Ede Non, Ede Tet Nou (Creole For Help Us Help Ourselves)
Last month in Verettes, a rural community in Haiti, 28 newly trained ATD Facilitators stood in a circle with three colleagues from Eastern Canada. Each young Haitian spoke to their peers, with deep and serious conviction, about their personal “commitment to do something to make a difference.” Such a commitment isn’t easy in Haiti, yet each of them took this courageous stand .
Osprival Descomme and his 15-year-old son, Alexis, presented the Symposium and assisted Facilitator Trainer Janet Laughton Mackay during the Facilitator Training as support trainers (i.e. translators).
A Framework for Passionate Engagement
The French V2 was studied seriously by all. Sticking to the script was strongly advised, but this advice was often not followed, as there was much passion in the room. Listening and speaking with respect was discussed and eventually practiced carefully.
There was little doubt about full engagement during the two days. Luckily, the Symposium and the Facilitator Training are very resilient, and seem to grow more effective as intensity increases.
Sharing Resources, Sharing Traditions
In closing, the participants were presented with beeswax candles, symbolic on two levels.
First, the candles had been made in Warkworth Ontario, the small rural community that had hosted the first symposium in Eastern Canada five years ago. Proceeds from trainings in Eastern Canada had financially supported this Haitian training, supplying what was needed: a TV, a DVD player, a generator, Tibetan bells, meals for particpants, and more!
Secondly, as Osprival handed them their candle, he looked directly into their eyes and told them, “You are the light.” And they are.
