video of my work in Haiti

Dream world

Dream world
it all started when i set my clock for 4:30 on my i touch. After i woke everyone, dressed and
about to leave the room, glanced at my watch and 3:35. My iTouch was still set on Antiguan time. Back to sleep for another hour. Even at 4:30 there were people walking to work. They would check their watches as they walked throughthe light of the hotel. We got on the road to PAP shortly after 5. I had a fully charged camera so was shooting what i could in the slowly growing light. There were so many shots that i missed due to not being adept with his camera. We seemed to be in a hurry as we raced through the dawn hours. I hoped we would atop somewhere for dejeuner y café, my last i. Haiti. But as it turned out, that would not happen. I thought we had plenty of time to get there but we raced on. We were out of the
mountains and approaching the outskirts when disaster struck.
I had grown used to the horn blowing to warn our approach, but something was different. I glanced out the front just in time to see the small form move into our path, hear the brakes scream and the horrible sound of the impact as we slammed into the small girl. The next moments were an eternity. Had we killed her? Wailing voices converged from across the field and the nearby shelters. Were we in sudden danger of reprisal? The driver and LaFleur were out of the van and before I had any answers to my questions, the door slid open and her limp body was passed in to my arms. Was I about to experience a death in my arms? We grabbed two of the gathering crowd, slammed the door, and sped away, back in the direction we had just come. She was breathing, and I could see that her left arm was broken and probably her left leg. As I cradled her upper body in my arms, a miracle happened. Her eyes opened. And she spoke. She tried to sit up but between the new woman and myself we kept her fairly calm and quiet. The pain was starting to set it and her shrieks filled the van. I maintained eye contact with her even though our eyes were upside down to each other. I stroked her face and reassured that she was ok and we were taking her to a hospital The minutes dragged on but we soon came to a Medicin San Frontieres facility. It took a couple of tries to find the right entrance in their compound, but soon a stretcher was coming toward us.
Her name is Lachelle, she is 11 years old. Throughout her examination and diagnosis I massaged her neck and held her hand. Even when her father arrived she would not release her grip. I blew on her face and she requested "Encore". A orthopedist from Montreal came and found nothing else broken, a few abrasions, but nothing serious. She will survive.
She wore a t shirt that bore "THIS LITTLE GIRL TAKES NO BULL!"
I can attest to that, she is one brave young woman, being hit by a full van, sustaining multiple fractures, yet maintained calm and focussed control through it all.
I later found out that she had talked about a dream she had last night, about being chased by someone with a machete trying to chop her. Her father is a driver and had just dropped her off. She had never crossed the road by herself before it being a very busy road where they drive very fast. Also that in that community they have killed a driver who had killed a child and burned his van. Bigger miracle than i realized.
So what did I learn? All week I've been thinking that it's the journey not the destination. If I had demanded a food stop, Lachelle and I never would have met.
We missed the bus at the main station in PAP but got to the second station in what seemed like masses of time. Slow down and enjoy the trip.
Sadly we motor out of Haiti and into the Dominican Republic and
toward Santo Domingo. Between the tinted glass and the curtained windows, there was little to see, as if one was wearing blinders. It reminded me of how the world views Haiti, very different from the experience that i have just been privileged to have.
In a bizarre turn of events they show "Avatar". Talk about dream worlds and miracles.
The trip takes seemingly forever, it is dark when we arrive.
After checking into the Bella Vista again, we wAlk a short way to a relative of LaFleur's for a simple dinner. We dined in a small garden under the banana plants and the stars. The unfortunate part was that LaFleur was on his computer the entire time. I commented on how today's society is being disconnected from civility by its obsession with technology. The gadget takes precedence over those living breathing people nearby. The eyes are diverted toward the flat two dimensional screen. He was so plugged in he didn't even comment.
A small portable washing machine washed our Friends of Haiti shirts for our triumphant return to Antigua tomorrow
We walk back to the hotel through a small barrio, such a different world from the one we left just several hours ago.

Gonaives

  After a full 12 hours of sleep I feel much better 
My batteries are recharged, maybe not fully but certainly back on course. 
I am really missing the use of my camera. I see so many images to capture.
We went back to the water house for breakfast of Haitian spaghetti. I wandered to the front of the compound where a couple of people were busy making paper chains and flowers from tissue paper. I sat and helped. I did a little juggling as well. Then we traded string tricks. I learned a new one!  I realized that the others had left without me. It was a very relaxing social time. 
We  visited several of the houses that FOH has helped to build since the hurricane in 2004. After seeing the house I would steal away, find the children and engage them in some play. Thw two or three would then blossom into between 10-30 as the balls were flying. 
I lost track of how many places we went to, but it was quite a few. At one there was a large group of children chasing after the van as we left. They were riding on the back and the driver stopped to chase them off. They scampered away squealing  with delight. 
It was a great way to spend a Sunday , visiting family 
Went to many houses. after survey I would fi d the children grow from 2-25.
When we returned to the water house we were beckoned to a second floor room filled with several families. It was a party for LaFleur and us. A feast awaited us complete with a decanter of a punche Cuba type drink. We sat at a table to eat as the rest of the party filled their plates and sat outside on the porch. Very sweet. The yards of paper chain hung on the cement block walls.
 

Run down

I woke  at 5 and decided to make the most of my time before our 8:30 departure.  I had a wonderful hot cup of sweet coffee on the street. Trevor had loaned me his camera so I was able to get a few shots at the beach.  I then found the main marche and wandered through the crowded aisles, there is certainly no lack of food, simply mountains of mango, grapefruit, onion, beet, cress, carrot, and meat.  
We finally got on the road at 9:30. The drive back to PAP was fine. Saturday seems to be market day and we passed through so many. Oh how I wanted to stop and explore a bit. I do love the market.
As we neared PAP we started seeing gangs of workers,all clad in blue t shirts, cleaning the sides of the road. They were everywhere , numbering in the hundreds easily. I would much rather see that than the hordes of Digicel marketers roaming the streets with their huge wireless top up phones. 
In PAP we went to a tent city that has over 17000 people. I did a little show under a large tree for a very appreciative crowd. They loved it when I balanced a naked Barbie doll on my nose that a young girl was carrying. I felt so inadequate though, I had been able to touch so few out of so many. Yet the midday heat was stifling even in the shade if the tree. The show ended abruptly when a huge dump truck backed toward us with yet another load of rubble. People were using it to raise the level of their "floors" in view of the coming rainy season. 
Back on the road, we then drove for three long hours over very poor roads.  At one point along the coast we zipped along on a newly paved highway made by the Brazilians. Otherwise it was very rough going. We only stopped once for a pee break. We passed through a low valley with rice fields that went on for miles, stretching off into the distance.
By the time we arrived in Gonavies I felt I had been beaten up. We ate when arrived at a friends house. We got to the hotel around 5:30. Iwas exhausted and not feeling well, so I went to bed around 6pm!  I needed some recharging.   

Rain acom

It rained all night. As day broke the skies still were dumping lots of water. Normally this would be a good thing but anyone who's ever been camping knows, rain isn't friendly.
I was to meet Leme to go to a preschool with 175 children, so I was ready at 8. My costume had gotten a prolonged rinse over night up on the roof, so I dcided to bring in the second costume I had brought. My idea of having people autograph my costume has been working well. My plan for this one is pictues. He never showed up, I later found out that school had been cancelled due to the rain.
While waiting for Leme I saw some students from one of the schools I had performed at across the street. They wavedto me so I crossed over to visit. We exchanged string tricks. A little boy who lives across the street sat in my lap as we played. They asked if I could show them diabolo so I escorted them over to my side of the street so we could have more room in the empty lot next door. By the end several others had gathered and tried their hand at it. Manno did very well. I then taught Carlton and his brother Roodli how to juggle. When I came home later in the afternoon they were still practising in their yard which I can see from the balcony. It felt like I had a small juggling school!
The rain was off and on most of the day. We went to a site of a new school where the workers were taking a break. I did a few tricks for them, very playful. We also visited another scoop site where simple wooden structures served as classrooms.
We went back to the Venezuelan tent camp and it looked like Woodstock withoutthe music. The mud was everywhere, it was shocking how bad it was. We stayed in the back of the truck and dove where we could without getting stuck. I did a little show using the bed of the truck as a stage. A young adult came over after I had finished. I was down off the truck now. He had three rocks. And he could juggle them. As we got back in the truck to leave, I pulled out 3of my balls and gifted them to him. It felt great to do.
We. Then went to another camp. Another very fun show. And another camp, this one on the plaza by the destroyed city hall. More good stuff. Unfortunately I had givenLaFleur my camera to take some shots. His phone rang and in the shuffle it got dropped onto the stone Terrace. Done dead. Luckily Trevor is loaning me his so I can keep shooting.
Found out after we got back to the hotel that we aeleaving for PAP to
orrow am at 8:30. I'm not ready toeave yet. I walled downtown the beach to see it before we leave. Wished I had my camera, trevor's bTteryis dead.

The other extreme

The scene at the hospital was grim. Dozens of people waiting to be called by the overworked staff of Medicin Sans Frontier. Tarps form thw waiting room, all ages sit and wait. I played for them for 20+ minutes in the midday heat. Slowly they opened up and soon smiles replaced their downturned faces. Young, old, man, woman, child all escaped their grim reality for a few precious mu
minutes I was priveledged to share with them. One young boy in particular was very playful.
We took a tour of the facilities, the major part of the hosptal is flattened. Tent after tent is filled with beds crowded together. Families of thepatients sit anywhere they can find. One young boy sits in a wheelchair. His face brightens when I approach him, juggling balls in hand. He Beams as the balls take flight and onelands in his lap. He tosses it back and the game is on. Soon his older sister joins the action. The whole family as well as others nearby are swept away for a brief spell. Difficult surroundings but a place that certainly needed some light.
The hospital sits on a cliff overlooking a wide riverbed teeming with bodies. Washing clothes, bodies and
motorbikes the surrounding banks are covered in patchworks of drying clothes or smouldering rubbish. Beautiful and distressing simultaneously. Seems to be the theme of the day. We bike back for lunch.
Gigi was to meet me between 3:30 + 4. I was ready and waiting for my afternoon foray
he hadn't appeared by 4:15 and I was itching to go so I decided to really go solo today. I wandered up in the directionof the tents to the East. At the topof the hill I ran into a funeral just coming out of the funeraire. The hearse wouldn't start at first then slowly came to life. There was a band of uniformed musicians who marched away down the hill I had just climbed followed bt the hearse and a large contingent of mourners dressed In black.
The tent village that I was headed for was in view of allthis, but I figured a funeral was nothing new here. A young boy on a bike sang along with the band as they faded away.
Blanc. I was being called. A young girl started the conversation asking what I was doing. I stated my intention to do a spectac. The place Wa
was decided upon , near the tents on a litter strewn rocky path. Well we had fun, all ages complete with a sharp tongued young male who
challenged everything I did. The crowd was on my side and chastised him heartily for his brashness. I was vey surprised when a young man came out of the crowd, asked for my balls, and not only could he juggle
but he knew several tricks. Very cool. At the end I took a couple of pictures, one of the little boy that I gave the pinwheel I handmade for him
out of strapping tape. As I was about to leave a fellow did a wonderful mock performance with a bowl and a stick. He didn't really do anything but he was very funny. We all laughed together. I was full of smiles as I walked down the hill toward home.
y side and they playfully reprimanded him for his attacks. I lve to hear them whooping in joy and amazement at my antics. They love when I dance in c

Both xtremes

Today started in a fun way
Usually I wake early but this am at 5:30 I was woken by voices singing. From the rooftop of the hotel I can see tents in every direction I look. Some are large communities like the one fin by Venezuela while others are just a few in the street. So many are pitched on pavement. Anyways the singing seemed to come from one of the larger groups.
I took my backpack,which I now perform out of up onto the roof to organize and repack. I love the morning watching jacmel once again return to its busy pace. I watch the woman across the street set up her little stand, complete with charcoal fire upon which she fries a wonderful dough filled with a mixture of veg and sauce, just a little spicy.
I was about to go on my am wander when I saw Alcina and Trevor, the team from ABS TV, who said they going out to shoot a intro for their latest piece. I thought it woulg be fun to go with them, I thought just across the street but Trevor said he wanted to go up the hill to a nearby tent site. When we arrived a man was sitting on a porch of a heavily damaged playing a guitar, such a nice sound to hear. Alciana bemoaned the fact that there so few kids around, but they are all in school. A few women sat under a tent canopy doing laundry. 5 tiny children were with them. Of the three of us, I am the only one who speaks any French, I'm getting bolder about jumping into conversation. She wanted to hold a child while doing her intro. I did't arrange one, I got three, so many she had to sit on a little rickety chair they lent her. It turned out great.
I was being taken to a school for their morning break somewhere near the port. I was ready to go so went outside the hotel to wait. There were a few young men sitting on a totalled car that sits half off the road, waiting to be removed at some future date. I went over and chatted with them. They wanted a trick so I did some sleight of hand with a coin and a little juggling. Very playful. A man joined and said thar he could arrange for me to go to the scoop that is just down he road. I see the children arriving inthe am in their clean dark blue uniforms. Next thing I know is that we abandoned plan A and within about ten minutes I have an audience of 175 children from 6-15 yrs. This was the first indoors performance I've done here and the laughter and clapping was like thunder and rain. Vendors and passerbys crowds the doorways to catch a glimpse of the fun.
From there we walked up the hill toward the river to the hospital.

Going solo with Manno

This afternoon after waiting for someone to take me somewhere, (that's the way it has been set up so far,) it was getting late and also close to my favorite time to perform, the end of the day. Work is done and most people seem to have been at it since daybreak, so much clearng of rubble, all by hand. Today I saw a group of men demolishing what was left of a building, with sledge hammers and crow bar, busting the cement from the twisted rebar while next door they were mixing cement using only the primary tool, a shovel.
I decided to go out on my own to see what would transpire. As I left the hotel I ran into Manno, a 20 yr old Haitian who can speak a little English. He asked if he could come along , I just got my camera man!
We wandered up a street I had discovered on Google Earth! Sure enough, they were tents that I had seen lots of red blips along the street amazing that you can see that. We heard children singing, and discovered a Save The Children tent full of kids. Manno explained who I was and that I wanted to perform for them. They reluctantly agreed saying I could do 5 minutesbut no pictures. Not a problem. The 5 kept getting e tended for another 5,then another and another. By the end not only were the children well served but also the crowd that had gathered outside.
As we walked down the tent lined street I was recognized by a young boy from the school this am!
I had broken my diabolo string so had stopped at an intersection to fashion a repair. I felt eyes on my back and about 50 feet away a group of about 15 young adult men were chilling on some steps. I felt they were ripe for picking so I visually started playing with them. They took the bait, playfully taunting me. I started with some diabolo and from there on the crowd grew to 75 by the end.
On our way back home a little girl about 6, called out "Blanc" to me, I replied "noir" to her. She came to me took me by the hand and led me down the street, just giggling joyfully away. We rounded the corner to where her family was, also group of men, an old woman cooking, and they broke into laughter to see their little "noir" with this large "blanc" in tow. What a dear child.
I stopped at a little shop and picked the bottle of real Haitian hot sauce , custom made for me because every time I had asked for hot sauce,
I was handed a bottle of Louisiana hot sauce, straight from New Orleans!

Red checks

This am I was taken to a school that is right across the street from the Loving Light hotel. We walked there in less than 5 minutes.
I have watched the children come to school every am and had no idea that I would be able to perform there. They were already on their am break when I arrived so after checking in with the direccion it was showtime!!
I wasin the shade of a tree and the red checkered shirts of their school unifoms surrounded me
I had been escorted there by a young man named Reginald but he said I could call him Gigi. I liked that a lot.
He gladly took my camera and shot a lot. So much he ran out of battery!
I guess I will have to wait until I return to ANU next week to edit and post some.
After lunch I was standing out on the hotel balcony watching the nonstop parade of traffic. That will have to be apost of it's own so constant, varied, and always some surprise.
Anyways the school was letting out for lunch? Or done for the day, whichever some young boys from this am's show spotted me, suddenly there were lots of children raving to me, what a warm feeling!
I wandered the streets of Jacamel after lunch and when I stppoed to buy a cold drink, an energy drink called Ragaman, a little boy of 9 yes moved his arms in a juggling fashion! I am touching this town, one child at a time!

Tent camps 1&2

This afternoon around 4 we headed out by bike again, this time to a tent camp, actually moreike a small city
this one was set up by the Venezuelans. They have been here for two months, so there is a real community feel. Food was being cooked everywhere, also many street food stands lined the "street" where we entered.
Children were everywhere, skipping rope, rolling hoops and plastic lids, a soccer game went on in the distance. I set down my bag and started to work, first spinning my hat on a stick. The crowd grew quickly, not only children, thoughthere were lots, but all ages were there to see what was going on. They loved everything I did. At one point I had them all jumping up and down. They were all laughing and cheering so joyously that I don't think they saw the tears in my eyes. I can hardly believe that I am here doing what I've dreamed of for so long
when I finished they sorrounded me I touched as many as I could,
Free hugs!
The 2nd camp was more of the same, great to see the skepticism morph into smiles and laughter.
Walked home through streets crowded with vendors. And still everywhere there are budings in every state of collapse

School #2

This am we went by bike
to a school where we were met by a sea of blue uniformed children out in the yard for their am break
They were so lovely warm and friendly
I was addressed as "blanc" a creole version of "white Man". Not derisive, just very descriptive!
It was just LaFleur and I, the others had stayed back, claiming fatigue, and only on day two! They missed a greatexperience
at the end I started shaking hands and both arms were covered by their hands, very touching
I then had a very short break before the other half of the school came out, another happy couple hundred of smiling faces
fortunately the abs tv team travelling with us caught up with us for this one and even did a short interview. Next stop was a pre school a out 15 wee tots, downshifted big time and even so two Tony ones were on tears, fine once the teacher held them they sang several lovely songs complete with actions at the performance
Calls of "au revoir blanc" echoed as we walked away up the dusty hill. now on a midday break, good to be out of the blistering sun now
had to walk all the back to the Loving Light Hotel in the hot sun carrying all my gear, time to repack now that I've got a couple under my belt
, knowing better what to expect
working on getting some pictures, think there were some good ones today

Roger blanc

Jacmel

We jumped onto motorbike taxis and manuevered the less than ideal roads littered with the rocks and rubble fro
buildings being cleared, often by bare hands and shovels , I have yet to see a backhoe or excavator.
We arrived safely, then walked a bit to a school where I got to perform under a tree during their am break. They were so receptive And responsive.
After a midday rest we returned to the same community by bike again to see the afternoon food program
this time it was the whole community babies to adults. I had a great time teaching some diabolo to a couple of older boys. The younger boys were flying kites overhead so sweet
greAt work here

Arrived safely in Jacmel
Stunned by the extent of destruction
Yet amazed by the resilience and creativity of the Haitian people
Had a great encounter in Port Au Prince with a young boy of 10 or so begging for $ for food
He put on such a sorrowful face
I mirrored him, asking of him the same
His face broke into a HUGE smile
Today was very long, 9 hours from Santo Domingo, DR by two different buses, but I can hardly wait for tomorrow to really hit the ground
Travelling with two young reporters from ABS TV in Antigua, so we are teched out to the max. I even have the spare laptop to use, so there should be daily updates!

Laughter

Laugher is an external expression of joy. Laugh, yourself, heartily, and you will fell better. Make your friend laugh, and you will make him happier. Make your enemy laugh, and he will hate you less. Make a stranger laugh, and you will give him more confidence. Make the sorrowful laugh, and you will lessen their grief. Make the desponding laugh, and you will raise their hopes. Make the old laugh, and you will make them feel younger. Make the child laugh, and you will make it better tempered, more healthy, more happy and more loving.

Restore Haiti

I am leaving in 24 hours on a 12 day mission of laughter to Haiti!! Very excited about this dream I've had for so long actually about to come true. Food, water, shelter, medicine are all rushed in to care for the physical body of those suffering. Now I am going to care for their spirit and soul!! Going through the auspices of Restore, a Methodist group working in the schools of Haiti before the earthquake brought Haiti to the top of the list. Met a man in Antigua that has been very helpful in arranging this to come to pass. Will try to post from HAITI but no idea what the internet availability will be when I get there. Stay tuned!!!