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   Guidance/Helpful advice requested (haiti)

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Topic: Guidance/Helpful advice requested (haiti) (Read 787 times)

Addams
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Guidance/Helpful advice requested (haiti)
« on: May 22^nd, 2003, 7:31pm »

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I am hoping I might find a person or two in the next 48 hours who can post about their recent experiencesin Haiti if they have been there or if you have Haitian friends perhaps you could post some current views. I am of course collecting info from my own contacts.

I have not been the Haiti since 1996 yet presumptuously I am giving a talk about Haiti On Sunday at one of the biggest churches in Toronto. There are many members of the Caribbean community in this church but no haitians.

As a white middle class Canadian I feel so out of place giving this talk and always fear I will be patronizing about the poverty and the hardships of this country. I am trying to create a positive presentation but I have slide after slide of poverty and hardship. It's getting close and I feel ill prepared and wish I could have more slides about better things - hopefulness.

I have so many haitian friends but most live in Haiti. I have visitied Haiti on three different occasions usually as a volunteer working with the Sisters of Charity in a children's malnutrition centre or in one of Mother Teresa's homes for the dying.

I have read a great deal about the history of Haiti and am pulling out my books and doing my internet research tonight as I prepare for Sunday morning.

In my studies I have found an incredible country. January 1, 2004 marks the bicentennial of Haitian independence. Independent of the colonialists and the imperialists. An uprising of its own people in their own way to become the first independent caribbean nation. Indeed the first black republic in the world.

As the bicentennial celebrations begin I am re-connecting with my haitian friends and colleagues and my spirit is rejuvenated.

I want to show that the struggle and the successes are because of the haitian people not white folks like myself who are helping as best we can. We screw up as much as we help to be honest. Yet in the absence of a functioning and organized government which is financially capable, much of the infrastructure of this country derives from the charitable works of others, usually white folks, from other countries such as Canada, the United States and France.

Well I have rambled on and still uncertain about the point I need or want to make. I am looking for that point of respect and speaking from a position of which I have knowledge and yet wanting to show Haiti as a country very different from the many stereotypes we have here in North America about this country.

If you have any thoughts arising about this post I would be grateful to hear them out.

If anyone has any questions about Haiti that might help me too as I answer them it may help me define my thoughts better.

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Addams
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Re: Guidance/Helpful advice requested (haiti)
« Reply #1 on: May 22^nd, 2003, 7:33pm »

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You know I simply struggle with the words white and black and trying not to offend. Do I even need to use these words still today?

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darnchts
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Re: Guidance/Helpful advice requested (haiti)
« Reply #2 on: May 22^nd, 2003, 8:30pm »

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Addams..my respect and awe of you grows larger every day as I get to know you more!

My friend..I think you are the type that will worry this speech to death and will make one that will knock the socks off everyone there. I wish I could help you out but your experience and knowledge far outweighs mine. I wouldn't even know where Haiti is.

I will quickly add just one thing...as much as I hate working at the bookstore..it can be fascinating when I meet some of the adults who come in. I had a woman come in who had escaped Cuba many years ago but has many family over there that she will never meet and has no idea even what their names are. We ended up talking way past close cause I was just so fascinated with her views of the US and 9/11 and so many other things. As much as I hate politics and world history and geography..I find that when I meet someone face to face who can tell me life experiences..I am just fascintated...

I don't know why I told you that other than I wish I was in Toronto this weekend so I could go listen to you speak...

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Addams
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Re: Guidance/Helpful advice requested (haiti)
« Reply #3 on: May 22^nd, 2003, 8:52pm »

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I think working in a bookstore would have some really wonderful moments. I love bookstores but my pocketbook doesn't! I just was in a used bookstore last weekend.

Dar we will meet one day - I really hope so.

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east
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Re: Guidance/Helpful advice requested (haiti)
« Reply #4 on: May 22^nd, 2003, 9:06pm »

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were it not for the fact that I am preaching this week and have no money, i would be telling the addams' family to get the sofa ready! wow! i am so impressed with you. i have nothing to offer in the way of haitian information but ironically one of the lectionary scripture verses is "love one another as i have loved you". this sounds like exactly what you are doing.

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Addams
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Re: Guidance/Helpful advice requested (haiti)
« Reply #5 on: May 22^nd, 2003, 9:42pm »

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I will find strength in knowing that you are preaching this weekend (Sunday?) and you will be my strength as you so often are.

I am just reading Jean Vanier's The Broken Body, and he talks of A New Strength:

pg 114

Quote:

In order to wlak with the poor
we need to find a new strength,
a new energy,
not from books and studies
or the need to prove something,
not even from natural generosity and the need to grow
nor from the desire to save the world, but an energy which comes directly from God.

...

There are many forces of hate,
seeking to separate, to shatter and to break.
There are many forces of seduction
that fragment people and prevent growth.

... That is why to create bonds of love and truth with broken people,
and thus to become peace-makers,
we need to nourish ourselves
with a new energy coming from God....

For we may get burnto out or be tempted to give up
if we do not recharge our batteries,
if we do not come to drink of the waters

and the last sentence from "The Uses of Haiti" by Paul Farmer,

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The Haitians are asking not for charity, but for justice

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darnchts
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Re: Guidance/Helpful advice requested (haiti)
« Reply #6 on: May 22^nd, 2003, 9:58pm »

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Cym...it is so ironic that my very first internet friend lives in St. Catherine's Ontario and I traveled the 10 hours to go spend a week with her 5 years ago...awwww..if only I had known you then...

My bookstore is a university bookstore and the books are mostly boring or wrapped so you can't read them. A lot of the students are kids who are there cause mommy and daddy are rich but since I am the night manager..I get to see the continuing ed students who are mostly adults. I have made a lot of friends in the year I have been there and I love talking to some of them..such a diversified group. Unfortunately most of the time, they are late to class so just howdys are exchanged...
Before I got moved to that university..I was at a college in a Satelite store that was for a college that was only continuing ed. Awww man do I miss that place. It was so much more relaxed and we didn't worry about stealing so I could just yack my fool head off all nite with these people. I met a lot of even more interesting people there and I know for a fact that I was very much missed when they closed the store..I sure did miss all of them. But that's another whole story and I did not mean to steal your thread..just in a "walking down Memory lane" mood tonite..
That passage your put on here is really nice...you will have to tell us how it all works out...I request it to be videotaped and I will send you a prepaid mailer so you can forward it to me once you are done... Grin

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east
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Re: Guidance/Helpful advice requested (haiti)
« Reply #7 on: May 22^nd, 2003, 11:13pm »

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addams ~ thanks for the jean vanier ~ i needed somehting like that to add to my musings.

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Addams
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Re: Guidance/Helpful advice requested (haiti)
« Reply #8 on: May 23^rd, 2003, 8:45am »

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Dar I love your bookstore stories. You can regale me with them any time.

Eastendgirl - I thought that the Jean Vanier might be helpful for you to muse on.

hugs to you both and thanks for your words of encouragement.

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MzWings
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Re: Guidance/Helpful advice requested (haiti)
« Reply #9 on: May 23^rd, 2003, 9:28am »

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Everyday, addams - you give me another reason to love you more....... You prove over and over again - "....there are no detours on the road to grace."

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Addams
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Re: Guidance/Helpful advice requested (haiti)
« Reply #10 on: May 24^th, 2003, 11:26pm »

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MzWings your wings will carry me tomorrow (or is it today already? )

Here is an interesting word I came across: Anmwe

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Anmwe
is a creole word which has no English equivalent.

The state of mind and soul it expresses exist nowhere else in the world. Please find on the right a list of words and phrases which attempt to describe the Anmwe sensation.
Help... Almighty God please help me.
I'm desperate, frantic and hopeless.
I'm on my last leg. I can't take it anymore.
I am losing my mind. I'm going to do handstands until my face turns blue.
I've got to make a frantic headlong scramble through the streets butt naked and scream.
In its negotiation stage it means "Lord have mercy, I am done payin my dues". In Its most extreme manifestation the bottom line is a heartfelt "Lord, if you get me out of this I will do anything you want."
And many more 1,2,3 or 4 letter word combinations inappropriate for our pages.
Perhaps the Yiddish word "conniption" is it's closest synonym.

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Addams
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Re: Guidance/Helpful advice requested (haiti)
« Reply #11 on: May 24^th, 2003, 11:27pm »

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This is a Haitian creole word that I think I may have need for from time to time. Although not right now. I am still typing up my notes for my talk tomorrow and collecting my things for display.

:wave:

to everyone I see out there on the lurker bar!

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MzWings
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Re: Guidance/Helpful advice requested (haiti)
« Reply #12 on: May 25^th, 2003, 9:18am »

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I'm thinking of you right about now - giving your talk, which I'm sure will have people on the edge of their seats/pews.

You will do beautifully! Tongue

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Irishlass
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Re: Guidance/Helpful advice requested (haiti)
« Reply #13 on: May 25^th, 2003, 3:44pm »

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I hope everything went well for you this morning. I said a prayer for you when I was in church this morning. You were being lifted up all over North America, how could you go wrong? Let us know how it went when you get a minute. We're waiting to hear.

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Addams
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Re: Guidance/Helpful advice requested (haiti)
« Reply #14 on: May 25^th, 2003, 6:35pm »

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Definitely your prayers worked. Thank you for sending them. It was a little more stressful than I had planned.

I was up late last night preparing my talk and reading as much as I could about Haiti. Several hours of research and printing and then made a binder.

Plus putting the slide presentation together but I used one I had done before - and that helped. Part of it is very cool it's set to a Phil Collins song called One Day in Paradise. It's about the contrasts between those who don't have and those who do - there are contrasting slides between scenes of haiti and the haitian people contrasted with scenes from our grocery stores in Ontario and families eating at McDonald's. It's about 3 or 4 minutes long.

BUT the anxiety came when the did NOT have the slide projector prepared and everyone passed the buck I accepted the responsibility for the mistake because I had not specified a SLIDE projector - I had just said projector. apparently there are also overhead projectors and powerpoint projectors (our home church certainly does not have the budget for a power point projector!). In the head the church slide projector was found but it did not work. I had to set it up myself and then discover that. The staff person who was responsible did not do his job and the church lady organizingthe function was disappointed. I just said I would manage but the property manager went and got one of the congregation to drive all the way home (he lives at least 20 miles from the church! ) and get his home projector and bring it in. It arrived two minutes before I was about to speak. Iw as relieved because frankly a picture does speak a 1000 words.

It was hard though because I didn' tknow if I be able to use slides or not. I couldn't psyche myself one way or the other.

Also I had planned to go to the church service and read through my thoughts again. But I ended up just preparing equipment the whole time. :laff:

ahhhhhhh the best laid plans.

SO the prayers really really helped.

I spoke pretty well and had lots of folks say they enjoyed the talk and they asked lots of questions. I saw so many old familiar faces from when I had been a parishioner there now many years ago.

I had my name in the bulletin and also brochures set out with my pictrue on them. ooops I just remembered that I didn't keep one.

I also left several brochures about the NGO that I support in Haiti called Rayjon (I will try to find their website but if you google on Rayjon and Haiti you should find them).

Lots and lots of pictures were taken and the talk was taped. Even pictures of my slides.

Wednesday was really good - it was hard for her and in the very middle she walked up to the front and stood right in front of the screen and then held my hand for a while. She really was making a statement that I should choose her over what I was doing. Inthe end she went back and snuggled with her dada and had a rest.

Hopefully I can get a copy of my talk from the audio tape. We forgot the video camera in the rush and it would have been hard for Gomez with Wednseday to care for anyways.

Guess I am going to have to go high tech and get the slides scanned and prepare a power point presentation for next time.

I also brought some of the small haitian paintings and pottery that I have. A close haitian friend came with his mother and wife and they said I spoke very well.

I am pretty tired. Immediately afterwards we took Kathleen out on her scooter (which we brought in the car trunk) and then went to visit friends. So I am only just had dinner now and ran up to post.

Thank you for your prayers. It must have helped me with my calmness. I said a prayer for EastEnd Girl too. We may have been speaking at the same time I spoke from 1PM to 2 PM EDT.

I am pleased with how everything ended up and of course I had about an extra hour of presentation that I did not use. I always try to keep to my time allotted regardless of how much I have to say. Which as you can tell from my long posts - I have lots to say.

Hugs and thanks to all of your for your kind thoughts and I will say prayers for each of you tonight as well - as I try to remember so many of you in my prayers often.

« Last Edit: May 25^th, 2003, 6:38pm by Addams »

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