Rich Gosser

My wife Daneen and I have been bringing folks to Haiti since 1992. Our own first visit here was in 1987 and the experience made a profound impact on our lives. We wanted to share the power and potential of visiting Haiti with others and so began our "reverse mission pilgrimages" to Hatii. (We call 'em "reverse mission" because, unlike missionaries who travel to foreign lands for the purpose of "converting" people, traveling to Haiti often results in a profound conversion for the participants.)

Rural Haiti offers plenty of opportunities for conversion. The trip out from Port au Prince is physically taxing. The ride up the mountain, along narrow roads that wind and climb offers plenty of opportunities to exercise one's faith! The breathtaking vistas that punctuate the ascent can surely nourish the soul. The struggle to assimilate a different language and culture stretches the mind. I began thinking that this time in Fondwa can be for me a kind of Mind, Body, Spirit "fitness retreat"!

There's no need for a fitness instructor in this part of rural Haiti! Even to visit the nearest neighbors involves climbing! Yesterday I went to the nearby town of Jacmel with my friends Becky, Missy, and Meredith. Our trip began with a climb out of the Fondwa valley to "Anba Tonnel" where the Fondwa Road connects with the main road leading to Jacmel. Although parts of the Fondwa Road are paved, those parts are also VERY steep. The unpaved parts of the road have become rocky and rutted, more suited to legs of nimble goats one sees occasionally than to the legs of the "blan yo" (foreigners). The mile or so walk, first thing in the morning, makes for a great "workout"!

At Anba Tonnel we climbed into a "tap tap", one of the mid-size trucks that haul people along the road between Jacmel and Port au Prince. Since the tap-tap was already filled we had to stand for most of the hour-long trip. Bouncing over the mountain road and holding on "for dear life" while occasionally being enveloped with diesel fumes, was a workout of another kind. Finally arriving in Jacmel and being deposited at the bus stop we still had another 20 minute walk into the town! Yep, no need to join a gym here, or ride an exercise bike, or run a treadmill! Fitness is built into daily life. Only the strong survive.

Jacmel is a lovely little coastal town, a center for Haitian art and crafts, and an ocean lover's paradise. It's always refreshing to visit and a day spent there is always a "mental health day" for volunteers and visitors from Fondwa. Our entourage of four enjoyed a beer at the Hotel du Place, where the local Rotary Club has been meeting for over 100 years! We collected packages from Pittsburgh for Becky at the Lynx Air office and then wound our way through the market heading south towards the beaches. Our goal was a little restaurant called "La Crevette" where the view of the ocean is superb, the Prestige (beer) cold, and the food delicious.

After treating my friends to lunch I invited them to visit an "old friend" of mine Boss Samedi, a 70+ year old craftsman and sculptor in wood. I first met Boss Samedi a few years ago when I first visited Jacmel. In his "atelye" (workshop) there's a cast iron band saw that was made in Altoona, PA (about 75 miles from my home in PA) over 100 years ago. Originally it was powered by a steam engine! It's now been converted to run off a conventional electric motor. Boss Samedi is a self-trained artist, who has trained more than 30 other "boss ebenis" (woodworkers) in his shop. I don't know what will happen to his saw or his "atelye" after he passes, but for now he's in robust good health for his years! I look forward to bringing him a photo of him working at his saw the next time I visit Jacmel.

"Boss Samedi" at his 100 yr. old bandsaw

The trip home from Jacmel began with the 20 minute walk back to the bus stop. There we mounted another tap-tap with about 30 other people and at least a dozen chickens and assorted sacks of fruits and vegetables. As we piled out of the tap tap at Anba Tonnel clouds were gathering, threatening rain. It was about 5 pm and already the sun was beginning to set. We began the climb down the Fondwa Road and it was almost dark by the time we arrived at the APF Visitors' Center where I'm staying.

Mind, Body, Spirit - each day brings new challenges to grow in each of these areas. Perhaps we should offer an alternative to "reverse mission" trips to Haiti. Perhaps we could market Fondwa as the new "Mind, Body, Spirit Fitness Camp"!

rich • Jan-Feb 2007 2 comments