by Leonard Gengel
My week in Haiti was wonderful and filled with surprises, my flight arrived early and our ride to Grand Goave was the quickest yet. I was at my desk working on Monday morning at 10:45 AM which is as efficient as in the States. Our solar was working longer because the sun is up longer during the day, how exciting and what a cost savings for BLB. Thanks to Solect Energy and Greg Smith our Electrician who installed and have managed the solar system. We also have a new friend named Jerry at BLB, Jerry owns and operates Invertect Solar & Electrical. He is an electrical engineer and installs and services many solar/generator systems off the Grid in Haiti. He lives in the mountains above the Hotel Montana where Britney perished, in Kenscoff, when we needed the generator and didn’t have all the money for it, Jerry stepped up and said put it on his charge at the supply house. I only met Jerry a couple of times as we bought an inverter for the solar system and had him service it as well a couple of months ago and he brought his beautiful mother for the 2.5 hour drive out to Brit’s Orphanage. This past week Jerry came back out with his 82 year old mother, who’s name is Lucienne and tought 2 of our maintenance guys, Cupidon and Arismat how to properly change the oil filter, gas filter and air filter along with the oil. What was surprising was when Jerry was finished I asked him for a bill as he provided the filters and oil for the generator and he said, Len I went to where Gama bought the generator and told them I was going to do the first service on the new generator and they gave me all the filters and oil needed, no charge! Well then I said to Jerry, how much do I owe you for driving back and forth and teaching our men the correct way to install the filters, he said, my mother loves the ride out here and you always feed us lunch and visit with us, so this is on us he says, this has never happened to me in Haiti and this includes building the orphanage. Now I have had missionary and craftsmen from the states volunteer, but never has a for profit Haitian business done something so generous!
Lucienne is a beautiful older lady, very prominent looking with a very special glow about her, she grew up under the US Controlled Haiti and then Papa Doc and Baby Doc along with Aristide and her son told us all at lunch a very surprising story. You see many Catholics in Haiti lately have been beaten, raped and murdered across the county as of the past few months. Madame Lucienne last week went to join a Peaceful Protest in downtown Port au Prince and stood in the blearing sun for 4 hours to honor those that have been beaten or lost and to let the government of Haiti know that this is not acceptable. She never told Jerry or her daughter that she was going to protest, she just left a note that she was going to visit someone and only told them after her return. I was shocked to say the least because I have met this beautiful women only 3 times and she did not remind me of someone who would march in a 4 hour protest in one of the most dangerous sections of Port au Prince. I hope I live to 82 and I hope I have the where with all to march down the street for 4 hours and stand up for what I believe is moral and right! God Bless this beautiful soul, I hope she continues to be blessed with a long and healthy life.
Another surprise this week was one of our Grant Writing Volunteers came down to Haiti as a Britsionary to experience Haiti as any of our past 350+ Britsionary’s have done. Michael is full of energy and enthusiasm and just could not believe what we have accomplished in Haiti. I explained to him that we built a First World Orphanage in a Third World Country and we are constantly challenged to maintain the building. Michael was an Executive Director of a Non Profit for 26 years and is semi-retired and has been volunteering the past few months for BLB, his wife Nina is a Professor at Becker College and has to BLB in Haiti also, so you see the connection. Michael and I walked the entire 3.5 acres of land at BLB, 11 separate piece of property over the past 4.5 years that we have purchased and I shared with him our vision and goals of being a self-sustaining orphanage. He loved our vegetable gardens and fruit trees and is an Organic Farmer himself, so he was an interesting man to talk to and get to know. The surprising thing was on Thursday Afternoon CA and Kristin our US Director told me to tell Michael that the first grant that he applied for, the Niles Foundation has awarded $2500 to BLB, Michael was overjoyed and so wasn’t I as this was the first Grant BLB has been awarded.
The Airport in Haiti was always full of surprises and not for welcoming it’s Missionary’s. In 2010 there was not a fence to the outside and beggars, hustlers and people who were just desperate harassed you every step of the way until you found your driver at the end of the walkway. Over the years we have seen many improvements, but while leaving Haiti on my last trip I experienced a first for me in Haiti. We take so much for granted in the USA where technology makes life much easier for us, but in Haiti with part time power and the lack of constant internet, they are way behind the rest of the world. When I entered AA departure area it looked different, I showed the gal my passport and with the usual bonjour she said would you like to try our new Kiosk? I looked to my right and low and behold there it was, I stuck my passport in and my name came up, it asked a couple of standard questions and print goes my ticket, I picked it up and had a smile from ear to ear. Yes it’s the little things in life that make us happy and Haiti was filled with surprises, right up to my exit out of the country, Bon Travay Haiti, you are taking your people into the 21st Century.
This past week I was in the US at BLB’s Operation Center, I started out on Sunday Morning at St Mary’s Church in Jefferson, MA where the Knights of Columbus did a Breakfast for the 3rd year in a row. The guys are great and 2 of them came to Brit’s Orphanage back in the fall of 2012 to build our children’s bunkbeds, cubbies and dressers, Chris and Jack along with Kenny and David where wonderful craftsman and teachers, so I always look forward to coming back! Cherylann and our son Bernie were in Haiti all week and improving our re-organization at BLB along with hiring a new Haitian Sociologist. Bernie who just graduated from Suffolk University in Boston, MA in December had quite the surprise in Haiti this week. Bernie’s sophomore year was Serendipitous to say the least as his new roommate was one Michael Martely the President of Haiti son. Sandro is his family name and even though he transferred to BU he and Bernie remained friends and this past Friday Sandro came out to Brit’s Orphanage to visit and perform for our children, you see Sandro’s stage name is T-Mickey and is a Rock Star in Haiti and soon the world. Bernie and Cherylann will be writing next weeks blog and I’m sure you will see and hear much more about it. Let’s just say our girls thought they saw the Beatles if you get my drift and Sandro was so kind and compassionate to our kids!
Haiti is full of surprises and so isn’t the USA as yesterday I spoke for the 4th time at Skills USA, which is a group of vocational school students who are the best of the best in their trades and then compete all week and on Saturday they have the closing ceremonies and Be Like Brit has been their charity of choice and they raised $6100 for Brit’s Orphanage. I spoke of our 66 children and our 83 Haitian Employees along with our Haitian Director Amanda! The 2500 students, teacher and parents gave us a Standing Ovation which is always touching since they are the next generation of leaders in the USA! On my way out the door 2 beautiful young ladies called out Mr Gengel, and I turned and they had 2 blankets that they made that had hearts and a message on them, I hugged and thanked them and they told me they made them themselves and that there were a total of 66 of them in the box, it was there way of sending a hug to their brothers and sisters in Haiti, I was so touched!
In Closing, we have had many surprises in Haiti at Brit’s Orphanage and it’s nice to feel the Hope that is present almost every day in Haiti at Be Like Brit!!!
Thank You for helping us help the Children of Haiti at Be Like Brit…
Keeping the Faith in Haiti and the USA!!!
Len Gengel, Co-Founder
Be Like Brit Foundation, Inc.
