Music for a Better Life

Ecuador's Music for Life program that AAI supports by facilitating the donation of musical instruments by the Inter-American Development Bank, was a treat for the ears.

The school provides a musical education to children from families with very limited resources who would otherwise not have the opportunity.

It was fascinating to watch children as young as six working alone or with a mentor (often a musician with the country's Youth Orchestra) in sound-proofed booths. The cacophony I expected before I entered the school turned into the faint sounds of well-played violins, flutes, clarinets and the gorgeously rich sound of cellos reaching me through the doors of the booths.

One child of about eight, meditatively leaning on his cello waiting for a lesson to complete behind a classroom door, illustrated the school's notion of teaching children discipline and patience.

Although the children come from under-privileged homes, studies have shown that by learning to play a musical instrument their chances of reaching university level increase by 10%.

Joseph Mutti
AAI Administration

Compassion in Action

American Airlines flight attendant Brian McGovern recently escorted Ever, age 13, a triple amputee, and Cynthia, age 9, who received a prosthetic leg, back to Sao Paolo, Brazil. The children were escorted part of the way by F/A Gina Ozuna who flew from her home in California to Atlanta just to escort these children to Miami where Brian took over. The following are his comments.

-------------------

The kids are winners who won my heart.

We traveled on AA 995 on the 26 of April from Miami to Sao Paulo. The first officer, George, offered his help right away after I explained what I was doing. He waited in Sao Paulo outside customs and immigrations for us to make sure everything went OK. He also waited in Sao Paulo on the other side of immigration to make sure I made my return flight and walked me to the gate.

On board the entire crew were incredible. Marina, Bridget and Walter kept the children's dinners warm while they slept, offered cookies and other treats, and even helped me brush Cynthia's hair to make her pretty for arrival in Sao Paulo. Walter waited at the exit of customs to ensure we cleared without any complications.

I was overwhelmed by their help and sincere warmth. They truly cared.

When I arrived at the airport in Sao Paulo for my return flight to Miami, lead agent Eduardo was so on top of things he had me ready for a fast efficient check in. He walked me to the immigration line and since I was in uniform assisted me to the front. I was treated like a celebrity.

The help from, the doctors, the host family, Candice from Childsping, Merrily from Airline Ambassadors, was the most important part for Ever and
Cynthia's trip. My part was, which was my honor, was to get them home, and what a
nice trip it was because of the everyone's kindness.

Brian V. McGovern
American Eagle MIA Emp# 614563

A Haitian Dream

The first person I spoke to, as I left the airport to enter the cacophony of Port-au-Prince, was a woman seeking to offer me taxi service. While we were driving I asked her the natural questions about "l'événement" (the event) as Haitians discretely refer to the earthquake, seeking to put it behind them by using a non-specific word.

She told me she had lost her husband and that her dream was to own a tent where she and her new-born could live. A simple enough dream, but a huge challenge amidst the desperation of two million homeless seeking shelter.

As the car negotiated the mountain of rubble that is today's Port-au-Prince I found myself wondering what her dreams had been before the earthquake when her husband, alive and hopeful, cradled their new daughter in his warm arms.

Joseph Mutti
AAI Administration

People who never miss an opportunity to show affection for others

On my way to one of the orphanages I met Michael Brewer. He lost three homes and two kids in the earthquake. Here he is pictured with Richard, a very loving child who lost a leg under a collapsed wall. Michael has already arranged a prosthetic replacement for him.

Mike's a quiet man with few words who has been living in Haiti the last 10 years helping abandoned street kids with his organization "Haiti Street Kids Inc". He took us to Solino, a section of Port-au-Prince that houses the poorest of the poor. What immediately surprised me was that amidst the dirt and wretchedness people seemed genuinely happy. I guess when you have nothing, you have nothing to worry about. The search for material things in life seems to bring nothing but stress and unsought responsibility.

It was in Solino that I met Benjy Salomon. Mike had found him begging in the streets as a 6 year old and took him in. Benjy is now 21 and is always there to help me and watch my back whenever I'm Haiti. On my last visit he picked me up at the airport and gave me a big hug just resting his head on my chest for about 2 mins. He lives in a tent that is pristine and clean with twigs shaped into shelves to accommodate the little stuffed animals I have given him. He is one of the many street kids that Michael has given a chance to build a future for themselves.

Michael has done wonderful things in Haiti. He has been the victim of vicious slurs because he doesn't insert himself into the norm, simply getting down to the work at hand ignoring the pettiness and jealousies of some of the international community in Port-au-Prince.

It is thanks to Mike and his deep humanity that I have come to love the people of Haiti who, like him, never miss an opportunity to show affection for another human being.

Ruth Matranga
AAI Volunteer

Learning to make better judgements...

The Belinda Stronach Foundation continues to provide Airline Ambassadors with a weekly flight of 70,000lbs of aid on aircraft from Toronto to Port-au-Prince.

On two occasions, as I've opened the newly arrived cargo, I've wondered: "What on earth am I going to do with 1,000 dolls in this post-earthquake devastation that demands so much higher priorities?" or "Good to get flashlights, but so many thousands of them?"

Well, out of the unlikeliest gift comes salvation.

The dolls, it turns out, are very good physio-therapeutic devices for children who have lost limbs or been otherwise injured. They've been a godsend for hospitals, clinics and orphanages tending to such kids.

And I'm told by grassroots women's organizations that flooding the tent encampments with flashlights has made it very difficult for prowlers to grab women in the dark and rape them.

So, I now reserve judgment on what comes in on these flights from the wonderful folks at Belinda Stronach Foundation and thank them from the bottom of my heart for what they continue to do for the people of Haiti in the unlikeliest of ways.

Dave Rivard
AAI Board Member

Further to the unfounded rumors of violence against foreigners in Haiti

We tell all of our relief workers to come to Haiti first as trusting humanitarians and secondly as a volunteers seeking to put that humanitarianism into practice.

Engage the people on the street and spend your money lavishly. Haiti’s future economic condition will determine if this whole effort is a success or not.

According to the US Southern Command, the countryside of Haiti has hardly ever had an incident in which a visitor has been harmed. Port-au-Prince is obviously different, but has now changed as everyone seeks to help each other. Now is the time to wholly experience a unique culture that is possibly the most spiritual, and poorest, on earth.

Dave Rivard
AAI Board Member

What made me cry today...

Every day here in Haiti I see utterly destitute people looking the best they can under the circumstances

Today I met a young man by the name of Nixon pulling himself up the broken streets past the rubble of his school which collapsed and killed 4 of the teachers and 150 of his school-mates. Using a broken old walker and dragging his legs behind, he had a triumphant smile on his face.

I also saw graffitI on a wall downtown amid the ruins of everything: "MICHELLE OBAMA!"

Daniel Susott

AAI Medical Director