Gratefulness in Haiti…
GRATEFULNESS …
This is the theme of this reflection on our recent trip to Haiti. First and foremost, I would like to express gratefulness on behalf of our Haiti delegation. Thanks to the generous support of DSF and its donors, Jerri Handy (PSR MDiv, and trip organizer/lead), Lindsay Million (PSR MDiv), Sharon Mann (CST MDiv), and I (Lizzy Beach) were able to travel to Haiti - touching lives, and being touched. In this article, I will attempt to be brief, and yet thorough, recognizing that articulating our experience is a challenge to put into words.
GETTING READY…
Originally, we were planning to travel to Haiti on January 16th, 2010 – the earthquake hit January 12th. While devastated that we were not able to complete our trip at the time or be with the Haitian people in the midst of great need, we were grateful not to already be in travel transit or on the ground. Timing is one of the things that allowed us to bring our important information to the Haitians at another time, and in turn, to become the first Global Ministries mission delegation on the ground post-earthquake.
Three weeks after the earthquake, we received a phone call from Felix Ortiz-Cotto, Area Executive for Latin America and the Caribbean for Global Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ, letting us know Patrick Villars, President of CONASPEH, our global ministries mission partner in Haiti, was asking for us: “When can you get here? We need you.” Jerri Handy, our trip lead and planner, had traveled to Haiti in 2007 to address their nation-wide gathering of church leaders. Jerri is a volunteer with the Trauma Intervention Program Inc. (or TIPS for short). Teaching “Emotional First Aid“ to ministers providing pastoral care in traumatic situations was the plan for our first trip; it was in high demand post-earthquake. Our trip was rescheduled for spring break, March 23rd – 29th – just nine weeks after when we were originally supposed to go to Haiti.
Haiti was a mess even before the earthquake: failing infrastructure, high crime, untrustworthy government, low morale, and extremely high poverty rate, which makes meeting basic needs very difficult. The work of CONASPEH – the ‘National Spiritual Council of Churches in Haiti’ – is extremely necessary. Before the earthquake, CONASPEH had a six-story building that operated several schools serving over 700 students, including a nursing school and a seminary. The mission of CONASPEH is to build coalitions between local community churches, to train church leaders and nurses, and to bring a more progressive theological perspective to Haiti. The life of the CONASPEH building, along with seventeen people trapped inside, ceased January 12th. Yet, the still work continues.
Planning for this trip was difficult. There was mental preparation for what we didn’t know what we were going to see. There was packing, and supply gathering –as much as we could carry in the way of first aid supplies, batteries, watches, and other items. We collected items at our churches and at PSR and brought three huge suitcases full of goods in addition to our own belongings. We also assembled prayer teams. Our delegation decided to ask ten people each (minimum) specifically to pray for us, individually and for the team, daily, by name. We were as ready as we could possibly be – we headed to Haiti.
ON THE GROUND…
Day One: We arrived at 9:00 AM and had a full day to see the city, relax, and prepare for what lay ahead. But please don’t mistake this as a day of “relaxation”. Seeing the city for the first time was emotionally draining, beginning with the aerial view when touching down in Port Au Prince. Simply driving to our hotel, and then around the city, visiting former tourist attractions (such as the Palace, government buildings, the museum, etc.) and other places was anything but relaxing. Based on my own visual perception, I would say that over 60% of the buildings in Port Au Prince were damaged or crumbled. Tent cities were everywhere – EVERYWHERE. Large areas, formerly barren hills, were filled with tents. But even having a tent is a luxury. Many live in improvised tent-like structures with sheets or tarps (or old ‘grand opening’ banners!), draped over wooden sticks to create a shelter. And these are not simply contained areas – there were tents and sleeping quarters set up in streets, in front of crumbled buildings. Businesses continue to sell items in front of their former stores, creating a street-side market of clothing, food, shoes, cell phones; practically anything you are looking for. That first day, we did our best to take it all in, and hold the survivors in our hearts. Relaxing for the evening back at our hotel that first night, and every night after, proved to be rejuvenating and helpful to processing what we were witnessing. And for that, we are grateful.
Days Two, Three, & Four: As I mentioned, the reason we traveled to Haiti was to teach a course 
to pastors on how to respond appropriately and provide pastoral care in a traumatic situation. In preparing, we planned on working closely with ten to twenty ministers, training them how to teach the information. That first day, and the following two days, we discovered approximately 350 people, both ministers and lay, eagerly wanting to hear what we had to say. As Jerri began teaching that first day of training, we quickly realized that the material, designed for pastoral care in individual traumatic experiences, was insufficient for a nation-wide catastrophe. The first day of training, Jerri modeled for her students – who were also survivors – what it means to “care, not cure” as the motto of TIPS says. These ministers needed to be cared for in their traumatic experience as well, in addition to having to care for their congrega
tions. The following day, we re-grouped based on their questions, and presented some basic information about PTSD – Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and some basic stress relieving techniques. We helped them understand that what they were experiencing was normal. And, living in post-earthquake Haiti requires that they begin to recalibrate and establish a ‘new normal’. We are so grateful that we could be there to help them begin their slow journey to healing.
We concluded our training with a blessing and anointing ceremony. Using oil that had been blessed at Jerri’ ;s church, the Congregational Church of San Mateo, CA, we invited the ministers forward to receive the sign of the cross on their forehead, and charged them to continue the healing process one step at a time. We reminded them that they are not alone. We prayed for them and held their stories close to our hearts. At the conclusion of this tearful event, they asked if they could pray for us and we then received a high-powered dose of the Holy Spirit as it washed over us in the form of 350 Haitians praying out loud, hands out-stretched to the four of us. It was amazing and overwhelming. This experience was powerfully moving and connecting – an outpouring of our gratefulness for each other.
Day Five: Saturday morning over 500 people gathered in the same church we had been in all week for the memorial and recognition service of those who perished in the CONASPEH building, as well as those who survived. As I mentioned, seventeen people lost their lives in that building. Only through the grace of God the earthquake happened around 5:00 p.m.; thus, the majority of schools were already out for the day. Those that were in the building were mainly nursing students and employees. The survivors told their stories of holding hands with those who passed away while trapped in the building. After honoring the dead and the survivors, Jerri, Lindsay, Sharon, and I, along side Sharon Watkins (General Minister & President, Disciples of Christ) Geoffrey Black (General Minister & President, United Church of Christ), David Vargas (President, Division of Overseas Ministries and Co-Executive, Global Ministries), Cally Rogers-Witte (Executive Minister, Wider Church Ministries and Co-Executive, Global Ministries), and Felix Ortiz – who came down for the weekend to stand in solidarity with our mission partners in recognizing their great loss in the earthquake – served communion to the 500+ gathered there for the service. What an experience!
At the conclusion of the service, lunch was provided for us and the survivors and families who
lost someone, hosted by CONASPEH. Detailed accounts were shared of being trapped in the building for over six hours before they could be dug out. One woman, Victor, told of singing so rescuers could hear she was alive and follow her voice. Another woman, Juliana, lost a portion of her foot in the building. She expressed deep sadness that she would no longer be able to be a nurse. Without missing a beat, Geoffrey Black stood up and said (paraphrased): “Oh yes you will – and you will be a better nurse because you will understand what your patients are going through.” It was in that moment I believe a true understanding was had by those around the table that the Disciples and the UCC were not just there for the publicity, but were in fact there for the long term, to stand in solidarity with Haiti; there to see the CONASPEH building and schools rebuilt, and ensure that the Haitian people are loved, supported, and prayed for by our churches. Gratefulness beamed from the eyes of the survivors that day; hope was renewed for the rebuilding of their school.
Day Six: We attended church in Cité Soleil, which is historically the most impoverished area in all of Haiti, just outside of Port Au Prince. Gathering under two adjoining mess tents in the midst of a ‘sheet city,’ we were met by excited people. We shared in singing and worshipping, and Jerri preached the message. It was Palm Sunday. Jerri’s message was simple: Jesus was with the people then, and is with the people now. She noted that when Jesus came into town, it was on a donkey, not a white horse, and that Jesus met with the brokenhearted and overlooked people of his day. Jesus is still is doing that – and is standing in the midst of the Haiti right now. This message was met with Alleluias and Amens. Our final day in Haiti we were overcome by gratefulness, getting to share with the Haitian people something that is so close to their hearts – their faith. In the midst of having nothing, they have faith in abundance, and shared it joyously with us
NOW THAT WE’RE HOME…
We want to go back! There is so much to do and see, and we want desperately to help, but that isn’t possible. So we remain empowered by the stories of hope and faith we heard from the people there. There are a few stories that have stuck with us in such powerful ways that we can’t help but tell them repeatedly, many of which were told above.
Next to gratefulness, DIGNITY was the most powerful theme that coursed through our trip. One of the most important and profound statements we heard was made by Francois Villars, when sitting around a lunch table with the leaders from CONASPEH, Disciples of Christ, & UCC. In the context of beginning to map out the ways that the Disciples & UCC will be working together on a long-term sustainable development plan, she stated (paraphrased) “I believe that treating someone with Dignity is more that just giving them Charity – it is standing in Solidarity with them.” She thanked the church leaders and us for joining them, listening to their stories and needs, but most importantly, for standing in Solidarity with them when they feel so deserted by the world and their own government. This theme also came up in the final day of our training. We were listening to feedback and the needs of the attendees; one man said, “We have many needs here in Haiti, and we appreciate you giving us things; but what would be more helpful is to teach us how to get these things ourselves.” Solidarity, not just Charity = Dignity.
This theme has spoken so loudly to us that we have been acting on this idea in a number of ways. In addition to sharing our stories whenever possible, we are thinking long term. PSR students Jerri, Lindsay, and I will be writing a curriculum outline for the Field Education office of PSR with the intent that soon (hopefully within two years), PSR can begin a regular learning exchange with Haiti and the seminary at CONASPEH. Not only will students travel and learn about faith in a different context, but they will also have the opportunity to teach Haitian seminarians. Information sharing is beneficial to both parties and can enact a partnership that can have spectacular long-term effects. Jerri, Lindsay, and I have also recently led a chapel on May 4th, entitled “Faith, Hope, and Charity SOLIDARITY”. It is our hope that by pushing people to re-imagine standing WITH people in differing contexts and experiences, one’s own faith, spirituality, and understanding will deepen in relationship with others. We have been inspired by our Haitian brothers and sisters and will continue to work toward the creation of a global community: one that does not ignore impoverished people; one that does not ignore needs until catastrophe strikes. We can’t control the shaking of the earth, but we can control what we do with our love, effort, and funds after, AND BEFORE, something devastating happens. Meeting basic needs and seeing and valuing the humanity in ALL should be the first step to standing in Solidarity with someone unlike yourself. We are grateful for this critical lesson taught to us by Haitian people.
GRATEFULNESS…
I can’t express how truly grateful we are to have had this experience. We are full – grateful – and wish to say once again, thank you to DSF for re-prioritizing cross-cultural contextual experiences. This too, is standing in Solidarity. Thank you!
~Lizzy Beach, 2010 graduate, Pacific School of Religion, Master of Theological Studies
Lenten Gratitude
We recently received this wonderful thank you from Cisa Payuyo, who is studying at San Francisco Theological Seminary in Southern California. Cisa wrote, "D
ear Friends, I received my DSF check today, Fat Tuesday! What a beautiful way to start the Lenten season and to be reminded of the undeserved grace which we all have been given. I am continually grateful for the support and care you give DSF seminarians. Thank you for blessing us."
The Lenten season invites us to find time to pause; it is a season in which we consider what it means to follow Christ and to prepare ourselves for the ministries to which we are called. Disciples Seminary Foundation begins this Lenten season with deep gratitude for Don Reisinger who made our ministry possible. We also have a profound awareness of the ongoing responsibility to prepare people for service. DSF is supporting 29 Disciples students and 9 UCC students at our partner institutions, but we do so with joy because we know these students already are reminding us of God's undeserved grace.
During this Lenten season, may you find time to pause and become aware of the grace you have received so that you are strengthened in your ongoing ministry.
Blessings,
Rev. Dr.Tamara Nichols Rodenberg
Interim President
Patricia "Cisa" Payuyo is Associate Director of Church Relations for Chapman University. Before beginning her Master of Divinity coursework, she completed the Certificate of Ministry Studies program offered by Pacific School of Religion through DSF. Cisa has had significant hands-on education in the greater church as well, serving as First Vice Moderator of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and as Regional Moderator in the Pacific Southwest. Cisa would eventually like to work in ministry with women who have experienced brokenness. DSF is blessed to be able to support this exemplary "emerging theological leader" through your donations.
Sad News
Dear DSF Community,
I write this message with a heavy heart. Don Reisinger passed away February 1, 2010, of a heart attack. Information for the memorial service is available below. For now, I want to give thanks for Don and his profound love and vision for the church. We have lost a wonderful human being and a leader who not only built the Disciples Seminary Foundation but who also touched the lives of many. We are greatly blessed by his life and I ask you now to surround his wife Marjorie with your love and prayers.
You can send cards to Marjorie at:
1189 Northwestern Drive
Claremont, CA 91711
Warmly,
Rev. Dr. Tamara Nichols Rodenberg
Interim President