The Art Creation Foundation for Children (ACFFC) in Jacmel, Haiti was our first stop on this trip. You can see the impact of this organization as soon as you arrive in Jacmel. Large, colorful murals line many of the streets, adding a real sense of beauty and unique culture to the town. Not only do they empower these kids through art, but they also makes sure that every child in the program is fed, educated, and nurtured. When we arrived we were greeted by boys eager to help load us in, and as we climbed the stairs we found 15 girls surrounding the table – waiting patiently for whatever surprise we were bringing them. Like every other location, they were eager to dip their fingers in the paint. They explained to us that painting and mosaics is an art that is usually practiced by the boys, and that Paper Mache and bottle mosaics are what the girls focus on, so the paint was a treat for them.

 They taught us interesting bits and pieces of Haitian culture, for example, though Christian missionaries heavily influence Haiti, many still practice Voodoo. When we asked the girls whom they go to for help, many of them replied, “Jesus and the Voodoo priest.”  In the time that we spent with them, it was easy to tell that ACFFC holds a real sense of security and inspiration in their lives. They were healthy, smart, happy, and inspired artisans. It made us happy to work with a foundation that addresses these critical challenges through the power of art. It is working. 

http://www.acffcjacmelhaiti.org/
https://www.facebook.com/ArtCreationFoundationForChildrenJacmelHaiti

I am thankful for this lollipop. Toni thought ahead and packed us each a pumpkin spice lollipop for thanksgiving. It tastes like fall. It makes me want to bundle up in a big sweater and decorate for the holiday season… but then I remember that it is 93 degrees outside and the thought of sweaters makes me nauseous. Though I woke up this morning wishing I were at home with my family, feasting and laughing, I realized how many more opportunities I will have to sit around a table with them chat over food and drinks. I will have fewer opportunities to spend the day learning creole with a traveling art team while savoring a pumpkin lollipop. So I seized the day. On our three hour drive back to Port-au-Prince, I asked our fixer how to say every thanksgiving related word or phrase I could think of. I am sure Toni and my mom were ready to pull their hair out after hearing me try to use the word “kodenn,” which means “turkey,” in a hundred different sentences. I am thankful to have such patient travel companions. I am thankful for this blistering hot Haitian sun. I am thankful to spend Thanksgiving Day in Haiti. I am thankful for this lollipop.

Two days ago my hair was prom-worthy. After the girls from NPH were done sticking their fingers in paint, they washed up and asked if they could touch my hair. They went wild with it. I must have sported at least eight different hairdos within a fifteen-minute period. As soon as they finished one, they took it out and started another. I felt completely pampered and it kept smiles on their faces. Simple little experiences like this have made Haiti amazing. In particular, the people, the landscapes, and the language will make it hard for me to leave. Over the next five days I am excited to share more of Haiti’s beauty on the blog.  

At each location on the Mighty Fingers project, the girls make something for us to bring to the next location. In Haiti the girls made postcards. On the front, they drew whatever they wanted to draw and on the back, they wrote something that they wished they could tell every girl in the world. Though we cannot deliver their messages to everyone, we told them that we would give their cards to girls at our next Mighty Fingers location, and that we would post them on our blog for the world to see.

The day after we arrived in Haiti, I woke up with puffy eyes and a soar throat. I was not that concerned, as I was not in much pain and I assumed the swelling would go away on its own, but my mother, being the lovely caring mother that she is, decided to be a little more wary of my sudden symptoms. After a little research, she discovered that I was most likely having a reaction to my malaria medication and that I should find a doctor close by. Our translator, Michele Jean, said he knew of an American clinic that he could take us to, so off we went. The doctors told me that the strain of malaria in Haiti is so weak that it is almost not worth being medicated against. If a person does get it, it is treatable within a few days, so they took me off my medication and prescribed a tapering dose of steroids to reduce the swelling. I received quality service, from attentive healthcare workers, at a wonderful organization, at not cost.

We went to the clinic on a day that it was closed, so there were no crowds and I did not realize how many people they treated on an average day. Two days later when we went back to take footage for them as thanks for helping me, the clinic was open and about one hundred and fifty people were waiting in line. We interviewed thirteen people who had nothing but great things to say about the clinic and I began to understand how critical the service that they are providing is. One woman who particularly struck me was a 73-year-old woman named Bernadette. She has been coming to the clinic since it started. She explained that she travels hours to get to the clinic whenever she needs to refill her medication, sometimes by foot and sometimes by motorcycle taxi. “If it weren’t for Dick Hammond,” (founder of FOTCOH), “we would all be dead, and by the grace of God, he has come here to help us,” Bernadette exclaimed. She continued to explain how helpful the Clinic had been to its near and distant communities. When she was finished, she told us she was tired and was going to try to find someone to push her home in a wheelbarrow.

Life in most parts of Haiti is not glamorous. The hardships that I have witnessed here outweigh any that I have seen in other parts of the world. Luckily there are many people who recognize this, and are eager to help. Friends of the Children of Haiti is making an enormous impact, and I am thankful that my puffy face and aching throat lead the Mighty Fingers team to such an inspiring organization. 

http://www.fotcoh.org/

This is one of the first times that I have gone to a country with absolutely zero knowledge of its language. I tried to take a few French lessons before I came because surprisingly enough, there is not a Créole teacher in my high school. I learned a few expressions in French but Créole is a bit different. Yesterday when we flew into Port-au-Prince we had a three-hour drive ahead of us to Jacmel. Though I was tired, and the idea of more traveling was not one that excited me, it ended up being a great ride. Not only did we get to see the beautiful mountains and markets of Haiti, but we also rode with our translator Michelle Jean, who gave me a three-hour Créole lesson. I do not remember everything, but there is one term that I am using everywhere I go, "Bèl plas!" which means, "Beautiful Place!"

Its crazy how something that I once saw as a horrible experience is something that I now see in a light of excitement. For example, shots. I went to get my shots for Haiti a couple days ago and though I don’t particularly find pleasure in the actual pinch, the experience was exciting, because it really solidified the fact that I am headed to Haiti in a week. My slightly sore arm keeps me constantly thinking about our trip and what we are bringing to the girls. I am eager to form relationships with them. I am eager to hear their stories and share them on the blog. I am eager to take off for our fifth location on the mighty fingers project!  

I have met thousands of girls. I have been to hundreds of towns. I have had countless experiences, but some of the most striking ones out of each of these categories come from my travels with Mighty Fingers. Each location gives me both knowledge and incentive to create change. My hope is that I can carry these feelings from country-to-country, girl-to-girl. I am excited for our upcoming trip to Haiti where we will be working with a number of programs and projects to create art. I have letters from interested and interesting young women in Canada and California to bring to the young women in Haiti. From Haiti, communication will continue both through written letters and the Internet. For the girls who want to say something to a larger audience, I will post interviews and letters from the girls in Haiti on the blog and Facebook. Haiti will be an amazing trip and I am excited to keep up the communication.