A group of Orcas Island youth traveled to Haiti as members of Helping Hands Noramise to participate in a journey of fellowship and exchange on June 20.

They will give a slideshow presentation and tell stories about their trip on Tuesday, July 27 at 6:30 p.m. at Emmanuel Parish Hall.

Helping Hands Noramise, a non-profit, was started by Orcas Islander Rosedanie Cadet. The recent group of ambassadors planted gardens, hosted day camps, picked up trash, and scrubbed the National Museum, but in the end, their real accomplishment was breaking down old walls of racial and cultural separation and building bridges of friendship and hope. Here is what each traveler had to say about the experience.

Mariah Vinson

We beat the storm! But just barely. The sky just seemed to open and torrents fell as we came over the hill and into Limbé, backpacks, boxes, luggage, and people all crammed to capacity into the two cars we’d hired. Outside people were showering under the gutters, and as we dashed to unload everything, we got just as wet. Drenched but intact, three cities and two countries later, and with all our luggage – we landed in Haiti. 

Stephanie Shaw

Our home was in the middle of Limbé, and was open to all visitors looking to partner with Noramise, to grab a bite to eat, or just to share some laughs.

A sea of beautiful black faces would come in waves throughout the day, all with their own stories and ideas. We spoke with young and old, brilliant artists, teachers, attorneys, and musicians. Although communication was tough, music and food were the two universal languages. After work, there was rarely a quiet evening at the house. Fans were on high, sweat was pouring, bellies were filled, and the guitars were brought out.

On our very last night, the youth group performed a skit. To reciprocate, Connor prepared a rap about the trip and Rosedanie willingly volunteered to translate into Creole! Who ever knew Rosedanie could rap? And who knew that we could have the most fun where verbal communication was at a minimum?  

Makala Forester

A grassy area with a swing set and benches surrounds the Musee de Guahaba – a small national museum. The team set out to clean the roof, cut grass, and remove trash. Picking up trash made the park look great, but we were only moving it around. After this depressing realization, it became obvious that without a waste management system, our efforts were futile. However, a group of kids playing in the park gathered with us to dance and sing. They showed us that you have to make the best of what you have, and by working together and finding our similarities, not our differences, we can positively change our world.  

Emily Diepenbrock

With t-shirt making, beading, face painting, frame making, and clay sculpting booths, we sat ready for a day of fun and laughter with the youth from Limbé, Haiti. As kids started to trickle in, we pulled out our Haitian Creole phrasebooks, stumbling our way through fragmented sentences, attempting to explain each art project. The day continued to flow with only a few bumps in the road, transitioning from arts and crafts to games of duck-duck-goose and hot potato with the local attorney. Though the activities changed, all the kids still let out yelps of laughter and excitement, filling the room with an overwhelming and contagious sense of joy.   

Connor Pamatian

Every day was beautiful, but this one was exceptional. It all started when we found out we were going to the beach – the 85-degree water beach with five- to 10-foot swells. Team Noramise went to this local beach in Limbé, and it was none of that tourist beach stuff. This was the beach of the natives! This was the only day that the team really got to relax, so we pretty much just did what you do when you’re at the beach: we stayed mellow, swimming in the water and tanning on the beach. I would say overall this was one of the more fun-filled days in Haiti!

Andrew Danskin

It was early, and 10 of us piled out of the back of a crammed pick-up truck. We had arrived at the school. We made our way to the back, where piles of trash and plant debris littered the ground. With machetes, shovels and our hands, we began the work with Haitians students by our side. As the morning sun rose into the sky, sweat poured out as we dug, cut, cleared and gave the land new meaning. The once unused area had transformed into a garden with raised planting beds, compost piles, and paths. A few helping hands can be transforming.

Jeffrey Blankenship

As we stepped on the field, I looked down to see my chest already drenched in sweat. It was only 10 a.m. and we all knew it was going to be a very hot day. Water, soccer balls, and each other. That’s all we brought that day for “sports camp.” Even though it was our hottest day yet, I knew I was going to make this the most fun. So I grabbed a ball, laced up my shoes, and gathered as many kids a I could. We played long and hard and afterward we all shared smiles and a big jug of water to go around!

The excitement and the smiling faces of the kids that day is what made me excited and proud to say I’m part of “Noramise”!

I was glad to have the Orcas gang with me. It made it really enjoyable for us to all play soccer and share those memories!

Tika Thorson

We were not sure quite what to expect when we went to work at Denise’s garden; we walked on a small dirt path, single file through the lush, jungle-like greenery. When we arrived at Denise’s, there was some confusion: she thought we wanted some mangos to eat! However, working in her garden proved the point that you do not have to speak the same language to accomplish great things. Just seeing how happy planting peppers made Denise (possibly one of the most kind people ever) was one of the most rewarding experiences of the trip.