Real Work Ahead
Trip Start
Jun 19, 2009
1
10
17
Trip End
Jun 27, 2009
Haiti,
Haiti
Monday, June 22, 2009
So far there has been church, pig roasts, beautiful mountain hikes, and fellowship with the people of St. Pierre. We are all still in one piece and somewhat clean. Doesn't sound too terribly difficult, but don't worry, the back breaking labor is about to begin. Monday begins at 5:30 AM. Breakfast in Haiti is redundant every day, the coffee is definitely the highlight. I say who doesn't enjoy a hot cup of coffee when it's 80 degrees out! We leave the rectory at 6:30 to start our work. Preparing is quite the undertaking as we must all be sprayed down with DEET, slathered in sunscreen, and pack sacks with snacks and water. Crews of local masons come to meet us and off we hike into the mountains to start our first houses. The majority of houses in Haiti are cinder block with some wood trim
Our First House
. The floors are dirt. Most families live in two room homes. Our goal is to lay cement floors to prevent disease. Father Reginald and Dr. Leo have picked the poorest and sickest in the community to receive floors first. All though many of these families are destitute and hungry they have prepared for our arrival by hauling sand and rock to their homes. This is no easy feat as homes are tucked into the mountain side, usually far from water, on treacherous rocky paths that even the most nimble goat would struggle climbing. We are not a graceful group by any stretch of the imagination!We divide up between three houses and get to work. Our process is five steps:
1. Level floor with shovels and pick axes.
2. Spread medium sized rocks all over the floor.
3. Sift and fill in rocks with gravel.
4. Mix cement. This is done outside on the ground.
5. Stand back and let the masons work.
The first day is a lot of trial and error
The poorest do not have shoes.
. We do not have enough rock or sand at any of the houses, so we spend the entire day hauling supplies up and down the paths. There are not enough buckets so we have to get creative (burlap sacks, banana leaves, etc.) At one point John tries to hire a donkey. That's the killer business instinct in him! We also call him the "candy man" as he is very good at bribing children to help pick up the slack. The only water source is the river below so again all the water must be hauled up. It is physical and dirty work! Although it is very demanding we have Haitians helping us at all the homes, even young children. The families, neighbors, and other people in the community (who eventually hope their homes will be done) all pitch in. A man coaxes Laurie and I away from the house we are working on to show us his home. It's large, four rooms, but ten people are living there, including his mother who is crippled and can't walk. He gently pleads with us to consider his house next. This is the heartbreaking situation of not being able to provide for all at this time. I often think of this family and wonder if their house was on the list to be done eventually. When I go back I hope to hike up there and see for myself. After eight hours we are done for the day. Our work must stop by mid-afternoon due to the tropical rains. The masons are all staying near the clinic so they must hike over a mile to get home
The Kitchen
. We have accomplished three houses today, although that doesn't seem like much, we have learned quite a bit! The masons are perfectionists and their work is top-notch. The families are so excited and are able to move in that evening! My body feels like a limp noodle. My toe is screaming after being shoved in a shoe for the first time in 9 days. When we arrive back at the rectory people collapse on the porch. You can see the dust rise up off their clothes! After showers and a simple meal we reflect on what called us to Haiti. Everyone has different and moving reasons. Bill leads us in a discussion of Oscar Romero and his life works. To end the evening we watch a slide show of the pictures taken in the past few days. It is truly the good, the bad and the ugly (I could use a little more makeup and a good hair brushing)!
