January 2012 Postings

01.29.12 - renee d. - Risen From The Rubble;

What a spectacular weekend!!! A family festival of worship and talent. Watching the new beautiful butterfly that is the new St. Joseph's Home emerge from its cocoon. Dedicating the new building with spirit, song, blessings and family. Celebrating together 27 years of ministry to the youth of Haiti with food, fun and fellowship. On Saturday, January 28, 2012 --- two years after an earthquake destroyed St. Joseph's Home for Boys and only one year since construction began --- the St. Joseph Family not only celebrated 27 years of ministering to the youth of Haiti, but also dedicated the Phase 1 building of the new St. Joseph's Mission Center. This building will be primarily for the youth of St. Joseph's Home for Boys, with a kitchen, dining room, family room and four bedrooms; also included in the building are three guest rooms and a beautiful rooftop garden lounge with an unbelievable 360-degree view of Port-au-Prince. (see the "27 Ane" tab above for event photos).

01.29.12 - geoffrey h. - day 6: a new home:
Wow. What a week – we had all witnessed the transformation of a large building, had caught up with old and new friends, and had danced and sang and played. There was such positive energy, such an awareness of the good that emanates from this mission. And, the Anniversary Service on Saturday morning would be the capstone.  The family room was ready, with 80 chairs set up, a beautiful alter, a memorial plaque to Ben Larson, who died in the 2010 earthquake at St. Joseph’s, and the 2012 anniversary painting on an easel for all to behold. The crowded began to gather and soon there was standing room only, with chairs spilling into the courtyard outside. Pastor Rick Barger kicked off the service and from that point forward there was nothing but forward momentum and positive energy. Walnes’ song went off without a hitch, the speaking and singing dancing and playing was remarkably uplifting and the atmosphere was light, bright, and smelled brand new. It was nearly 27 years to the day since the SJF was started to bring in the neediest boys off the street and offer them a new start. And, the sense in the air Saturday morning was also that a new, wonderful era was off to a tremendous start. At the end of the service, Michael welcomed the architect of the building, Lionel Allen, as well as his staff into the room for a round of applause and then a big surprise – Saturday was also Lionel’s birthday, so the celebration was even richer. After the service concluded, the group all moved to La Reserve for the reception. La Reserve is a spectacular setting, with tropical vegetation lining a large patio and a generally fun vibe. The musicians from the St. Trinity Music School met us and we kicked off the event with a movement of a work by a Haitian classical composer, then we got into the Mozart. It was so nice to collaborate with these musicians and there was a group of fans that stood around and clicked pictures of our multi-cultural music. After we finished, the RDTH did an amazing rendition of the piece I had seen them rehearsing the previous evening and several others got up to do impromptu performances. Seeing all of these wonderful experiences together with dozens of other guests and having the opportunity to participate and interact with everyone at the St. Joseph Family, it is hard to imagine a warmer environment. These boys at St. Joe’s and Trinity, the residents of Wings, and the students of the LST, as well as the staff, are a remarkably talented and dedicated bunch. They set themselves apart from so many other aspects of Haiti, a wonderful and special country, but a place where there are critical challenges are common. At the SJF, the youth are encouraged to wear their hearts on their sleeve – to speak publically – to make responsible decisions – to give back to their country. These are the role models for the future of Haiti and we should be proud and grateful to be a partner to this outstanding organization.

01.28.12 - geoffrey h. - day 5: festival:

The next morning was a rush to the start, with last minute arrangements for our Family Festival performance, arrivals by the residents of Wings and Trinity House, alumni of the SJF, and early departures by the HTF contingent to see their programming in the Central Plateau. Since the building was not yet accessible, we all gathered in the SJHB Art Center for the festivities, which began with the ringing of the bell promptly at 10:00 AM. The mood was expectant and harried construction and cleaning continued all the while. What followed was an uplifting array of storytelling, singing, and clapping led by Bill and Walnes and with contributions from other members of the leadership. Three of the original members of the St. Joseph’s Home for Boys got up to boisterous applause from everyone and Jean Ristil told his story for those who may not have heard it. Most of the speaking was in Kreyol, which is a language that is very easy on the ears and readily conveys passionate emotion. For lunch, people lined up outside the kitchen as goat in Kreyol sauce, rice, and beans were served to all. Goat is a popular fare in Haiti and is a personal favorite, but I have to say that this was the most tender and flavorful goat I have had to-date, which is not surprising given the standard of cooking at the St. Joseph’s Home for Boys. The afternoon was an exciting time of music, song, and impromptu performance. Following introductions by Maya and Walnes, Clara and I led the event off with Wootrod’s song and our Mozart duet, then the day just started to jive, with joyful renditions of songs by residents of Trinity, Wings, and St. Joseph’s, skits, dancing, and drumming. It was a party and pretty soon the soft drinks and Prestige were flowing. Walnes had opened the celebration by saying that the SJF was a family of talent, and this was on full display. Clara and I were so proud to be a part of it with our own music. 

All the while, the workers were making miraculous progress. The scaffolding was taken down from the entire structure, the site was cleaned of all construction supplies and debris, temporary landings on the stairs were installed as well as a short bridge to the guest house, floors were swept, beds were made, furniture was carried to each room and the rooftop, the cisterns were installed, and all the lights and the fans were functioning. And, on top of all this, the fantastic art that had been installed on the sides of the building was now completely visible – including colorful iron butterflies and a white stylized version of the St. Joseph’s Home for Boys logo running vertically down the length of the structure. This particular installation, designed by Ralph Allen, is particularly impressive, not only in its scale, but also in the message of uplifting transformation it so boldly conveys to the surrounding neighborhood. To add to the joyful atmosphere, the RDTH was rehearsing in the new family room, with drumming and music that brought down many onlookers, from construction workers, to guests, to residents. Then, literally 30 minutes before the large group of guests arrived in the late afternoon, the construction noise stopped. The seemingly impossible had been achieved – the building that just 72 hours earlier lacked a staircase, balconies, fixtures, windows, etc. was now ready for occupancy – clean sheets, water coolers and all. It was a miracle and we all knew it. The first thing I wanted to do was get up on the roof to see the view from the top. What a breathtaking vista of Port-au-Prince, the mountains, and the sea. That first trip to the roof was truly a moment to remember. That evening, the family room was decorated and Clara and I got down to the business of rehearsing with Walnes, who we would be accompanying on a St. Joseph Family inspired arrangement of ‘The Holy City’. However, after a few minutes of rehearsal, it quickly became clear that we were approaching the piece from very different places. We had sheet music and fixed parts and Walnes had learned the song by ear from a recording. The keys were different, the chorus was in different places, and his rhythm was swung, not staid like ours.   We were in trouble and there were plently of onlookers popping in to watch the frustrating rehearsal drag on. Then, things all the sudden started to gel. Walnes is such a talent and a quick study – he did everything he could to meld with our parts and make it work – and all with a big smile. We wrapped up feeling good – just another small miracle in a week of transformation. 

  01.27.12 - geoffrey h. - day 4: collaboration:
One of the major goals I had set for our trip was to successfully collaborate with local Haitian classical musicians. Fortunately, our contacts at the St. Trinity School of Music were up for chamber music collaboration and Thursday morning at 8AM was to be our one rehearsal before a performance on Saturday at the Anniversary reception. Working collaboratively with these performers was very important to me as a form of cultural diplomacy. These were individuals we had never met, who had very different traditions and life experiences, but with whom we could communicate readily through the language of music. I had brought down a big binder of chamber works to choose from and that morning we set out to get the C Major Viola Quintet of Mozart in good enough shape to perform on Saturday. At the end of our rehearsal, Clara and I both commented on how much more smoothly this rehearsal had gone than previous international exchanges. These musicians, Father David, Thala, and Gladia, were talented and kind collaborators. I was so grateful and relieved.

After some browsing for paintings by the Kinam Hotel, we headed back to St. Joseph’s and then were promptly whisked off with some other guests for a quick jaunt up the mountain to Wings of Hope. For us, the reason to tag along with the group was to get a chance for a stop at the mountain lookout. I had been up to the lookout before, but wanted to give Clara the opportunity, since it is truly among the best ways to see Port-au-Prince. On a clear day, from the lookout you can see a hundred miles over the city, the surrounding countryside, and the sea. The view is utterly breathtaking and steep precipice is not for the faint of heart. Back at St. Joe’s later that day we greeted the first wave of dozens of representatives of the Haitian Timoun Foundation, who had arrived at St. Joe’s for the Anniversary. HWH is so grateful to have amazing partners, like the HTF, in supporting the St. Joseph Family. We are all committed to this tremendous mission, and, although I had never met most of these folks in person, it was somehow like a reunion with old friends. After some great conversation with these friends, a few of us gathered in the main room of the guest house to rehearse for the next day’s Anniversary Festival. First on the agenda was Wootrod’s piece which, just 24 hours after being ‘commissioned’ was ready for primetime. The only catch – he now wanted Clara and me to play with him. What a welcome surprise. So, together with Bill Nathan on drums, the three of us listened to Wootrod play an astonishing song and, little by little, started improvising off his tune. And, pretty soon we were sounding terrific, guests were lingering around the room to listen in, and ready for our performance the following day. Outside, construction was moving along as quickly as possible, with the workers continuing well into the evening to ensure the building was ready for occupancy when dozens of guests arrived the next day. Some windows installed, and some scaffolding had been removed and debris cleaned up, lights and fixtures were installed, and concrete stairs around the perimeter were poured and drying. The workers were working hard together, sparks were flying, and hammering was echoing loudly off the surrounding structures; however there was still no access possible by non-construction workers as the stairs lacked landings on each floor.   But, even with anxieties about the building’s completion, the energy was frenetic – everyone knew it was going to be finished just at the right time.

01.26.12 - geoffrey h. - day 3: joyful surprises:
While all of the guests that would be staying at St. Joseph’s over the next week would be reason to rejoice, for me this meant lodging in the large white tent out in back of the guest house chapel. But, in all reality, the tent is a wonderful place to bed down – spacious, serene, and wonderfully cool at night – so I was pleasantly surprised when I learned that this would be my home for the time at St. Joseph’s.   That morning I awoke to a cacophony of roosters calling out – a veritable symphony that was a fitting prelude to the day’s activities. After breakfast it was time for rehearsal in the chapel at St. Joseph’s. The chapel is such a special place – an outdoor room surrounded by verdant plants and Haitian art, with warm light filtering in through the translucent ceiling and a cool breeze always wafting through. Clara and I pulled out our instruments and went to work on some duets – the music filled the air and, we imagined, sounded quite foreign to those in the surrounding neighborhood. When we played the last chords of the Mozart Duet in C Major we were greeted by applause from across the street – through the vines and over the wall of our building were some boys and girls looking on with piqued curiosity. What a joy to see their faces. That afternoon we asked Walnes to find the chalkboard for our lesson and I dragged the cumbersome object upstairs with some helpful hands. When the boys saw it, I could see the disappointment on their faces – this was not supposed to be class! Still, Clara and I had a goal in mind – today we would be teaching rhythms and notation. We were undeterred. Through fits and starts we got the boys to clap duples and triplets, played major and minor chords, and asked them to demonstrate their skills for the group. While some of the boys clearly didn’t think it was too cool to seem interested at all in such frivolity, there were some breakthroughs – and this was satisfaction enough for us. After all, these are teenage boys that have soccer to play buddies to hang out with. We were heartened. As a final component of our class, we asked the boys to brainstorm three adjectives that described their past, present, and future. With some prodding, we got good results that clearly showed their progression from orphaned street boys, to the environment of the SJHB, and their dreams for a bright future. Past – sad and lonely; present – family and happiness; future – independence and success. With these and other themes, we asked Wootrod Joly, one of the SJHB boys, to compose and perform a song set to guitar describing this story in music. We told him he was to perform in just two days at the Family Festival on Friday. With normal teenage boys this would be way too much to ask, but these kids are like rock stars who can do anything they try for. And, Wootrod is a born songwriter. When asked to do this, he seemed nonplussed, but his big grin showed his pride at the assignment. But that was only the beginning. After class, I went downstairs to greet a guest who had just arrived and when I reemerged in the chapel, Joseph had asked Clara for her violin and proceeded to learn and demonstrate Twinkle Twinkle Little Star in less than a minute. From a music educator’s standpoint this is truly unprecedented for beginner that has never laid hands on a violin. Our jaws dropped along with the guests that had gathered to watch our class – and, Joseph was pretty pleased with himself too. In reality, Joseph is a remarkable talent – he cannot read music but plays the piano very well.   So his innate abilities on the violin should have come as no surprise to any of us, but it was, nonetheless, like a miracle to behold. From that moment forward we had captured the attention of a few of the boys – and they were now eager to learn and watch us perform. That evening we all gathered around by the piano downstairs in the guesthouse and took turns handing over our instruments to whoever wanted to try them out. Joseph serenaded us with various selections on the piano and even played a duet of Canon in D with Clara. There was abundant laughter. Outside the workers were clanging away on the balconies and exterior stairwell of the new building. Mind you, when we had arrived literally 48 hours earlier there was no stairwell, only a deep pit, or balconies of any kind – the only access was by rickety ladders.   Now there was a towering 7 story stairwell structure and four balconies running across the entire façade of the building. Whoa – what joyful surprises. 


01.27.12 - lucy d. - january 2012 visit:
I'm back in Haiti with my Haitian family at Wings of Hope. Haiti always amazes me. In this house  even in very difficult circumstances there is such joy and hope. Even though there are so many handicapped children in a non-handicapped house everyone seems to grow and thrive. Today two graduates from Julliard gave a concert for the children that was interactive.  What great joy they brought to the children. All the children were given a chance to play the violin. How much fun they had with that. Geoffrey and Clara  will work with the boys at St. Joseph's the rest of the week and they will also play for the anniversary celebration this weekend. I have been coming to Haiti since 1985 and have known this family all that time. It is so rewarding to see the joy in these homes.  They always seem to find the bright side  all situations. I am looking forward to the 27th anniversary celebration this weekend. I have been privileged to participate in many of them. They truly are my family.

01.25.12 - geoffrey h. - day 2: musique:
Like math, music is a universal language. Cultures all over the world have musical expression, and regardless of social unrest, economic instability, or natural disasters, music can be heard with its many forms of expression easily discerned and the artist’s emotional intent always coming across clearly where words fall short. In the minutes, days, and hours following the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, music could be heard in chants and prayers – in mourning at the loss of loved ones and exuberance at having survived one of the worst disasters to strike our planet in recent memory. On Tuesday morning, we got going early and scrambled to arrange our game plan for the morning. KC, Jacky, Renee, and other staff at Wings had been good enough to assemble the kids on the patio for our performance activities and we were eager to make the most of it. We settled on a few duets, some Bach, and some Paganini – all with questions, interaction, and dialogue interspersed. The night before, we has wondered how the kids would react to our music – would it be satisfying, mind-numbing, exciting, or fall flat? Alec Bersch, KC’s brother, was quick to remind us that, unlike many students in the US, these kids and young adults had not had many opportunities to be exposed to string instruments and that they would almost certainly be thrilled. I had to pinch myself – why was I worried or dubious when what I should have been feeling was joy to be exchanging traditions with people that I care deeply about? And, the morning was just that – absolutely joyous. We played our music, the kids laughed, grinned, danced, and drummed. They tried Clara’s violin and gave us the opportunity to learn how our own music and traditions went over in a very different culture. After a visit with the architects for St. Joseph’s and Wings of Hope, we were back at SJHB and just in time for our first music appreciation class with the St. Joe’s boys. Clara developed a wonderful lesson plan for our week and we were eager to test it out. Today would be ‘Who am I? What is art/music?’ and we would be listening to an eclectic assortment, ranging from Crumb to Bartok. The objective, getting into dialogue about what music is and isn’t, what it means to these young men, and what kind of images are conjured up by some really colorful pieces. What we learned from each other is that what professional musicians from the US hear when they listen to Black Angels is strikingly similar to what these Haitian teenagers perceive – war, violence, fear, and, in the end, peace and resurrection. Music is a distraction, helps tell a story, is a means to an end for those seeking fame. Music has to have a tune, words, or rhythm, or some combination of the above. Music can bring joy and amplify sadness. Above all, music is human.

01.24.12 - geoffrey h. - day 1, back to haiti:
Monday marked the beginning of my week-long journey to back to Haiti to spend time with the St. Joseph Family as they commemorate 27 years of transforming the lives of children. This time, however, I am joined by my old friend Clara Lyon, a violinist whom I first met during my days as a Master’s viola student in New York. Clara and are coming to Haiti on a mission of cultural diplomacy aimed at exchanging art and culture with the St. Joseph Family and other local musicians. Clara is a concert violinist who is on track to get her Doctorate in musical arts and has a similar kind of good heart, adventurous nature, and intellectual curiosity that can be found among the many other guests that come and go at the guest houses of the St. Joseph Family. We arrived in Port-au-Prince in late afternoon and were immediately greeted by friendly porters at the airport, all looking for an opportunity to earn some business, but also earnestly interested in helping visitors to Haiti find their way amid the considerable confusion of Toussaint L’Overture airport. After a while, we were met by Ronnie, one of the drivers for the SJF and now and warm, familiar face. We drove over the roads of Port-au-Prince and we both exclaimed at how differently wonderful Haiti is when compared to our own country. There is an air of freedom here, of humanity and openness that is sometimes hard to come by in the States and makes visitors feel at home quickly. While on our way up to Wings, we were lucky enough to first stop by St. Joe’s, where we were greeted with the customary, but always welcome cold glass of water – it’s just one of the many simple ways the SJF makes its visitors feel like they are invited and is astonishingly refreshing in its simplicity. We were immediately whisked off to see the new building, which looms like a massive beacon of positivity behind the guest house. Now virtually complete, workers are laboring day and night to get it ready for the anniversary celebrations later this week. Its brightly painted exterior, which will soon be adorned with Haitian metal art, embodies the spirit of Haiti and the SJF. Then up to Wings we went. I was really excited to see everyone again – and it somehow felt like I had never left when we pulled into the guesthouse driveway. Upstairs were familiar faces and I was delighted to be back. After a meal of baguettes, sausage, kiwi fruit, cheese, and Prestige beer we decided on our performance activities for the next day and turned in for the night. A good night’s sleep never felt better.

01.18.12 - alec b. - two years with Le-Douze;
Friends who may be interested, here are some thoughts that came to me, while reflecting on both the earthquake in 2010, and my time in Haiti since then. What a difference two years can make. If 2011 was the year for accepting and mourning loss, then 2012, hopefully, is the year for renewal, rebirth and celebration. Many people see anniversaries of events like the "Le Douze" as unnecessary reminders of tragic events. For some, it is like pouring salt water on a wound that refuses to heal. And yet for eternally optimistic people, like my sister, Bill Nathan or Michael Geilenfeld, it is a time to celebrate the past while looking towards the future. Two years since the shaking of the earth brought the end of the world to Haiti. Two years since despair and fear encompassed the lives of so many. Two years since new lives began, and two years since people began the process of restoration and renewal. Two years since Le Douze. For last year's anniversary, there were many high profile memorials. Services at the palace, services at the various universities, but there didn't seem to be many small services - not many person to person celebrations. Even with the Saint Joseph's homes, none of the three had an earthquake service. This year though, things were different. Person to person celebrations everywhere, small house churches - and all three of the homes had earthquake memorial services. Perhaps as a collective, the Haitian people are ready to reflect. The Larsons (as in Renee and Jonathan, who were at St. Joseph's for the earthquake but lived, and Renee's husband Ben, who was killed at St. Joseph's) came to Haiti this week. Renee and Jonathan were accompanied by many family members and friends. They held a memorial service at St. Joseph's on "Le Douze", in honor of Ben's life and all others who were killed. Kc and I (as well as anyone else who felt compelled) were invited by the Larson family - even though it was a smaller, more family driven service. For the two of us, it was the first time that we had seen Renee and Jon since the earthquake. And what a privilege it was to be with them for the anniversary of the quake, especially in such a moving, touching service at St. Joseph's. I remember the night before the earthquake quite vividly. The Resurrection Dance Theater were performing in the fifth floor, dedicated for RDTH rehearsal and performance. Many visitors were there - among them the three Larsons, myself and Patrick Henry (a close friend who was visiting from Baltimore). At the time, I was hobbling around on a few broken toes, and Ben Larson (in his lifelong sense of charity) was helping me get off and on the risers. Following the end of the performance, the particular audience (typically made up of people who were guests at St. Joseph's or Wings) gave a rousing ovation, standing to their feet. And as with every RDTH performance hosted at St. Joseph's, Michael ended the night with an invitation for everyone to sing "Lord of the Dance". Two years later, as many people who experienced the earthquake together are back under the roof of the chapel at St. Joseph's, we celebrated the life of Ben and the lives of so many who were lost. We mourned the social ills and trials that Haiti has faced, but praised the strength of character that this country possesses. And lastly, we celebrated the sense of community and faith that binds together all that are connected to the St. Joseph family. In the presence of Michael Geilenfeld, the boys of St. Joseph's, and so many others who have given countless amounts of time and dedication to the St. Joseph family, we ended the two year anniversary memorial the same way we ended that dance theater performance - with joy and celebration, singing "lord of the dance".