The Citizen, 2011-02-24, Page 10PAGE 10. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2011.Several locals travel to Haiti on mission trip
Writer connects
with sponsor child
By Lisa B. Pot
Each day I watched as members of
the mission team met their
sponsored children. They would
hand over the gift boxes, pose for a
picture and ask a few questions via
the interpreter. There were lots of
smiles, hugs and it was evident that
it was a joyful experience for all. Yet,
it all seemed fairly
routine…something you did when
you came to Haiti.
My family sponsors a child here
and I knew one day I would have my
meet-your-sponsor-child experience.
I was looking forward to it but I
wasn’t overly excited about it. I
knew we wouldn’t be able to
communicate and I didn’t think we’d
have much to say to each other
anyway.
Christina is the name of our
sponsored child and she goes to
Christa College. However, I wasn’t
able to be at the school when they
gave her the box. Sponsorship co-
ordinator Joanne VanAmersfoort
was worried about that and said she
would make sure that I’d get a
chance to meet Christina. Maybe
they would bring her to the mission
campus for dental care. Somehow
they would find a way. I was a little
surprised at her determination. Sure,
I wanted to see her but I wasn’t sure
it warranted all this extra effort.
Team leaders had given us all an
opportunity to buy a goat or rice and
beans for our sponsored children.
Since my family runs a dairy
operation and has a small herd of
Pygmy goats, my daughter and I
decided to purchase a goat for our
sponsored child. Since Christina’s
family had to pick up their goat, the
opportunity came to meet her.
“Here’s your girl,” said Joanne,
By Lisa B. Pot
When a little Haitian child was
directed to Susan Wilt’s nursing
station in the schoolroom, tent
shelter or church where that day’s
medical clinic was being held, he’d
be certain to get two things—a good
dose of vitamins and a loving smile.
Susan, a midwife, was one of
several Blyth and area residents who
recently travelled to Haiti as part of a
Mission to Haiti Canada team to
partnership with the Haitian people
through one of six projects: bridge
building, house building, medical
clinics, dental clinics, food
distribution and sponsorship in Port
au Prince and surrounding villages.
“We see a lot of skin diseases
among the children,” says Susan,
who treated kids for impetigo, staph
infections and other illnesses while
working in medical. Watching her
hold the children, it’s not hard to
figure out why she returns to Haiti
year after year.
“Haiti is always on my mind,” is
how Jane Klasen of Londesborough
describes why she keeps going back.
Her husband, John, has gone eight
times; his construction skills a big
asset for the building projects
constantly going on.
“I love the Haitians. They have an
element of respect for each other and
I respect them for what they do and
how they work,” says John. “I also
like how the teams gel together. We
have people from all walks of life—
real estate agents, dentists,
architects, builders, etc—and they
all work together to make a project
like this happen.”
This year, John was in charge of
constructing four concrete beams for
a new bridge to span the river
separating the village road and the
Presbyterian Mission Campus where
the mission team was staying. John’s
friend, Mike Siertsema, of Blyth was
in charge of the concrete forming on
“The Hill” where a new residential
settlement of 45 homes is being built
for families still living in tents since
the earthquake killed hundreds of
thousands of Haitians last year.
Countless tent cities line the
roadsides in Port au Prince and the
surrounding countryside. “Within
minutes of leaving the airport, we
could see and smell the tent cities in
Port au Prince,” says Lisa Pot of
Auburn, who went on the mission
trip with her daughter Linaya, and
father, Hans Boonstoppel of Blyth.
“I felt overwhelmed, and ultimately
angry, that so many people were
living in such crowded, unsanitary
conditions.”
That mood changed when people
went up to The Hill to be part of the
“bucket brigade” that poured
concrete into the forms for the first
house. From this elevation, there wasa clear view of the ocean and anever-present breeze proved this
would be a far better place to live
than in the hot, crowded tent cities in
the valley.
Those not working on The Hill or
on the bridge worked in medical or
sponsorship. Helping Susan was
Gaye Datema, who’s been to Haiti
three times and never seems to tire
even though she is 76 years old.
“The children so easily charm our
hearts and you wonder why they
have to go through so much,” she
says. “I see the need and I’ll keep
going until I’m 80, Lord willing.”
This year’s experience was made
extra-special for Gaye since her
grandson, Jacob Nonkes of Blyth,
also came along. Jacob, Jared
Bjorkman of Blyth and Linaya Pot
of Auburn were the youngest
members of the team and their
energy was appreciated when
tackling rebar and hauling concrete
for the bridge and house building.
Hans also worked on the bridge,
but one day, he travelled with the
sponsorship team to meet his
sponsored child. Through an
interpreter, he learned her family’s
home had been destroyed in the
earthquake. Curious as to how much
a new home would cost the build, he
asked the interpreter to find out.
“One thousand dollars,” was the
answer. Knowing he could raise that
amount from his church community,
Hans collected the money when he
came home and was able to send it
with the next mission crew.
Being able to help is what has
drawn Kerissa VanAmersfoort back
to Haiti. She came with her mother,
Joanne (who co-organizes the
sponsorship program) and her friend
Jessica Hessels, formerly of
Belgrave area. “It’s a passion for me
and for most of the team to help
those in need,” she says. “SometimesI feel sad for the Haitians becausetheir lives could be so much better,
but I also delight in them, because
when you give them something, their
faces light up and you can see they
enjoy life as it is.”
This was Jessica’s first trip to Haiti
and she admits she was a little
overwhelmed by the chaos of the
country. “While I was volunteering
in medical, we were checking on a
pregnant woman. I asked her if she
wanted to be pregnant and she said
she did. I was surprised that she
wanted to bring a child into this
country.” Emotionally and
physically, she found the trip hard.
“My whole body is sore. I never
want to see rebar again!!”
However, when asked if she wants
to come back, Jessica’s response is
immediate. “I’ll come back for sure.
To help and to see the people I’ve
met.”
You can’t talk to Blyth carpenter
Herman Thalen without his tears
welling up with love and
compassion for the Haitian people.
A piece of his heart belongs to Haiti
and he’s passed that love onto his
daughter, Denise, and his son, Josh,
who joined him on this year’s trip.
Herman tells the story of a young
boy from the village who, every day,
would wait for Herman to open the
gate so he could learn woodworking.
When the mission trip ended,
Herman forgot to tell him he was
leaving. Daily the boy came to check
to see if he was there and the
following year when Herman did
return, he went to the gate and the
boy was there, waiting for him.
“The Haitian people give me so
much more than I give them,” says
Herman, who has been to Haiti
yearly for over a decade. “As long as
the Lord lets me, I don’t think I’ll
ever stop coming.”
Taking care
Susan Wilts, left, and Gaye Datema spent a recent trip to Haiti in several medical booths
helping residents of the area who are still recovering from the effects of last year’s devastating
earthquake. The tent, set up in Port-Au-Prince, was said to be one of the most difficult posts
as many residents who came through were hungry and ill, having lived in tents since the
earthquake. (Photo submitted)
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