What is your reason?

I want to believe that everything happens for a reason, that God really does have a plan for us all, and then something terrible happens, and everything I like to think about life just doesn't seem possible anymore.  I know this sounds depressing, and I don't mean to make anyone sad, but today I saw the aftermath of a Semi hitting a Motorcycle and it got me thinking once again about life in general, what it means to live everyday, and how lucky I am.  I have lost several family members over the past few years, and as I grow older I don't expect my older family members to stop dying so it will be something I will just have to deal with being on the significantly younger end of things.  But all of these depressing thoughts lead to me thinking about how much worse off things could be in my life, and how terrible life has been for so many I know in Haiti.  For me seeing one dead body is a life-altering experience, but I can only imagine what it must have been like after the Earthquake.  And I am sure thousands have asked the same thing- Why?  Why did so many deserve all of this pain and suffering?  So all of us sitting pretty and comfortable could take notice, and if we felt compelled, do something about it?  But then so many ask Why help Haiti when there are so many problems right here in my own backyard?  That is a good question for many of you to ask, and that will lead me back to my statement that I would like to believe that everything in life happens for a reason.

In the spring of 2009 I was about to graduate college, and although I would have an official degree I knew that I would probably not being pursuing my photographic career much farther than personal enjoyment, so I began to apply to jobs all over the country through Americorps website. In May I got a phone call from Habitat for Humanity in Seattle and they decided to do a phone interview.  Everything went well and they said they would be getting back to me soon.  Everyone seemed to be going perfect, the lady who interviewed me was upbeat and nice, and I thought I would definitely get the job!  In the beginning of June my friend Juliet called me and told me she had gone on a mission trip to Haiti in March, and really wanted me to go back with her in August.  I listened to what she had to say, and quickly just gave her an answer she wanted to hear "If I don't get the job in Seattle (which was to start in August) I would go to Haiti with her".  Well as luck, fate, or God would have it later that evening I got an e-mail from Habitat for Humanity informing me that I had not gotten the job.  I was so upset that I didn't get the job, but almost immediately I called Juliet to tell her that I would be going to Haiti with her.  So in August of 2009 I got on a plane with a bunch of people I didn't know, and that plane took me to a place I knew nothing about, and I spent a week falling in love with people I could not understand, and I was hooked.  So once again I ask myself Why?  Why did I not get that job in Seattle?  Why after 7 years of mission trips to different parts of the country, did I find such a calling to be in Haiti?

I don't know.  I can not answer these questions, and I can not tell you what things in life you should feel passion for, but I know what I believe, and I know Haiti is important to me, so I would like to thank all of those people who decided giving me $5 was worth their trouble despite all of the other things people believe are important to give money to and support.  But to those of you who think perhaps it would be better to help someone locally, instead of someone so far away, then please take that $5 and put your thoughts and opinions in to action.  I don't think my cause is the only cause worthy of attention, and I would be happy to know that Someone, somewhere has benefitted because life is too short to keep everything to yourself.

Lucky Kentucky

I know it has been a really long time since I have posted anything, but hopefully in the coming months I will find several good reasons to write to all of my adoring fans out there!  In August Kristen and I hoped to go to Haiti again, but our plans never really got anywhere for several reasons, including the fact that I learned 8 of the kids from the orphanage would be coming to Kentucky to sing.  Mona, Sophia, Fabienne, Wideline, Delva, Jean Eddy, David, Jeff, and Sonson spent 15 days traveling around the greater Lexington area singing to churches, and spending time with several of their American friends.  I got a chance to spend a few days with them, and we even got to take them to the Cincinnati Zoo.  What was planned to be an entire day at the zoo turned in to only a few hours; being on Haitian time is something I am going to have to get used to; But the few hours we did spend at the zoo seemed to be enough time to see things that all of those kids had only ever seen pictures or drawings of.  The Elephants were obviously an awesome thing to see, and so were the lions, but my favorite part of the trip was Jeff's enthusiasm to be as interactive as possible.  He was the only one that wanted to feed the Giraffes, so we made a special effort to make it happen.  In Haiti, having an animal for a pet, or even touching an animal for more than slaughter is not a popular concept.  Cows, pigs, chickens, goats, are all considered food, and as for cats and dogs- they are around, but if most people hardly eat, then so it goes most people are not concerned with whether animals are getting food or not.  (They even ask on immigrations forms when entering the U.S. whether you have handled livestock or not.  I wonder what happens if you check yes?)  Regardless it was so exciting to have him do something so unique to most people- feed a Giraffe.  I don't have any children.  I can't say what it feels like to introduce your own child to so many new and special things in life, but being able to show something to anyone who hasn't been able to experience things that others have is exciting.  Every time we are down in Haiti we get to do this with so many young children, and treating all of these kids like children, and I dare say spoiling them, is an awesome thing!  I can't say how most of the kids we see down there actually live, but I doubt it involves a lot of childhood activities like playing, and partying, or even something as normal to us as going to school, so being able to bring them happiness is well worth all the mosquito bites in the world.

P.S. While the kids were in Kentucky Jean Eddy was offered a sponsorship from some amazing people, and will in the near future be attending the University of Kentucky!

New places to buy

Headbands and bracelets can now be found at the Arctic Wolf in Laingsburg Michigan, and at Climb Time of Blue Ash in Blue Ash, Ohio!  Thank you everyone for all of your support!  I would love e-mails or comments on here about how your bracelets and headbands are holding up!  Feedback will really help me make these things better!  And thank you to Jason for sending me a box full of rope from California, I have definitely been busy making things!

And don't forget you can still buy stuff from Andy at Inside Moves in Byron Center, Michigan, or directly from me, by e-mailing sizes and colors at malint@comcast.net

10 years

July 2001
I am 15, sitting in the dark under a sky painted with glow in the dark orbs.  No I am not in my bedroom at home, the sky is real, and the orbs are stars burning bright under the Arizona mountain sky.  This is my last night at the Fort Appache Indian Reservation, I have just had my feet washed as a ceremonial send off from a week long Mission Trip with Youthworks,  and my close friends from Haslett Community Church. As i sit there I do not bow my head to pray, but I turn my eyes toward the sky, burning the image of Gods vast creations in to my head, and I pray, no i plead to God that I will not go home and forget every thing that has happened here, but instead remember everyone who has touched me. At that moment the first shooting star I have ever seen blazes across the sky, and I am at peace. I thank the Lord for all the things he has blessed me with, and I go on with my evening saying Goodbye to all the friends I have made here.

When I get home I talk for weeks about my trip.  I run the memories over and and over in my head, and try and contact the friends I have made in an effort not to forget a single moment.  But as the weeks past the life that had never really stopped in my absence comes crashing down on me.  Sophomore year begins and I am once again engulfed in the every day rituals of class, and homework, and the ever so stressful task of having the best social life possible.

April 2011
I am 25, older than I feel, and like to admit, I am sitting in the dark once again staring up at the same painted sky with glowing orbs, but this times Kompa Music blast through speakers on the other side of a concrete wall, and incomprehensible chatter buzzes all around me.  It is Saturday night at the Good Shepherd Orphanage in Carrefour Haiti, and as the younger kids sit in their rooms playing, and avoiding sleep, the older kids mill around, stepping in and out of the front gate for a Coke and a little dance in the street.  I laugh at their goofy moves, tell them I can't dance when they encourage me to join in, and I once again look to the sky and pray to God that I can find the best ways and reasons possible to help my friends who have become more like family.  Then as it did ten years earlier a stars shoots across the sky, and I smile because I know God is good, and he will help my find my way.  And this time although I know two weeks from now I will be sitting at home dreading going to work, and thinking of ways to get back to Haiti, I at least feel a little better that even if the every day habits of life get in my way, I will not forget where I have been, and I will forever be trying to get back.

m'avo Ayiti

Well I can say it has been too long since I last wrote to my adoring fans (I'm sure you all have been dying to hear from me!)  eskize'm sivouple,  due to a poor internet connection at the Orphanage, and the following of kids I had asking to use their facebook, I did not have the time to write on here.  So now I will do a little back tracking to cover my steps over the past several weeks.  

Kristen and I stepped off of the plane in Port-Au-Prince to a balmy 95 degrees, typical of the Caribbean country, and as I breathed in the hot stuffy air, the aroma of burning trash smoke, and dust filled my nose.  I was in one of my homes, and this made me happy. Mwen kontann.  To most this sort of welcome would invoke feelings of dread, and leave most wondering what they have gotten themselves in to, but for Kristen and I we breathed deep dust filled sighs of relief and moved towards customs anxious with anticipation wondering who would be waiting to greet us in the parking lot.  

A question I most frequently get asked when talking about Haiti is "Why?  Why Haiti?"  and up until a few weeks ago I could never fully answer that question with a response that satisfied me, or the person asking. But then at the moment and place I least expected, the words to explain my desire flowed from a mans lips I had never met.  And those words had been relayed in a circular pattern, and quoted from the man who's funeral I was currently attending.  

So here is a Journal entry I wrote dated April 16th, which was the day after my brother had had is first baby, and the day of the funeral of Papa Ernst Cassey.  

Today I mourn the death of a man with a thousand children, and celebrate the new life of Wyatt my brothers first son.  

Papa Cassey left behind so many children that will never forget him.  Being able to attend his funeral was a blessing and a way to show all of us how great a human being can really be.  Compassion flowed through this man and his beliefs and faith will forever be represented through all of the wonderful children who had the privilege to call him Papa.  

At the funeral a man from the states had a chance to speak and he summed up perfectly what I have never been able to explain about my coming to Haiti.  This man was able to explain what I never could put in to words.  He told us about the first time he met Papa Cassey and how Cassey told him "When you come to Haiti, your heart becomes broken, and you will forever keep coming back to look for the other half."  When I heard this I cried for the man I had barely known but heard so many good things about.  I cried in gratitude for the brilliant words that the poor old man could never have expressed to me in person, and I thanked the lord for giving the world such a humble and giving man to so many who needed him.  

Now all I can do is pray that someone equally giving and caring will step up to take Papa Cassey's place because lord only knows all of those kids are suffering physically, emotionally, and spiritually with out a constant presence that assures them they are loved.  

Just a few more days!

Well that's it, I am all packed for Haiti.... unfortunately I forgot where I put my passport, and then had to unpack two of the suitcases... it wasn't in either, but don't worry I found it!

Now I will make a quick trip back home to wish Chuck and Laura luck before they have their little boy.  There is a pretty good chance I will be an aunt this week!

And if you are out there and you actually read this, hopefully I will get a chance to write in here a bit while I am down in Haiti, and actually make it worth your time!

Last night a great Dad to thousands of children passed away.  Papa Ernst Cassy, founder of the Good Shepherd Orphanage in Carrefour Haiti will be sorely missed my so many whom he loved with all his heart.  There are many Children that need your prayers tonight!

Today James helped me make a beautiful stand to put my bracelets and headbands on, so look for these things at Climb Time of Blue Ash later this week!  $5 for bracelet, $10 for a headband, ankle bracelets can be made upon request. Thanks again James, we will have to build more of these stands!

just call me lapen blan

A while back when Kristen and I decided to go to Haiti in April, we realized we would be there over Easter.  So I began collecting easter eggs so we could have a little easter egg hunt for the kids.  Well when the University of Kentucky group went over spring break, a friend of theirs gave them hundreds of eggs filled with candy to take to the kids!  When I found out they would be doing an easter egg hunt I was slightly disappointed that they would get to do one before me, but then it turned out they didn't have enough room to take all of the eggs, so they gave them to me!  Sunday I went down to UK to collect all of the eggs, and packed my big purple suitcase with them.  There is absolutely no room for anything else!  This Easter Egg hunt will be EPIC!  I am so excited to be able to share this fun Easter tradition with all of the kids, I just wish more of my UK friends could be there to see it!  Just call me the white rabbit because I am bringing Easter fun to tons of kids.  I know it isn't that important, and I know hunting for colorful eggs filled with candy has absolutely no nutritional value for them, but when you have something for the kids, and you tell them about it, the elation you get out of them is so much more than any spoiled American child.  Things like candy, and getting presents for silly holidays is something we all take for granted, it is something that is naturally expected from our parents, but none of it is necessary, and most kids probably don't deserve it, I know I probably didn't when i was young.  I'm not sure I even do now.

The first time I went down to the Orphanage in 2009 we got to stay in these buildings on the property called the Round Houses, and basically they were circular apartment's with two bedrooms that the orphanage had begun to build for missionary's to come and stay.  At the time they had already built three stories, but had only finished the bottom floor, so we got to stay there.  When the Earthquake hit the structure remained in tack- which was an awesome thing because Mona, and Brummaire were on the bottom floor; but unfortunately the top floor shifted, making it unstable.  On this last visit down in March they began to take down the top floor, and that should be finished so we can begin to finish the first two floors.  This is great news, and I hope that it means more groups will be able to come and stay at the orphanage on a regular basis.  And speaking of which it seems that the Orphanage will have some of staying with them for four months in a row.  There was a group in March, Kristen and I in April, I hear a few girls will be going in May, and Juliet will be going in June!  This is exciting, and will hopefully give all of the kids ample opportunities to work on their English.

And on the bracelet and headband front I have given another batch to Andy, and new colors should be in stock in the Grand Rapids area!  Thanks to everyone who has supported me so far!  And Jason has  over 900 feet of rope waiting for me in California, so thank you to his friends in Belmont California, I am so grateful for the support I have gotten from people who have never met me!  So now the next step is to make make make, and sell sell sell!  

Micheal Jackson said it best

I am not alone in my love for Haiti, and my Haitian friends.  At least I know there is a crazy group of University of Kentucky students that have been where I have been, and have seen what I have seen, and know in their heart that it is where they are meant to be.  I do not seek understanding from whom all I meet, but I do require acceptance that helping people in another country is my truth.  I am blessed and happy to know that I am not alone, and all of our love and perseverance in the face of opposition will prevail.  Thank you to all who have supported me and my beliefs thus far, I am proud to call you zanmi mwen.

Spring has not sprung, but big things are happening!

Hey everyone, this weekend brought a lot of good news to me, two of my friends got engaged, and I found out a close family friend is pregnant, so congratulations to you all!

Kristen and I have also bought tickets for our next trip to Haiti!  We will be heading back on April 13th, and we will be staying for two weeks!  We are very eager to go back, and it will be nice to enjoy some hot weather.  Despite my childhood growing up in Michigan I spend most of the winter shivering under piles of blankets!

I also have enough bracelets to start selling to people, I sold a few tonight to Michelle and Yelena at Climb Time, so a big thanks to them!  Send me your $5 and $10 bills and I will send you whatever you want!

Take the Good with the Bad

Four years ago today my assumptions of how I thought my life would be were drastically changed.  It was like everything I had ever known about life was suddenly a lie.  Up until my 21st year, life had been easy for me.  I grew up with a mother, a father, and a half brother who was eight years older than me.  This age gap allowed my brother and I to practically grow up as only children, receiving virtually everything we ever asked for.  I graduated High School as an average student, and went to Grand Valley State University, and with absolutely no student loans to speak of, and only one crazy roommate to plague my good times, i was practically care free.  I went to class, I worked, I went home to see my family every few months, and things were good.  

Then in the summer of 2006 my dad called me to tell me he had a doctors appointment scheduled because he hadn't been feeling well.  Although I did think it was strange he was calling to tell me about such a mundane event, i ultimately put the phone call out of my head, and went on with my day, because bad things don't happen to people like my Dad, no way, no how!  Needless to say a few days later my Dad had cancer, and no matter how hard I tried to pretend like it was a bad dream, I ultimately knew weather he lived or died things would never be the same for any of us again.  The months went by, and he got sick, and he go better, and he had a bone marrow transplant, and he got sick, and then they said he was going to die, and then they said he was cured, and then finally in the first week of March, I got a call that said it was time to come to the hospital because he wasn't going to make it.  

So here I am 21 years old, and while all of my friends are sunning themselves on pretty little beaches on the Gulf Coast sipping Margaritas, and worrying about their tan lines, I sat in a hospital room for 3 days with my family waiting for that time to come.  Inevitably March 9th came, and late in the evening my father went, and we all left the University of Michigan hospital, hoping never to come back.  

I soon came to the realization that I could day dream and plan out how I wanted my life to be as long as I wanted, but nothing is guaranteed, and nothing I had always assumed my father would be at would ever happen how I wanted.  So many months later- or maybe longer, after I finally stopped feeling angry, and sorry for myself, I decided maybe something as terrible as losing your dog, your father, and your grandfather within two weeks happened to me, because God knew I could handle it, and learn from it.  So despite my misfortunes I always had the nagging feeling in the back of my mind that so many others have had worse things happening to me, there is no excuse for me to think I am more important than those other people.  And in this reasoning I knew that whatever I decided to do in life, I could no longer work towards the goal of simply making myself happy, I knew that whatever I did would have to impact someone else in a way that makes their lives better.  

Today I saw my brother wrote on his facebook, and in the message he said he is trying to live by "WWGD" (What Would George Do?)  And although I have never called it that before, I think I do the same thing.  Every day I wonder what my Dad would think and say about what I am doing with my life, but then I think if he were here then maybe my outlook on life would be entirely different, and none of what I am doing now would have happened.  

In the spring of 2009 I began to look at jobs through Americorps, and I found a job working with Habitat for Humanity in Seattle.  I applied, I had an interview, and I have to be honest the woman who interviewed me made it seem like I had the job, I was ready to go, and eager to get on with my life.  Then Juliet called me, and asked me if I wanted to go on a mission trip to this place called Haiti.  I hardly had a clue as to where Haiti was, so in an attempt to maker her happy, and not just flat out say no I didn't want to go, I told Juliet that if I didn't get the job in Seattle that I would go with her to Haiti, and left it at that.  Later that night I got an e-mail from the lady in Seattle saying I had NOT gotten the job.  At the time I was so disappointed that I did not get the job that I wanted- but silly me, I had forgotten my own lesson from years past.  And to be honest this goes out to whoever that woman was who rejected me- Thank You, your rejection was a blessing.  

Thank you Michigan!

It was a big weekend up in Michigan!  Sold my first bracelet to my Mom, and the next two to my uncle Mike!  Apparently I am not making the bracelets big enough for all of you guys out there so be patient, and I will soon make some bigger bracelets for all of you.  On Monday I got to go to Grand Rapids, I began my trip with a quick stop at Grand Valley to visit my friend Nick who works at the climbing wall, and he gave me 6 ropes that they had just retired!  So thank you Grand Valley State University, and I would also like to give a big thanks to Brian, Denise, and Andy at Inside Moves, they gave me more rope, and made tags for me to put on the bands.  All of the things I have made so far are now hanging on the wall and Inside Moves, and looking great, but to be honest I hope they aren't there very long ;)  I would also like to thank James for giving me 4 green ropes, you guys are all a really big help, no I just need to figure out how to take ALL this rope I have and make it in to something, I am going to be really busy!

Souri Avi debut

Tomorrow I will drive up to Michigan, and have my first buyers of my bracelets and headbands.  If you haven't already heard I am selling headbands and bracelets to raise money for things I want to do in Haiti.  So far I have about ten bracelets and ten headbands, but I need more rope if I want to continue this venture!

Before these hit the shelves of Inside Moves Climbing Gym, I guess I should probably tell you all a little bit about the logo I made to go along with the merch.  After Kristen and I brainstormed about what kind of name we wanted to have for our organization, I then had to think about some way to make our ideas known.  We needed something that could be on all the stuff we sell, and make it better known.  So I came up with a hummingbird.  The hummingbird is a bird that is only in North and South America, and it is the only bird that can fly forwards and backwards.  The hummingbird is a symbol for the ability for us all to look to the past, but still allow ourselves to look toward the future.  I believe that it is important for our haitian friends to not forget the day their world crumble to pieces, but remember that they were saved for a reason unknown to them.

When I was in Haiti in August there was a boy from the orphanage who approached me, and told me that when the earthquake hit his twin brother was the only boy from the orphanage to not survive.  His brother had been at University that day when it collapsed. And then when most would have continued to tell me about how angry they were that this had happened to them, he proceeded to tell me how he believed that God allowed him to live because he had a lot of important things to do in life, and now he would have a chance to come and study in the U.S.  Through all of the terrible things that have happened to these people, they have not given up hope that good things will come for them.  And I believe that is Kristen and I's mission in all of this, to help our haitian friends better themselves.

So look for my hummingbird symbol on things that you buy, and I promise my sewing abilities will get better!

You can't keep wearing your own shoes to know what someone else' feel like

Whenever I have a conversation with someone about Haiti, most generally ask me how the clean up has progressed since the earthquake last year.  I usually answer in the same way paralleling the week I spent in New Orleans with what I have seen in Haiti.  Two years after Hurricane Katrina hit I spent a week in New Orleans with a group from Haslett Community Church, rebuilding houses with Habitat for Humanity.  I had never been to New Orleans before, but the shock of what little had been done in the 2 years that had passed was unimaginable.  We spent the entire week passing by homes that had yet to be cleaned out, spray paint adorned every door step like a secret code a child might use with a friend but instead of an innocent greeting the circle drawing described in shorthand how many people, and how many pets had been found dead or alive inside.  You could still see how high the water had risen by the stains practically painted parallel to the tops of first story windows, and whole neighborhoods still stood vacant, abandoned but not forgotten by so many that had no other choice but to leave everything they ever had behind.  These people who live within the borders of what most say is the greatest country in the world were in my American opinionated standards left to fend for themselves.  Many came to help, but now it has been six years since the greater part of a city drowned, I have not been back to see the progress, but i have to imagine it is not, and will never be the same city again.  

So when people ask me "What is being done in Haiti?  Why has there been no progress?" I just think about how little had been done in New Orleans, a place with every resource at their disposal, and how little the Haitians have to work with, and in my eyes, the positive progress they have made.  It is not unusual to see uninhabitable buildings as you drive the Port au Prince, and I have a feeling as the years come and go I will continue to see these same dilapidated buildings standing as testaments to the Haitian will and perseverance.  Many Haitians lost nearly everything on January 12th,  but without possibility of evacuating their beloved city, they had no choice but to stay and move on in the best ways they could. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mjyJLdlRBA 

here is a link to the 2nd part of a 4 part series created by some CHCH Canadians, and this second part that i have posted explains what i have not been able to in many respects as to why they don't just clean everything up and start rebuilding.  I urge you to watch all four parts of the series, but this was my favorite section, and I think it helps to convey what I have not been successful at.  

I have given a lot of thought to a question someone asked me a while back, and basically someone said to me that they didn't understand WHY these Haitian people didn't just go out and clean up these spots of rubble- even if they weren't getting paid, WHY didn't they just get off their butts and do something to help?  At the time this question was asked I couldn't give an adequate answer to this difficult question that was asked really as more of a statement than an actually question.  But if the person who asked me that question is reading this I would like them to imagine not as themselves - with American values, and American dreams, and American wages, but I want them to imagine themselves as a Haitian- 20 something year old male. He has lived his entire life in the blazing sun, with the average temperatures near the equator at about 85 degrees, and if this man did NOT live in a place like an orphanage that could have provided them with at least 2 meals a day, and a sturdy pair of shoes, he then lived in a concrete shack with a tin roof; or now more likely a tent.  His family lived on less than $2 a day, and the odds of them all eating even once a day were probably pretty low, and on top of all of this, imagine when you are thirsty the water that you drink is probably not even clean enough to sit in my toilet bowl.  So imagine this guy he has no job, no food, and water i wouldn't give to my cat.  Why would I as this man go and pick up heavy concrete blocks that were not mine to begin with, and I was not getting paid to pick up?  And then once I did pick these up,  where would I put these blocks?  They have no place to go, but back on to the pile they originated from. Now I can also relate this to climbing, and I know none of the climbers I know would make it two hours in the Red in August without a indestructible Nalgene bottle full of water, a banana, and Clif Bar - I'm just saying.  

It's March already?

I can't believe it is March!  Some friends from the Wesley Foundation, University of Kentucky will be leaving for Haiti in ten days!  They are all set to help build walls, and have some Vacation Bible School!  I'm obviously jealous that I can not go with them, but my ever so important jobs at Buffalo Wild Wings won't allow me to go anywhere during March Madness.  Got to love sports.! (P.S. anyone who has current openings at their place of employment let me know).  

So Kristen and I, and hopefully Juliet will be making a trip down the last two weeks in April, over Easter, and hopefully before my brother and his wife have their baby!  Hopefully I can get some of my headbands and bracelets sold before we go, but I most likely won't be using any money I make off of these right away, it will probably all be going in to a bank account for now.  

So far I have collected three types of ropes, and I have been working on bracelets and headbands, and I have been practicing on my new hand held sewing machine, but I beginning to see I will still need a regular sewing machine if I want to get any cloth head bands finished.

So all of those living in the Grand Rapids area watch out for me at Inside Moves on Monday! I better see you there!  

Thanks for all the encouragement, now I just need the rope :)

Every morning when I wake up, I look at my phone to see how late I slept in, and how much of the day I have wasted sleeping, and then just for the fun of it, and in an effort to avoid getting out of bed, i shuffle through my phone to look up my horoscope.  I just thought this one was fitting after my first week of blogging about my future plans. 


You may see something as a good investment that many other people would run from.  That's okay.  This special investment might literally be a business proposition that could offer you the possibility of making money.  On the other hand, the investment might also be a person or a situation that others would tell you to steer clear of, even though you can see merit where others cannot.  Lead with your heart, Sagittarius. Most likely your instincts are correct , and if you invest your time, belief, passion, and energy into what you're considering, it will pay wonderful dividends.  

ATTENTION ALL CLIMBERS

Chances are if I have met you within the last few years of my life you are either someone I go to Haiti with, Haitian, or a climber. I am now writing to ask all of those who climb for a favor.  While Kristen and I were brainstorming on ways to raise money for our efforts in Haiti we began to think about groups that sell things in an effort to give back, and we then began to think of things that are specifically feminine as a way to raise money for Women in Haiti.  Kristen mentioned how so many organizations have sold plastic bracelets just as Lance Armstrong has, and I then began to think women like bracelets, women like headbands, we can start making headbands!  Oh but wait... I don't know how to sew... but that is a minor detail i will tackle in the near future, so then as I was racking my brain trying to come up with something to sell I looked to my wrist which had the answer strapped to it; Climbing rope!  I can make headbands and bracelets out of climbing rope! And considering I spend so much time around climbers, and in climbing gyms, I am hoping that most of my friends and colleagues of the climbing community will be interested in buying.  


So now I get to the point, and will just come out and say it: I need your used climbing rope!  Great idea to make things out of rope, not so great when you have no rope to make things out of.  So this is what I will ask of climbers, if you have an old rope, and you don't know what to do with it, I will take it!  And if you have old rope, and you have plans to make things such as rugs out of it, I ask that you give me a small chunk of your rope.  To be honest I don't need a lot of rope form each person, I just want a variety of styles and colors so not everyone has to but the same thing.  Just think of how many bracelets and headbands I could make out of a mere three feet of rope!  So please I urge you to think about this, and you can e-mail me, or send me a note on facebook to let me know you are interested.  And if you are in the Grand Rapids area (which most of you are) it would be great if you could give your rope to 
Andy De Boer, the owner of Inside Moves, located in Byron Center Michigan.  Andy has already sent me some rope to begin with, and in March will have my first of hopefully many climbing rope accessories for sale.  


Please climbing friends I really need your help, and I can't wait to hear from you!  


http://www.insidemoves.com/

Everyone smiles in the same language

I know most of my close friends will remember this because we were probably watching it together, but does anyone remember that episode of friends where Chandler can't smile in pictures?  He smiles just fine when he is happy, but as soon as someone points a camera at him he bares his teeth and his smile becomes an awkward pained look, like someone is tickling and pinching him at the same time? This was all I could think about the day I learned the word for smile in creole.  


On my last trip to Haiti we spent a lot of time going to Christmas parties.  We had them at the orphanage, at the school for the teachers, and we even go to go to one downtown at a preschool that was run out of Ernst Cassy's mothers house.  On this particular occasion a few of the older kids from the orphanage came with us to help hand out food and toys to the children. At the end of the day we had to sit and wait for all of the parents to come and pick up their preschooler's. When it finally got down to the last child we sat and impatiently waited with a little boy who had received a ball for a gift, and was joyfully playing with it. Ashley as usual had been taking pictures of everything, and everyone around us and Brummaire, one of the older boys who had come along to help, must have noticed that when this little boy posed for a picture he would try as hard as he could to smile, and the smile would come out looking more like he was baring his teeth!  Brummaire thought this was hilarious and began to say over and over Souri! Souri! to the little boy, who would in turn give us a goofy grin and Ashley would take his picture.  Ashley probably took about 20 pictures of this little boy in different poses, and every time Brummaire would exclaim excitedly Souri! and then laugh after every picture!  


Now up to this point, my week in Haiti had been a little disappointing, most of the kids from the orphanage who are normally happy to see us, and want to talk to us were either too busy with school and making money through odd jobs or were pretty much nowhere to be found.   In Brummaire's case he had been around all week, but he had barely said a word to me, and i had hardly seen him smile, let alone laugh! So I am sure this may not seem like a funny story to those who were not there, but besides the fact that the word souri (pronounced sooree) was for ever etched in to my brain, it was a wonderful experience to see my friend Brummaire smile and laugh over such a simple thing.  


Life is like a mirror, we get the best results when we smile at it.  ~Author Unknown

Alo Zanmi'm!

Hello my friends, and welcome to my first ever blog!  My goal for this blog is to track the progress of my brand new adventure, and first ever business venture.  The other day Kristen and I were having a conversation about how so many entrepreneurs have begun their own businesses in an effort to help those in need.  Needless to say we were talking about Toms in particular, and how smart it was to make shoes to sell, and then promise to give back shoes to kids who need them.  We also talked about what kinds of things we wanted to do when we were in Haiti, and who we wanted to help.  Most of you probably know that over the past few years, thanks to my friend Julie's encouragement, I have been going to Haiti to spend time with, and help my friends at the Good Shepherd Orphanage, located in Carrefour.  Kristen and I agree that it is important to us to help all of the children at the orphanage, but we are especially concerned for the well-being of the teenage girls that live there.  Numbering 5 amongst 50 some male counterparts, these young girls are expected to attend school daily, help cook, clean, and do several hours of laundry per day for all of the men and boys living at the orphanage.  Now don't get my wrong, i do not fear the well being of these women, and I believe that their place at the orphanage is a blessing considering how so many other women live in Haiti, but looking forward I do fear these women's future.

When I was spending time at the Orphanage over Christmas one of the older boys tried to explain to me, in broken English and Haitian Creole that when a Haitian man and woman get married that the woman expects the her husband to beat her, so that she may respect him.  He told me that the man beats the woman several times a day so that she will always make sure that she cooks and cleans and does laundry for him, not to mention take care of their children.  He then proceeded to tell me that he did not like to beat women, and that if I married him, he would not beat me; which of coarse i greatly appreciated hearing, but it just shows me a difference between their culture and ours.

Kristen and I think the best way we can use our talents and resources to make a difference in Haiti is to continue helping at the orphanage, and work towards larger goals such as creating a place for displaced women to come for several kinds of needs.  In posts to come i will explain in great detail our plans to to start an organization, sell headbands, and what Souri Avi means to us.