Merry Christmas

The birth of Christ was astounding, and it was made in part by the people who had much faith: Joseph and Mary. God's plan will take your breath away, make your knees buckle, and exceed your expectations if you have faith in Him.

My favorite Christmas song, accompanied by a clip from "The Nativity Story".

Haiti Cherie: Day 1

December 10th, 2011

Ask yourself:
1) What is the Gospel?
2) What is my role?
3) Can I be a servant? Am I?

We arrived in PAP @ 9:15AM and made a relatively smooth drive to the MOH campus with the help of our friend Wesly. When we got here, we met Stacy (our amazing leader and an intern at MOH) and had a great lunch, follwed by orientation. I met my AWESOME roommates +1 special fella (Tara from Louisville, Kentucky; Katie from Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, Megan from Orlando, Florida, Tom from the same place as Katie).

L>R: Me, Tara, & Katie

I then slept until 6PM and totally missed out on all the fun with the kids here (sigh). Dinner was a cross between enchiladas & pate, salad, and some yummy strawberry cake. I love it here. The weather is warm (overwhelmingly warm) but welcoming. God's people are friendly, each one of them different (as in unique) but like-minded. I'm so happy for this opportunity. I hope my mom isn't worried. I hope she can feel my love...

The view from our doorstep.

Reflections:
God has made it very clear that there are two things I must nurture immediately, & steadfastly: Humility & Grace. Humility means not always saying "I know", or trying to explain yourself and defend your case. It means sitting in the back and letting someone else take the front wheel. Grace is what follows Humility. It can be found in a silent tongue, a quiet heart, a warm smile of understanding, and a head that nods in agreement. Oh, what beauty lies in a woman who obeys out of faith. She is thus crowned with a grace that resembles that of her father. Check that out, I just went all KJV on you.

Prayer:
Lord, thank you for planting in my heart the will to grow and see past my huge pride and what feels like others transgressions. I love you.

The 2011 Haitian American Forum

There is a long time rumor that exists in the hearts and minds of both Haitians and non-Haitians alike: When it comes to planning events, the Haitian people tend to be very lax-a-daisy: the event will undoubtedly begin late, the food will be served even later, and in the end, though there may be nice presentations, no strategic goals are implemented or executed. The Color of Hope organization is one group that is bursting at the seams with strategic ways to dispel such a rumor. I had the privilege of being a part of this event and I’d like to share my opinion on how it all went down.

Months ago, I was sitting in my dorm tackling a fairly difficult mathematics assignment. It was the middle of the summer term and I was ready to be done with the semester, and fly to Haiti to begin the water project there with my school’s chapter of Engineers Without Borders. I received a phone call from a very good friend and mentor of mine, Mr. Ed Shakespierre. He was calling just to check up on me and applaud me for my blog! (Who would have known?) Ed told me that he noticed that I had a pretty strong desire to help out my Haitian community and that he would really appreciate it if I would make a pact to participate in a panel discussion on May 28^th, 2011. Now I have got to be pretty frank. I do not care for any organization that fiddles with people’s time and ultimately gets nothing done. But I was convinced that Ed (who is truly passionate at making a change in Haiti and has the track record to prove it) was planning something legit.

Sidebar: Since Ed called to inform me so early about an event that was taking place in May, it immediately gave him and Color of Hope credibility. It also gave me time to pencil it in and tell others about it. Great planning!

So let’s fast forward to early May. By this time, the event went up on Facebook, and had been advertised throughout the state. I was just so impressed by how many people knew about the event, expressed excitement, and planned to attend. Also, the advertisements were just so aesthetically pleasing. No offense, but when it comes to some Haitian parties, I am so used to seeing some well-endowed model on the front, the time, place and the name of the DJ. I loved how these small cards that were given out gave a brief but informative idea of the events that took place. Also, the design featured nice blues, oranges, and reds. Colors of Hope, get it?

May 28^th, 2011: Ed Shakespierre presents: The 2^nd Annual Haitian American Forum 

From L-R: Salusa Basquin (my dad), Ed Shakespierre, and Me

I arrived at the Haitian American forum just 3 minutes late…shame on me! Thankfully, Ed, his wife, and all of his loyal workers were just making sure that everyone felt at home. As all of the guests began to trickle in, I got to meet some phenomenal people. There was first Lawrence Gonzalez, a former Marine and motivational speaker with his Master’s Degree in Taxation from FSU as well as his lovey girlfriend Jessica Donette a social worker, and a dancer. The two danced to a Kompas song in the background and you could just tell it was going to be a good day. Nothing was kicking off just yet; it was just a very nice environment where people had the chance to enjoy a delicious complimentary Creole style lunch and network. Once the event commenced, we were directed to a back room decked out with yummy wraps fruit and beverages. The title of our session was Leaders of Tomorrow, but from the looks of it, all of the people that surrounded me were leaders of today.

 

Meet the Panel

The first was our host and facilitator Diana Bien-Aime, who immediately lights up the room with her unending grace. She iterated that her main concern was that we as a group work toward delivering honest and authentic responses to her questions. Then we had Francesca Menes, a Community Organizer for the Florida Immigrant Coalition (FLIC) who articulated her ideas so well and informed us that she works very closely with Latin Americans and jumped at the opportunity to serve her Haitian community. Next was Marc St. Clair, a Managing Partner at Haiti Ventures LLC who was discussing plight within Haiti’s government and business tactics with Mr. Gonzalez and Lucson Joseph, who is a community organizer, speaker, and the majority shareholder of Swann Holding, an import and export company located in the Turks and Caicos Islands. I got to sit down with my dear friend Mirta Desir, who began Link Haiti, a non-profit organization that has sent numerous medical teams to Haiti and also strongly supports the education and agricultural sector of the country.

From L-R: Lawrence Gonzalez, Myself, Marc St. Clair, Mirta Desir, Francesca Menes, Lucson Joseph, & Diana Bien-Aime

Leaders of Tomorrow

We all went outside and the Leaders of Tomorrow session began. We were asked a number of questions like “What does it mean to be a Haitian American?”, “Do you feel supported by the generation before you?”, “How can we strengthen our community?”, “What are some practices that we need to do away with?” and “What is your personal vision for Haiti’s future?”  The discussion was open to the very active audience, who commended us for the work that we have done, and the work that we plan to do. They introduced themselves and asked us questions like: “what can we do to reach the young Haitian Americans here in the U.S.?” and invited us to help them with their individual causes. We took a few things away from this panel discussion:

1.     Though we are all brought together by the same love for Haiti, we are all very different, and we have different views on how things came to be in Haiti and how they should be fixed. Nonetheless, the differences do not create bad blood between us, but rather an incentive to work through our differences to achieve something much greater, unity and a restored culture.

2.     One of the main obstacles that Haitian Americans face is that the torch is not being passed from the previous generation to the next. Francesca brought up the very valid point that some folks don’t want you to succeed unless their name is on it. They want the recognition because they have been through the flame. This mindset tends to ostracize the diaspora who want to make an impact, plus it is a bit immature considering the fact that the new generation will have obstacles of its own.

3.     This relates to a point that Lawrence brought up. “Have you ever been to a plaza where there are three different Haitian restaurants???” He explained that it is important for the Haitian to quit thinking about self-glory and to link up with others to reach the same goal more efficiently. He stressed that we won’t get anywhere unless we try to get there together.

4.     While plenty has been done here in the states, there is still a lot to be done. The work has only just begun.

After a wonderful panel discussion, we returned to the room, which was adorned with gifts for us. I was touched by how much appreciation was expressed to us, because in my opinion, all I did was talk! But then I realized that it is so much more than that. Color of Hope is glad that we are, speaking, typing, e-mailing, sending medical teams, picking up shovels, and just trying to get things done. We are no longer talking about Change but standing at its doorstep and demanding an appointment with him for the sake of Haiti!

Doing Business with the IHRC:

Marc St. Clair provided insight on how to do business with the Haitian Commission. He introduced businesses in Haiti that are trying to do everything imaginable to improve life in Haiti via harnessing technology to waste management and from tapping into solar power resources to greener living. He discourages anyone who thinks they have to start yet another organization and stresses that this creates yet another barrier on the road to unity.

Now this last part had to have been my absolute favorite: We watched a 50 minute documentary written by none other than Edwidge Danticat, called “Poto Mitan”. Oh… where do I even start? I honestly can’t give the makers of this short documentary all of the credit that they deserve, but it was just so cleverly engineered. It is narrated by six astounding women who each introduce their personal struggles and how they translate to the existing disasters in Haiti. It was raw, no big words or empty thoughts were necessary because the themes were just so loud. I encourage anybody to watch this brief documentary as it plainly wraps up most of the problems in Haiti and praises the women of Haiti for carrying the nation on their heads. For a better understanding of the film, check out: www.potomitan.net.

I had to leave early and so I didn’t get to watch the Q&A session titled “Our Women Our Strength ( Fanm Se Fos Nou)”  nor did I view the actual Haitian American Forum, but from what I am reading, it was controversial, poignant, and authentic. To check out how that went down or to find out more about Color of Hope, follow this link: www.colorofhope.org. 

All I can say is, congratulations Ed. This event was extremely successful and reflective, and I can’t wait to see what’s next!

Daydreamer

So I like the titles of my blogs to be the title of some song, any song at all. It's funny because when I googled "songs about guys" the google auto-complete had some harsh stuff programmed into the system. It looked like this:

songs about guys being jerks

songs about guys that are jerks

songs about guys leading you on

songs about guys cheating

songs about guys lying

songs about guys who are players

songs about guys being confusing

Naturally, this was discouraging because I was searching for a song about good guys... and then it hit me. The song I wanted was "Daydreamer" by Adele. [It describes a gentleman, and I suppose you should hear it for yourself to see how the end goes.] ANYways, I notice that a lot of ladies who have been hurt/mistreated/led on/disappointed by guys tend to write unkind things about boys (I say boys ALOT because some guys just haven't stepped into their manhood). And while I understand where some of these ladies are coming from, I notice that this method of catharsis can have very negative effects on the guys in our generation.

Some ladies say things like "Some boys will never grow up", or "All guys are dogs and that's just the way it is". Sometimes ladies are very specific with their hate and say things like "I hate it when guys pick you up just to leave you hanging! That's what happened to me...". For one thing, I don't think anyone should disclose their most personal thoughts on Facebook (because if so then what the heck are best friends for?) But my more important point concerns what these kind of messages are doing to our guys. We use the collective terms "guys", "boys", "fellas", and even "niggas" referring to the entire male population as a whole. It plants a very ugly seed that says "Hey, this is how guys have been for centuries so I may as well live up to the expectations society has made for me." I beg to differ.

I personally feel that guys are meant to do so much. They are leaders who play the dominant role in society. Physically, they hold the upper hand (otherwise the NBA would be co-ed lol). Within marriage, they respectfully lead their wives spiritually and within the home they serve as the provider, the protector, and the prime example of God's love for his children.

LADIES, we should be encouraging the guys in our life to do right. Granted, some guys do not want to be good and may never change, but instead of insisting that all men are the same, we should celebrate their uniqueness and creativity. We should insist that they possess qualities of love, commitment, compassion, kindness, and gentleness. We shouldn't allow people to speak poorly of the dudes in our life, and we should always offer a helping hand. Plus, we should give guys a good reason to be righteous. "Boy, she's just so patient with me that I can't help wanting to give her the world..." You feel me?

At an Expresso at my church, one man named Paul Brown was describing how his (now lovely wife!) April sometimes forgets to lock the car doors, but he never expects her to do it or hangs it over her head. He said "If you always expect someone to do wrong, don't be surprised when that's exactly what they do." In that respect it is so important to give everyone the benefit of the doubt so that you can exercise your ability to forgive and they can strive to meet the new reputation you're letting them create for themselves.

On that note FELLAS, I just want to let you know that I have very high expectations for you. Regardless of who you have hurt in the past or what you have said or done, I know what you are capable of. Please do not be afraid to step into your manhood because it's a beautiful thing. God has a plan for you each and every day so call on him to help you out when you're tempted to step out on your girlfriend or even check out the girl who just walked by. If you have trouble treating women right or you simply don't know how, then get connected with some guys who display great examples of loving "like Christ loved the church". I know some amazing men who would be glad to help you! Just do what it takes and know that us ladies will be right there cheering you on:)

Peep This!

Great song by a musical legend featuring my favorite rapper. 

Yeah he's big-headed but he's a musical and lyrical genius. *Kanye Shrug*

My favorite rap session on the planet by my favorite artist on the planet. 

L. Boogie does it all! Rap, Sing, and Preach the Gospel!

Listen

Anyone who knows me knows that I love to talk. I can just go on and on and on on random tangents, fun facts, and all that good stuff. More than I love to talk, though I love to listen. I feel honored when someone wants to talk to me about their day or what they may be having trouble with. It tells me that (1) they trust me enough to confide in me and (2) they are confident that I'll be able to give them a resolution! That just sends my heart on a parade to the moon and back. You don't even know...

Being a good listener helps out in all kinds of relationships: Mother/daughter, boyfriend/girlfriend, best friends, etc. So let's talk about how we can do better. When you're in a good conversation try this out:

• Don't jump the gun: Sometimes when we're listening to people we tend to think about what we're going to say next, but this defeats the whole object of listening. And it's kind of selfish if you think about it. Your brain does this: "my blah blah blah, I blazay blazay"...mmkay he's talkin, what am I gonna say now... "mmmhmmm I remember when my blah blah". Yeah, that's not cool.
• Use more You's than Me's: I find that sometimes, in order to console a friend of mine, I'll start saying "I know just how you feel girl" and then proceed to tell a story about myself. I now realize that while that may be good in some situations (because it's nice to know that you aren't alone) it may not always be necessary. It turns the conversation about you when the main focus should be your friend. Make sure that if you're friend is talking, they are doing more of the venting. And if you have gone through the experience, speak less of the details that happened, and more of what you learned from it.
• Put yourself in their shoes: It's hard to feel for someone when you can't relate to them, but in order to really get into the conversation, try to imagine what the person is going through and how it would make you feel. Showing empathy can be really helpful for the person who is trying to unwind.
• Mhms and Uh-huh's make a difference: My friends are always on me about this because they swear that my mind is elsewhere when we are on the phone when all I am doing is staring at the ceiling! While a person is speaking, they usually want to know that they have your UNDIVIDED attention. Although they can visually see you locking eyes with them when you speak in person, it may be a whole different story when the two of you are on the phone. Drop the occasional "I feel you girl", or "Is that right?" so that you're friend knows that you're all ears.
• Speak life into the situation: While venting helps shake away alot of stress, it's a very simple way to dwell on some very negative thoughts. After he/she gets it all out, do your best to get your friend out of this mood. If it's about school, try to come up with a study plan together so that she won't find herself in the same position. If it's about a weight problem, then talk about how you guys can go to the gym together or have a healthy night out. Perhaps she doesn't want to say anything at all. Maybe that's when it's time to pop in a comedy film or just vibe to some good music. Do what it takes to promote a better  outcome.
• Always assume confidentiality: There's nothing worse than having your business out in the open. If someone comes to you with very intimate details of their life, then they trust you with their deepest concerns. Do not disclose what they told you to other people (no matter how close they may or may not be to the person) unless keeping that secret may threaten their life (suicidal thoughts, plans for robbery, etc.).

Yeah so let's all be better listeners and consequently better friends. I trust it will only be beneficial.

Treading Water

I realize that the inception of a blog probably won't be profound or perfectly written so I should keep it simple. I'd like to start off by writing where I stand today and what I hope to get out of typing up a lot of my inner thoughts.

In short, I feel "aight". I am generally content with how I look and act. I like the giant steps that my faith has taken to get where I am at. I am doing a decent job in school and preparing for future trips to Haiti. My relationships with my friends and family are good. (Mkay, it's okay to yawn, I'll break the monotony in a sec).

On the flipside, I often feel very far behind from the person who I truly want to be! I am a hard worker, but some days I stand in front of the mirror evaluating myself and feel like all of the potential I see in myself is just stored up in my hair somewhere afraid to come out:
-The pages of my bible could probably receive more love, and I wish I would just pray more often.
-I am doing okay in school, but I have yet to ace a single test this semester.
-My gut sticks out a teeny bit more as a constant reminder that I should probably hit up the gym.
-I want to make moves in Haiti, it's a team effort and I'll need some money. Consequently...
-I need a J-O-B!
-I dress kinda frumpy, and I'm 18. It's time for a change!
-I love hearing from my friends and family but I have a funny way of showing it: Sometimes I text/call back with lightning speed and other times I just don't.
-Love life: It's non-existent.
-The only thing that I am certain of is that God has given me a good heart. I'm quite thankful for that.

Living in this slump has become very redundant. It's as if I'm in the middle of the ocean, just treading water. I'm doing everything in my power to keep my nose above the water, and for what?! ...Just to stay afloat. The problem with this is that even though I'm still living [I mean I haven't drowned yet], I'm really not getting anywhere by doing this. However it does take great strength to tread water for a long time. Likewise, it takes a strong person to keep fighting to reach their full potential and ultimately their purpose.

So I do want to begin this blog by stating that I am a diamond in the rough. I am currently working on myself, crafting my talents and trying to not just get used to this life, or simply "take things day by day", but really live it out to the fullest. I know that I need help, advice, and courage to see my dreams fulfilled, but I AM going to make it with the help of my God, family, and friends. I'm using this blog as my canvas, and hopefully some readers can relate to the things I write.

I suppose this post is just a DISCLAIMER: The following content includes complex thoughts, ponderous topics, possible personal growth and the occasional SAT vocabulary word. Read at your own risk.