Day Three In Haiti

“We will not walk in front of them. We will not walk behind them. We will only walk with them.” Those were the words that were told to us by Kevin, who runs livelihood programs in Port-Au-Prince. The common theme we are hearing is that Haitians must rebuild Haiti, and in many ways the same principle can be adopted anywhere. Here Haitians are given the tools and training they need to get started in businesses, but must maintain these on their own. We met Anna yesterday who showed us her business. She makes hand stitched greeting cards like the one below. These are intricate works that she is very proud of. We met a baker who dreams of continuing his business to be able to supply prisons with bread. Talk about giving back. Not all of the people we’ve met have been as successful since leaving the camps. Two young people we’ve met stay at home all day since they have not completed school and cannot get jobs without this education. You may ask yourself why they just don’t go back to school. School in Haiti is very expensive and they cannot afford it without jobs, and can’t get jobs without education. My wheels are spinning with ideas to help these young people and Haiti in general.

Much is to be said about the people working for CRS as well. We’ve met Haitians and Americans that do the work here. They are just as proud of their work as the Haitians are proud of their benefits. I am looking forward to visiting programs in Les Cayes, a city on the southern coast of Haiti. --- Ryan
Wow! My head and my heart were very full yesterday as we ventured to 2 communities rebuilding with the guidance of CRS. The amazing people of CRS are so dedicated to the poor and vulnerable. The ideas generated are ingenious. We visited the community of Petitonville within Port au Prince and saw the progress of transitioning families into T shelters and WASH (Water and Sanitation Hygiene) programs. The most brilliant idea to me was encouraging and supporting Haitians do and entrepreneurship turning rubble into gravel or sand for latrines and bases for T shelters. The Good News shared here today was that several of the tent camps have been closed and the people have been moved into a somewhat safer environment. The poverty is overwhelming and heartbreaking here. Progress is slow. Funding runs low but, CRS brings hope!

We were invited to go to L’arch de ciel an orphanage for AIDS/HIV in the afternoon. It is considered to be a positive place of healing for them. This was so evident in the dignity and compassion shown by the founder Danielle. 17 young people from ages 3 to 20 greeted all of us with smiles and kisses .Before going to Le Cayes today we visited another community on recovery. We got to chat with two little boys with our limited French. They asked me about my children and “if my mother was living.” So sweet…
Count your blessings! Missy

I have always believed that the greatest resource that Our Lady of Mt. Carmel has are the people who make up the community. What I am discovering here in Haiti this week is that people might be the best resource of every community. CRS has a program that moves people from the point of needing direct assistance—food and shelter—right after an event like the earthquake to transitional housing which is safer and more permanent. They move back to their home neighborhoods and are given holistic training and skills to take the next step toward self sufficiency. They learn about finance, get psychological support, get start up money for their businesses, and form community associations. They have CRS mentors and many have begun to rebuild the economy here through this program. One of the people we met today is an example of the inspiring people who are moving this poverty stricken country forward. Richie is a young Haitian man who attended Boston College and graduated with a dual degree—Finance and Pre-Med. He got a job in Finance after graduation but decided he wanted to move back to Haiti to be with his family and perhaps start a business here. He came back to visit in January 2010….just in time to experience the earthquake. He used his medical skills in the early stages of the event and later teamed with Catholic Relief Services where he continues to work in a very poor neighborhood that literally crumbled that night in January. He is now assisting this neighborhood in rebuilding, regaining jobs, and getting the kids back into school. I cannot tell you how humble he was as he told his story nor how inspired I was to hear him. I kept thinking of the statement that Anne Frank wrote in her diary as I looked at the devastation and then at Kevin. It was something like...”Despite all this, I still believe that people are truly good at heart.”…..Kathy

Can This Be Real?

There are hae been many times in my life that I have felt like I was in two realities but none like yesterday.  We went to visit some of the transitional housing that CRS made available to people in order to get them out of the tents after the earthquake.  This process has taken place over the last two years...the "houses" are very small--one room for a famiy of five--with outside latrines.  The people were so proud of these homes and so grateful for them.  What a stark vision as I thought about the hotel where we were stayng and my house back home.  The poverty is overhwhelming but the spirit of the people is so strong.
We visited an orphanage for children with HIV which is run by a Canadian couple who have spent their life in Haiti.  Perched on the side of a mountain this home for 40 some from three to twenty was a welcome respite.  With the addition of new drugs into their health care routine, these children not only have a healthy today, they have a future.
The tremendous contrasts continue.  On one hand there is dense population and poverty. On the other hand, people are starting to pick up their lives and make them better.  It has become clear to me that for many reasons from government to infra-structure, Haiti needs all the help possible to recover.  We continue to meet dedicated people from around the world who are giving talent and years of their lives to make this happen.  CRS is helping to start little business ventures with people and giving them the traiing to succeed  They work with the people rather than for them.  It takes lots of patience and to 'rebuild the Kingdom."  I guess we already knew that.
Ryan, Missy and I could not get on the internet last night so I write from the lobby early in the morning.  Later today we travel to the country--four hours to the south--where CRS has worked since 1954.  The adventure continues...pray that all this information we are getting turns into something helpful for our students.

First Glances of Haiti

When the pilot of our plane to Port Au Prince told us we were in our final descent, my eyes flew to the window. Out of the small window I saw a city much like my own. That small window was not telling me an accurate story. After the quick rush through customs and a lucky rush through baggage claim, we were in a van on the streets of Haiti. I closed my eyes for a few moments to listen to all of it. There was a certain hustle and bustle like you might hear in downtown Baltimore. When you open your eyes you see something completely different. There is a truth to what you may have read about. There are demolished homes, and tent cities. However, we saw a park where there used to be tents. We saw small businesses working, even if they were working right in the hot sun. Much of my anxiety has disappeared, and has been replaced with excitement for what we will see tomorrow and in the days that follow. - - - Ryan

As our plane began its decent I looked out the window to see a microscopic view of what was to come particularly georgeous mountains and foliage. This beauty is the back drop for a what we have all have heard about ... certain chaos and devastion. We had the opportunity to hear from the Catholic Relief Services staff members who have been present in Haiti and have seen and effected a difference. Its hard to imagine it was in fact far worse just a while ago . In the midst of all this disparity are colorful buildings which give us a sense of hope. The folks at CRS shared a quote from Victor Hugo which has had me thinking all day--" Open a school,close a jail." We learned a bit about schools here. 10% of schools are public while a majority of schools are Catholic or private. Some kids never make it to school. Can't wait to visit neighborhoods tomorrow. ... Missy

Haiti is a land of contrasts--beautiful mountains and the rubble of concrete buildings that have collapsed.  Bustling people walking along streets where others are selling their wares at the streets edge.  New steel structures that will soon be buildings and areas that used to be parks where tents still provide "housing."  We met a man named David today whose heart encompasses the world.   He worked for many years in Africa and has been in Haiti since the quake.  He said that his work can be summed up in a few words--"It is about insuring the dignity of the human person."  I think that sums up alot about our faith too.  Haiti is a place that is, on one hand, crushed by the huge problems that exist...from electric to transporation to water.  On the other hand, it is a place where the world has come together to try to insure that people have not only dignity but homes and jobs and, most importantly, hope.  Tomorrow we will travel to see some of the onging development work of Catholic Relief Services.  We will leave our comfort zone behind once more.  I wonder where the day will take us?...Kathy

Three Impressions of the First Day!

Hi, this is Ryan and as I embark on this trip to Haiti there are many things flowing through my mind. I started today by being honest and telling the other members of the group that I am scared. From the sounds of it, I wasn't the only one. We spent the day listening to many different people telling us all about what CRS is doing, and in turn what we will be doing. After these meetings and a satifying meal before leaving tomorrow, I feel less scared. I still have some anxiety, but it helps to know that the others have the same anxiety and in that we will have each other to lean on during the trip. Hi everyone, this is Missy. We began today with an orientation at the Catholic Relief Services downtown. I've passed this building dozens of times and never realized how enormous it is. Today, I learned more, much more about the work of CRS. It is no wonder the building is so immense! Their work with the global church is extensive, requiring many hands and hearts to accomplish the work of peace, justice and solidarity. It was a delight to meet our delegation of other educators. We are quite diverse. Despite some anxieties and rising at 3am I think we are envigorated by what lies ahead. Our Lady of Mt. Carmel...pray for us and all who have much less than we. This is Kathy...Ryan and Missy just left to get a few hours sleep before we fly out of Baltimore early in the morning. We fly to Newark and then to Haiti. I, too, want to share a little about today. It is so hard to focus on only one impression of this day. I guess, for me, I spent the day listening but also "people watching." There are two groups of folks I met that have already inspired me--the group with whom we will travel and the presenters who work for Catholic Relief Services. We travel with educators from two other schools--one a small k-12 school on the border of Arizona and Mexico. As you can imagine, they are faced with many immigration issues since half their students live in the United States and the other half in Mexico. The other school is in New York and is an all boy's college prep high school associated with the Christian Brothers--no financal woes on their hoizon! I wondered if we had any "common ground" but was delighted to discover that we are all rooted in the same desire to serve our kids, make the world a better place, and remain focused on the mission of Catholic education. I cannot wait for the conversations that I know will happen this coming week. We will talk about kids, curriculum, technology and what is right and wrong with the world. One of the things that is right is the commitment of good people like those who journey with us. We are in great company! The next group we met are those who work for Catholic Releif Services. What an energized, faithful group of men and women whose dedication is completely focused to insure that we have a safe and positive experience and we are prepared to spread the message of social justice to those we teach and touch. Each person was joyous and inspiring in his/her own way. This trip promises to be transforming! I hope we can live up to their expectations of what needs to be done. So, in only a few hours, we will fly to a different reality. I hope that the experience makes our hearts bigger without breaking them. On a much more practical note, I hope that we all remember to drink only bottled water, take our malaria meds and look with understanding eyes on all we see!

A New Adventure and a New Vision

I have not added an installment to my blog in a very long time and today seemed to be a very good time to begin once again. A few of my colleagues and I are setting out on a new adventure tomorrow and I think that we will learn (or re-learn) some important lessons about what is important in life. Missy Lawrence, our Campus Minister, Ryan Kloetzer, one of our Lower School faculty members, and I are travelling to Haiti as part of a delegation with Catholic Relief Services. Our job is to see first hand the work that Catholic Relief Services, an international arm of the Catholic Church in America in terms of Social Justice, has done as a first responder after the terrible earthquake a few years ago. We are also going to experience the on-going work that is being done to develop the infrastructure and improve the quality of life in the long term. Once we learn about these things, we are going to write some curriculum materials for students in the United States so that they are sensitized to the needs of others, understand that as a Church we do respond, and finally find ways that they can be part of the solution to some of the huge problems faced by people in the world--poverty, homelessness, lack of education. I do not think it is a coincidence that our work begins tomorrow, July 16--the Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel! That omen seems to bode good things that may come from this experience not only for those of us who travel but also for the students we will impact. I was formed by the idealism of sixties--when young people really believed that they could make the world better and options like the Peach Corps were real. I still believe that young people have a yearning to make a positive difference and only need the tools and "conections" to do so. I hope that by sharing our experience, we can energize some people to join in the efforts to see the world with new eyes and have a vision that includes doing something positive to meet the needs of others. I am also convinced that though the needs in Haiti are great, there is a resiliency among the people that can inpsire us to be more appreciative of the many blessings we have. So, join us on our journey and keep us in your prayers. We will try, on a daily basis, to share impressions, information, and ideas so that our journey can be yours as well. So, as we say at the end of each prayer at our school--Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Pray for us!

Touching History

Yesterday Edwin O'Brien was elevated from Archbishop of Baltimore to Cardinal in a ceremony at the Vatican. His tenure in Baltimore was short but the impact was forceful especially in the world of Catholic Schools. His stay touched us personally at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School and so, much to our surprise, did his leaving!
We received a call last Thursday from Sean Cain, the Archdiocesan Media Director, who was in Rome for the ceremonies. He wanted to know if our students would be interested in skyping with the then Archbishop to chat about how events were going and how he was feeling at such a momentous time in his ministry. Of course, we agreed and began to select students from across the grades from kindergarten to grade twelve to represent the school. We also began to cross check equipment to be sure that we could "connect." For me, that is always the worry! I have learned over the years that you can count on students. If they know what is expected of them, they will always pull through when the pressure hits! Technology seems to be the opposite--If something can go wrong, it generally does and at the most inconvenient times!
Luck or the Lord must have been with us on Friday because our chat was as perfect as could be! Our students were great and asked some good questions, the Archbishop was in perfect form and spoke quite eloquently about his time in Baltimore and the work he tried to do, and all technology was on target. This was a great experience for our students and I know that this event will be remembered in a much more personal way because of that conversation between Rome and Middle River!
As I think of Cardinal O'Brien, though, my thoughts go not to his elevation to Cardinal but to the challenges he faced with our schools a few years ago. He arrived in Baltimore in the midst of recession with a military, "take charge and get the mission accomplished" attitude. He discovered minimal concrete plans to deal with issues and an escalating debt. He did what any military man of action would do--He took charge. He created a Schools Planning Office which did intensive information gathering and conducted countless listening sessions. He met with donors and advocates and began to carve out a plan that he beleived would allow not only survival of our schools but a renaissance for them. And then, he went to battle!
Everyone in Catholic Schools in Baltimore can still feel the sting of the decisions that flowed from the plan. Schools were closed/merged/restructured. Emotions ran high and, like it or not, change happened. Now we are a few years into the plan, still struggling with some of the phases of implementation. To be honest, I think that the jury is still out regarding the overall success of all that happened. The grand hope, of course, is that the intention comes to fruition--that the schools will thrive and continue to provide academic excellence, growth in faith, and opportunity for our students to impact their own lives and their communities in wonderful ways.
Though the final analysis will be left for those in years to come to articulate, I think it is not only fair but just to say that Cardinal O'Brien took the dilemma by the horns, fought the good fight, and forced the rest of us along for battle! In a time when inertia would have spelled our doom, he was forceful and, I think, brave. Each of us can only do what we believe we are called to do to complete the mission. Despite doubt and criticism, Cardinal O'Brien responded to the mission as he saw it and plunged forward. As he leaves Baltimore to do the work of the universal Church, we wish him well, thank him for his courage, and pray that his work yields the bounty he imagined for our children, our schools, and our Church. It seems that the work that remains is in our hands now!
God-speed Cardinal O'Brien and thank you for allowing us to touch history along with you!

The White House and Catholic Schools

Two weeks ago I got an invitation to the White House. Of course, I was surprised and wondered what was happening to generate such an impressive social event on my calendar generally clogged with appointments with parents and alums of our school. I quickly found out that the event to which I was invited was a preliminary to Catholic Schools Week and featured a panel of Catholic School leaders who had been selected because they were perceived to be "champions of change." Honored to be included in such an illustrious group, I accepted. There followed a flurry of security checks and map questing. The day finally arrived, I found the location, made it through security, and found myself among a group of about 200 educators from Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C. who had been invited to hear the panel.
The panel members were diverse: a senior student highy involved with service, a Jesuit priest who helped create the Critso Rey model of secondary schools for low income students, a superintendent of an urban school district, and a principal who had developed various initiatives to increase the success rate for her multi-cultural students among a few others. Each panel member had looked at challenges with creativity and shifted the status quo. Each had taken a risk, initiated some changes in how things usually were handled, and each had succeeded.
The uniting factor that I found the most interesting and important was that every single panel member had remained true to his/her mission despite the changing strategies that were employed. In every case, success was measured by an improvement in meeting the needs of students. Whether the strategy increased the probability of a student being able to enroll in a Catholic school or increased the probaility of success while they attended, the focus remained on the child....just where it should be!
During our celebration of Catholic School Week, we often look at programs, our traditions and our history of sharing our faith, excellence in academics, and the response through service to our community. In recent years, as schools struggle with economic recession, pressure from local public school systems to focus only on testing data, and the turmoil within the Church itself, there is a temptation to lose oneself in the day to day need to survive. This year as we celebrate Catholic Schools we celebrate all the "champions of change" who recognize that, at the heart of our schools, are tenets which will never change--the value of every child and the belief that he/she can succeed in both school and life, the necessity to share an old faith with a new generation who are then inspired to serve and lead with integrity and hope, and a commitment to prepare our young people to develop a work ethic that will enable them to work toward standards of excellence in all that they do.
My trip to the White House was inspiring not because of the location but because it is always inspiring to become aware of good people doing great things for children for all the right reasons! During Catholic Schools Week, I hope you are inpsired by someone like that--our schools are filled with "champions of change" who remain committed to children, our faith, and the future.