Late yesterday afternoon, we arrived in Port-au-Prince without having any drama or delays. It was a shock traveling from frigid weather to 88 degrees upon landing. But, I am not complaining. Even the 60 degree evenings in the mountains seem balmy.
There are two VIM teams. The first is a small group who began last spring as a "Quilts for Haiti" project. The second group which arrives next Saturday will conduct Vacation Bible School at the Croix des Mission work site. They will not to be able to labor on the roof phase of the Croix des Mission new church.
The Quilts for Haiti project was the idea of Sophie Bartels, then a Hanover High School freshman. With her sewing teacher, Janet Daniels, Sophie organized some sew-a-thons to make quilts for Haiti. A school board member, knowing that I had been to Haiti, asked me if I knew of a place that could use the quilts. "Yes, I did."
On a previous trip to Haiti, I had met John and Deb Currelly who have been living and working for over thirty years in Haiti. They live in the mountains above Port-au-Prince adjacent to a small village, Bois d'Avril. After e-mail exchanges about the quilts and the number of quilts for the village, Deb suggested that a person to teach the villagers would an even greater benefit.
At a sew-a-thon, I mentioned Deb's suggestion to Janet Daniels. She immediately said, "I'll go!" Janet accompanied our September 2010 VIM team to Haiti, and she was hosted by the Currellys. Over a few days, Janet and Deb gauged the villagers' interest; it was very positive. Janet was able to find and buy three treadle sewing machines in good working owner for future use. (Bois d'Avril does not have electricity nor water.) This week they will continue to work with the villagers, women and men, to improve their novice sewing skills.
The goal is to have the villagers become proficient enough at sewing quilts that the quilts can be sold commercially. Those of you who are quilters know that this will be a several years' long sewing project. The income would certainly improve the villagers quality of life.
Yesterday, I accompanied Janet and the Bartels family, Sophie and her parents, Steve and Liz, to Haiti. We were met by he Currellys and had a pizza dinner on our way to their beautiful home. We drove through the clouds up a narrow (and that is an understatement) road and emerged cloud free at their home about 5500 feet above Port-au-Prince. Up here without any city lights, one can see every star in the universe.
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