1.28.2010 Solace

Dear Friends,

My very wise mother sent me an email telling me I should take a photo of the beauty around me in the time of disaster. I know these are not the photos that people are clamoring to see in the post earthquake disaster of Haiti.

However, my heart cannot take documenting the sadness and the fear that surround me at the moment. So I have turned my camera toward other things. These things are more mundane, just simple and beautiful. From time to time I need to turn my eyes away from all the sadness around me and remember that beauty still exists. Perhaps, step by step by just having my camera on my person I can begin to show you Haiti in a different way.

I got home today around 5 and none of my fellow houseguest were home. So I sat outside on my front porch for awhile by myself. I feel safe outside. The quiet was nice, except for the occasional helicopter. I found my quiet moment for the day and maybe some tiny piece of my heart was healed just by looking at the sunset.

Meet Lulu, she is the most ferocious four legged beast in our neighborhood. The dogs in our neighborhood have helped all of us more than anyone knows. I often see a crowd sitting out in the yard with the dogs. Its as if Lucy, Lulu, and Mojo know we all need to be comforted. Many of these dogs will be evacuated out in the coming days and none us really know how to tell them goodbye.

Life Post Disaster

Insides quaking...
Ground is shaking
Death, destruction
Loss of Function

Concrete fragments,
Life is stagnant
Heart breaking
No homes remaining

Life sustaining,
We, ever changing
Breath together
Help each other

Moving forward,
Past the rubble
Remember Haiti
In her glory

12.25.2009 Our First Place Continued!

I promised more photos of our house in Haiti months ago, so here some are from Christmas. You will notice the kitchen and bedrooms are missing because those rooms were a wreck that day. But you can get an idea of our place. I'll add the other rooms soon!

Our "formal" living room with Christmas tree!

Long view of the living room and dining room.

Entry way with stockings!

Dining room partially set for Christmas Dinner!

Dom in the den studying up on carving turkey.

Our back yard patio.

Lucy, our neighbor Liz's dog, whom Dom plays with in the backyard every night.

12.25.2009 Randazzo's First Christmas and First Turkey Too!

This year Dom and I celebrated our first married Christmas, and our second Christmas together in Haiti! This year the stove worked! Hurray!

We decided to step things up a bit this year and invited our neighbors over for Christmas dinner. Our menu included turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, green chili sauce (of course), grandma's rolls, deviled eggs, and cranberry. Needless to say Dom and I were most concerned about the turkey as neither of us had done one before. Here some photos of Christmas day and us obsessing about the turkey.

It looks pretty good!

Never get between a man and his turkey.

 

Our fridge was stuffed!!

Dom learning how to carve from some professionals!

The most important addition to Thanksgiving...the green chili sauce!

Thank goodness Liz had a meat thermometer!

 

Dom is getting ready to make the cuts!

12.13.2009 Ambassador Merten's Christmas Picnic

Ambassador Merten held a Christmas party for all of the embassy. It was geared toward families with lots of activities for the kids. We also had the pleasure of seeing one of the Haitian Boys Choir perform which was amazing.

 

I think it's safe to say everyone enjoyed the performance, the kids were especially enthralled with the choir.

 

Among other things there was a crafting table for the kids where they could color Christmas Pictures, make antlers, etc. It was a big hit, and one of my favorite spots to photography.

 

 

I also shot pictures of kids from the Embassy with Santa, I must say that I get the most enjoyment out of the kids who are terrified of Santa and their parents are insisting on baby's first or second Christmas photo with this large, bearded guy. For all others who get enjoyment out of things like this, here you go.

 

 

 

 

12.5.2009 Rosa Mina Orphanage Christmas Party Part Two

After lunch it was time for the big give! It was quite a process to get the kids in order. Here they are anxiously waiting to see Papa Noel! I love that Joel is grining at me and the camera, can you tell this was a great day for them??

I actually have pictures of every single kid getting a gift as I felt like it was a big moment. But I am only going to post pictures of the six kids we got gifts for. I think that was the best thing by far that we have done for Christmas this year.

Joel was thrilled with Papa Noel and his soccer ball!

 

Fernandia got some girly prettys! She loved her sunglasses, photos to follow.

Michelaine was thrilled with her lip gloss and star necklace.

Roselaire, or Wowo as he is fondly called was so excited about his soccer ball. He is seventeen and it is what he has always wanted for Christmas. He wouldn't even open the package because he said he wanted to be at home and alone before he did.

Mackenson's box was as big as he was and he was beaming for the rest of the day.

Packy was our littlest  angel, he was not exactly thrilled about Papa Noel. I think lots of kids are alittle scared of him at that age. I think he liked his gift though!

Here are a few more shots of the day! I think it is something Rosa Mina will remember for a long time.

Papa Noel with Pastor Roland & her husband.

 

 

Packy SMILING for the camera.

 

Fernandia showing off her jump roping skills.

I love how the gifts all became universal property after the giving. The kids basically shared everything that they had received. I think that's what Christmas truly is. We gave to them, and they gave to each other. 

12.5.2009 Rosa Mina Orphanage Christmas Party Part One

Right after Dom and I returned to Port-au-Prince we had the Christmas party for Rosa Mina. We'd come home with our suitcases full of gifts. I had so much fun wrapping up our 6 christmas angels gifts. We were both surprised about how hard it was to find gifts for kids that met our criteria which included one piece items as small pieces get lost quickly, developmental gifts if possible (soccer balls, jump ropes, etc), no battery operated items, no electric items. You'd think with commercial America, it would be a breeze! I will say we felt very accomplished when we finished our shopping.

We showed up early at Ambassador Merton's house to help set up for the party. Our friend Brittney showed up with all of the toys in the back of her car. Who knew Santa drove an armored vehicle! People from the embassy sponsored every child, so they all received a gift.

As usual in Haiti, the kids were late. We'd all pitched in so they could ride a bus over. But the bus was late so we were all anxiously awaiting their arrival. The best thing for me was that a little girl name Lyesha was there early with her new mom! She was adopted and was to leave with her new mommy the following Wednesday, she was chattering on about going to Argentina and she was all smiles. I thought it was awesome that she got to attend the Christmas party with her orphanage family before she left. Here she is playing with Sonia, one of the regular volunteers.

Finally the kids arrived! And we were all so excited about their arrival! I think they were all alittle overwhelmed by the big ride, and then being at this huge house. But the excitement was in the air!

 

The kids played on the lawn for a little while with some hula hoops, soccer balls, and the big boys played volley ball. Then Papa Noel showed up. They were so excited! They all ran to him, singing Christmas songs. It was one of those overwhelming moments that I don't think any of the volunteers excpected.

 

They all lined up for candy canes and to tell all of their Christmas wishes!

Next on the agenda we had lunch, bbq style. I don't think the kids had ever seen hot dogs so big! They all just stared at them at first, then a brave kid would pick it up and go at it! Dom was the grill master!

 

 

 

 

One of the best ideas was to have activity on the tables for the kids. They loved having crayons, play dough, and whistles. I'm not so sure the orphanage owner was thrilled with the whistles but they were having a grand time!!!!

 

Below is one of my favorite little girls, Fernandia. She is always very focused on whatever craft project is at hand. She is also one of the quieter girls, I have quite a soft spot for her in my heart. Below she was making patterns in her play dough, she was so focused I don't think she ever knew I was watching her.