The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) partnered with the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) on a joint volunteer trip to Haiti, April 28-May 5, 2012. In the post below, trip participant Jocelyn Furbush writes about the hope and inspiration she experienced with the Papaye Peasant Movement, a UUSC partner in Haiti. The UUSC-UUA Haiti Volunteer Program is made possible through the contributions of UUA and UUSC donors and a generous grant from the Veatch Program of the UU Congregation at Shelter Rock, in Manhasset, N.Y.

In the United States, we mostly hear bad news about Haiti. I suspect that in the outpouring of support after the earthquake, many donors like me gave with the thought of temporarily alleviating suffering. We didn't expect to permanently lift anyone out of poverty, let alone transform the country. It's hard to imagine changing deeply rooted systems of power and oppression. It's hard to imagine restoring a depleted environment to the point where it could provide a decent life to millions of people, ensuring that the inherent worth and dignity of each is respected. Nonetheless, I came here in search of hope that both those things were possible — and that's exactly what I've found.

One example of this living hope is the home garden of Moccene, an MPP youth leader. His inspiring success in improving soil productivity (and thus family income and well-being) through creative and organic methods represents more than a single story of someone making a positive change. Because this change grew from and continues through a mature and sophisticated system of community organizing and because this young farmer connects his personal actions to the larger political struggle for food sovereignty, I truly believe it represents a movement.

Another example of hope stirring in Haiti is seen in the MPP's cooperatives, not just for agricultural production but for value-added processing from what's grown. These co-ops craft jams, peanut butter, honey, and I'm sure more to come. The twin pines logo on the jars connect the system of equal shared investment and reward that created these products to cooperatives of all kinds around the world. In 2012, the International Year of Cooperatives, I'm especially honored to learn from Haitians who are building the kind of cooperative economy I'd like to see in my corner of the world.

Just one more beacon from my short time here has been the joy and human connection I've found with my fellow UU travelers and the Haitians we've worked and eaten beside. I've discovered the power of spontaneous song and dance to cross language barriers. I've seen incredible resilience, generosity, humor, love, and faith. As I reconnect with my own UU faith and the space it creates in my life for balancing social-justice action with reflection, I'm blessed to be witnessing the community bonds here. They are strong enough to mobilize members to action and flexible enough to welcome newcomers. MPP calls their organizers "animators," which brings to mind waking the community up to its own potential and sparking it with new life. In returning home, I hope to be more of an "animatrice" than an activist, waking people like me to the hope Haiti has for itself and to offer to the rest of us.

The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) partnered with the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) on a joint volunteer trip to Haiti, April 28-May 5, 2012. In the post below, trip participant Barbara Nelson reflects on the various ways to build foundations — with stones and with voices. The UUSC-UUA Haiti Volunteer Program is made possible through the contributions of UUA and UUSC donors and a generous grant from the Veatch Program of the UU Congregation at Shelter Rock, in Manhasset, N.Y.

I knew something was waiting here with this experience but had no idea what that something would be. Yesterday the form began to emerge. Much of what we had seen and heard began to fall into place. We now were participating in the helping to put the pieces together. The rain ceased, the preliminary steps were taken, and we actually began to build a home.

The organic nature of passing rocks and working side by side with the Haitians to lay the foundation of a new home was awesome. It felt so good to do something so concrete. To participate in an effort that will absolutely improve the quality of life for a family is amazing. At the start of the day it was "Yeah, stones!" At the end — tired, dirty, and sweaty — we still felt the same way: "Yeah, stones!"

Later on in the evening something totally unexpected happened. Our team was sitting on the front porch singing songs, practicing rounds, and sounding actually quite lovely in our own way. A young Haitian woman was standing on the path in front of our porch listening and smiling. We invited her up, along with some of her friends. With just very little encouragement she began to sing! Wow — how beautiful and powerful and very Haitian. Not a clue what she was singing, but we were still mesmerized. Our songs didn't quite have their energy, so we sat back and listened.

Over the next hour and a half, we sang. Well, mostly she and her friends sang, and we listened. We actually knew a Haitian song and sang it with them with gusto. And we all sang "Amazing Grace," us in English and them in Creole — that was magical. 

As the evening wore down, we invited them to join us another evening for another song fest. We hugged and said goodnight to our newfound friends. Another stone was laid.

The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) is partnering with the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) on a joint volunteer trip to Haiti, April 28-May 5, 2012. In the post below, trip participant Orelia Busch reflects on tiny movements and cataclysmic earthquakes. The UUSC-UUA Haiti Volunteer Program is made possible through the contributions of UUA and UUSC donors and a generous grant from the Veatch Program of the UU Congregation at Shelter Rock, in Manhasset, N.Y.

Since our arrival in Haiti last Saturday, I have experienced moments that I can only describe as touch points, when my whole body responds to something I have seen or heard with a tingle or a shiver in the core of my being. On the drive north from Port-au-Prince through the mountains, we waited for the drivers to fix a flat tire on the side of the busy road. Haitians dressed up brightly and sharply for church passed by our car windows, and we talked about earthquakes.

Someone said that the tiniest movement deep within the earth creates what we experience on the planet's surface as a cataclysm that can wreak unbelievable destruction and chaos. One of the trip leaders told us that she didn't really understand the full impact of the earthquake until she witnessed that not only had it destroyed lives and homes, but it also left cracks in the earth that changed the pattern of the very rivers that feed the farms and the people of Haiti.

I think about earthquakes as I feel something stir in me and muddle through my own reflections on the sensory and new-experience overload of beauty and hardness that I see in Haiti. I think about earthquakes when I listen to Chavannes Jean-Baptiste, our host and leader of the Papaye Peasant Movement, describe his dreams for Haiti. He is working with 60,000 others all over this country to build a nation where the divisions that keep neighbors from working together are no more; where all people have enough healthy, locally produced food to sustain their families; and where neighbors work together to educate themselves, better their lives, and preserve the environment for future generations.

I think about earthquakes and I believe that each small motion towards sustainability and self-determination in Haiti could have such great positive impact in the future.

I think about earthquakes, I feel those shivers and tingles at my core, and I wonder what new channels, cracks, and ways of being and seeing that this experience will forge within me.

Video Diary: Haiti Day 2 from UUA International on Vimeo.

The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) is partnering with the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) on a joint volunteer trip to Haiti, April 28–May 5, 2012. In the post below, chaplain and trip participant Megan Lynes talks about the powerful sense of community and interconnection she is finding there. The UUSC-UUA Haiti Volunteer Program is made possible through the contributions of UUA and UUSC donors and a generous grant from the Veatch Program of the UU Congregation at Shelter Rock, in Manhasset, N.Y.

­­­­­I came on this trip to Haiti because I felt deep compassion for the Haitian people following the earthquake two years ago. In learning about the devastation, I was aghast to find out about the centuries-long history of oppression and the long-term disempowerment of the Haitian people. When it became possible for me to participate in a UUA-UUSC service-learning trip, I knew I wanted to come here, learn all I could, contribute anything I could, and return home to teach others about what we can do together. What I didn't know when I signed up was that I would come into contact with one of the most important grassroots peasant-worker movements in the world today — and I didn't know how much hope is alive and spreading through this powerful people's movement. 

Yesterday was our second day at the Papaye Peasant Movement (Mouvement Paysan de Papaye, known by its acronym, MPP), and we spent much of it touring the compound and meeting Chavannes Jean-Baptiste, the executive director. He is warm, enthusiastic, clear-minded, and kind. It's easy to see why he has led more than 60,000 people for over 35 years, building this community into a place of health, equality, and visionary purpose.

Chavannes told us how human-rights organizations like the UUSC, and many governments all over the globe, partner with MPP. I felt in that moment that my life is intrinsically linked to the lives of the peasants here. What I have been so lucky to experience firsthand here in the Central Plateau is a sustainable community that most in Haiti can only hope to dream about. Yet, because we are all a part of the interconnected web of all existence, even the Haitians living in cities are part of the web, too. I cannot help but see each struggling or helping person as part of the entire picture. We each matter more to one another than we can ever really fathom.

"No one educates no one. We humans educate one another through the intermediary of the world." These words come from The Pedagogy of the Oppressed, a book written by Paulo Frieri. Chavannes mentioned them in his talk with us, describing how one of MPP's key goals is to empower the oppressed, emphasizing that everyone has the capacity to teach and learn from one another. He described "gwoupman," the organizational system of MPP, in which groups of 15-20 people spend three months working, bonding, and learning how to be cooperative together. They then stay together as a united group through the years. This is a powerful community model with respect at its center. I think there are many elements of U.S. society that could benefit greatly from the wisdom of their organizing model. The interconnected web of life extends beyond borders. Educating one another through the intermediary of the world begins with each of us.

The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) is partnering with the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) on a joint volunteer trip to Haiti, April 28-May 5, 2012. In the post below, trip communications specialist Nicole McConvery of the UUA writes in anticipation of a week filled with learning and growth. The UUA-UUSC Haiti Volunteer Program is made possible through the contributions of UUA and UUSC donors and a generous grant from the Veatch Program of the UU Congregation at Shelter Rock, in Manhasset, N.Y.

It's been four months since my first visit to Port-au-Prince as a green trip-leader-in-training, and I'm so thrilled to be back with the grounding of a successfully completed trip already under my belt.

This time around I'm serving as the delegation's communications specialist, documenting the experience as photographer, videographer, and blog coordinator for participants, the UUA and UUSC, and those following the trip from home. I'm really looking forward to seeing how things have progressed since the last time I was at the eco-village — and sharing that with all of you!

I'm here now on a sunny veranda, reviewing tomorrow's participant pick-up schedule with my wonderful team: UUSC Haiti Emergency Response Manager Wendy Flick, who has over 10 years of experience in Haiti, and Charles Huschle, former UUSC senior associate for foundations and corporations who served as a trip leader on the youth trip to Haiti last August.

We're excited to welcome our diverse group of 14 Unitarian Universalists from all walks of life and all corners of the United States. They will be joining us for a week of service with members of the Papaye Peasant Movement (MPP), located several hours outside of Port-au-Prince in the Central Plateau. It's hard work, but it's invigorating, giving us a chance to step outside of our relatively comfortable lives and make a difference for others.

As I've been here before, I feel very fortunate to have the unique opportunity to observe a group of first-timers in Haiti; to watch the group bond, evolve, process, and grow, while being a part of it myself, will be a completely different experience for me. I can't wait.

The following post was written by Mark Cronin-Golomb, one of UUSC's runners in the Boston Marathon, who has been raising vital funds for UUSC with his run. Read below to find out how the marathon went and where his fundraising goal stands!

Marathon Monday provided us with hot weather as expected. I'd been training with the Tufts Marathon Team, so I took the team bus with them to the Boston Common where the Boston Athletic Association buses for Hopkinton load. It's a bit sobering to be on the bus for such a long time to a place that you will have to run back from. Before the race, it was like a warm weather picnic in the athlete's village. Might have been nice to stay there all day.

But soon it was time to go - I had human rights to run for! We were in the last corral of the third wave of runners, just in front of the bandits (unofficial runners). The starting line immediately issues into a steep downhill; it appeared to me like the gates of Dante's Inferno.

I had a plan to deal with the heat, besides the obvious one of drinking enough water and Gatorade. At each mile marker, I walked for a minute in the hopes of conserving enough energy so as to be able to maintain an even pace throughout. It worked, and I even picked up the pace at the end.

The crowds were fabulous: cheering, offering orange slices and more importantly soakings from their hoses. That was really very helpful. Last time I did this race I was in too much pain in my quads to really appreciate the last six miles. This time was much better and I could properly greet people as I ran by. Being at the back of the pack, by the last six miles most people are walking, but I was still able to run!

I ran hard down the last third of a mile on Boylston Street and was happy to be welcomed by the representatives of UUSC, who had made the official bib number available and given me the opportunity to raise funds for UUSC. I've almost achieved my full fundraising goal, and we're still taking donations at Crowdrise until May 1. I ran the 26.2 miles - help me pass this last hurdle!

In preparation for Justice GA in Phoenix, Ariz., which will take place June 20-24, 2012, the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) and the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) have jointly organized three service-learning trips to the U.S.-Mexico border with BorderLinks, a UUA partner organization. In this blog post, Rev. Eric Cherry, director of the UUA's International Office, describes what is planned for the second trip, which begins on April 20.

It was a privilege to journey with Unitarian Universalists who are engaged in a diverse array of ministries during the BorderLinks delegation last January. Together we grew in our understanding of the complex justice issues related to the U.S.-Mexico border. We also found room for theological reflection about those matters. And, through the eye-to-eye and heart-to-heart connections with people living in this context, we returned deeply committed to the ongoing religious work for immigration justice.

The participants in the upcoming delegation are also faith leaders engaged in diverse ministries: lay and ordained, in both parish and community settings. And, they are sure to have a deep and rich experience that will include visits with the following:

• Scholarships A-Z: A network of students and advisors working to make education accessible for all students. They help connect students to available resources and train them to be their own advocates.
• The Restoration Project: An intentional ecumenical community that blends faith and action through social-justice work. They sponsor the Greyhound Bus Project, giving hospitality to recently released immigration detainees and providing them with information and resources.
• Samaritan Patrol (a.k.a. Samaritans): People of faith and conscience who patrol the desert at the U.S.-Mexico border on a daily basis during the hot months. At least one member of each patrol is a fluent Spanish speaker, and one is, ideally, a medical professional. Patrols carry water, food, emergency medical supplies, communication equipment, maps, and packs for travelers containing items necessary to survive in the desert.
• Hogar de Esperanza y Paz (HEPAC): HEPAC is a sister organization to BorderLinks and a community center in Nogales, Sonora. Programs offered at HEPAC include adult education and training classes as well as the Child Food Security Program, which provides lunch to children and education for their families on nutrition and gardening. HEPAC is also home to a women's cooperative that produces jewelry designed to raise awareness about deaths in the desert.
• Experienced legal professionals who will guide us in observing Operation Streamline and analyzing its injustices.

Stories from the journey and participants' reflections will be posted here during and after the trip along with photos and video.