personal growth points with you. 
-Kate Krueger 

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Come as Strangers, Leave as Friends

Here ends another great day with more wonderful experiences! We began bright and early with a long 4 hour bus ride with five children from Arc en Ciel (Rainbow House) to the beach in Jacmel. The children who live at AEC are effected or affected by HIV. Today was a wonderful reminder to us of the beauty of God's natural world. On this four hour ride, we drove up and around the breathtaking Haitian mountains, which encompasses around 2/3 of the whole country, and reached Jacmel shortly before noon. We arrived at the beach house and were taken aback by just how immaculate the area was. We all agreed that seeing that beach today made us realize the undeniable beauty of this Caribbean island, and in a way, it represented the undeniable potential that the Haitian people and this country has. Originally, we were surprised that only five children were joining us, but this turned out to be an incredible blessing in disguise. The small number allowed us to truly connect with each and every child and help them enjoy the great fun that is the beach on a warm, sunny day. While, initially some of us were wondering how going to the beach would fit in with the "service" aspect of our trip, it turned out to be an important teaching lesson for all of us. It is always wonderful to help out children by feeding them, or teaching them, but in the end, kids just need to let go and enjoy the fun activities that all children get to enjoy. We helped make these five children's day by just playing with them at the beach. It made me especially redefine how I interpret "serving others" and it turned out to be a tremendous growing experience. Of course, while we were at the beach we enjoyed some great waves, crystal clear water, bright sunshine, and some great games of soccer. It was great to be able to connect with the children using these common activities, and once again it was amazing to see how deep of a connection we could make, despite the language barrier (which for folks like myself, is an incredibly large barrier!) When we departed on the bus this morning, the five children were seated apart from us on the bus, but when we departed for Port-au-Prince in the evening, the children were spread out, each sitting beside someone they established a connection and relationship with. Five Haitian children and ten American volunteers blurred the lines between privilege, religion, and ethnicity, all in the pursuit of finding common ground. Now only imagine what this world could be like if we all could strive to find that common ground and love and befriend all of God's children that inhabit this Earth. 

Tyler
 

More Futbol!

Futbol - the universal language

Ne twa ye - Fatra!

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Unexpected Conversations

I had an "ah-ha" moment today as I was picking up trash with the kids at St. Dominic's Orphanage. As I was hiking back up the hill with a young boy, full trash bags in hand, I decided to make my typical (and very much rehearsed) attempt at communication. "Bonjou, koman ou ye?" and "Kijan ou rele?" are essentially the only phrases I know in Creole, so as you can imagine conversation didn't last long before silence took over. The boy asked me if I spoke French and when I said no, as a last ditch effort, he mentioned that he knew a little Spanish. Bingo! Once we discovered that we had this common knowledge we were able to communicate beyond "How are you?" and "What is your name?" Although this exchange was also brief due to our broken Spanish, it reaffirmed my passion and desire to learn a second language. I am confident that I'll be able to use such a skill to help build meaningful relationships in the future. Language opens doors. It's funny how I wasn't sure of this until I was able to carry a conversation in Haiti, not in the native tongue or my first language, but in Spanish.

Meredith

For the Beauty of the Earth

Today began with a drive into the countryside to visit St. Dominic's Orphanage. Our goal there was to work with the children and educate them about sustainability and recycling. In the morning, the children assisted us with picking up trash along the grounds of the orphanage. It felt very good to know that we were leaving an impression on them that God's great Earth requires our protection and respect for its undeniable beauty. We have a role to protect and preserve the Earth. Following lunch, we were able to play some games with the kids including our version of "Ne twa ye, fatra," which is similar to the US version of Hot Potato. In this case however, the literal translation of "ne twa ye, fatra" is "clean up, garbage" and the children would have to pass a piece of wrapper around a circle and whoever had the wrapper when the person in the middle yelled "fatra" was out. After that, we were able to spend some time just playing and socializing  with the children. This included some classic games of red hands, thumb wars, and Miss Mary Mack. It felt so rewarding to see the smiles on the children's faces when we were engaging them. The kids also enjoyed the soccer ball we brought and it once again reminded us that soccer is the universal language! It is hard to believe that our trip is more than halfway over, but the experiences and memories we have made will last a lifetime. Due to a technical glitch, the pictures that accompany this post will be added tomorrow.

Orevwa,

Tyler

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Looking back...

For me to reflect over the past three days, I have seen God in Jane Wynne of Wynne Farm, which is an ecological reserve dedicated to preserving and educating others about God's great Earth. She reminded me of how through God, we all have potential and the capability to change the world and the people that inhabit it. One person with a vision as bright and refreshing as Jane's can achieve so much. It is all too easy in today's society to assume that we are all "little people," and so the opportunity to change something on a grand scale is very difficult and even considered impossible. Yet Jane reminded me that with God's help you can achieve a lot as one single human being. I think it's something we all can take back with us after this trip. 


It's not only the experiences we have, but the people who influence those experiences that make a difference.

- Tyler

"This is the day the Lord has made..."

Today we were blessed with the opportunity to participate in one of Outreach To Haiti's partners, in which we were in complete solidarity with the children and adults that we encountered. We started our day at the Mother Theresa Feeding program, where mothers can bring their children to be evaluated for malnutrition and they provide meals for these infants and children. We were able to directly interact with the children in this program by nurturing them. We had lunch at a local "fast-food restaurant" where we were able to eat crepes and embrace yet more Haitian culture. After lunch we made our way to the Action pou Timoun feeding program, which was started years ago by Madame Sansan and is continued by her family; where we distributed meals to local children. Thanks to Hannah Krueger, the children were over-joyed to receive friendship bracelets from us. We were all touched by the relationships formed with these children today, and hope that we have made a memorable impact in their lives as well.
(The picture sums up our day, and we hope you can find a deeper meaning in it based upon the experiences we have shared.)

All our love from Haiti,
Kate and Leah

Food Fights

Today we're headed to two feeding programs. The first is run by the Missionaries of Charity in the legacy of Mother Theresa. They provide food for undernourished infants. The second is a program initiated by a woman who saw hungry children in her neighborhood and wanted to provide for them. Haiti has abundant food and fertile soil. Hunger here seems particularly cruel.

Simplicity at its finest!

Day 3 on the journey. Might be time to shower...

Sunday, March 2, 2014

To Be or Not to Be

Well, our first full day in Haiti is coming to a close (Leah is already in bed and it isn't even 9pm!). We rose before the sun today in order to get to Mass on time. This is typical in Haiti because people like to beat the heat, although it is only a balmy 80 some degrees in the winter. It is also necessary to arrive early since the church fills quickly. There were people who brought their own chairs and sat outside once the pews were full. Definitely different than back home. Mass was entirely in Creole which helped us to dive directly into the Haitian culture. I know we all enjoyed the Caribbean twist on the songs.

Later today we also had a group activity/discussion revolving around the various ways to approach injustice. Some of us identified ourselves as "helpers" while others felt that advocating, arranging protests, or working as "organizers" is a better approach. We took turns speaking directly to other groups and mentioned what irritates us about working with each group. The activity brought some great discussion to the surface about our purpose in Haiti and the need for all four of these approaches to positive social change to collaborate. We became slightly frustrated that we couldn't pinpoint the reason that we are here, but later we had the opportunity to meet with two university students from Haiti and learned the importance of relationship.

Jimmy and Laurente talked about the education system here and it was fun to see similarities and differences. I don't think a lot of us thought about the burden of actually getting to school. Many of us live directly on campus and have constant access to the library and other students for academic support. Laurente has to wake up at 3am to brave the traffic and get to class on time! We all struggled to get up at that time to leave from Gannon on Saturday. I can't even imagine doing that every day. It was wonderful to meet with people our age and learn more about their culture. Forming actual relationships and exchanging stories (and dance moves) helped us to realize that maybe our purpose here is more about being than doing. Do you take time to live in the moment and be, or are you constantly in the action of doing?

 All in all it was a beautifully thought provoking day. Bònn nui. Dòmi byen
 Tyler, Meredith, Kate & Paige

Laurent and Jimmy

We are so grateful to the university students that shared dialogue with us about education and our campus lives... and a kampo dance lesson!

Our Gracious Guide

Fr. Frank is a psychologist and not-so-amateur historian. We are grateful for his hospitality and wisdom.

Encountering After Shocks

After celebrating sunrise mass at Notre Dame de Lourdes in Cite Militaire, Fr. Frank and our fearless driver Roland, showed us around downtown Port-au-Prince. The 2010 earthquake impact on buildings and people has startled us.

Bon dimanche!

Saturday, March 1, 2014

arrival

we have finally arrived in our home for the next 7 days! although the ride was a little but bumpy, it was very exciting! the house is very beautiful and we must say, we feel a little spoiled with the upstairs balcony! :)

Departure

We are ready to board our flight! We are very excited! 

Saturday, February 22, 2014

With only one week left before departure, many of our group members and fellow ABST participants gathered in the chapel on Thursday to celebrate community mass. In recognition of our upcoming journeys and UN Day for Social Justice, the petitions were read in English, French, and Spanish. One of our very own group members, Jenny, participated by reading in French! 

The take home message from the homily on Thursday was "Lose yourself in the love of God.” This is a broad phrase and I’m sure it impacted everyone in the congregation in a different way. We are always immersed in the love of God, even when we don’t necessarily recognize it or feel like we are. In the hustle and bustle of daily life, it is too easy to become indifferent to this fact. However, when leaving a place we are comfortable and setting off into the unknown, losing ourselves in the love of God is one way we can actually stay grounded. If we allow ourselves to be lost in the love of God, we rid ourselves of all preconceived fears and negative past experiences. We enter in to our trip as a clean slate, ready and eager to experience the unique culture and people of Haiti!

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Less than 2 months away...what are we thinking?




As our winter break draws to a close and our trip to Haiti is fast approaching, our excitement is definitely increasing.  We each took the time to put our current thoughts, fears, and hopes for our trip into writing.  Please enjoy!
 
Leah
As we are less than 2 months away from our trip to Haiti, I have begun to think about it more and more. Being on break I’ve had time to start packing, fill out travel forms, learn more about the Haitian culture and tutor myself in the Creole language. I am extremely excited and a little nervous at the same time. I have heard some stories about previous trips to Haiti and students’ different experiences. I absolutely love having discussions on what we anticipate or think our trip is going to be like. The best part about those discussions is that we are usually incorrect about what our experiences actually turn out to be. To me, that is one of the most rewarding aspects about participating in service trips. Right now I have some idea of what to expect during our trip but I’m remaining open-minded so I can embrace the culture and get the most benefit from our journey.  

Paige
When investigating the Gannon ABST trip, I was searching for a trip that incorporated service, faith, and medical assistance to people in need as well as exposure to a diverse culture. The Haiti ABST trip seemed to perfectly fit this description. Although I am very excited and appreciative of this opportunity, I am also nervous for certain aspects of the trip. Traveling abroad anywhere poses health risks and Haiti is no exception. I am worried about getting sick from food or conditions to which I am not accustomed. However, trying new foods and experiencing and learning about another way of life is something I am most excited about. I am eager to meet new people and learn to appreciate the diversity which exists in our world. I am expecting this trip be very difficult but also very eye opening. I think it will be fun to not only learn about Haitian culture but also about my fellow ABSTers. I am expecting to have difficulties trying new foods and resisting communications with family and friends but I know overcoming these road blocks will shape me into a better person. I am hoping that we are able to spend time in a medical clinic and that I will gain experience working with others. As a result of this trip, I want to feel more independent and aware of those around me. I would like this trip to create new ideas and hopes of providing service to others in the future.

Kate
I am excited to go to Haiti to expand on my cultural knowledge, to see healthcare in action in another country, and to explore the importance of vaccinations. I am preparing myself to go in with an open mind so that I can maximize my experiences in every possible way. My hope is that each one of us is able to learn more about the Haitian culture, as well as, grow individually through our experiences as we are touching lives of those less fortunate. The biggest challenge I will be facing is the fact that the Haitian people do not follow a strict daily agenda as we do. Personally, I would like to learn more about healthcare beliefs and issues and how the country is moving toward improvement. During our stay, my personal goal is to remain calm when we are not “on schedule”, and to indulge into the culture as much as I can. We will all come back as changed young adults with more tender hearts.

Tyler
I am excited to go to Haiti this spring because I am always excited about new experiences. I have gone on three total domestic mission trips and have always dreamed of going on an international trip. I believe Haiti will be a very unique experience because my dream has been to join my cousin who is a missionary in Uganda and I believe this will be an important experience in doing that. I have researched the Haiti earthquake and I look forward to learning more about Haiti's culture and its history as we prepare to go in March. Some of my fears regarding this trip are the risk of sickness and the cholera outbreak that is still present in Haiti. The thought of being unable to volunteer and help because one is feeling weak and sick is difficult to come to terms with. So this is one of the biggest fears that I have. The other reservation I have about this trip is that it will not purely be physical labor. In previous trips, I have always had some labor component through building houses. This will be a different kind of service and although I have reservations about it, I am also very excited about it. I am expecting that this will be a once in a lifetime trip and I will be forever changed by it. I think an important part of mission and serving is that you begin to understand how other people in the world live. People that have things much worse off than you. I hope to grow by continuing to understand and increase my world view and be changed by the stories and images I see on this trip.

Jenny
At first I wasn’t sure if my expectations about Haiti laid in a muddle of opinions, fears, and warnings I’ve gotten from the media and folks I’ve told about this trip.  Of the crime and chaos there, of the large skepticism about volunteer trips like these.  However, I’ve grown to now expect that all of these notions will largely be mistaken.  I am excited to be able to look past the sadness and destruction on the surface to see a truly beautiful country.  I have heard that Haitians paint their houses in bright colors to reflect their inner happiness and joy, and I have had the pleasure of speaking with a Haitian woman who spoke of the 2010 earthquake not with sadness, but instead optimism about a road of progress.  I am excited to meet people, listen to their stories, and be there to lend a helping hand.  I am also eager to learn Creole and perhaps put my French to use, see new plant and animal species, and experience a new culture while going out of my comfort zone to try new things.

Jasiris
I'm very excited to be visiting Haiti this spring because I would like to experience different culture and I'm also looking forward to helping those who are less fortunate than us. Being blessed with many things in my life makes me realize that it's very important to give back. The only fear I have is not being able to verbally communicate with the people there because I don't speak their language. I'm hoping that this won't be a huge issue and body language will suffice. I am expecting to receive an enriching experience and to be able to make an impact in someone's life.

Meredith
Now that we are less than two months away from our trip to Haiti, I am more excited than ever.  Ever since my older sister shared stories about her experiences on a similar trip in El Salvador her freshman year in college, I have had a burning desire to go on a service trip abroad.  Now, nearly six years later, I am taking the opportunity to do just that!  I am extremely excited to learn about the beautifully vibrant Haitian culture, to explore the healthcare system in another country, to provide small acts of service to people in need, but most importantly, to develop relationships with those we encounter and to make every effort to stand in solidarity with them, if only for a short time.  My biggest fear for this trip is definitely the language barrier that we will encounter.  When I applied to lead an ABST I originally selected trips to Central America because, as a Spanish minor, I like to think I would be able to hold my own in a conversation there.  Being assigned to the Haiti trip came as a shock, but I know it will end up being a beautiful surprise.  I cannot wait to see how this trip changes and challenges me.    

Rachael
I am beyond excited to visit Haiti over this spring break! I am excited to have the opportunity to travel, learn about a different culture, be of service in any way that I can, but overall grow from an experience as unique as this. As a future nurse, I am especially excited to learn about the medical needs of Haiti and the infrastructure of health care in a different country. I do not have any fears about the trip, however there is always the worry of the unexpected. However, I hope that anything that I experience that I do not expect will open my eyes.  I hope to grow in spirituality and my own view of the world. I hope to learn as much as I can about the culture and needs of Haiti! Here's to Spring Break 2014!


A respectable display of holiday cheer at our December team meeting