I just got back from Konbit, when the entire MCC staff team from both the Dezam office and the Port-au-Prince office gathers for several days of meetings and updates. The name Konbit comes from the beloved Haitian tradition of collective labor, a vital part of rural agricultural life. During the harvest or anytime there’s a labor-intensive project, people will convene a konbit of their neighbors, providing food and music and rum in exchange for help and camaraderie. It’s a pretty beautiful tradition.

I wanted to bring a creative activity to our Konbit, something to mix up the many hours of sitting in a conference room. I’m a habitual doodler and I pay attention better when I’m doing something with my hands, so I decided to make Haiti-themed coloring book sheets for us.

The coloring was a big hit! (and maybe improved our focus?) And I made it through my 30-minute Kreyol presentation about my background and work.

Ekip MCC showing off pages in progress:

 

If you want to color, here are PDF copies that you can print out!

• Piti piti zwazo fè nich li – Little by little, the bird makes its nest. (Or, even big challenges can be tackled little by little.)
• MCC, featuring moringa, palm, and breadfruit leaves
• Men anpil, chay pa lou – Many hands make light work
• Dèyè mòn, gen mòn – Beyond mountains, there are mountains. (Made famous by Mountains Beyond Mountains, the book about Paul Farmer. This proverb is not that hopeful, actually, but I couldn’t resist the imagery.)