How to ship items to Haiti

This is how to ship things to my friends in Haiti or to me while I am there. It only takes a couple days longer than it takes the supplies to get to Florida, as the supply plane flies directly to their town on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Ship items to them at:
JeanJean & Kristie Mompremier
Unit 1072--UCI
3170 Airmans Drive
Ft. Pierce, FL 34946

The shipping fee is $1.50/lb by a check made out to and mailed to Missionary Flights International at 3170 Airmans Drive, Ft. Pierce, FL 34946. Write Unit 1072 in the memo. This covers the cost of the missionary plane taking the packages to Haiti, where Kristie picks them up directly from the plane.

But then a customs officer weighs all her packages and charges a fee per pound, so to cover that a check for $0.50/lb needs to be made out to United Christians International and sent to United Christians International P.O. Box 51 Orange City, IA 51041

Sounds complicated, but easier than lugging items on the plane!

Birding update

My birding apprentice, Louisders, has been giving birding ecotours! (click to book your tour!) As well of tours of a nearby cave. I sent him some English/Creole dictionaries and ecology books, which he stayed up all night reading. Thank you everyone who donated binoculars and money for the books!

I am planning my next trip to Caiman Haiti for January and am soliciting donations of binoculars. I found that wind-up flashlights are very useful too for the cave, and because most people don't have electricity. I gave Louisders my flashlight which must be how he was able to stay up at night reading.

On my last trip I visited a couple schools and left a pair of binoculars and a laminated bird guide at each (those are Bill Busby's binocs in the photo). Kristie said she'd hook me up with someone on a motorcycle who can take me to more schools and communities. So another goal is to raise funds to make more laminated bird guides to distribute, as well to photocopy handouts for afternoon ecology classes with the neighborhood high school students. Let me know if you'd like to donate, or use the paypal function on the right side of this blog. I'll make the photocopies at M. Amors copy shop in Caiman (that's him and his family in the photo).

For another perspective of this effort, check out the blog post of Mike who went on the last trip.

Potential team - Itenerary

Day 1 - Fly out of Kansas City on a Sun., Tues., or Thurs. (~$500)
--------Stay overnight in Miami (~$80 + meals & tips)
Day 2 - Catch 8a flight to Port-au-Prince Haiti
--------Transfer to smaller airport - $10 plus possible taxi ~$5
--------Catch 1p flight to Pignon ($90 round trip) where Mompremiers pick us up
--------Relax rest of day in missions compound ($25 per night room and meals)
Day 3-8 - Work on missions project - must provide $ for supplies, see other posts for ideas
Day 9 - Back to Pignon airport for 2p flight
--------Transfer to main airport - $10 plus possible taxi ~$5
--------6p flight to Miami & stay overnight (~$80 + meals & tips)
Day 10 - Fly back to Kansas City

Potential team - Packing list

If you are going with a team to Pignon, please bring these items. Pack light, you'll have to buy an extra $45 in-country plane ticket for anything over 25lbs. Take 1/2 the clothing you need and have it washed (this also supports jobs). Take clothing you can leave behind then you'll have room for souvenirs. The Mompremiers provide towels and sheets.

1. FLASHLIGHT (very important, you'll need it at night - no electricity)
2. waterbottle - you can fill it at the house (make sure it's empty for airport security)
   
3. snacks
4. toiletries (don't expect to buy any forgotten items in Haiti)
5. prescriptions, including malaria pills and spare glasses/contacts
   
6. sun screen
7. sunglasses
8. bug spray (bugs really aren't a problem, I use a natural cedar oil spray)
9. flipflops for around the house
10. walking shoes
11. women: skirts (at least knee length)
12. women: modest tank tops & shirts
    
13. women: pants, jeans, and or shorts to wear around the house
14. men: jeans and a good pair of pants for men, shorts for the house
    
15. men: tshirts and nice shirt for church/town
16. longsleeve shirt
17. sweatshirt if traveling in the winter, fleece is good for the damp cold
    
18. raincoat
    

• PASSPORT
• credit card or cash for US food and hotel
• CASH for in Haiti, lots of small bills for tips, souvenirs, etc. plus some large for $25/night room & board. No one takes travelers checks.
• a personal check for the MAF plane, or cash: $90 round trip
• cell phone is useful for in the US airports, doesn't work in Haiti
• camera and batteries, film/extra memory cards
• journal, pens or pencils
  

Haitian Creole resource websites

• Neat website that audibly translates books into Haitian Creole! www.weeklyreader.com/focusonreading/bats/haitian_creole.asp
• Florida company that publishes science and medical resources written in Creole www.educavision.com
• Creole journal, some articles about deforestation and agriculture www.potomitan.info Search for EW Vedrine.
  

• Please post a comment if you come across any others.

Haitian coffee

I recently received a batch of coffee from M. and Mm. Justin, JeanJean's brother & sister-in-law. This is a nonprofit endeavor, I'm selling it for only what I bought it for ($3.50 per 1/2 lb.).

The coffee is hand roasted over a fire with sugar cane residue then hand ground with a wooden mortar and pestle. It's a mild coffee prepared best with a french press, or if you use a drip maker use 2 filters.

Art class

Here are pictures from 2 art classes where I taught about birds. Barb Howard is the teacher. (2012 update - Barb had to leave Haiti - anyone want to start a new art class?)