Haiti Workcamp!!!

Below I am posting all the info I have at this moment on these workcamps. Registration forms can be emailed to you by contacting "me" or the District Office.

Haiti Earthquake Response
2010 - 2011 Haiti Workcamps
work, worship & learn
 November 6-13, 2010
 Register with deposit by October 13
 January 23-30, 2011
 Register with deposit by December 31
 March 14-20, 2011
 Register with deposit by February 14
 Additional dates may be added if there is interest
Join in a Work, Worship and Learn adventure in Haiti. Workcamp volunteers will plunge
into Haitian life as they work, eat, and worship side by side with Haitian Christians. The delegation will help rebuild homes in both the Port-au-Prince area and outlying villages that have received earthquake victims.
Sponsored by Brethren Disaster Ministries (BDM), while working closely with the Haitian Church of the Brethren (L’Église des Frères Hatien), participants will help construct homes for earthquake survivors and a guest house at the new Haiti Church offices.

A highlight of the trip will be worshiping with our Haitian brothers and sisters. The workcamp leader will provide background on Haiti and the Haitian Church of the Brethren.
Leaders: Jeff Boshart, Ilexene Alphonse, Klebert Exceus
Max Group Size: 15
Cost: $900/person. A $300 deposit is due with the registration. This fee includes all
expenses while in Haiti: meals, lodging, in-country transportation, travel insurance
and $50 for building supplies. The workcamp participant will need to purchase
round-trip transportation from home to Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

Requirements for participating in BDM Haiti Workcamp:
 Good health - Stamina for hard work in hot climate
 18 years of age and older
 Passport
 Vaccinations/medications – contact your family doctor or local Health Department.
Tetanus required. Malaria medications recommended.
 Sensitivity and flexibility with regard to cultural differences
For More Information: Brethren Disaster Ministries, tel. 800-451-4407
Email: BDM@brethren.org
www.brethrendisasterministries.org

Interested Volunteers: Please complete the registration form ASAP to show interest.
BDM staff will follow up with more information

Haiti Workcamp Q & A
Work, Worship & Learn Workcamp Questions and Answers
Q: Will I have safe drinking water, or should I bring purification tablets?
A: Filtered, “Culligan” water is available for purchase in any city in Haiti. We will be purchasing 5-gallon bottles and carrying it with us in coolers most days. You will want to bring a smaller water bottle to fill each morning and throughout the day. This will serve as your water for brushing your teeth as well. Do not use any tap water for drinking or brushing your teeth. If you wish to bring purification tablets you are welcome to do so, but there should not be any need for this.
Q: Will we have clean bathrooms everywhere we go?
A: The answer is likely to be “no.” The guesthouse and hotel bathrooms are clean, but
when we are at the worksite bathrooms and even latrines will be scarce. We’ll make
sure we have some provisional latrines available if necessary. You may wish to bring
your own toilet paper supply for our time at the worksite.
Q: Will the food be safe to eat?
A: Yes! We’ll have experienced food handlers preparing our meals while at the
worksite. We’d caution against eating salad in restaurants, however.
Q: Is Haiti a safe country?
A: You probably have read that the U.S. government has issued travelers’ warnings for
Haiti. Mostly this is for health-related issues, however Haiti has other risks as well: poor roads, unsafe vehicles (not ours), political instability and even the occasional kidnapping. We have worked hard to create a safe experience for the workcamp. Things have improved greatly in Haiti in the past few years, and you will notice United Nations military troops along with a large Haitian police presence as you travel in Haiti. This has helped to reduce crime, and foreigners are generally not targets. In fact, Haitians are very friendly toward Americans, and anyone who speaks some English will want to try speaking with you.
We will have Haitian Brethren church members with us, and you can be guaranteed
some of the warmest hospitality you’ve ever experienced. Our hosts take your safety
and happiness very personally and wish you to have a tremendous experience in their
country. You will be blessed by getting to know them.
Q: Will I be able to get a shower every day if I want to?
A: The guesthouse and hotel where we will be staying have cool showers, so you don’t
have to miss out on staying clean. Water will not be heated.
Q: What about tropical diseases?
A: Malaria and Dengue Fever are a significant health risk, particularly in the city of Gonaíves where we will be spending several days. We’ll sleep under mosquito netting at night or have fans, but you’ll want to have plenty of bug spray with you as well. Mosquitoes in Haiti hide in damp places like bathrooms and under tables and beds during the day. You’ll want to spray your ankles if wearing sandals. Also, ask your family physician for recommended immunizations and medicine for preventing malaria.
Typhoid is also present, but the risk is very low if you follow our guidelines for safe drinking water.
Q: What will the weather be like?
A: Hot! Very Hot! Rain showers are possible every afternoon, which adds to the
humidity. Temperatures will be in the 90’s every day and can top 100 F. Be prepared to sweat a great deal. Nighttime lows will be in the mid to upper 70’s, but this will be in the early morning and sleeping can be a bit difficult. The guesthouse will have fans, and in Gonaíves the hotel has air-conditioning most nights. It is possible we will have some nights without electricity.
Q: What should I wear?
A: Haitian culture is very modest. Men always wear long pants and women almost
always wear skirts or dresses. However, BDM female volunteers may wear long pants
when at the worksite. BDM male volunteers should wear long pants whenever in public,
including at the worksite. All BDM volunteers may wear shorts when at the hotel or
guesthouse in the evenings.
Please, no tank tops for men or women. Bring good walking shoes and/or work shoes.
Open toed shoes are not recommended for the worksite, but sandals and flip-flops are
fine for travel days and at the hotel or guesthouse.
We ask you to respect the local culture and to remember that we will be working side by side with Haitian Brethren and thus are representatives not only of our churches back home, but of the Church of the Brethren in Haiti as well.
We’ll be attending at least one church service. Haitian men almost always wear longsleeved shirts and ties. It will be very hot, and our Haitian hosts understand that most Americans are not used to the heat. BDM volunteers may wear short-sleeved dress shirts or polo shirts (ties optional). Nice sandals or dress shoes would be appropriate footwear for church. No flip flops please for church. Women may wear skirts or dresses.
Q: I don’t speak French or Haitian Creole, will that be a problem?
A: No. We’ll have several interpreters with us at all times. If you do speak French, we’ll use your gift.
Q: What should I expect in the airport?
A: We’ll be together as a group and should have little trouble in Port-au-Prince. You
may have difficulties coming back into the U.S. if you buy anything which is not
permitted by U.S. customs (i.e. fruits and vegetables, animal products, etc.). Things like jewelry, coffee, wooden crafts and paintings are permissible, but must be declared.
Q: Are there any other Haitian customs that I should know about?
A: We’ll discuss this during an orientation session before we go or right after we arrive.
Q: May I wear jewelry?
A: Women may wear jewelry. We ask that men who have earrings please remove them
during the day when we are in public. It is best to limit jewelry out of respect for our hosts.
Q: When I attend a church service will I be expected to sing or preach?
A: Yes! The expectation will be that someone from our group will give a short message. Of course you can refuse the invitation, but our hosts would be very pleased if someone in the group might be willing to do this. It would be nice if the group could pull together a musical selection or two as well.

Just some thoughts from here

Friday evening we spent some worship time with Pastor Eddy from Petit Goave. It was a wonderful time and allowed the introductions to extend beyond our sphere. In fact, it allows us to have another future time of worship at another church in another denomination that I really look forward to.

These last few weeks I've taken some time to explore some of the missions in Haiti. There are thousands!!! Most all of them are legitimate and have centered themselves on a certain portion of Haiti that needs help.

Being Brethren I have an affinity to those Brethren churches getting started there. You know, it's hard to balance between missions we've supported for years and new possibilities, not to mention how stretched the dollar is right now. And in thinking about that and wondering what "I" can do to help the most with the least this blog came to mind.

If every church agree to support one mission, one pastor, one child, one "something" in Haiti, then, just maybe, we could make a big difference in that island for Christ.

Let it be said that I have no desire to "westernize" them. They are Haitians. As such, their language of Haitian Creole should take the forefront in their language studies and education. Their education should be our first goal. Currently, education if affordable, is first offered to the males. This needs to change. Not the "first offered", but the 100% availability. Every child should be able to get a high school education. After that is accomplished, then we need to work at children getting college education. This insures that those in "power" will someday not be "just" the wealthy. That common people, from common places, may someday lead their country.

There are young men in our country, training in our schools, that have a heart's desire to change Haiti for the better. We need to support their efforts along with others. Develop a plan, pick a mission and covenant to support it.

Join me, will you?