October in Haiti

Dear friends,

  after a busy 2.715 weeks in the United States visiting as many people as I could (and yes, missing far too many others, still) I have been back in Haiti for over a week (and a half... wow) and been moving pretty quickly since.
   Just a short update: we've progressed on the furniture making due to JD's influence, and his wife Whitney did a lot of logistical stuff with him as well as keep the sewing program developing.  The kids from the orphanage are more and more into things, mostly, but the community stuff has been more challenging as they haven't proven up to the task, as much, lately.  Some of the recent and last years grads are putting more effort out, though - a great sign - and we're hoping that we can develop more Haitian management as soon as possible (which, of course, does take great time & effort: budgeting, accounting, training, leading, etc. is not quick stuff for anyone if it's new to them).
   Ok, enough with the boring stuff: besides that it's been rainy, I have in fact been reading books (a discipleship book, sports magazines, and "Mountains Beyond Mountains" about Dr. Paul Farmer who has done great things in Haiti and global health, especially regarding tuberculosis) and spending less time working (so down from 70 hours to more like 40-50) and more time with friends and community.  People even think I learned how to teach since getting back - not true! I knew but no one was watching me be patient in intolerable situations before (they just weren't watching!  ;-)
   That's it for now - I'm gonna send more things more often but in shorter pieces. 
Well, I'm gonna try!  :-)

Much love,
David

Bridging the "God gulf" between us all...

Evangelicals Without Blowhards
------------------------------
"Go to the front lines, at home or abroad, in the battles against hunger, malaria, prison rape, obstetric fistula, human trafficking or genocide, and some of the bravest people you meet are evangelical Christians (or conservative Catholics, similar in many ways) who truly live their faith.

I’m not particularly religious myself, but I stand in awe of those I’ve seen risking their lives in this way — and it sickens me to see that faith mocked at New York cocktail parties."

~Nicholas D. Kristof, author

There's nothing like listening to arguments about dominoes

Because the best thing to do at noon on a sunday is argue about dominoes. I'm not sure if their professional status will ever be achieved, and last I heard this game was not as popular as poker on ESPN, but... hey... more power to you and good luck with that while asking me for a dollar every time I walk by.

It's 2am in Haiti - why am I not sleeping?

Probably the first reason I'm not sleeping is that I just woke up, and had been asleep for a few hours already. My concern is that this happened before a lot last fall, and it was while I already was in the midst of exhaustion and chaos - which makes me wonder if my body & spirit are reacting to things I am not fully aware of?
Anyways I woke up with a lot of things on my mind - so much has happened since those mudslides which is when I feel like I wrote last? I don't even fully recall anymore as the last 1.5 months have been a little bit of a blur. So much good has been done, but it's been uphill, carrying full buckets of water.
Having had the privilege to lead incoming teams on their projects we not only got a lot of facilities work done here at Child Hope, but we continued to have opportunities to serve our community by building 4 new houses, serving over 100 kids (3 times per week) at our feeding program, and tons of time playing with and teaching our kids new skills in science & music & more.
At the same time I have shifted roles into directly leading the transition program as Matt has gone on a deserved (but extended) holiday. The foundations he left the program have put us in position to grow exponentially, and we are moving forward with building furniture, sewing t-shirts, screening graphic designs on shirts, canvas & bags, welding, a bakery, all with a view on transforming the lives of our kids (especially graduating ones), and our community by not just creating jobs, but creating workers with the advanced skills, customer service, and work ethic to grow out of our jobs into any job they'd like - even if its to start their own business in the long run.
So all that being on my mind & soul, along with some aches & pains, as well as some other stuff, is why I'm up at 2am in Haiti.

Hoping your smartphones w/email are off and i'm not waking you up at midnight or later,
:-)
David

Mudslide update

Through prayer, faith, and generous donations, we received over $6,000 in relief funds. As a result, we've been able to issue grants to families who lost their homes so they could rent new homes. Donations of tarps, shovels, wheel barrels and other items from the Red Cross and Save the Children allowed us to help dig people's homes out of the mud and assist those in need. Our efforts continue as we have cleaning crews helping our neighbors clean and rebuild parts of their homes.

To read the rest of the story and more from Child Hope International please CLICK HERE.

Links to Friends in Haiti

These are friends and their stories, some of whom i've worked with, some of whom i've just gotten to know. They are all amazing and possess some of the most beautiful souls, so please read/watch if you get a chance!

Rick Braeutigam & Dave Brodsky,
Crossline Community Church, and The Global Mission - "Rise Up"
http://www.theglobalmission.org/rise-up/

Brooke James - "Say no to fixing"
http://brookejames.blogspot.com

The Denlinger Family - "Changing Lives"
http://denlingerhaiti.blogspot.com/

Heartline Ministry - "The Unseen"
http://johnmchoul.wordpress.com/

Joanna Howard - "Expanded midwifery services could save millions of lives"
http://midwifejonna.blogspot.com

Angie Koch & Maison d'enfants de Dieu
http://www.mission82.blogspot.com

Lexi (&Paula, although she's not writing... :-) - "Transitions"
http://lexiemarie.tumblr.com/

Carmel team (June 5-12)
http://carmelpreshaititrip.blogspot.com/

they: 1) built a house, 2) built tons of shelving & tables for the transition program, 3) painted the girls house, 4) cleaned the gutters/fixed the rainwater collection system for the boys house, 5) painted a mural(!), 6) tiled & furnished the school principal's office, 7) played with the kids a TON, 8) made draperies for the girls house, sewed a Sunday dress AND made a quilt for Susette's birthday!!!, 9) MORE!!!

Maryland team (June 18-25)
Mosquitobait.tumblr.com
they: 1) built a house, 2) finished all the rooms & furnishings & set up (AFTER BRINGING THE SERGERS for the sewing program!!!) the sewing program, silk-screen program, computer room & did some other handy projects, 3) played with the kids a TON, 4) painted the boys house, 5) set up a gift store website/took the photos for it to try to take our products online, 6) MORE!!!

Cali team (June 25-July 2) *YES THAT'S 3 CONSECUTIVE WEEKS! :-)
http://haitilove.showitsite.com/
"Hope for Haiti"
they're going to: 1) build ANOTHER house for a family in the community (that's 3 in 3 weeks if you're counting!), 2) run medical clinic while Ashley is away, 3) beautify the staff house & transition house, 4) play with the kids and give the staff a morning away to pray & relax with each other, 5) MORE!!! (well, probably! :-)

I'm blessed and blessed to know these people.
Read their stories if you get a chance.

Much love,
David

my last 2.5 (hectic-ish) weeks in Haiti

I'm going to make this short because I NEED to go to sleep. :-)

1) 2 great teams have arrived and done an amazing amount of work, played with the kids, been supportive & fun, and just encouraged me a lot as well as the rest of the staff here.

2) Red Cross & Save the Children donated tools & tarps/blankets/rope to help families recover from mudslides; also we're continuing to cleanup AND we've helped families move into new places in the meantime (where money has gone: to help!)

3) my friend Matt has gone on extended vacation so i'll be in charge of the transition program for orphan graduates here for awhile. A lot has happened recently and the house/office/program workspaces are each almost complete! It's a rapid and wonderful transformation blessed by the talents, efforts and support of the aforementioned great teams, the foundation of work Matt put in over the last 9+ months, and the belief in the vision of what this program can do to change Haiti in the long run (another email/presentation for another time, now)

4) I got another stomach bug and didn't eat much for a few days, but am totally fine!

5) Saw my old org and offered a hand in their challenging week. Still a curiosity what happened there, in my mind and heart. I continue to pray for The Boys I used to work with (and for, essentially).

ok that's it for this moment, but will send more pics/blogs/details of each of the programmatic events that are advancing. I'll also post on my blog links to the teams that have been here and what they've done so amazingly and blessedly for the kids & community here!!!

http://haitisand.blogspot.com

Much love,
David

Ravine of Dismay

Here 3 bodies were found. This ravine has homes built right on top of it because people just don't know... The river of garbage flowed down and so did the mud, this is a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of the mess left behind.  Only a few died, overall, but it's just another mess in a country that hasn't fixed any of its messes yet. And people don't want to help do it, partially because they don't see their government doing anything for them.

Flooding mud & garbage

an article about the flood:
http://www.voanews.com/english/news/americas/Severe-Weather-Leaves-11-Dead-in-Haiti-123377693.html


Heavy rains, mudslides and flooding in Haiti have killed at least 23 people, just days into the six-month-long Atlantic hurricane season.

Haiti's civil protection agency said Tuesday most of the deaths occurred in the capital, Port-au-Prince, where a week's worth of torrential downpours has turned streets into rivers and forced people to flee to their rooftops. 

But the rains have also inundated the crowded slums and tent camps where thousands of people remain after losing their homes during Haiti's devastating earthquake last year.



Aid agencies are warning the flooding could aggravate the cholera outbreak that has killed thousands since October.

Haiti's new president, Michel Martelly, is urging residents to keep calm as the storm passes over the battered nation, the Western Hemisphere's poorest.

The storm is sweeping across other countries in the Caribbean, and forecasters are warning of possible flash floods in the Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, as well as Cuba and Jamaica.  In the Dominican Republic, more than 8,000 people have been evacuated.

Rain/Mud emergency request

Last night a violent storm hit Haiti, leaving behind plenty of devastation.  Flash flooding caused rushing waters and mudslides.  People were standing on roofs to avoid the floods, houses are up to four feet in mud, which destroyed furniture and belongings, walls are down, people have died and some are missing.  

Many of our staff members were out all last night rescuing people standing on rooftops, finding missing family members, and taking in people who lost their homes into their own homes.    Our staff members were also hit.  Fritznir lost his entire home.  Carole and Mari-France both had all of their belongings washed away.  We are praying for the families of our children and staff, who we do not yet know how this storm may have effected them.

The destruction is overwhelming and we are doing our best to respond to the needs here.  We are expecting to take in people that lost their homes and possessions, feeding them, and assisting in cleaning up their properties during the day.  We are still in the process of evaluating the losses and checking up on our staff members and children’s families.  If you’d like to give toward supporting our relief effort, you can go to:

https://childhope.webconnex.com/donation_form?notes=Relief%20Fund&category=14234

Decision Making

Today (see the end... this is actually a month old...) for our weekly
Transition Program life skills class we talked about how to make
decisions.

Categories:
1) Good vs. Bad
2) Easy vs. Hard
3) Short-term vs. Long-term
4) Personal vs. Group
5) Consequences
6) Biblical & Prayer based

Topics included Relationships, Life/Career, Drugs/Alcohol, fighting,
stealing, sleeping & waking time, studying and more.

First we looked at the fact that we all know what good versus bad
decisions look like. Then we examined which decisions are easier to
make (what to eat, when to wake up, etc.) and which are harder
(marriage, job, addictions) to be wise about. After that we looked
at not just making decisions for today but for the future as well,
and why that plays out differently in a poorer country like Haiti
than the United States.
We dived into Cost/Benefit Analysis and then did a mock decision
process. Weighing the good vs. the bad is a skill that takes time.
It was clear that students even differed among themselves at what
price they'd risk venturing for more money from a non-guaranteed
contract over the course of the year instead of a higher one-time
unit payment.
In the end, though, we spent some time discussing what the bible
says about making decisions.

Proverbs 2:5-6 = "Then you will understand what it means to fear the
Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God. For the Lord grants
wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding."
1 Corinthians 10:31 = "So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you
do, do it all for the glory of God."
and finally we explored 2 Samuel 13 and 14: the story of King David
and his poor choices involving Bathsheba (& killing her husband,
Uriah; all of which led to the division of his family, the death of
his son, and so much more) and not doing what he was supposed to do
as king.

Really and truly, this is now a month old. So much has happened, and
this is now a story to be continued. Just the next week on may 10 we
talked about building trust (or tearing it down)... the next day one
of our kids was excused from the program and granted the "freedom" he
had declared for so long he had and was free to take, regardless of
the rules...

Stealing from Plexi

http://lexiemarie.tumblr.com/day/2011/05/21
has a post about the Transition Program.
Thanks Lexie!!!

With all my heart

And you will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13

Emilien's first day of work

   Last week we went to visit one of Bill's friends Stefan, who owns a furniture/carpentry company here in Haiti named Maxima S.A..  A lot more of the discussion I'll write about in due time, but one thing that came out of it was an opportunity for at least one of our Transition Program boys to get a paid internship there.

   Today was Emilien's first day, and I thought I'd share what the supervisor there wrote us afterward:

     "Emilien did well today. His co-workers commented that he knew how to use a hand sander. Not something everyone off of the street knows. A few times when walking through the shop I saw him talking to his co-workers and he seemed comfortable. At the end of the day when the buzzer went off he stayed to help pick up tools without being asked, that's a big positive!

I asked him if he was coming back tomorrow and with a smile on his face he said "yes"!

     Overall a good first impression. Thanks for the work you are doing with these guys."

     Dropping Emilien off at work (he'll take a taptap from here on out) and praying for him and wishing him well kind of felt like i'd imagine it would feel like sending my own child to school.  Dripping with a little bit of pride and excitement, I was overjoyed to receive news that his day was so amazing!

   To learn more how you can help Child Hope support these young men (and women graduating from the orphanage in the next year or so) transition and prepare for their futures with skills as well as character, please Click Here

Beauty from Ashes (#1)

Child Hope International, Beauty From Ashes #1 from Adam Isaac Ebert on Vimeo.

Beauty from Ashes (#2)

Child Hope International, Beauty From Ashes #2 from Adam Isaac Ebert on Vimeo.

just another Wednesday night

   In absence of pictures to upload, programs to share, or organizational info/friends to douse you with, I've decided to just write for a few minutes tonight.
   It's been a remarkable month that has gone by in a blur. I imagine that I wouldn't have survived without the blessings of community, their prayers, and our Father in Heaven, since once again i've tried to figure out a new location and a new job in a hurry in a very hot & humid place... and yet there is clearly joy IN my heart.  Sometimes people seem to act around me and wonder if I have it since I look like i'm thinking about things all the time - and the fact is yes, I am. I think a lot, and run a course of analyses as swiftly as possible.
    Usually, when things are going wrong I stop and pray. If you ask me about it though, I will answer, and that takes longer to say than to think.  Also I have to evaluate how to respond based not solely on my own opinion but on the organizations' and God's. 1 Cor. 13 says that if I do anything without love then i'm just a noisy gong and shouldn't bother doing anything that i'm doing.  I strive to achieve that.  But it's no easy task. 
   How can being loving and selfless all the time be easy? It goes against our original selves, and yet as we are transformed into something different - as we blossom into servants and teachers and world-changers that are selfless - then we are made new and able to become this light unto the nations. 
   But being visible before others is much scarier than hiding in the corner and going unseen. But i'd rather go through life with eyes wide open on reality and dealing with it and finding solutions to help restore life than do anything else.  I believe in this responsibility with all my heart, and am thankful to have been born and bred capable of adapting to doing this in 3rd world nations like Indonesia and Haiti.
   Now, if I could just learn Creole a little faster and not use my rubbish Freole that no one understands...  :-)

Blessings, and bon nuit!!!
David

Responsibility

The lesson of the day, as laid out by me but taught by Mrs. Alicia Simmons (who I now owe a HUGE favor to!).

All that to say: responsibility is a lesson we must all learn, because sometimes you just can't pass the buck.

This Shirt Changes Lives

Mike & his very cool team (4 of whom I had the pleasure of being their 50% capable (or less!) translator & tour guide on Saturday) came out to Child Hope last week.  Please goto

http://thisshirtchangeslives.com/blog

and read his stories about his time here, there, and yet to come.

Easter sunrise over Port-au-Prince

can someone help stitch these together?

Saturday was "Go on an Adventure" with Matt

We went to the beach. In a huge truck. Here's proof.

Then the sun set.  It was pretty.  We relaxed. Then we went home.

It was a good adventure!

Child Hope on CNN (from August 2010)

I started working with Child Hope International and the Manasseros at the end of March.

This report makes me want to cry...

These are some of the kids I get to work and play with here.

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/04/19/wall.lighth

Good Friday Sunrise(ish) service

I'm too tired to write something new.  :-)

Read Lucas & Alicia's account here:

http://experiencesinhaiti.com/blog/2011/04/22/good-friday-sunrise-service

Sewing & Jewelry Making Program

Welcome to Child Hope's Transition Program: Sewing & Jewelry making program!

In development we have a 14'x20' environment.   2 large sewing tables, a small table w/integrated manual machine (see below) are currently in place.

 Still to be added are shelves and additional smaller tables for jewelry making. Chalkboards and more permanent fans for circulation and other items will be added per a lean design, if possible.


 Presently, the girls go shopping in the market for fabrics to make the purses and beads to make jewelry with.  There is a large array of colors & styles to select from (the following pic only a small example from our new acquisition of 33 fabrics), including different weights to make the shell and lining of the purses with.

Currently we have 2 types of machines. This older Singer is manually powered and can work with the heavier fabrics without breaking down. We're trying to find additional bobbins & bobbin boxes for it, as well as refinish its table. (We're probably also going to be on the lookout for another machine like it, too!)

These 2 (and the 3rd which apparently didn't fit in the shot) machines are more modern, but also not as powerful.


Here are some examples of purses in the style and form the girls make them (although I don't have any of their current batch):

(Special thanks to Heartline Creations for these examples so I can put some up in a hurry)

Right now the girls are working on the jewelry - I'll have pics (and hopefully a link to purchase & shipping information) in just a few weeks or less!!!

Meet Lucas & Alicia

http://experiencesinhaiti.com

These are my friends, who I got put in touch by from a good friend's new wife, whose good friend is a good friend of Alicia. But I talked to Lucas mostly.  Random & small world, I know!   :-)
   Long story short I work with them now, and they are awesome, so I thought you should get a chance to meet them via their blog and such.

Enjoy!

Child Hope in the news

   If you'd like to support me here, please goto https://childhope.webconnex.com/donation_form, select Category of "Other" and then type in "David Sandler" under Special Instructions.  

    $5 per month from just over 100 of my facebook friends would cover most of my living needs here.  And Child Hope Int'l makes it very easy to give recurring payments right off your credit card.

   Or I highly recommend going through the other programs (girls and boys orphanage, medical, house reconstruction, community feeding program and more) and sponsoring one of those!

Meet Matt Littles

 

an excerpt from Child Hope Intl's February newsletter:

"Matt Littles is the manager of the program and is actively working with our recent 2010 graduates (Willie B., Emillian, Schneider and Israel) as well as up-and-coming graduates.  All our graduates are very busy through the transition.  Schneider is an employee of Maison de Lumiere, who, along with house mom Cindy Ahrensen, helps care for the youngest residents of our boys home.  He also goes to school full-time.  Israel, who has his own apartment, is taking care of his mother and is also a full-time student , is working on developing an electronics business.  Willie B. and Emillian are learning furniture making and reside at the Center.  Their business is already making a profit and has a backlog of product orders.  Matt has regular meetings with all the kids which also includes business classes, life-skills classes, goal-making, hands-on vocational skills training and development, bible studies and devotionals.

'Helping Haitian youth to become positive members of society (both spiritually and professionally) is one of the things I'm most excited about," said Matt.  "Christ calls us to not only meet the spiritual needs of the needy, but to help meet their physical needs as well.  Having the opportunity to work, provide for their families, and have a venue in which to live out their ministry is one of the greatest needs I see for Christian young people in Haiti.  I'm excited to see that, as we begin to exam opportunities for the future, they learn to trust more in God's provision for their future.'"

For more about Matt follow him on

Facebook 

or

Child Hope's Transition Program Blog

Ever wanted to volunteer in Haiti???

Want to come help in Haiti for a week or two?  Longer??
email me at sandler@alumni.usc.edu
and let me know (I'll put you in touch with all the right people!).  Just let me know what you love to do and what you're really good at and when/for how long you can come & we'll put the pieces together!

Or if you want to come for longer...

Serving Opportunities currently needed in Haiti

 Short-Term Opportunities: (one to six-month opportunities)
    *  English & French-speaking teachers/tutors - summer and during school year
    *  Boys Bible Teachers/Mentors/Disciplers
    *  Girls Bible Teachers/Mentors/Disciplers
    *  Vocational training teachers for our transition program

 Long-Term: (six-month to two-year opportunities)
    * Girls Home Live-in Nanny for the Younger Girls
    * Boys Home Live-in Mentor (male) for the Older Boys
    * Boys Home live-in Nanny (female) for the Younger Boys
    * Girls Bible Teachers/Mentors
    * MDL School Administrator (French fluency required)
    * muTch Program Director 
    * Ministry Administration Manager
    * Office Administrative Assistants
    * Personnel Director (Haitian)
    * Guest House Managers (live-in)
    * Nurse or Doctor to run medical clinic
    * Handy Man

All positions require individuals to raise their own support.  For more information on these opportunities, contact Jessica Selica at Jessica@childhope.org or call 888-808-9595

Meet Jeremy Whatley

http://www.ocregister.com/news/haiti-295674-kids-orphanage.html

Jeremy Whatley is one of my teammates here working on the transition program.  He's got over 20 years of quality experience running businesses, supporting the poor and needy, welding, electronics, cars, etc., etc., etc.  Basically he's perfect for the job of mentor and master technician & teacher for these boys we're working with.  And he's got a great heart, especially for the word of God.

   If you'd like to hear more of his story, read the article and you can also follow him on his facebook.

'Out There'

Photography by the amazing Jess Koehler; I'm honored to have written a piece in conjunction with hers. Please visit the rest of her website to explore further how curiosity can save the human.

curiositysavedthehuman.com

'Out There'

Written by David Sandler

Somewhere out there is a world I don’t yet know.
It is a place where dreams are reality and rains might turn to snow.
I see beyond cemented walls and hot tin roofs;
I see mirrors, and glass, and steel;
my mind believes without proof because I’ve heard about it being on a television
I’ve never seen – but my friends once did.
Faith exists in this heart, dreaming of what might be beyond the dirty floor and ancient mattress.
Every possession in my family just meters away,
Everything I know can be run to in a matter of seconds.
And here I sit: waiting, wondering, daydreaming for a time that may never come –
but it is out there. Somewhere.
Just like electricity.
Just like the songs on my radio.
I can’t see it, but I know it’s real.
I can feel it.
I believe.
Someday.
Somewhere.
I believe.

Child Hope International's Transition Program blog

http://childhope.org/transition_blog/
 

The transition program is working to develop graduates (and prior to) of Child Hope's orphanages into young adults prepared to go out into the world armed with job/business skills & savvy.
Currently underway are silk-screening, furniture making, welding, baking, and sewing programs, as well as entrepreneurial, critical thinking, decision-making, math, finance, and situational analysis classes, based on principles of loving and serving your neighbor with selfless character.

Haiti; book 2, chapter 1: New, yet familiar

Dear Friends,
I have found myself back on Haitian soil, with an opportunity to work for a
new organization, Child Hope International
(http://www.childhope.org/work/training/training.html), with many amazing
people. My particular role right now is to work on a "Transition Program" which
helps take graduates from the orphanage program and prepare them to be men and
women, ideally after God's own heart, to take on the world with life & job
skills, and possibly jobs.
Stunningly i've been here 2 weeks already, absorbing & (re)learning a lot,
all while trying to help build the future of this transformational program,
adjust to the heat & sweat again, make a home out of a very busy house with kids
flying in and out of it (a dog or two, also - story later), lose some of the
pounds I packed on in 3 months in the U.S., and figure out how to get around
this new location, even though it's just 6 miles from my old one!
I'm going to stop short right here. I'm excited to be back, daunted by what
Jesus has laid on my heart with this burden of love, and enjoying my mosquito
net & fan to sleep to at night while listening to classical music (usually) on
my Ipod.

I'll get back to sending regular (possibly overwhelming :-) updates & photos,
but I had to get started somewhere, right???
If you'd like to support me here,
please goto https://childhope.webconnex.com/donation_form, select Category of
"Other" and then type in "David Sandler" under Special Instructions. $5 per
month (or one grande iced caramel decaf low-fat no-whip) from just over 100 of
my facebook friends would cover most of my living needs here. And Child Hope
makes it very easy to give recurring payments right off your credit card.
Or I highly recommend going through the other programs (girls and boys
orphanage, medical, house reconstruction, community feeding program and more)
and sponsoring one of those!

Many blessings and much love to you all,
may we never shut our eyes on reality, and love with all our hearts, minds, soul
& strength,
David