HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2011-02-24, Page 16PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2011.
Local writer reflects
Kiss the cook
John Hoggart of the Londesborough Lions was on bacon
duty on Saturday as Snowarama began in the area. The
Lions have provided breakfast to the sledders for years.
This year, however, the weather kept eager riders off the
trails, but many people made the best of the situation. (Vicky
Bremner photo)
This week’s edition of The
Citizen, has an article written by
Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot of the Auburn
area. Lisa was one of a team of
volunteers from this area who
traveled to Haiti for a two-week
working vacation.
The article by Lisa outlines the
variety of jobs the volunteers with
Mission to Haiti Canada do while
living in a mission compound
near Cabaret. There are construction
teams, a medical team and a
sponsorship team all determined to
make life better for the
Haitian people. Also part of this
group were Susan Wilts and
John and Jane Klasen of
Londesborough.
Regular readers of this space will
remember that Jane has told us
about their work there before. John
has travelled to Haiti eight times to
help with construction. The team
was not able to enter the country
last January because of the
earthquake. But their team did spend
time there in April of 2010.
Jane remarked that on the journey to
the compound from Port-au-Prince
this year she noticed fields of
tent cities not there last April.
It seems Haitian families are
being moved from the terrible
conditions which are the aftermath
of the earthquake into these
tent cities while the devastation
is cleaned up. The hope is
that eventually the families will
be moved back into rebuilt
towns.
However Jane is concerned that
things are not moving fast enough,
conditions are not improving asquickly as anyone would wish. Itseems the monies that have beendonated by governments andindividuals are not getting where
they need to be.
The Mission to Haiti Canada
currently sponsors 300 children in
Haiti. The organization relies
entirely on volunteer help which
means 100 per cent of the monies
the group receives goes directly to
the group’s work. There are no
administration costs. Volunteers also
spend time during the rest of the
year at home keeping the teams
viable.
Education in Haiti is not free.
Sponsorship money not only pays
for a child’s education but also
supplies their uniforms and provides
them with a daily meal. The hope is
that the educated will realize life
can be better and work to help
their own country. Jane told me
that the interpreters that work with
them and are earning a wage
doing interpreting are the result of
sponsorship money. Some of
these sponsored young people
are also earning a living now
working for the Christian
compound.
There are four teams who travel to
Haiti throughout each year to keep
the work at the compound moving
along. Currently the organization is
constructing homes a short
distance from the mission. They
have taught a number of Haitian
workers how to do this construction.
Those workers are being paid to
continue this building in the
absence of the Canadians. By
teaching them a skill the
team enables the Haitians with a
wage while bettering their own
country.
The folks who are part of the team
marvel at the attitude of the
Haitians. Jane comments that they
are very resilient. In spite of all their
hardships they continue to have
hope; to always look to a better
future.
If you would like to hear moreabout Mission to Haiti Canada orwant to donate, contact John andJane or any of the folk mentioned inthe article.
Londesborough United Church
will hold its annual meeting on
Sunday, Feb. 27. Lunch will follow
the morning service and the meeting
will convene when the tables are
cleared. Want to have a say about
the direction of church life in
the coming year? Attend this
meeting.
Everyone is invited to skate at the
Blyth arena on Saturday, Feb. 26
when the Sunday School holds its
annual skating party. Skating starts
at 4 p.m. with lunch to follow at 5
p.m. You are asked to bring along
finger desserts. Hot dogs and chili
will be supplied.
Boy, was I wrong! Helen Lee
spent several days in Clinton
Hospital recovering from her
tumble and having tests. Hopefully
by the time you read this she is
home again. Both she and
Jack could benefit from a visit
and your comments of concern.
Continued from page 10
“she’s so pretty!”
And she was. She was very black
with solemn eyes, a fine nose and
full lips. She was dressed in dusty
black shoes and a fancy white dress
that had been washed too many
times. Her hair was done in little
braids but without the adornment of
ribbons which most girls have in
their hair.
She barely looked at me when the
interpreter told her who I was. I kept
watching her while I asked her
father questions but she hardly
moved. I learned that Christina was
the middle child of three and she
lived with her father in Port au
Prince where he tries to make
money as an artist. He uses the
metal from steel drums to cut out
shapes of fish, turtles and geckos
and then he paints them in colourful
patterns. He brought a selection of
his work and I was able to purchase
some. They quickly sold out as
other mission members snatched
them up. All the while, Christina
stood quiet and still.
Then the interpreter told me he
knew the family. He used to hang
out with Christina’s older brother.
Two years ago, Christina’s mother
got very sick and died. “She was
very close to her mother,” said the
interpreter. “She has been quiet ever
since and she is struggling at
school.”
That’s why she didn’t have any
ribbons in her hair. She didn’t have
a mother.
Then it hit me. All of it. All the
destruction, chaos, mess and despair
of this country. All the hunger and
disease we saw in medical. All the
death and loss from the earthquake.
All the need…wrapped up in this
girl’s dark, sad eyes.
My eyes filled and I wanted to
have a good, long cry. But I didn’t
want to scare her. Instead, I asked
the interpreter if I could give her a
hug. Christina nodded and for just a
moment, I held this sad, motherless,
little girl.
One little girl in a country where
thousands of little girls just like her
are aching for dead parents, are
hungry for food, yet struggle on
with hope and determination in this
country of Haiti.
By BRENDA
RADFORD
Call
523-4296
PEOPLE AROUND LONDESBORO
NEWS
FROM LONDESBORO
Looking for local heroes
There are so many people out there who do
so much to improve their community.
Now you have a chance to say thanks.
Nominate that special person for the 26th
Annual Citizen Citizenship Awards.
Each year a committee chooses an outstanding citizen from each of the Blyth and area
and Brussels and area communities to receive an award for contribution to the
community. If you know someone you think should be honoured, please fill in the ballot
and send it in. You may attach a longer explanation of why you think your nominee
should win, if you like. If you have nominated someone before and he or she didn't win,
please feel free to try again.
I nominate
as Citizen of the year for
I feel she/he deserves this award because
Nomination Deadline April 30, 2011.
Name and phone number of nominator
❑Blyth
& area ❑Brussels
& area