John's Special Day
Trip Start
Jun 19, 2009
1
12
17
Trip End
Jun 27, 2009
Haiti,
Haiti
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Today is John's birthday! We dress him up and sing to him at breakfast. His daughter's goal was for him to be embarrassed and I think it worked! People seem to be feeling somewhat better which is a relief. Our friends from Iowa arrived the night before and are staying at the clinic. Teacher training will start today, with teachers coming from all over the mountainside. Chris heads up the mountain to put in a full days work with them.
As for the rest of us we head out in the opposite direction. The first house is close, so the people who are still feeling under the weather stay there. The rest of us trudge down a hill, through the market, through the river, and up a different mountain
John's Birthday
. We thought hauling water and rock was hard before, it's even tougher now! I am excited today because we are working on the "4th Grade House". My 4th graders at SJV fund raised enough (plus extra) to cement an entire house. I can not express how proud, and touched, I was by all of them! There are ten people who typically reside in the home, a mother and father and eight children. However the mother, Madeline is organizing things alone because her husband is working in the Dominican Republic. He walks home a couple times a month. Her three oldest children are working in Port Au Prince. They are doing their best to survive. Two of her children, there were ten, have died from disease that would be easily treatable here in the States. Maryann, Bill, and I head even further up the mountain to work on the third house. It is a family of many boys so we have plenty of help hauling materials, whew! Maryann and I spend time hauling buckets of cement to the masons. At first the men of the house don't think we're strong enough to accomplish anything but we prove them wrong! While the masons take a break the lady of the house drags out chairs for us to sit on in the shade. No matter how much we protest, they always offer to serve and cater to us. They are always giving back, giving up what little they have. Their faces shine with happiness! Later we have a small group of children who take us through winding paths to see their houses. At each house we must knock so all the family members can meet us. It is like being a celebrity. Thankfully the children lead us back to the original house because we have taken so many twists and turns I thought we were almost in the Dominican! The group takes a long walk back to the rectory to fill up on water and eat lunch. Some people stay behind because they are physically drained after being ill. On our last house it is just a grandpa and grandma. They haul rock and water right along side us. When we are about to leave I give the grandma my earrings, I notice she has pierced ears
Hanging on the Wall
. She in turn breaks of a vine from her garden and wants me to eat it. I'm not quite that adventurous so I politely decline. We manage to accomplish four homes today.After showers back at the rectory, some of us drive up the mountain. (There has not been rain in days so we can drive.) This is my first time meeting the people from Iowa and it is a thrill. Most of them are new to Haiti so they have that wide-eyed look about them. We discuss teacher training and check out all the materials that well be distributed. An 18 month old child was brought to the clinic the night before suffering from malnutrition. He needed to be driven to Port Au Prince and his chances of survival are slim. It reminds me that even saving one life makes this all worth while. There is so much more work that needs to be done but we cannot get discouraged. Of course I have to play with Kenya and her little sister Berland. I've got to get my girl time in!
At the rectory that night we have a meal with the Iowa group. They have walked down the mountain to join us. I could've joined them on the walk but decided to hitch a ride while I could. They truly needed to experience Haiti for themselves, right! A few look slightly shell-shocked at the bottom. It is lovely to hear their personal stories and why they wanted to come to Haiti. There is also a meeting in the church with people from town. Dr. Leo, Father, and other representatives are there. Ideas are discussed on improving the community and also helping the people help themselves. The cement floors are a huge hit. Word has spread throughout the community. The demand now is great. They know that just this little improvement to their homes can save lives and improve the quality of life (all for around $250). Of course with an average income of $400 a year, it is out of reach for many of the families without help. That's why I remember the quote from Mother Teresa above!
