2005 Haiti Work Team Experience is Mission of Labor and Love
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Randy Wackerle watches two Haitian girls pounding grain into meal. Wackerle took over 200 photos during his trip.
(Editor's Note: This is the 1st of a three-part series relating the experiences of Randy Wackerle during a recent trip to Haiti. Wackerle, a retired Bangor John Glenn teacher, accompanied a 'work team', headed by Bay City's Dean Pashak and his wife Connie on a mission of work and love to this poorest of poor Latin American countries. Wackerle was kind enough to share his thoughts and experiences.)
By Randy Wackerle
THURSDAY (January 13, 2005) "You know you're in Haiti when you brush your teeth with bottled water."
The work team that was scheduled for Haiti last February finally came together almost one year later. The leader from Bay City, Dean Pashak and his wife Connie, left for the poorest country in the world a week ahead of our team.
Dean and Connie committed to a three-month stay that seemed to make our one-week stay look pretty puny.
The Bay City team was made up of veteran Haiti workers except for one. Rod and Evelyn Wieland, Joe Ramseyer, Kevin Wieland, and me the rookie. From Alto, Michigan were Ed (cowboy) Sanders and his wife Julie. Julie joined me on the rookie roster.
From Francisville, Indiana we were joined by a popcorn farmer/pilot on his seventh mission by the name of Harvey Gutwein, and a carpenter/ minister by the name of Chris Huber. The plan was for the nine of us to meet in Miami for dinner Thursday evening. The first snag of the trip was when Ed and Julie missed a flight outof Grand Rapids, (wasn't their fault) and ended up at the Days Inn around midnight.
The rest of us had already feasted on black beans, blackened dolphin, and flan. Back at the room I ran into a snag! I lost the coin toss and had to sleep with Joe. Joe blamed the snoring on me, and I blamed it on him. Kevin said he didn't hear anything. Pretty smooth first day! Thank you God!
FRIDAY (January 14, 2005) "You know you're in Haiti when you have a rag for a gas cap"
At 5:00am the alarm clock didn't go off. I think Joe forgot to set it. We didn't need it anyway. All three of us were anxious to get the show on the road. We also were getting day two out of yesterday's pants. Kevin complained that whenhe wears the same pair of pants more than one day that they just don't stay up! Tighten your belt Kevin, here we go!
Flying into Port Au Prince is a beautiful view until you get close enough to the ground to see the tin roof shacks. The Haitian mountains reminded me of landing in the mountains at Las Vegas except for the extreme difference in buildings.
This island is home to eight million people. Haiti and the Dominican Republic share the real estate. Haiti has one third of the island with two thirds of the people. That's why every path, every road, and every pick-up truck had wall-to-wall people.
I met Linnea for the first time at the PAP airport. Her face reminded me of my sister Julee. She was trying to straighten a snafu on a lost passport for Nate Steiner of Ritman, Ohio. Our team was coming in and Nate's team was heading out. She is the wife of the BOSS, Ron Shick. They came from Pennsylvania and are on their tenth year in Haiti.
I was impressed with their organization, mastery of the Creole language, and calmness in tight situations. Joe's mom, Naomi, once wrote, "The man worthwhile, is the man that can smile, when everything goes dead wrong." That's Ron and Linnea! The "puddle jumper" that flew us to Cite Lumiere, Les Cayes was built in the mid 60's. Not classified as a newer plane! The half hour flight over the mountains to the southwest was very beautiful. The Les Cayes airport has been re-opened only this year. During Aristide's rule the airport was used as a "from the air" drug smuggling drop off zone. Luma only lives a quarter mile from the airport and eye witnessed the drops. Luma is a Haitian worker that travels with the team doing carpenter work. Elcana is the other Haitian worker that swings a hammer with us. Luma answers all questions with the same reply. With an ear-to-ear smile, it's always "Un Huh." "What's your name?" "Un Huh!" "Am I good looking?" "Uh Huh!" "You're OK Luma!"
When we landed in Les Cayes there were U.N. soldiers standing at attention with machine guns resting on their shoulders. Most of the U.N. soldiers are from Uruguay. It was an eerie sight. Last week they had to fire tear gas into a crowd in northern Haiti. The U.N. soldiers are known as the sleeping army, because they don't do much.
Walking out of the small airport, I noticed a man just over the fence taking a shower in his back yard. I don't think you would see that in downtown Kawkawlin. Most showers are just a barrel of water over head with gravity flow. He seemed to enjoy the attention. On the thirty minute ride to the compound, I saw my first thatch roof, front yard cemetery, boy on donkey, boy with machete, boy taking a leak, boy with anaked butt, oxen plowing a crooked furrow, a man using a rock as a hammer, open front doors, no front doors, and a man with an ox dragging his plow down the road with an old tire underneath.
One could almost expect to see Jesus and his apostles around the next corner.
It seemed like I had fallen into a time warp from 2000 years ago. The compound has five bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, and a combined dining room/living room. Almost like home. Almost! That evening I finished reading Max Lucado's book, "Christ is Coming" and traded Dean for the book "The Kingdom That Turned The World Upside Down" by David Bercot.
I found both books to be an interesting read. That triggered a discussion with Kevin, who is a former student of mine. I told Kevin that I felt like the discussion was a role reversal for me. Kevin is taking classes in Bible College and I suddenly felt like I was the student listening to my teacher.
(Part 2 of 3 parts next time . . .)
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