Kervens, Wasaida and Sarah
Sarah is in the center - still interviewing moms so haven't learned the others names yet.
How can you not fall in love with these beautiful faces!?! The thing is - I've been a part of Apparent Project for 3 1/2 years now. Three and a half years of selling jewelry, telling the story and traveling here to see the artisans at work. All the while, knowing that I was fighting not only for the artisans - but for these little people.
Occasionally - I would see a few babies here and there at the artisan house - but somehow, this week, it has struck me deeper than before. Why? Because I see these faces. I mean really SEE them.
I've been interviewing parents for the Apparent Project Blog and I have watched the moms and dads come in and sit down with their children. The kids are so happy to see them - so attached to them - and then I finish the interview, take a few family photos and the parents go back to work. And the babies cry. You know why???? Because they have a healthy attachment to their PARENTS!!!!
The children in the AP Daycare Center really only represent about 3% of the artisans. Each one having a different circumstance - these children were most at risk. They were showing signs of malnutrition and were in trouble. One mother of twins, now enrolled, had come to Shelley asking her permission to put them in an orphanage because production at AP had been cut back (sales slow way down in the Spring) and her hours had been cut. She wasn't making enough to support all 4 children and the 13 mo twins were suffering.
Obviously, Shelley bumped up her work schedule and began the process of starting the Daycare. An idea that has been floating around for quite a while. Everything happened very quickly, and a month later, I'm here with Joyce and Erin trying to tweak things and help them run as smoothly as possible. In a third world country. Where they don't always trust the white people. With cultures and customs that we have no clue about.
What works in America - will not work here. We have to constantly evaluate every change or "improvement" we are suggesting. Weigh it against the cultural norm. We want to improve their lives by giving them basics - food, shelter, clothing, a safe place to be while their parents work. We don't need to make them into little "Americans."
So how do you best do that? How do you decide what is best when you don't live here and you don't completely understand the cultural dynamic?
Well - first you have a meltdown in your room. You chat with your hubby via Facebook Messenger and you cry because you feel overwhelmed and completely inadequate. You wonder why you are here and you desire to just run away and not deal with any of it because it's way to hard. Then you ask a few close friends to pray for you. Then you pray for yourself. Then you sit down and have a conversation with Shelley - who has great knowledge and insight because she lives here day in and day out and has gone through all of this same stuff with her own trial and error.
Then you don't feel quite so crazy. You realize that God has placed you here - he's given you the ability to bring in talented people like Erin and Joyce - who are not only willing to teach - but willing to learn. That is so key! We cannot just come into Haiti with our ideas and expect them to work. We have to learn - we have to be educated in the ways - in the culture. When we understand that better - we will better be able to help.
Joyce and Erin spent the entire day today just playing with the kids - observing schedules, routines, interacting with the nannies and the children.
Funny how bubbles and toys are understood in any language!
Dashka has not spoken to anyone since she started coming to the Daycare a month ago when it opened. Very shy - she warmed up and played ball with Erin today.
The ladies just watched, came up with ideas and then sat down and ran things past Shelley tonight. Trying to figure out what would work - what wouldn't and the best way to implement the things that would. So proud of these ladies. They are hanging in there and doing great. Couldn't say the same for myself today. Ha! This is their first time in a third world country and there is so much to process!
All I know is this - these babies are attached to their mommas. Their mommas need a little extra help. Apparent Project works hard to keep these families together - so these mommas don't have to make the hard decision of giving up their babies to an orphanage because they are starving. I have had names and faces of artisans for 3 1/2 years. Now I have names and faces of these beautiful babies and it just makes me want to fight all the harder to figure our how best to help them without making things worse in the process. That's a hard line to walk on sometimes. I must continue to learn - and remember that with this knowledge comes great responsibility.
Lord - give us your heart. Give us your wisdom. Your courage. Your strength.
How can you help?
Don't need to raise funds for anything? Raise funds for the AP Daycare!
AP needs $2400 a month to keep this program going. Any amount each month will help!
Pray -
pray for the AP Board, for the Nannies, for the children, for Shelley, for Marilyn, for the artisans - for Haiti.
Until tomorrow.........
