Follow me @ "haitisand"

It seems fitting that since I'm changing islands that I should change blog titles.  :-)

Please follow my story from here on out @
http://haitisand.blogspot.com/

you can email me at:
sandler@alumni.usc.edu

and phone me until Wednesday night @
(626) 592-0389

after that I'll send out a number to reach me at, but for a few weeks email will be best.

Peace & joy to you all
~David

I'm going back to Haiti

If you haven't guessed by now, I'm going back to Haiti to:

1) build homes

2) educate & work with youth

3) develop the leaders of today & tomorrow, and jobs, & communities!

Goto our website at http://www.iyiglobal.org (International Youth Initiative) to learn more & join us!

(or write me at dsandler@iyiglobal.org  :-)

~David

Haiti 4 months later

4 months afterwards, it's still bad in Haiti:
http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/05/11/haiti.then.now/index.html

Robben Island

ESPN's Outside the Lines tells the remarkable story of the political prisoners of Robben Island, who learned through soccer how they could one day forge a free and peaceful South Africa.

USA GOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!! (on to the WC10 sweet 16!)

THE GOAL (click here)

More Haiti stuff/follow up/stories

http://sites.google.com/site/serveinhaiti/
http://iyiglobal.org
http://iyiglobal.org/Haiti.html

videos: http://sites.google.com/site/serveinhaiti/videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKyJ6WcYnHY
http://www.accessfoundations.com/2010/06/08/haiti-2010/

1) We FINISHED the house that we’d started last time, so the family now has walls, a roof, and it’s very, very strong!
1.1) All the materials we bought, labor costs, size, shape, etc. of the work we did is helping us come up with a solid budget for new, simple small homes and also for retrofitting (making stronger/safer) old homes that had been damaged but not too much. We learned A LOT and this was a very necessary step for the future and helping as many people as possible with what resources we receive!
1.2) All the tools I brought (shovels, chisels, trowels, levels, hammers, etc.) were of excellent use and helped get a lot of work done at a lower cost. Again, I'm still in awe & thanks that Delta waived ALL the excess baggage, weight & oversize fees (due to my apparent gross negligence and my strength, I guess, which made me think everything was lighter than it was)

2) The boys at the orphanage are doing pretty great. The group from Crossline Church in Orange County worked with them a lot on their English, and also helped plant a garden! Tomatoes, carrots, beans & more should sprout hopefully sooner than imagined (as long as the boys water it when it doesn’t rain everyday there).
2.2) the youngest, Peter (7), got pretty sick for a few days, but I’m happy to report that he has been healthy for 4 days now which means he should be just fine!
2.3) Awaken Humanity donated backpacks & school gear that the kids LOVED and will go well with all the English/French/kids books we brought to help them.

3) We had some community events that went really well, including youth events (there was even a freestyle rap competition - can't say I understood the Creole, but I was impressed)!

4) I had a restoring last 48 hours with some people I’m connected through Mosaic (my church) with. That down time was necessary & a true blessing.

5) Please be praying, if you do, for NO hurricanes and a lighter rainy season this summer. The # of deaths that would come from the result of living in muddy, close quarters (spread of disease, contaminated water, etc.) in the tent cities could be catastrophic (think of plague-like possibilities. I’m not trying to be dramatic – this is a pretty serious issue).

That’s it for now. Remember this is the SHORT version! :-) There is a lot of busyness and planning to be done in the next few weeks!

I’ll get pics up soon. This trip was almost too busy for those… sorry!

Thanks to you all for your love & support,

David

Gravity

Emotional unbelonging responses that consume -
unwieldly in scope, no matter how true their aim.

I'm faltering on strong knee,
losing my breath with runners' lungs,
and breaking under mine iron will that weeps now -
and it has never wept before.

Changed and changing,
my pen doesn't express words today the same as yesterday.
No better, no worse,
but true to my own self
as is required of everything I've not only been taught but practiced as veritas.

This is my gravity.
The weight of the world pulls me to itself to love it,
to carry it,
and to be in it.
But it's too late -
I can no more be of it.

With you, though, I will never fail.


David Sandler © June 10, 2010

Haiti (round 2)

these are pics from my 2nd trip down to Haiti. Along with International Youth Initiative, Crossline Church, Mosaic, local workers, and more, we finished a house, brought books/education materials to orphans, and then I had a relaxing weekend with some great new friends. :-)

haiti story in 12 shots

01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12

Haiti: the faces

Haiti: the city

My friends in Haiti