By Rebecca Heneise, Guest Writer and Photographer
When my aunt Debbie called me to ask me to go in her stead to Haiti, I could not believe it. I still could not believe it when I finally stepped off the MFI plane at the airport in Cap Haitian. I was going to take pictures of the music camp on the grounds of UCNH for Haiti Hope Fund. I was also going to be in charge of the children’s ministry, a first ever in the history of music camp. When my aunt Laurie found out that I would be going we began to talk about the need for someone to develop a program for the children. Historically music camp was designed for adults; to prepare worship leaders and choral directors. However, in recent years more and more parents have been sending children to the camp and the children have had to sit through long hours of programs designed for adult attention spans. Having previously worked with children as an acting teacher and an art teacher, I felt sure that I could offer something to the children’s program. Aunt Laurie also expressed a desire to expand music camp into a fine arts camp and we decided that perhaps this was the year to begin those endeavors. So there I was in Haiti with a notebook full of plans for a theatrical piece based around Jonah and the Whale, a suitcase full of art supplies, a friend to direct the children’s choir (Kate Stremme, a talented musician), my camera, and a pocket Creole/English dictionary. I did not know what to expect but I was ready for the adventure.
Arriving to teach at the Music camp were Irma Schar, Kate Stremme, Louima Lilite, Stephen Dalrymple, Connie Bull, Rose Michel, Jean Dona Darius and myself. Louima was camp director and coordinator. He has worked along side Aunt Laurie for many years to make music camp happen each year. Each teacher has a history connected to Haiti and to the camp. Irma was Louima’s piano teacher at his first camp when he was 12 years old.
All of us worked together incredibly well. Even though we had never worked together before, we made a great team this summer. I think what helped us was our daily morning devotions as well as our evening discussions. Not only were we dedicated to the success of the camp and the students, we all had a passion for Christ and serving Christ. There was a great sense of purpose and communion among us.
A student I met while at the camp was Katy Jean Louis. She is from Port-de-Paix and has been attending music camp since 2001 when she was 12 years old. She studies the violin, drums, piano and clarinet. I asked her why music is important and she told me, “Music is important to know because in everything music makes sense. The people who have problems; it make them to get a little better, little better, little better.” It is not surprising that her biggest passion next to music is medicine. She will be taking exams next year to get into medical school. At some point she will have to decide whether to pursue music or dedicate her time to the study of medicine. I hope she will be able to do both. She told me that music camp has been a place not only for learning more about music but also to grow closer to and learn more about God.
The final concert, involving all 135 camp participants, was held at Le Tabernacle in Cap Haitian. This place is built like an amphitheater and seats over 5000 people and we had that many there that evening. We named our children’s choir “Belle Joie Chorale” and on this 30th anniversary concert we gave the first ever children’s choir performance. There were 23 children in the choir and they sang three pieces. Their performance was well received by the audience. We also had 10 children take part in the play we wrote together. Thee play was about Jonah and the Whale. The concert was broadcast from two different radio stations all over Haiti which was a great honor, but made the staging of the play awkward. However, the audience loved the play and laughed and clapped quite loudly at the end. What made it especially meaningful was that we sang a song we had composed together and we ended the play with a rousing chant. During the course of the event aunt Laurie was presented an award by Haiti Hope Fund for her 30 years dedicated to music camp. The University also presented her an award for founding the fine arts department at the University. It was a great honor to be there representing Haiti Hope Fund along with Jean Dona Darius. During the course of 30 years many lives have been changed and enriched. It is a privilege to be a part of that history.