When Happiness must be found in the Midst of Chaos

Saturday, Widecherline was celebrating her birthday, and we all were happy to celebrate with her even though we couldn’t celebrate her birthday the way we expected.

Why? Because Saturday morning around 3 or 4 a.m , I heard a lot of gunshots.

I woke up and went out to see what happened, and I saw that the main roads were completely barricaded in different places, including the street in our community.

People were in panic and had no access to vehicles of any kind.

Around 2 p.m., I saw Widecherline sitting on the balcony by herself, and I said to myself: "It’s her birthday, and I must do something for her."

I went out again. I started walking in the streets, and a motorcycle stopped by my side and said : "Pastor, where you going?"

I said, "I want to find a cake wherever I can." Then the man said to me: "Let’s go, I will take you."

Long story short, the guy could take me through all the barricades because he knows people that I don’t know.

We found the cake, and we celebrated Widecherline’s birthday.

She was so happy even though the country is upside down.

Seven years of knowing & loving CERMICOL

Seven years ago today, after much prayer and perseverance in getting the proper authorization, Haiti Awake was able to visit CERMICOL for the first time. The young men were kept in their cells, and we went door-to-door to speak to them. The doors were covered by a metal grate, so it was difficult to see the boys’ faces. We had to put our eyes up to a hole and peer through as best we could.

In time we were allowed to see the boys. They would be brought out into the courtyard where they stood in rows, and we would address them there. But they were not allowed to address us.

As trust built, we were allowed to speak to them briefly as they sat in a large classroom. We would stand at the front. They would remain in their seats. There was very little interaction.

And now, seven years later, we enter as if we have arrived at home. We are welcomed and allowed to interact with the young men, having time to talk, to laugh, to get to know each other week-by-week.

Glwa pou Bondye.

Rose-Carmel's First Trip to Les Cayes

From Tuesday, June 13 to Thursday, June 15, I had the extraordinary opportunity to go to Les Cayes. This experience left a lasting impression on me.

Because of the insecurity issue the country is facing now, we took a plane for the trip. It was my first time on a flight,and I noticed a lot of things. The clouds I was used to seeing far away, I was watching them very near me. While I was in the air, I could contemplate a little part of the country, and I realized the greatness of God.

Once we reached our destination, we took our luggage to the hotel and then got right to work. We went to buy some stuff and went to the prison to give them. We met with the women prisoners, and we talked to them. After that, we continued to work. We went to many places. We visited where they plant rice, we talked to the workers, and we tried to do their work.

This experience taught me that beside the current situation of the country, there are people who believe in working, who are living with pride because they are gaining their lives honestly and that also taught me that this mentality, if it is promoted to everybody, it could be the source of the country’s wealth.

Another source or wealth I saw is where they call ‘Gele’. It could be an extraordinary space if they adjusted and developed it, putting due infrastructure. It would attract local and international tourists.

But our work did not stop there. We continued our visit. We went to somewhere called “Canse”. It’s a marketplace where we observed the activities. We noticed the hospitality of the people and their dedication to searching for a better life. They showed hope as if they knew that things would change in the country.

The environment there in Les Cayes is calm and peaceful, and the landscape gives desire to live. All that experience makes us understand that we need to give the best of ourselves day by day in whatever we are doing in our works so that we can reach satisfaction.

I thank Haiti Awake for allowing me to go make that experience.

Hudson's perspective on the trip to Les Cayes

By God’s grace, Rose-Carmel and I recently had the opportunity to travel to Les Cayes from Port-au-Prince, Although I have been to Les Cayes many times before, this time it amazed me more than it used to.

Haitian people are resilient. We believe in working hard and we are creative to fulfill the void due to a lack of materials in order to have the best results that we are looking for.

Rose- Carmel and I went to Les Cayes specifically for a food distribution for inmates. Friends picked us up at the airport and we went to the market to begin buying food and supplies.

When we got to the prison, police introduced us to female prisoners as the organization that helps them with what God put on our way. They were so grateful for that.

It was Rose-Carmel's first day ever in the countryside, and she was also amazed by how the countryside is different from Port-au-Prince. She had to experience the authenticity of our fellowships in the South of Haiti. People are always showing their willingness to help, to assure and know that we are comfortable. The people embrace life with a contagious smile. This tells us life is beautiful, no matter where you are.

We visited a market that is mostly for the “Madan Sara”. These ladies come twice weekly to sell or buy in order to make a living. This place is known as a center for gathered vendors from different places of the remote areas. A picture can tell more than a thousands stories. That's why you can see we tend to share pictures of farmers, fishermen, butchers, to tell these important stories.

“Madan Sara” is a bird that you will call “Village Weaver” in English. Those birds are known to migrate together. They are so active you can see that they are working in groups, and they are noisy.

This theme also describes the strong ladies in Haiti that are bringing food from the remote areas to the city. They play a big part in our community by improving the food market and playing a big part in our economy.

If you ever go to an informal market in Haiti, you will be able to see how our Madan Sara are negotiating, how they are active in the market, and they will remind you of that beautiful bird that is a Madan Sara.

Believe us when we say, Les Cayes is a beautiful country. There are so many places that we didn’t have time to discover in order to share the beauty with you. But through those special pictures we had, you can see the resolve in the face of our beautiful Haitian people.

Does the world understand how we are suffering?

Sometimes all we can think about is how hard life has become in Haiti.

I myself can’t stop thinking about Big Outlet, where we used to take children from Haiti Awake every Christmas and also to prepare for back to school. It was a good place to go shopping.

Now, unfortunately , because of the current situation with the gangs, we can’t go there anymore. The area around Big Outlet is incredibly unsafe. The place we used to drive we can not drive any more. Did you hear what happened at Sun Auto recently? That is very near to Big Outlet.

I seriously miss that place.

I am also thinking about many Haitians who used to work there now have no job. When you hear about the hard times in Haiti, you probably don't hear about how many people have become unemployed, but I know the truth. So many people have lost their jobs.

Also, I wonder about the merchandise at Big Outlet. Is it all ruined now? What a loss to the person who invested in opening this business. Will we have a place like this ever again?

What will become of my country? Of my people? Does the world understand how we are suffering?

Kite peyi’m mache.

Music Lessons Behind Prison Walls

I’m frequently asked, “How are things in Haiti?” to which I offer this question: “Are you asking about Haiti, or do you want to know about Haiti Awake because these are vastly different answers.”

Haiti is on the edge of the abyss, and I do not speak in hyperbole. Haiti Awake, however, is thriving, by God's grace.

We continue to move forward, and we are so happy to share a new program - music lessons at CERMICOL. Because of the generous donations of friends who have a heart for prison ministry, we were able to purchase a complete set of drums, and they were safely shipped to Haiti.

Now the fun begins.

Every Sunday for the next six months from 2-4 p.m. four boys will receive music lessons, specifically drum lessons. This first group will finish in December, and new boys will have the same opportunity.

Glwa pou Bondye.

An update from Vorb

I have had a great year at Séminaire de Théologie Evangélique de Port-au-Prince (STEP). I am grateful for the opportunity to increase my knowledge of the Bible and ministry.

I have not been in school since 2017. I lost the habit of sitting in a chair listening to lectures, doing homework, and moving from one place to another in other to get tasks related to study done.

In late August 2022, I had a choice between getting my CPA license or going to seminary. The first one is for professional matters and the second one is to fulfil a vow that I made some years ago. After some thinking and seeking advice, I decided to start with fulfilling my vow before I get the first goal done.

I went to the seminary to get information, but they told me registration was finished and if I wanted to be part of the session, I needed to get registered very soon. Therefore, I took the admission exam and got the interview. The next week, classes began. I was so in a rush to get registered to class, that I did not have any school supplies to go to class. I had to go get some and of course, the Executive Director helped me get a solid, waterproof bag and was faithful on supplying me beautiful pens 😂 because she knows that I really like to write with them.

I went to the new year activity Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. But on Wednesday, a big rain soaked me and a coworker that went to the ceremony too. It was a struggle to find a ‘tap tap’ because the roads were flooded. Finally, a friend, on a motorcycle, went by and gave us a ride until home. It was so frustrating to me, and I asked how I would make it for the session. I have been under some rain later in the weeks after. But it was not too bad. And I kept on going to class.

My big challenges for this year were

• First, the transportation. Since November, ‘the time is changed’ by the government. I mean that class ended when it was very dark. With the insecurity, it has been difficult to find ‘tap tap’ to get back home. But, sometimes, I found friends that gave me rides. And with the raised price and the shortage of fuel, it was hard. Some days, it took hours to wait for ‘tap tap’. But finally, we made it work.

• Second, the amount of reading that I had to make for each class. A two hour class requires 200 pages of reading, beside the textbooks recommended for the classes and for a three-hour class, 300 pages of reading is required and some other reading for the administration.

• Third, time management. I had to find time for work, seminary, family and church. It has been a struggle for me to have time to do all that and do everything well. Time was never enough for me. And the first session was online, because of the political situation of the country. We had class via voice messages on WhatsApp and we had evaluations and work via Google Classroom. With the internet issue, I had to stay at the Community Center late to be able to have class, sometimes. The professor was asking individual questions via the chats and if somebody were offline or not attending, the professor would notice. But some days, I had to be attending at home and the professor would send a message and I would receive it 15 minutes later. And imagine that we have to attend a three-hour class like that and the professor ask you to make a summary of the class to send him before 12:00 AM after the class? I had to overnight to meet these expectations. But we made it work.

• Finally, the heat. It’s hot, and I had to wear a tie from Monday to Thursday. On Friday, I could choose not to wear it. It’s not hot in class because there are large windows and fans that are always on. But on the way to school, in crowed tap taps, dusty road and the sun, it was hard.

My satisfaction was that the professors are really committed. They always come to give class, even when the situation on the road is bad because of demonstration, insecurity and kidnaping. They are available to listen to our questions and concerns and are ready to help. Every student is called by his/her name. When someone, with a vehicle, comes to class or any service or activity related to the seminary, he/she is always ready to give rides to anybody that’s going their way and do not have vehicle. I have seen other students and professors change their itinerary just because they want to drop other students somewhere they can easily find public transportation or near their houses.

There is also the sense of friendship, respect and brotherhood among the students and the people of the administration. It makes you feel that you belong to a community, that others care about you, your ministry, your family, and your wellbeing.

There is a lot available to learn at the seminary. It’s like a well. You can take as much as you can. Being in seminary showed me that there are a lot of verses that I understood and heard preached out of context. It’s amazing, for me to see the number of errors and lies people tell about the bible. I am more than grateful to learn some and to be able to be in the right track to find and go search the Truth.

I am now on vacation. I will be back to school this fall, late August or beginning September. We pray that the country finds stability, and we can have class physically at the seminary.

R.I.P., EDH (City Power)

It’s been about two months since we don’t have City Power in our area of Haiti. Not even one day.

It’s been two months since our community was immersed in the dark. Maybe EDH has been kidnapped and killed. Who knows since kidnapping is still our current reality in Haiti.

Right now, we are experiencing a heat we never experienced before, and so many mosquitoes, as well. Notice, that it’s not even July yet.

I wish people in my area could have EDH at night, so that they could use a fan to help them fight the heat and the mosquitoes.

Fact: Yesterday, I went to three big grocery stores looking for some ice, so my family could have some cold water to drink. I found nothing. (I just feel so sad.)

Also, I also received a call from CERMICOL (the juvenile prison), telling me that they are in a complete darkness, as well. (All I can think is just wow.) They are looking for someone to help them get some lights with solar panel, because the absence of the City Power, affects everyone and everywhere.

It’s so hard right now, even for people to have their phones charged.

At Haiti Awake, we are so thankful and blessed beyond words that we have a solar system at the community center.

But it’s so sad to see the whole community in the dark.

An update on my April trip

I recently made a trip to the US to help with a market for Mission Made Jewelry.

I am so thankful for the time I spent with different people who care so much about Haiti and everyone at Haiti Awake, but the last three days of the trip I spent with my friend, Becky, were the most encouraging. Here’s why:

1- Walking in the morning, where both of us were talking about the evolution of the ministry of Haiti Awake , in a country that has recently become almost unlivable for our own children.

2-Talking about her surgery that will happen May 2 that will prevent her from coming back to Haiti for some time.

3- Talking, praying every evening on the deck, and then to give each other a big hug before saying good night.

Finally, I felt very encouraged by Pastor Ethan’s new sermon series on Philippians titled: “Jesus is Worth It “

This was a great trip, and I am looking forward for another great one soon.

Welcome, Rose-Carmel Jean Joseph!

Wife to Wesly and mother to Juzie Marlïah, Rose-Carmel is the newest member of the staff of Haiti Awake.

Having grown up in Tabarre 14, Rose-Carmel knows our community well.

She is a vital part of Église Évangélique de la Grâce de Caradeux as a leader on the worship team, and she is a student at STEP, taking the course for women on Saturdays.

According to Pastor Steeve, Rose-Carmel loves God and she loves people.

Rose-Carmel will have a variety of responsibilities with the CCS program, including teaching the children,  and will have the opportunity to grow in areas where she already shows a great deal of potential.

We are so happy to welcome her to our team.