Two Weeks in Haiti with Mercy Chefs

Slide Show of Brian's Trip to Haiti

2010-11-20T08:44:00.001-08:00

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The Last Entry on Haiti

2010-11-04T19:51:00.000-07:00

Well here we are on the plane home. Kind of sad to say goodbye. This is really a country that grows on you. The chaos at the airport to get a flight out is really just that. Baggage boys fighting to take your suitcases, but if you don’t take one you may never get through the lineup. I handed my guy 4 American bills and he kept saying 40 dollars. I told him he was out of his mind but he just kept saying not enough, not enough. In a city where the average wage is about $5 per day that’s a lot of money. Oh well. I wonder if some tourists actually do pay that much. Port au Prince airport is a bit different from most as there is a metal detector and a search as soon as you enter and then again at the American Airlines terminal. Pretty windy out today but it is still humid. The tent we sleep in was flapping in the wind all night so didn’t get a lot of sleep either. The drive to the airport was a bit crazy as well. That was at 6 A.M. and it was just as busy and crazy as it is at 3 PM. This really is the “City that never Sleeps” The camp rented a tap tap yesterday to bring a patient in from town. The cost was $38 dollars. If you take the diesel fuel out there really isn’t a whole lot left. The tap tap driver was as charismatic as they are on the street, waving to everyone and smiling from ear to ear. They don’t seem to concerned about the hurricane or tropical storm that is set to touchdown today or tomorrow. It was business as usual in Port au Prince. Pastor Pierre thinks that it will only be high winds and a lot of rain. They are taking down tents and boarding up buildings. They will not lose power as everything is run off of generators and there is plenty of propane for the stoves and such. Anyways those of you who pray please send your prayers out to the folks in Haiti who dedicate their own time to try to make a better life for the People here. All the groups that I can remember ( hope I don't forget anyone) who show their love for the locals with there talents such as GAIN (global aid network) Nehemiah Vision who really made my stay memorable, especially Cooper and Diane, Mercy Chefs for making this a reality

( you were right Chef Gary " amazing things really do happen over a shared meal" and thank you so much Debbie Lowe and Gayle Woods for inspiring me to do the work. Thanks for following my blog and your support has been greatly appreciated.

Storm clouds forming over Haiti Thursday AM

Day 10

2010-11-03T11:03:00.000-07:00

Well its day 10 and everything is going quite well. My attempts to train Richard may have fallen by the wayside though as he has walked out on me. Oh well, it’s a different way of life here and all we can do is count our blessings that we live in such abundant and prosperous country like Canada and The United States. Pretty much everyone that I have had the privilege to meet have been extremely helpful and happy. The doctors and dentist have been down all week and there are lineups at the clinic everyday. A motorcycle drove in yesterday with 5 or 6 people on it. It was pretty amazing and the only one wearing a helmut was the driver. The small children were in the arms of the adults. Every once in a while today we get quite a breeze blowing, possibly a sign of the approaching storm. Temperatures don’t seem to change much. 35+ during the day and down to about 24-26 at night. As soon as the temperature goes below 25 out come the toques and sweaters. This just shows you that you can get used to the heat. Going to make Chili dogs, with potato soup and beans and rice for lunch today. Wish I could find some nutmeg somewhere. We had pancakes for breakfast this morning but everyone seemed to want the cereal instead. I think that I will try to find some milk powder somewhere in case we actually get a hurricane.

Well its after lunch and things have changed significantly. I am changing my flight and coming home tomorrow. Winds are coming but no one actually feels that we will get a hurricane. Just a lot of wind and rain. I believe that we have made a huge impact in the short time that I have been here and saying goodbye really is the hardest thing to do. A storm could lay me up in Haiti for a number of days and I really am looking forward to getting home. God Bless everyone who has followed this blog and we will see you tomorrow.

Pastor Pierre has returned and defused a lot of the troubles that we were having. He really is a charsmatic man. Here is a picture of him and Diane from Mercy Response

Day 9

2010-11-02T11:28:00.000-07:00

A hurricane warning is in effect for Haiti but no one here is really too concerned about it. Our policy at Mercy Chefs is to evacuate and then come back in, but due to the geographical location of Haiti, my problem is that if I leave I may not get back for a while. There is probably no point worrying about what may or may not happen in the event that it should hit. Much can happen in 3 days. Most of the trees that would normally provide some sort of protection from the winds and rain have been chopped down for charcoal. Charcoal production is a means of earning money here, and Cooper from Nehemiah Vision pointed out evidence of it on our trip to Chambrun.

Richard the fisherman/cook who was here when I arrived is taking a genuine interest in learning how to properly prepare foods. He will be here for 3 or 4 weeks after I am gone and I am leaving a set of recipes that I have been using for him to follow, if I can figure out how to use this printer.

We are having Mulligatawny soup, Salmon salad sandwiches and rice with beans as well as cookies for lunch today. The people are really great about the food and seem to accept what we are offering. Tonights menu is Roast chicken with biscuits and gravy and buttered noodles and something sweet. The picture above is Thomas from Mercy Response and Liddel his assistant. Oh yeah and thats me feeding the troops. The picture on the bottom are the goats that come to eat the scraps. This one is for you Debbie. We even had a kid stick his head in looking for his mom.

Day 8

2010-11-01T12:18:00.000-07:00

Thunderstorm coming in over the Mountains

Well here we go. A new week and a new set of ideas. We had my grandmother Butterworths pancakes this morning. At least they are as close to the recipe as I can remember. Stuck bananas in them as this is about the only local fruit we have been able to find right now. Reminds me of a Jack Johnson song. Not quite as many in for breakfast this AM. It is a Hatian holiday All Sanits Day so there is no school and I think many of the workers have taken the day off. Tomorrow is another holiday all souls. Going to make the closest thing to a quesedilla we could come up with for lunch today.. Flat Pita with monterey cheese and cooked ham and onions, grilled and served with a hearty corn chowder soup. The medical team is down all week so they will be in for lunch. Had another 15 so we had our largest turnout yet about 50 hungry souls. Trying to get some laundry washed today. We had an unbelievable thunderstorm last night. High winds and the rain came down in huge droplets. Thought it was hail at first but it was 32 degrees out as well. Night comes early here usually about 5:30 its dark and it gets light about the same time in the AM. Took a picture of the storm approaching about 4:45. Thats the one you see. Serving spaghetti and meat sauce with biscuits and oatmeal cookies for diner tonight. Mercy Chefs is a really great organization, and I think that the work they are doing down here is just amazing.

Day 7

2010-10-31T13:08:00.000-07:00

Well here we are. The official half way point. No one is really saying anything about the hurricane warnings so we just wait and see. Went to church today. About 300 people attended the service which did last almost 3 hours. I was invited up to say a few words and of course I got stage fright and misquoted John 3:16. The Pastor bailed me out fortunately. Had cottage pie, carrot and ginger soup, and buttered rice for lunch today. Going to prepare stuffed chicken legs, potatoes, and something for dessert and fresh bread. Think I will pack it in early today. I will leave you with my faux pas in church today

Day 6

2010-10-30T12:55:00.000-07:00

Well its Saturday already. Who would have guessed it would go by so quickly. Up at 5:30 this morning to make breakfast. French toast, bacon and cereal. They have cereal every othere day so a lot of them like it on a daily basis. Had the executive board from Nehemiah vision ministry in today. They were all here during the earthquake. I talked with a dentist who said he was repairing noses, lips and facial scars. Since this area was pretty much untouched by the earthquake they brought many of the people here for emergency surgery etc. They also were instrumental in helping the Mercy Chefs to some degree. They looked around our kitchens and storeroom and seemed to like what they saw. Thought we would be off tomorrow but its business as usual. Church starts at 9 A.M. and runs for about 3 hours. Reverend Jim, I will never fault you for running over 5 or 10 minutes again. We are having roast chicken with rice pilaf and corn with peanut butter cookies for dinner. MMMM love those peanut butter cookies. All made on the premises I might add. Keep thinking I hear the Gordon's Food truck out back but its only the folks from GAIN. We are running low on the basics again so we are trying to make a food run again. The stores are only open a half day tomorrow as its Sunday, but if Richard can go early he should be alright. After seeing how peaceful and tranquil Chambrun was I really have misgivings about travelling into Port au Prince again. The infrastructure is really designed for about 1/2 million people but there are I think about 3 million living in the city and with all the aid workers and there vehicles it gets overly congested. Life in the camp goes on though. Many of the locals work in the camp. They are hard working and it provides them with an income. I was watching these crows sitting out in the trees everyday, and I thought that they were a little odd, on closer inspection they seem to be Mynah birds. That would explain the strange sounds they make. Oh well got to run

Day Five

2010-10-29T12:09:00.000-07:00

Day Five

Woke up this morning after another great sleep. It was a frigid 24 degrees celcius. Went down to the mess hall and one of the night crew had a toque on. Went into Chambrun after breakfast with my friend Cooper. It’s about a 20 minute walk along a gravel road that often gets washed out. It was a very interesting trip. Lots of livestock like cows, goats and mules just grazing at the side of the road. Went into the village and we met a lot of different people, many running up yelling “Cooper Cooper” Cooper speaks pretty good Creole so it was a real bonus having him there to interpret. I shot about 30 minutes of video there of an orphanage and just a bunch of families hanging out. A lot of the kids in the school live in Chambrun and walk this every day. We met some of the older kids who will come to the scool in the afternoon. Some of the houses had voodoo crosses in front of them. Voodoo is a recognized religion in Haiti. Its funny but they take the photo’s of the Catholic saints and put the name of an African God to it. I really want to go back and look at the cross a little more closely. They had liquor bottles and cigarettes and all kinds of stuff they think there God might like. On the way home we met a man who had just purchased a cow. He wants to get some more and start a small herd. The nice thing about the livestock here is that they roam around eating and behaving like animals should and one day ends up as the evening meal. They really are happy critters for the most part. We served Homemade minestrone soup with homemade cornmeal bread and homemade brownies as well as the beans and rice which I am becoming quite fond of. I hope everyone is praying that Gayle is able to keep going and keeps doing the great job that she is doing at the restaurant. I might have a little more competition than I bargained for. We are having meat loaf, with roast potatoes and green peas and butter tart and almond squares for dinner. All made on the premises I might add. Talk to you soon. God Bless

Day Four

2010-10-28T18:16:00.000-07:00

Day Four

Slept really well again last night. Seems the conditions are agreeing with me. No allergies or any other problems. I think I love Haiti. Going to Chambrun tomorrow with Cooper. He speaks a bit of Creole and knows his way around there. The children that go to the school live there. They have to be the happiest people in the world when they come to learn. They are so loud you have to turn and look. We served Beans and rice, tea bisquits, carrot soup and peanut butter cookies. Went into Port au Prince again today to get more groceries and witnessed even more of the destruction. Whole apartment buildings collapsed on themselves. It is so very sad that this should have to happen to such a fantastic people. Our driver today told us that a lot of the people living in tents were actually living in them before the earthquake, but his family will not sleep inside there repaired house, choosing to sleep outside where they feel it is safer. The city is full of tap taps. These are pickup trucks that have a bench on both sides in the back and a little roof on them. They ride from point to point for 25 cents. I just found out today as well that a lot of the motorcycles that we see are also tap taps. No one has to wear a helmut to ride them and it really looks kind of dangerous. Oh well. Served up Spaghetti and home made meatballs, home made Cinnamon coffee cake and fresh french stick. Oh well, off to bed. See you tomorrow God Bless

Day Three

2010-10-27T17:39:00.000-07:00

Got a great sleep last night. We went shopping today to the equivalent of a Sysco or Gordon Foods. It's called a Cordon Bleu, The problem was that they didn't have a lot of the things that we needed and you couldn't see a price list or the products. There is a shortage of fresh produce and the stuff that there is is possibly contaminated. We served pasta again for lunch and with a tomato sauce and boneless stuffed chicken legs with garlic bread. of course there was the beans and rice that the Hatian girls Jolene and Luna cook up as well. I am getting quite fond of this dish. Ended up having about 35 instead of the ususal 20 or so. Its really hard estimating how much to cook. You don't want to run out but on the other hand you don't want to over cook the supplies. The ride through Port au Prince was the same as it was coming from the airport. The only difference was we had a thunderstorm to contend with. The streets are probably the most dangerous in the world. They use a lot of breadfruit here. They fry it up so it looks like a slice of fried potato but it has the consistency of a yam. Got back at 10 minutes to 5 and had supper ready at 6. Monte Cristo sandwiches, Beef vegetable soup and chocolate cake. Not the best dinner in the world but it worked.

Oh well, I am exhausted. Hopefully will get a blog in tomorrow.
This picture is public transit by the way. One Hatian dollar gets you on.

Day Two

2010-10-26T13:56:00.000-07:00

Well here we are in Haiti. Forgot to set my clock back and ended up gettng up at 4:00 A.M. in the morning. Couldn't figure out why nobody was coming down for breakfast. Oh well live and learn. Made pancakes and bacon for breakfast. The Haitian ladies make this really delicious dish of beans and rice. They hammer the spices out in a pestle and mortar just like they have for centuries. Really amazing to be able to actually see it being done. Had this for lunch with a seafood chowder. They are really receptive to our ideas as well. We are going shopping in Port au Prince tomorrow. Actually looking forward to the adventure. Have to get back to the kitchen though, we are having fettucini alfredo with chicken for dinner, and bread pudding. Talk to you all soon and try to keep cool. God Bless
Brian

Day One

2010-10-26T05:58:00.000-07:00

Day One

Flew from Toronto to Miami and then on to Haiti without incident. Landing at Toussaint airport was an eyeopener that has to be experienced by everybody. The heat combined with the chaos and a plane full of volunteer groups and locals all racing around filling out forms on whatever surface they could find, streaming into lineups to be cleared by customs and then having to find your baggage, that is exhausting. However on a bright note, the Haitian baggage handlers were quick to get you outside and to your party. Cooper from Nehiamia Vision ( don’t know if I spelled that correctly but he is a great guy) was there to greet me and then began a trip through traffic that could only be described as harrowing. Our driver Dianne was the second bright light of the day cutting through traffic that was bottlenecked for blocks and getting us through Port au Prince with a minimum of difficulty. I think that if you have never driven in Haiti it is hard to describe. No traffic lights or stop signs, but somehow everything moves. Brick roads designed for 2 lanes of traffic are now carrying 4. The streets are lined with vendors selling everything I mean everything, and everyone is smiling. Well almost everyone. I can only describe Port au Prince as having a Haight Ashbury San Francisco or Yorkville Toronto from the 1960’s look and feel to it. Arriving in Chambrun I got to meet everyone and see the school and the kitchen. Everyone is working so hard and taking such pride in what they have accomplishmented to date. Father Pierre is a beacon of hope, an awfully nice guy with a vision for Haiti’s future. I am working in the kitchen with 1 of the Haitian girls and Richard. Richard is a fisherman from North Carolina and was here to cook at Chambrun 2 days after the earthquake hit. He has just returned for 6 weeks. Well have to run. God Bless

The Day Before

2010-10-24T15:55:00.000-07:00

We are all packed and ready to go. Thanks Gayle, couldn't have done it without you. I Fly out at 9 A.M. but we have to be at the airport by 7 A.M. to check in. The flight plan takes us from Toronto to Miami and arriving in Haiti at 3:10 P.M. From there a short drive in to Chambrun and away we go. There is a Cholera outbreak but haven't heard anything from the airlines about any change in plans. I have been putting in a lot of hours at the restaurant trying to get it set for Gayle to take over the cooking responsibilities. I really wouldn't be able to go if she wasn't prepared to do this. I am going to try to blog my two weeks in Haiti if I can although sometimes the best made plans are no plans at all. I wanted to thank everyone as well who donated money, time, and prayer to making this mission possible. Mercy Chef's is a completely non profit organization that is making significant strides towards bringing food and Jesus to the people who need it most. There is a video bar at the top of this page with a lot of the work that this group is doing.