Mangos

On Sunday our friend Beth-who lives in Haiti-posted on her facebook page, "On the way to PAP Fellowship today the teen moms kept talking aboutSarah Obermeyer and Sarah Dornbos and how they can't wait till you arrive! They are going to give you gifts of mangoes!"

It brought such joy to my heart--that our friends who have so very little are sharing what they have with us--plotting to gift us with mangos. What a great way to start a trip to Haiti! 

O and I with our gift of mangos over Christmas. 

Eden is not sharing his mangos! 

Some day I want to write a story about this woman-our dear friend Antoinette, and how she has taught me about generosity and gratitude...but that is for another day. Right now, I need to drive to the airport and get on that plane for this new adventure! :) 

Henri Nouwen Quote

"To minister, you have to be where the pain is... Where there is pain, there is healing. Where there is mourning, there is dancing. Where there is poverty, there is kingdom... We are sent to wherever there is poverty, loneliness, and suffering to have the courage to be with people. Trust that by throwing yourself into that place of pain you will find the joy of Jesus." -Henri Nouwen

"Ale La"/Go There

This was one of my favorite Creole Poets and one of my favorite poems—even before the earthquake.

“Ale la”: GO THERE

Go there where you see your heart
Leading you, keeping you from changing
into a dry desert of sorrow
worse than the skin of a drum.
Go there even when you’re discouraged
when you end up as salt meat
in banquets for bigwigs.
You have to go there, my brothers and sisters,
Where the people suffering
Never hear “Good Morning”
Where there’s no light
To enliven a day with hope.
Go there and bring the warmth of your love along
To make the people’s heart happy
To defy injustice and evil
Endured by the wretched of the earth
As if they had no right to be there,
There in the morning splendor of being alive.
You have to go there, live there, join us
If only with the little smiles of your mouths
O my sisters and brothers, we have to be there
Where together, without any dirty tricks,
We can grow corn, oranges and friendship
For all of us on earth so in need of transformation.

(By Totongi, editor of the important journal Tanbou/Tambour. He lives in the Boston area where he writes in Creole, French and English)

Is it Safe?

Posted: February 16, 2011 by johnmchoul 

I often receive e-mails from some that would like to come to Heartline to visit and help out.  We appreciate those that come with a purpose, they certainly make a difference.  Often, I will hear from someone or from a group who say that they would like to come and then they ask if it is safe.  I confess that I get rather irritated when I hear that question.

I usually reply back cordially and ask if God has called them to come to Haiti.  And if the answer is yes, then I tell them it is safe.  As safe as it was for Daniel in the lion’s den and for the three Hebrew men in the fiery furnace and even as safe as it was for Stephen when he was stoned and ultimately as safe as it was for Christ when He died on the cross.

I strongly believe that “safe” is overrated if it means will I be safe physically.  The better question is, “Is it God’s will for me to go?”  If the answer is, “Yes” then how much more safer can you be than in God’s will.  This may not mean that harm will not come your way but what is that compared to being in God’s will.  Was Jesus safe?

BUT I HAVE recently been spending some time thinking about Haiti and have finally concluded after 21 years of living here, that it can be a very dangerous place.  Some may be saying, “Ah it’s about time John got his head out of the sand and admitted that Haiti can be a dangerous place.”

Yes, those of us who live here can be in great, grave danger. We can be in danger of:

• Becoming numb to the cries of the poor.
• Not being moved to anger and compassion at the conditions in which many people live.
• Looking but not seeing.
• Hearing but not listening.
• Seeing what is but not what can be.
• Thinking that we need to change the Haitian culture to look like our culture and that the people aren’t doing it right because they don’t do it like we do.
• Thinking that living here is a sprint, when in reality, it’s a marathon.
• Being so practical about what we need to live that we limit God in what we do.
• Not totally depending on God for God’s work.
• Thinking that doing is more important than being.

Yes, it is true Haiti can be a dangerous place, perhaps as dangerous as where you live

Visiting a Sponsored Child in Cite Soleil

Written for Heartline Ministries: January, 2011

This morning I had the privilege of visiting Monica, the child I sponsor through Heartline’s program in Cite Soleil (the poorest slum in this hemisphere). 

There was a traffic jam on the way to City Soleil–which is not all that unusual for Haiti– but as we were stopped I watched a woman vomit in the back of a colorful tap-tap. In a moment the entire tap-tap was emptied and I could hear people outside the window surmise that she has “Kolera”. The empty tap-tap turned around, creating a road block of it’s own, and sped down the road looking for new customers. Just another day in Port-au-Prince. 

But it was not “just another day” for me or for Monica. We were excited to meet each other for the very first time. Moncia is 3 ½ and lives in Cite Soleil with her mom, grandma, uncle and baby sister. We parked our truck and wound our way through the narrow corridors of cement, tin and cardboard that make up the homes of Monica’s neighbors. 

I arrived just as Monica was putting on a special white dress for our visit. She was beautiful! At first, like most 3 ½ year olds, she was a little shy. So I suggested we go inside her house, where the growing crowd of neighbors and friends couldn’t see our every interaction. I had brought a little art project for us to do, so we sat on the floor in her one room house-- a pot of rice cooking slowly over charcoal in the corner-- while her mom nursed the baby on the twin bed that all five of them share. Monica’s grandma told me that she used to have her own house, but it fell in the earthquake so now she’s living with her daughter (Monica’s mom). 

Monica sat on the laundry bucket and leaned on my knee as we put brightly colored stickers onto a piece of paper, she was smiling with pride. She took out her school identity card to show me. (It is not uncommon for a child her age to attend school if the family has the resources to send them). I asked her about school and she shook her head “yes” and “no” in response to my questions, slowly warming up to this strange “blan” (white person) who had come to visit her. I gave her a photo of myself in the snow. She studied it, pointed at the snow and then clasped it to her chest. It was precious. 

But the moment that struck me the most- about the work that Heartline is doing- was when she laughed with delight. I had brought a few small gifts for the family. And it wasn’t the bed sheets or the new dress or the shiny hair clips that broke through her shyness…it was the socks. A simple pair of pink socks with lace around the edge. 

When Monica saw those, she threw her head back and laughed with delight! I wiped off her dirty little feet and put the socks on, and then a pair of dress shoes. There was no way she could hold in her joy! And it was in that moment that I glimpsed what the kingdom of heaven looks like!  

It wasn’t that this gift cost me a lot, or was all that special, but the fact that we were TOGETHER that made this moment happen. Heartline created the opportunity for my life and for Monica’s to intersect on an average Tuesday in Haiti. And I received a gift in that moment too. Monica’s gift to me -her laughter and her joy- didn’t cost much either. But she gave what she had, without holding back, and my heart swelled. When the time came for me to go, Monica gave me a gentle kiss on my cheek and a sweet little hug. 

As I wound my way back to the car, away from the fallen buildings and homes made from cardboard and tin, I wondered to myself if she had ever owned a pair of socks before? I wondered how something so small, so ‘average’ to an American child, could hold such delight for a child a few hundred miles from Florida. I wondered how my small donation every month would change the life of this sweet, intelligent child by allowing her to attend school. 

Jesus has a lot to say about his kingdom and about children, but in Matthew Chapter 18 vs. 5 he says “Whoever welcomes a little child in my name, welcomes me”. I’m quite certain that wasn’t just Monica’s smile that I encountered today, but the smile of Jesus. I could sense His presence with Monica and I in that moment, and His delight–which happens when the ‘rich’ and the ‘poor’ come together. Heartline bridges the gap between these two groups every day…and they allow us the great privilege of partnering with them in tangible ways. For me, the opportunity came from Heartline’s child sponsorship program…and the smile of a small girl, sitting on a laundry crate in her one room house, with her brand new-never-before-worn-by-anyone-else ruffled socks.

Sarah Dornbos

New Blog??

Posted by Sarah D

2010 and 2011 have represented many changes in our journey with Haiti. We have decided to move all of our Haiti posts to one spot--rather than filling your email inboxes with multiple messages and photos. So this is our attempt to bring you up to speed! :) We've included email posts as well as our old blog (running for Heartline c-sections) in this place and hope to be able to update more regularly with thoughts and stories from our favorite place in the western hemisphere. Thanks for reading.  

Headed "home" 1.13.11

Hello all...

I (Sarah O) am writing this update on the plan from PAP to Ft. Lauderdale – thankful for an amazing time in Haiti and sad to be leaving a place that is so deeply a part of my (and D’s) heart.

Yesterday was the one year anniversary of the earthquake and it was a day filled with grief and hope, loss and restoration.  In the morning, we went over to the teen mom home (now called Harbor House) and spent a hour with the women, having an impromptu church service. We sang, clapped and read scripture.   Then the women each stood and told the story of the earthquake and as they put it “what God has done for you since”.  Hearing their stories of being trapped for days, bugs biting them, seeing the death and pain of others with them – all of that was desperately sad.   But then,…they spoke of hope and what God had done in them since.  They talked about Papi John and Mami Beth (the McHouls who run Heartline)  and Dokte Jen (the Doctor who ran the Heartline Field Hospital) and they way they had been loved and held and cared for.  Then, they worshiped more. It was an honor to be included in this moment of raw remembrance.

Last night we were a part of the worship and prayer time with the Heartline community where all the missionaries gathered.  There were many tears, and a sense of all God has done in this past year.  After the service together, we joined for a meal and were a part of conversations that reminded us why we are so blessed to be a part of this ministry.

We tried to say good-bye to the teen mom’s last night but they would have no part of that.  Instead, they all work up early this morning, dressed and fed their babies and then jumped in the back of the truck to escort us to the airport.  I have never had such a send-off, and it has never felt so much like leaving dear friends.

Thank you for caring about us, for supporting us in so many easy.  Your love was felt by us and by a whole lot of Haitians!

We are grateful to be surrounded by people who have not forgotten Haiti.
Sarah O (and Sarah D)

Healing: Saturday 1.8.11

Antoinette & Eden Feb. '10

Hello friends- 

Antoinette at Heartline Healed party Jan. 11

It is hard to believe we are already in our final week here in Haiti. Sarah O said it well in her status a few days ago...it's so hard to live with your heart in two places.

Our teen moms have been full of drama! Our friend Tara Livesay will oversee the teen mom house and has been part of several interventions already. Community is hard. But I think it's harder with teenagers and babies.  (Tara is looking for programmatic info if any of you have any ideas/suggestions, even if it's stuff that has been done in the states.) The girls are mean to each other. They are survivors and have grown up in violent, harsh places. There will be many more meetings like this I am sure. But it's also so fun and encouraging to see them growing and learning and really trying to be good moms. Just looking at how much they (and their babies) have grown is awesome!

Djenie & 4lb Kenny, March '10

Thanks to those of you who have been praying for Djennie ("Jenny"). She came and left, quite dramatically, THREE times on Thursday. But she ended up staying the night and has been here ever since.  On Thursday night she told me she was "sorry". And I said "because of your bad behavior?" and with a shy smile and lowering her eyes, she said "Wi". I thought that was a HUGE breakthrough for her to apologize for something. It was a sweet moment and I hugged her and hugged her and told her I was so proud of her...that I know community is hard and I know apologizing is hard, and that I forgave her.

Thursday night as Djennie danced and sang at our "Heartline Healed" party (for EQ survivors that were part of Heartline's makeshift clinic) I was filled with hope. For her, and for all of us who are doing the best we can with the resources and skills we have--and still come up short.

A friend of ours describes Haiti as a picture of our soul without any makeup.  "People aren't any more sinful in Haiti than in the United States.  They just don't have any way of prettying up their sin here." It is so easy to see this in our teen mamas. And I feel like our teen moms are especially vulnerable, but also especially full of potential. In all the classes Beth stresses that the women in the class are more important than anyone else in Haiti...more important than the prezidant...because they will change Haiti by raising great children. It won't always be pretty, but it's really transformative.

Rosemond March, '10

Rosemond January '11

And speaking of the "Heartline Healed" party--wow. I haven't really had time to sit and process all that I was feeling that night. Looking around at people without limbs who never thought they would walk again, and seeing them walk through the gate...looking at babies who would've died because of their mothers crush injuries toddling around and smiling...seeing Rosemond coloring with his 'broken' hand and running and jumping after Mangos, well it was just lovely and beautiful...and miraculous! Seeing Antoinette (who was so painful and broken after the EQ, carry a load of charcoal on her head like it was nothing...walking on her fake leg as if it were real and her little guy Eden crawling after her and drooling all over the place, well, I lack the words, other than just to say, it's miraculous and it fills me with hope. And I am so SO blessed and privileged to be a small part of it all. (I've attached some 'before' and 'after' pictures for you here)!

Our friend Jonna, who has been so kind to let us stay in her apartment at the maternity center arrives home today. We will probably stay here with her but our little 'oasis' is no longer ours. It hasn't really been--we've been sharing it with Lizards and cockroaches and trantulas, but now we will share it with another human being! (Though you would be quite proud of Sarah O's lizard trap last night. For some reason she didn't want a lizard scurrying around the bedroom while she slept--crazy girl).

Friends of ours from CA, considering a potential partnership with Heartline arrive tomorrow. You can pray for them in their discernment process. Tomorrow we also take Rosemond home to his new house. He starts school on Monday, along with all my Kids Hope kiddos. I know the time will fly by.

Lastly, a friend of mine sent me a great quote and reminder about the 'ministry of presence'. It was so great I wanted to share it with you...by one of my favorite authors!

I'll sign off for now. Thanks for continuing to read and for your wonderful, heartfelt responses! We are so blessed!

Sarah D


“More and more, the desire grows in me simply to walk around, greet people, enter their homes, sit on their doorsteps, play ball, throw water, and be known as someone who wants to live with them. It is a privilege to have the time to practice this simple ministry of presence. Still, it is not as simple as it seems.

My own desire to be useful, to do something significant, or to be part of some impressive project is so strong that soon my time is taken up by meetings, conferences, study groups, and workshops that prevent me from walking the streets. It is difficult not to have plans, not to organize people around an urgent cause, and not to feel that you are working directly for social progress. But I wonder more and more if the first thing shouldn’t be to know people by name, to eat and drink with them, to listen to their stories and tell your own, and to let them know with words, handshakes, and hugs that you do not simply like them, but truly love them.”
– Henri Nouwen

Rosemond gained 50 lbs this year!

New Year: New Life posted 1.5.11

Hello friends-

Life has been super busy here in Haiti the last several days (and "super busy" might actually be an understatement).

O & Mirlande

We enjoyed a lovely New Years Eve reflecting on the ups and downs of the past year...and wow, has it been a crazy year.

Then on New Years' Day we had a mom stop by in labor around noon and she ended up delivering a sweet baby boy at 3:30pm. It was a wonderful daytime delivery with just me, Sarah O and Beth present.

Donald, baby #1, 2011

The next day we went to church with many of our friends who are in Haiti right now (Dr. Jen, Joanna Theile, the Livesays). It was really lovely. And we had a fabulous Independance Day celebratory meal (complete with the obligatory "Soup joumou"--Pumpkin Soup) with all the folks from the Hospital and Heartline. Around 8pm another mom stopped by our place in Labor so we stayed up all night laboring with her. No one was more surprised than me that I ended up catching that baby--who came so fast--under the guidance of Beth and Sarah O. It was a wild experience that I have yet to process, but the sweet little baby girl arrived safely around 12:30pm much to the delight of both her parents. And can I just say, wow, there is a lot of blood involved in birth. Woah.

Baby Heniana & "midwife" D

We were ready to go to bed early that night when about 8pm ANOTHER mom came by in labor. We had to call in some reinforcements to labor with her for a few hours so that we could get some sleep, and around 3:30 we were called down for the delivery of another healthy baby boy. I think they were all waiting until 2011. Every Haitian we have talked to expressed relief that 2010 is over with.

Ketia and baby boy

There is a saying in Haiti "Lespwa fe viv"--Hope brings life, but these births have shown us over and over that the opposite is true too...."Viv fe lespwa"--Life brings Hope.

These babies were all born to first time moms, with dads in the picture, and a sincere desire to care for their babies. They were very cooperative in labor and did everything we asked them to do. When I think of these precious babies being born in tents or on dirt floors, I am even more amazed at the work that Heartline is doing. Not only do these moms and babies have a safe and healthy place to deliver, but they get a years worth of classes (6 months prenatal, 6 months child development) but they are on the receiving end of so much love and care.

We helped in the child development class yesterday and got a good nights sleep. Today was a low key/recovery day for us and we just had the teen moms over for a film (complete with popcorn and sodas!). We watched "Elf" together with babies crawling all over the place! Watching a DVD on a laptop with a bunch of teenagers might not seem like that big of a deal to most of you reading this...however it was the talk of the town all day! The moms showered and got dressed up and were silly and giddy and so SO EXCITED for 'movie night'. When the movie ended they clapped and hugged us and tucked their babies into bed.

Life in post-earthquake Haiti has been a bit of an ego check for me. I miss the life we had in Haiti before the earthquake--I miss the routine and the simplicity of walking to Mama T's every day and working in the orphanage and getting to know the kids. I miss it, quite honestly, because I felt useful there. There were things I could "do". The needs were obvious. The needs are still obvious here at Heartline, but I don't feel as equipped to fill these needs. I feel like what I have to offer over and over again is my love and friendship--which is less quantifiable than say, feeding a room full of 30 babies. But the challenge for me has been to believe that it matters. It matters that these teenagers got to be teenagers tonight. It matters that 3 babies this week were welcomed to Haiti with love and care.

One of the teen moms, Jenny, has not been getting along with the others. If you're the praying type, please pray for her. She comes from absolute poverty and one of the most violent slums in the world. Her mom has 8 kids. She has no job, no way to provide for Kenny her almost one year old son. She also has very little skills for living in community. Today we were part of a conflict-resolution conversation with the teen moms (the first of its kind at the teen mom house--just imagine the show "16 and pregnant" taking place here in Haiti). Jenny was loud and dramatic. She carried a grudge all day, wouldn't talk to the other girls, and refused to participate in the film night. She said she is fine without Heartline and has threatened to leave--and she is free to do so....but there is so much possibility for growth and maturity for her (and for Kenny) here. It would be so sad to see her go...

Tomorrow we are preparing for the "Heartline Healed" party--for patients who were injured in the earthquake and spent time at Heartline during their recovery. They are all home, but we wanted to celebrate the healing that has happened in their lives over the year. It should be a blessed time! My camera battery died on day 4 so I haven't been able to take pictures and have been relying on others. I'd really like to get connected to my battery charger tomorrow so I can take some pictures (it arrived in the country today but is on the other side of the city right now...)

It is hard to believe that we just have a week to go before we head home....

We hope your New Year is off to a wonderful and blessed  (albeit a little less bloody) start-

Sarah D

Joy: Posted 12.30.10

Happy New Year’s Eve Eve from Haiti!

Bellymapping was a hit!

We have had a lovely day! It started out with a trip to our own personal Starbucks (French press and canned milk) and a quick review of “belly mapping” for our prenatal class today. Belly mapping involves palpating the baby’s position in the womb and then painting it on their belly so that they can see how their baby is positioned. Women in Haiti often don’t connect to the fact that they have a live baby in their belly until after it is born (it is even common for them to wait to name their baby until it has survived for a month). We used belly mapping as a way to connect them to their baby and remind them that what they do to take care of their baby matters.  There was a moment of great celebration when Rosena (whose baby was breech last week) shared with the women how she did her exercises and the baby turned! Rosena’s picture is attached here.

Sweet Roselore

This whole week has been full and fun! On Monday we took our new Australian friend, Rebecca to Mama T’s.  They still have several tents up on the property, but the rubble has been cleared for about 6 months. They are waiting on government approval of the architectural plans to move ahead with building a new orphanage on that site.  For now many of the kids are in a crowded guest house on the back of the property.  It’s discouraging to see the kids crammed into such a small space.

Sarah D was able to connect with Augustine—who has not grown an inch since we last saw her in June (her anti-retroviral medications keep her small—which helps with the illusion that time isn’t passing so fast!).  She is 7 and has two loose teeth! We were also surprised to learn that the children had been practicing for a play and were going to perform it that morning! Imagine the joy and delight at seeing small children outfitted with angel wings and crowns!!! It was a wonderful, joyful production of the Nativity story and we are incredibly grateful to have witnessed this beautiful production.

Augustine, my angel

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=255208&id=531504439&l=eda256d31f

Tuesday we taught the child development class and showed the documentary “Babies” to an interested group of mothers. We also spent the morning in Cite Soley where Sarah D got to meet the little girl that she sponsors…more to come on that later, except to say that she's quite possibly sponsoring the smartest, cutest most joyful little girl in all of Haiti! :)

Wednesday Rosemond came by for a visit and it was wonderful to see how much he has grown. We also spent time teaching him and the teen moms to play Uno.  Sarah O spent the afternoon with the Birthmom of her niece and nephew (who were evacuated from Haiti after the earthquake and adopted by O’s sister Jessica).  She was able to record a video message to her kids, that they will likely cherish forever. We also survived a raging fire in the lot across the street (when the neighbor decided to burn a year's worth of trash and accidentally caught his trees on fire). :) And we began our driving career on Wednesday and feel quite independent now.

All in all the time is going by much too quickly.  We are grateful to be here for another two weeks and will update when we can. Still no births but anticipating the arrival of four new little Haitians very soon.

We will spend tomorrow evening doing what we’ve done for years--Reviewing our journals from the year and reflecting on the ups and downs of 2010. (I can’t say that I’m sad to see it go… 2010, don’t let the door hit you on the way out…).  It’s been a full year and we’re grateful to be doing that in Haiti. Have a wonderful, safe, and happy New Year. Bon Ane 2011!

Sarah O and Sarah D

Johnny Angel

Jwaye Noel: 2.24.10

Hello friends near and far-

Jwaye Noel & Merry Christmas. I wanted to share a few thoughts, but this email ended up getting long and I don't have the time to edit. Pretend it's a blog and pour yourself some tea/hot coco/chocolate. :)

The last few days have been such a complete blessing. Being in Haiti always shifts my perspective in the best possible way. “Joy to the World” seems real and palpable here, yet it is so absurd because this joy happens in the midst of piles of rubble, with friends who may not eat today, or lost limbs in the earthquake, with children who are very malnourished, yet smiling. It is such a paradox. I also find myself so grateful for small things that I normally take for granted...hot showers, smooth roads, quiet...and the Haiti people continually school me in gratitude. I need this! And I  have so much to learn from them!

We have been busy working at the Heartline clinic (no moms in labor yet). My role is usually translator and baby-holder, and yet I've managed to sneak in several hundred Christmas crafts with the ladies and their children. (!)  Yesterday we made cut-out cookies with the teen moms and decorated them with colored frosting. They were SO proud, so serious, so much fun! None of them had ever done this before...the simple act of making Christmas cookies together. The babies napped and played on the ground (and probably ate a little frosting!) But there was something lovely about making memories with these girls who have such heavy burdens, and watching them get to be teenagers again! I will post pictures when I have time!

Last night we went to a candlelight Christmas eve service. For most of the service I held a little 9lb baby named Amir. His 16 year old mom was sitting on my right. (I have her permission to share her story). She was raped and almost died of preeclampsia. He was born by c-section after she was found seizing in the street (for more of the story on Mari Carmelle and Amir, and the other teen moms we are working with, check out www.teenmomhome.blogspot.com).

Something about holding him, feeling the flutter of his tiny heart against my chest and knowing their story, made the Christmas story come to life. I pictured Mary as a pregnant teenager, silly and shy like Mari Carmelle, alone and misunderstood...likely giving birth alone, since Joseph was not yet her husband. If I were God I'd have chosen a sensible, experienced mother in her 30's to parent my son...but God chose someone like Mari Carmelle.... I'll admit that I don't really “get” the Christmas story (or much of how God works most of the time!!!).

Mari Carmelle's cookies

But as we were sitting there I got to thinking about these candles we were holding—the light so fragile, the slightest miscalculated sigh could wipe out the flame or drip wax all over the fancy dresses around me. The candlelight was nothing compared to the fluorescent lights above us that could illuminate the whole room, and yet the candlelight was enough to make even the darkest places seem cozy.

Melody, a 3 year old Haitian girl was sitting on my left and desperately wanted to “help” hold my candle. I didn't really want myself or Amir to be dripped in wax, but I wasn't able to manage both so I let go and I let Melody hold that candle. Boy, did she take her job seriously and raised it up above her head as we sang “Silent Night” Her face shown with joy and pride at being entrusted with that candle (and we all left the church wax-free). But it was in that moment that it all clicked for me....the vulnerable little light, that shines in the darkness...the fragile flame, the tiny baby Amir...this crazy messed up fragile world that we live in. My heart too, swelled with gratitude and thanksgiving for what Christmas means....Emmanuel God with us.

Melody

Last night, as I was reading my advent book, I was reminded that it's only when we are weary and poor in spirit, that God can touch us with hope. But I hate being weary and poor. Oscar Romero once said, “It is only the poor and hungry, those who know they need someone to come on their behalf, who can celebrate Christmas”. Being in Haiti for Christmas the past several years has put me in touch with a different sort of Christmas. Haiti teaches me to let go, to trust, to live in the present, even when it is full of paradox.

The genealogy of Jesus reveals that God chooses to work with us as we are,--using our weaknesses, even more than our strengths, to fulfill the divine purpose. I really don't get this. Yet at tonight's vigil, in a world of hungry, broken people and buildings....a world as cold and cruel and unjust as it was at the time of Jesus' birth in a stable, we desire something better. And in desiring it, we come to believe that it is possible. We await its coming in hope....

My advent reading said, “Mary's Magnificat reminds us that what we most value, all that gives us status-power, pride, strength and wealth-can be a barrier to receiving what God has in store for us. If we have it all, or think we can buy it all, there will be no Christmas for us. If we are full of ourselves, there will be no room for God to enter our hearts at Christmas.” I know that there have been many years where I didn't have room or time to really think about Christmas. But Haiti helps me with that too.

This morning O and I went on a 5 mile run with Beth—out to the US Embassy and back-- and in most ways this is just another ordinary Saturday for Haitians. Very few have the means for dinner, let alone gifts/decorations. But the weather was cool and overcast and the run felt great. There was no tree, no presents, no busy-ness, no snow, no “power/wealth/barrier” and yet it FELT like Christmas.

After we arrived home we donned the Santa hat and distributed some very small gifts among the workers at Heartline and the teen moms who are living at the hospital. The joy was palpable...and contagious. Sherline, one of the workers, made everyone get quiet and gave a little heartfelt speech about how much she appreciated us coming for Christmas.  Then the ladies cooking next to her broke out in song and I couldn't help but start dancing! (The "Dance of Joy" happens even in Haiti). It's not that I'm not grateful for my life in the States, because wow, I totally am, but sometimes I think all our “stuff” keeps us away from the real meaning of Christmas, or from really being present to what we are experiencing in each moment. The noise and busy-ness of holidays in the States have kept me from seeing the hope that light shines in the darkness—not blaring away all the shadows, but flickering bravely against the dark...just enough so that we can see what is before us and know that we are not alone.

We're getting ready to host Christmas dinner for the teen moms and the Heartline staff, so I'm going to sign off for now. Thanks for reading these ramblings. Thanks for journeying with us in Haiti, where we are so privileged to spend the Holidays, thanks for loving us from afar!

Merry Merry Christmas to you and yours!!
with Joy and Gratitude and Hope-
Sarah D

Merry Christmas, love Eden/Santa

Nou La! (We're Here): 12.22.10

Dear friends-

Just a quick note from Haiti to say "nou la" (we're here!) The flights were uneventful and right on time. The city is bustling and feels quite normal...we saw no demonstrations of any kind and are so thrilled to be in one of our favorite places in the world for the holidays.

One of my favorite moments when we arrive at the airport is when Bebe (a deaf airport worker) spots Sarah O. With animated joy he leaps over suitcases and people and practically tackles her. This has been going on for years. Because he can't speak he makes all sorts of 'joyful noise' and it blesses my heart immensely. I always get the secondary "courtesy hug" from him after his joy at seeing O subsides! The spirit of welcome in that man is so lovely! Bebe helped us drag our suitcases to Beth, who was waiting for us in tears--so grateful that we were there. It is SO good to be back.

We went to the grocery store and saw some new buildings and houses that have gone up since we were here in June. Signs of improvement and order. I am hopeful! :) Rosemond (the 10 year old boy who was injured in the earthquake, whom we instantly fell in love with) and his grandmother left the hospital (after making it their home for 11 months) and moved into their own house yesterday. (Rosemonds parents were both killed in the earthquake). We will see him on Saturday. Heartline has hired his grandmother as a cook so we were able to spend some time with her today. Antoinette (our friend who lost her leg in the earthquake and delivered her son Eden by C-section on the USNS Comfort Ship) is still at the hospital. She is walking great on her prosthetic leg but having a lot of pain in her other leg which was badly fractured in multiple places. Eden is growing like a weed! And so are the babies of the teen moms. It was a full and very happy day.

Our friend Jonna has graciously offered us her apartment for the 3 weeks that we're here, so we've spent the evening organizing all the Christmas gifts we brought (including the Christmas turkey and ham in Sarah O's carry-on!) Tomorrow I'm hoping to run with Beth in the morning before we do prenatals, which will take most of the afternoon! I know the days will go by quickly. Thanks for your messages, thoughts and prayers! We are grateful for our friends on both sides of this hemisphere! :)

with a grateful heart,
Sarah D (for O and I)

Haiti Bound: written 12.20.10

Hello friends & family-

Sarah O and I are headed to Haiti soon! O is already in FL and I will fly out and meet her there tomorrow. Our flight into Haiti is Weds morning. We are eager to get there and get a better sense of what our work in post-earthquake Haiti looks like. We are unable to take teams at this time. Providence Guest House collapsed in the earthquake, and with it our ways of doing Haiti trips…so until we figure out a new rhythm, new place for teams to stay, new work to be involved in (the Sisters’ orphanage collapsed and the kids are still in tents so it is hard for the m to manage volunteers) and reliable transportation, it will be just the two of us.

O is filling in for one of Heartline’s midwives, so that midwife can go to the US and be with her family for the holidays. So we will be on call for births (O delivering, me translating and cleaning/dressing babies). We will living in an apartment at the Heartline birthcenter, and missing Gertrude (our usual host). Heartline is starting a program (that we really believe in) for teen moms, and so we’re hoping for some deliveries around Christmas to give us a better glimpse into the Christmas story. You can read more about the teen center here: http://teenmomhome.blogspot.com/

We are also eager to connect with many of our Haitian friends, and will send updates if/when we are able.

Some of you have heard about the election violence that shut down the Port-au-Prince airport last week. We are really hoping to be able to catch our flight in Miami on Weds am into Port-au-Prince. Once we get into the  

country we will be picked up by Beth McHoul from Heartline ministries (who has lived in Haiti for over 20 years). They will take great care of us, but we need the airport to be open. ;) If you’re the praying type, we’d welcome your prayers to that end (pray for peace, or pray for rain…if there’s one thing Haitians hate more than not having their votes count, it’s rain!).

O & I will return to the US after the anniversary of the earthquake (we fly back Jan 13^th). I know I speak for both of us, that we are filled with gratitude to have the time off, the means, and flexibility to be in Haiti for three whole weeks this year! J

I  wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year! We’ll be in touch…

Lives You Saved

Assiane & baby girl born safely February 13th, 2011 via C-Section


Djeuna developed severe preeclampsia and gave birth via C-Section 6 weeks early on February 17th, 2011



"Thank you!"