Here is a little slideshow we put together, mostly narrated by Bryan.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
Doing good without doing bad
A few nights ago we had dinner with a group of students visiting ECHO from the University of Florida. The course they were taking is a six-week intensive course on tropical agriculture, and many of the students were from Central and South America.
One student was a Bahamian farmer who was questioning us about the Mennonites, because the next farm over from his on Andros Island is the Mennonite Mission Farm (that links to the most information we were able to find). He feels that the people running this organization are "greedy" and opportunistic, and wondered about our connection to them.
This was actually our first encounter with negative publicity about the Mennonites, so we were a little taken aback. We attempted to communicate the fact that we didn't support the business practices he described, and that we would be in favor of his efforts to start a competitor to the equipment-rental services apparently offered by this Farm.
This farmer then went on to proffer an even larger question. He asked why we, as white people, are going to Haiti to "help black people." To paraphrase: "Why aren't wealthy African-Americans doing more to help black people around the world? You should let us clean our own house."
Sure, it's a valid question. What right do we have, as young, relatively inexperienced people, to trek to another country and share development tips? My response takes three parts:
1. "Helping." In our capacity as MCC service workers, we will do far more learning than teaching, more listening than talking, and more observing than showing. Our role is to support, build capacity, and share ideas. We are going to Haiti to expand our own knowledge as much as to help anyone.
2. "Black." The condition of the developing world is not a black problem. As a white North American, I have benefited from the ongoing legacy of centuries of slavery, colonialism, and oppression. And there are of course plenty of black Americans serving as community development workers all around the world, but these questions and issues affect all of us.
3. "People." Culturally, we would of course be more "effective" in our own country, city, and neighborhood. However, part of our goal is to go and learn--and then return to our own culture and act as cultural bridge-builders as we are able to share our experiences in Haiti.
I know this is a super-abbreviated gloss of the issues at hand, but I would welcome any thoughts and opinions.
Sharon
PS--Tomorrow we plan to post a little more about the fascinating things we've been learning at ECHO, but I wanted to get this off my chest first.
One student was a Bahamian farmer who was questioning us about the Mennonites, because the next farm over from his on Andros Island is the Mennonite Mission Farm (that links to the most information we were able to find). He feels that the people running this organization are "greedy" and opportunistic, and wondered about our connection to them.
This was actually our first encounter with negative publicity about the Mennonites, so we were a little taken aback. We attempted to communicate the fact that we didn't support the business practices he described, and that we would be in favor of his efforts to start a competitor to the equipment-rental services apparently offered by this Farm.
This farmer then went on to proffer an even larger question. He asked why we, as white people, are going to Haiti to "help black people." To paraphrase: "Why aren't wealthy African-Americans doing more to help black people around the world? You should let us clean our own house."
Sure, it's a valid question. What right do we have, as young, relatively inexperienced people, to trek to another country and share development tips? My response takes three parts:
1. "Helping." In our capacity as MCC service workers, we will do far more learning than teaching, more listening than talking, and more observing than showing. Our role is to support, build capacity, and share ideas. We are going to Haiti to expand our own knowledge as much as to help anyone.
2. "Black." The condition of the developing world is not a black problem. As a white North American, I have benefited from the ongoing legacy of centuries of slavery, colonialism, and oppression. And there are of course plenty of black Americans serving as community development workers all around the world, but these questions and issues affect all of us.
3. "People." Culturally, we would of course be more "effective" in our own country, city, and neighborhood. However, part of our goal is to go and learn--and then return to our own culture and act as cultural bridge-builders as we are able to share our experiences in Haiti.
I know this is a super-abbreviated gloss of the issues at hand, but I would welcome any thoughts and opinions.
Sharon
PS--Tomorrow we plan to post a little more about the fascinating things we've been learning at ECHO, but I wanted to get this off my chest first.
tactical error #2
Okay...we know we should post more to the blog, but I am beginning to realize that everyone here has their own laptop. Not a big deal, but while here at ECHO we only have access to public computers, and uploading pictures and spending lots of time on Blogger.com while other people are trying to use the computers for research just makes me feel weird. Not a good excuse but an excuse nonetheless.
Anyhow, we have been learning a lot here, we just learned how to graft trees...fun!...and will be learning more about appropriate technology this morning. This past weekend we were able to explore Ft. Myers, the nicest part being the warm, shallow, calm waters of the Gulf of Mexico...quite relaxing.
Anyhow, we have been learning a lot here, we just learned how to graft trees...fun!...and will be learning more about appropriate technology this morning. This past weekend we were able to explore Ft. Myers, the nicest part being the warm, shallow, calm waters of the Gulf of Mexico...quite relaxing.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Long hard goodbyes.....
After a week of training with MCC, then a weekend "home" in Philadelphia, then back to MCC and yet another weekend "home" we have run-out of our weekends at home. Everything felt and still feels remotely normal, as I write this at 1:41 am.....geez. But everything changes tomorrow err today I guess. All those tears I've been holding back will come gushing out as the reality of this new transition finally sinks in. We are still packing and finishing those last few things that one never really wants to deal with (like bills....ugh!) and those personal items you've been holding onto for years but can't remember the last time you used it, but still you want to put it in a large purple duffel bag and carry it with you to Haiti because you just might use it there.
I don't know where this adventure is going, I guess I have some idea, but the reality is that I/we really won't know what we will be doing until we get there. Not knowing what are new house will be like, or if will it even be a house, friends, church, work, groceries, laundry......all theses things I take for granted that I know how to do and as of tomorrow I will be dependent all over again. Depending on strangers, family and friends 100's of miles away, and anyone else who can teach me how to live all over again.
Well, we have to be up and ready to leave for the airport in 5 hours so this entry will have to end here. You may not get to see many pictures until we get to Haiti, but I'll try to sneak some in.
As most of you that are reading this, at least for now, are friends and family, thanks for everything and being so supportive, I/we love you all very much and we hope so see you in the Caribbean, so get those passports and immunizations and start planning your visit.
Bryan
I don't know where this adventure is going, I guess I have some idea, but the reality is that I/we really won't know what we will be doing until we get there. Not knowing what are new house will be like, or if will it even be a house, friends, church, work, groceries, laundry......all theses things I take for granted that I know how to do and as of tomorrow I will be dependent all over again. Depending on strangers, family and friends 100's of miles away, and anyone else who can teach me how to live all over again.
Well, we have to be up and ready to leave for the airport in 5 hours so this entry will have to end here. You may not get to see many pictures until we get to Haiti, but I'll try to sneak some in.
As most of you that are reading this, at least for now, are friends and family, thanks for everything and being so supportive, I/we love you all very much and we hope so see you in the Caribbean, so get those passports and immunizations and start planning your visit.
Bryan
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
First things first
Well, after leaving both of our jobs, packing up and moving out of our apartment at the end of June (thanks, Nowaks!), and trying to tie up an assortment of loose ends, we have finally made it to our orientation with MCC in the bustling metropolis of Akron, PA.
A brief itinerary:
We will be in Akron until July 18th, when we will have one final weekend with friends and family beforeflying to Florida on the 21st. We'll spend about ten days at ECHO, a great place that researches hunger solutions for people in difficult situations. We are really looking forward to our time with ECHO--we have some knowledge of tropical trees from our time in Hawaii, but Haiti will obviously be very different.
After our time in Florida we will be on our way to Port-au-Prince via Miami, where we will meet a couple also beginning a service term in Haiti. Once there we will have four weeks of language training and a general crash course in Haitian living.
As for our time here in Akron, the first several days have been very encouraging. We're surrounded by people doing things similar to us (like leaving family and friends to live in the middle of nowhere). One couple in particular worked in Haiti several years ago and have been telling us stories and giving us good pointers.
We promise that most of our posts will be more interesting. This one is just to get our feet wet.
Bryan & Sharon
A brief itinerary:
We will be in Akron until July 18th, when we will have one final weekend with friends and family beforeflying to Florida on the 21st. We'll spend about ten days at ECHO, a great place that researches hunger solutions for people in difficult situations. We are really looking forward to our time with ECHO--we have some knowledge of tropical trees from our time in Hawaii, but Haiti will obviously be very different.
After our time in Florida we will be on our way to Port-au-Prince via Miami, where we will meet a couple also beginning a service term in Haiti. Once there we will have four weeks of language training and a general crash course in Haitian living.
As for our time here in Akron, the first several days have been very encouraging. We're surrounded by people doing things similar to us (like leaving family and friends to live in the middle of nowhere). One couple in particular worked in Haiti several years ago and have been telling us stories and giving us good pointers.
We promise that most of our posts will be more interesting. This one is just to get our feet wet.
Bryan & Sharon
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