Day 19:

Today we invite you to enter into Maison Handal, a brand new store in Tabarre, an area of town about 4 miles from our PeaceCYCLE workshop. This new store could be compared to a Target in the US. A little bit of everything.
Some amazing features of this store include that it is:
-Huge
-Clean
-Bright
-Organized

We try to give our staff experiences to help open their world view. We have gone up the mountain to see the city from above and experience the cool breeze of the elevation, we have gone to museums, and visited parks. The idea is that the staff begins to learn that there is a bigger world beyond their small cinder block home, and that there is both hope and a future for them and their country. Often times, culturally, they feel that they must leave Haiti to experience any of these things, and we are striving to help them see the beauty in their own home.

This pre-Christmas outing was one for the memory books. The idea was to see cleanliness and organization and appreciate that. The idea was to see something that seems “foreign” and realize it is within reach. In addition, it was a great chance for our efforts to empower our staff with the joy of giving.

We rented a tap tap (aka: a beat up small s10 pickup that would long ago have been illegal on the roads in the US) packed 13 people in, and headed out to our adventure. It was a surprise, no one knew where we were going.... there were guesses all along the route..... from afar, they saw the tall building as we waited in traffic due to horrible road conditions, they commented on the beautiful building and discussed what it was......but they never realized until we were in the parking lot, that it was our destination. They gazed up at the looming 2 story building, and no one dared to enter the door.

This is the door we discuss today - - the door of opportunity. Not that entering the “Target” - a place were we can purchase more material possessions that we probably don't need, but the freedom to enter any door (a store, a part of town, an office, etc...) no matter the “social level” that it represents.

The staff felt uncertain if they were “allowed” to enter. They knew that within those doors was a world that they had never seen and wouldn't understand. They knew that there were uncertainties within that building and didn't want to get a furrowed look from security.


But, they were armed! Armed with a band of other fine looking co-workers prepared to experience the surprise! (and armed with a $20 bill - fancy stores such as this sell their items in US dollars because it is more stable). This was a part of their Christmas bonus. A chance to either keep the money or have a small shopping spree.

The experience was more likened to that of going to a museum. It was mid-day on a weekday, so the store was rather empty of other customers, and due to its massive size, it seemed vacant! The staff clustered together in groups at first, afraid to meander on their own. Eventually, some got the courage to explore independently. The concept of being in the store was an experience in itself. There were lots of pictures taken, and lots of giggling. Many huge smiles, and a WHOLE lot of perfume/cologne sampling (let's just say we were one fine smelling crew on the way home!)

A few of them chose to save their money for other plans, but many spent some or all of their shopping spree money on gifts for their family!


Today's Challenge: Think about the first time you ever went to a department store. Hard to remember, eh? Likely you were toted through one as a small child, long before your memory was formed. But imagine if you were 46 years old when that first took place..... imagine how your life would be different simply without the experience of regularly walking through the isles of a department store, and being able to purchase a wide array of items at any given moment. (note: not all results of having this experience are positive, it has the tendency to turn us materialistic, always wanting more things, and never satisfied, and for that we must be careful). However, seeing and knowing that things exist, and that they may be available to help us complete a task; knowing that you can just “run to the store” and grab the needed items to finish something today, and knowing it will be available, and the price will be relatively the same as it was yesterday!

Today we encourage you to go to a store. Not so much to BUY anything, but to just take a deep breathe, and recognize how amazing it is to have access to these many and various material goods.

Day 14 & 15:

Due to technical difficulties, you get the day off of opening doors..... .but we challenge you today to be thankful for your access to electricity and internet.  

Day 12:

​
​This is Rosianie. Each day, she carries her sewing machine outside. This gives her space so she can sew where there is natural light. Her tiny one room house with a tin roof is enclosed with minimal natural light making sewing difficult, because there is also no electricity.

In addition, she hauls out a large box of miscellaneous used clothes she has purchased to resell. These clothes, sold in bundles of unknown content, are cast-offs from US thrift stores. She purchases a bundle and places them out to sell while she is sewing! We are proud of her for her multi-tasking and entrepreneurial efforts!

This type of sales (almost like a perpetual garage sale) are common all along the streets. Some have clothes, others sell miscellaneous kitchen utensils, still others have an assortment of tools. With a 70% unemployment rate in Haiti, many people attempt to buy such bundles and re-sell them. Very few people have an income they can rely upon. They may sell fruit or vegetables on the street, praying that it sells so they can make a few Gourde (The Gourde is the Haitian currency) to pay for personal needs, but often do not consider the need to hold back cash to re-invest in buying more murchandise and thus they cannot continue.. With minimal or no education, very basic business skills are lacking, and often they will even sell their items at a loss, just to “have a sale” - not really understanding the costs involved supersede the price they sold the item for. When they do not have enough money to continue business the next day, they don't attribute that to poor business skills, but “lack of business” thinking if they had only sold more, then they would have more money.

Today's Challenge: As you rise on this Monday morning, and you are gearing up for a new work week, wishing it was still the weekend, we encourage you to just take a moment to be thankful for your employment.

Consider your work space.. Think about the physical area and accommodations (furniture, utensils, tools, machines, electronics, etc..) that enable you to do your job. Imagine doing your job without some of those accommodations.

We also encourage you to be thankful for the regularity of a paycheck, and the assurance that it will come. If you have your own business or have ever made an investment of such, think about the graces of being able to take out a loan to help you get started and keep afloat when times are difficult.

Take a moment to imagine the weeks leading up to Christmas and not knowing if you will have any money to buy food to prepare a Christmas meal for your family or to buy a small gift for your child. This is not intended to create a false sympathy for others, but to encourage us to be grateful as we start a new week. To put aside the begrudging Monday morning blues, and put on a spirit of joy as we kick off this new week!
​
And thank you for being a part of the CYCLE of Peace that helps us to give our employees regular income that they can depend on! Your support and encouragement and purchases truly make a difference!