Friday, December 17, 2010

day and the life


So the last couple of days have been pretty non descript, either that or I’m getting used to life here. We went to the camp we’ve been working in called Canaan 2. This is the camp where the pastor got attacked and we’ve been trying to do some conflict resolution. However this day we were trying to do an assessment, which is what a lot of time here is spent doing. Trying to get truth in this country seems like almost an impossible task and the more research you do the more variety of answers you get. Our main concern is whether or not the 20 thousand people are going to be able to stay in this area or if they will be eventually kicked out. It’s difficult to create safety and security if you don’t know if this is actually going to be your home or not! We talked to some UN officials there from Mozambique who were wonderful, and also got a tour of many of the homes by some of the residents. But we still haven’t gotten any closer to our answer. I then led another group which was so incredible. One man opened up in front of everyone (around 45 adults!) that he was suicidal and that he had no hope anymore because all of his family was killed in the earthquake. His vulnerability just dropped the group into a way deeper level of healing and made people more open to the necessity of what I describe as “calming the mind and healing the heart”. I am just constantly amazed at the strength and yet vulnerability of these people!
The next day we met with Fonkoze to try and follow up with the micro-financing plans. They were incredible, so friendly so informative and really seem like they have the interests of the poor at heart. However it doesn’t look like our original plan is going to work and that we are going to have to move at a slower pace, which is a little disheartening but I know it’s necessary. We then met with the group of 50, which was very intense. I know I’m using that word a lot but these women are living in tents that are literally spilling onto one of the busiest roads. Their camp is in the heart of downtown Port-au-Prince and during the manifestations they get tear gas in their homes, and have stray bullets going into their camp, not to mention the constant yelling and gunshot noises as well as the violence and theft inside the camp and of course the cholera. Yet they file into our cramped meeting space cheerfully their throats gurgling with laughter every five minutes, even if they’re talking about how they haven’t eaten in two days. Really how am I so lucky to know these people exist?

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