In Retrospect

For several years Area Director Dan Irvine had been watching a property just southeast of the Wesleyan Wharf in Croix Luly near the town of Montrois and directly across the channel from La Gonave. Through a sequence of God-ordained events this property has been leased with the intent to purchase. Named the Ortlip Ministry Center in memory and honor of Henry and Elizabeth Ortlip who devoted more than 30 years of ministry in Haiti, this Center is envisioned to provide facilities for pastoral training, missionary respite, and logistics coordination.

This waterfront property with a main house, a second house and a smaller auxiliary building has been uninhabited for many years. The buildings are structurally sound, but termites have left their marks, screens have deteriorated or disappeared, plumbing repairs are needed, electrical wiring would never pass code, and cisterns hold water without pumps to fill the rooftop tanks. A list of all the projects addressed during our visit fills more than a page. The list includes: Installed the plumbing and electrical service for the pump that fills the rooftop tank so we actually have running water in the house. Fashioned shower heads for low pressure use by drilling small holes in a PVC end cap. Repaired plumbing that catches rain water and feeds the underground cistern. Positioned and connected the washing machine. Connected plumbing for outside shower. Located and repaired a leaking joint in an upstairs bathroom. Since much of the plumbing is inside concrete walls, the troubleshooting was a bit more challenging. Fashioned four new stairway posts and railing to replace the ones enjoyed by termites. Sanded and painted many surfaces. Re-screened several windows. Converted a room in the auxiliary building into a bedroom for the cook --- painted walls, repaired screens, repaired wiring, installed new lock. Built a small bookshelf for the watchman. He took great joy in painting it. Replaced 2x6 frames in doorways; hung doors; replaced hinges. Replaced the base support in a love seat. Repaired a dining room chair.

For now the need for electricity is primarily met by the on-site generator. Power lines run to the house, but Haiti power is only occasionally available. During our stay the generator was typically run from mid-morning until about 10 pm. That provided electricity for the power tools and lights & fans for the evening.

One day we had the opportunity to visit the island of La Gonave. We crossed the channel on the “Breezy Sea” (a retro-fitted lobster boat) to spend a few hours visiting our mission station and hospital there in Anse-a-Galets. However, time management in Haiti being the way it is, the few-hour visit was recast into an overnight stay. The following day we heard about a severe storm on the mainland that could have possibly caused significant damage to the boat had our plans not been changed – just another reminder that our plans are often incomplete, and our inconveniences are often a consequence of some greater good that was beyond our conception.

Work on the new guest house on La Gonave is progressing. One third of the floors have been poured. The exterior block wall is finished. Two “joiners” (carpenters) from the UK are framing and pouring the tie beam around the top of the wall. It will soon be time for construction of the roof trusses. A project manager for the hospital rebuild has been recruited; he and his family will relocate from England to La Gonave in January.

One Sunday we had the opportunity to worship with another team and the folks at the Cite Soleil Wesleyan Church (Cite Soleil is an area of Port-au-Prince that is know for its civil unrest). Dan introduced us to Pastor Michel, and recounted how the Pastor had regularly met with the congregation even during years when Cite Soleil was plagued with violence and crime. Some of us also had the opportunity to visit Babaco, a rural village east of Port-au-Prince toward the Dominican border. Last year the team from Pine Grove erected a “pole barn” structure for their church. This year a team from Moncton, New Brunswick, is coming to build four classrooms for schooling the children.

On trips like these it is not unusual for unexpected opportunities to arise. On our second day in country we learned that the rudder control on the “Breezy Sea” was not reliable. One of the team members volunteered to look at it while it was at the wharf, and he discovered that the hydraulic pump mounting was loose and the belt was worn. He was able to reposition the pump and tighten the belt so the “Breezy Sea” could make the return trip to La Gonave. There was also a need to generate a scale drawing of the floor plan of the Carrefour Feuilles church that shows the location of all 40 columns that had supported the roof prior to the earthquake. Carrefour Feuilles is the largest Wesleyan church in Haiti with attendance of more than 1000. This floor plan is a prerequisite to designing a permanent roof. So a couple of us spend a day travelling from Croix Luly to the south side of Port-au-Prince to gather measurement data of column placements. It just so happened that we also joined the last hour of a mid-week morning worship service.

Progress is being made in Haiti, largely due to the commitment of charitable organizations who refuse to walk away. Although much remains to be done and the pace is slow, there are clear signs that recovery is happening.

Initial plans are being made for trips in March and September 2012. Thanks for your continuing interest and prayers.

Home Again

Just a quick note for now. The flights were relatively on time. It's
good to be home. Perhaps in a few days I'll have the time to reflect
on our 2 weeks. Thanks for all your interest and prayers.

One Last Day

Three of us finished up some final work: an outside shower installed,
another shelf hung, a chair repaired.

Two of us headed to Port-au-Prince to capture a floor plan and
column placement from the church at Carrefour Feuilles, the largest
Wesleyan church in Haiti. The plan was to get to the church early,
quickly complete the measurements and get back to Croix Luly by
early afternoon thus having plenty of time to relax and pack.

If you were reading this carefully and remembered that we're in Haiti,
you would expect more to the story. Here it is.

Instead of leaving at 7 am, we left a little after 9 am and made a
couple unplanned stops. We arrived at the church about 10:50 am
and discovered that a worship service had begun and would continue
until noon. So we sat in the rear of the church and enjoyed listening
to a sermon in Creole. The worship services in Haiti are certainly
energetic with significant congregational participation. Once the
service had concluded and the congregation had exited, we got to
work. The idea was to locate the position of every column on the
floor plan so an architect could use this data to design a permanent
roof structure. There were about 40 columns. After about 2 hours,
the columns were positioned, and we headed home.

We were on the opposite side of Port-au-Prince from where the
road to Croix Luly lies, and we wanted to get some pictures of
Judain's house so by the time we finally arrived back at Croix Luly it
was after 5 pm. Just enough time to eat, rearrange and pack the
suitcases, and write and post this blog entry.

We're scheduled to leave the house here about 5:30 am for the hour
or so trip to the airport. Scheduled departure from Port-au-Prince is
8:45 am, and arrival in Philadelphia is 5:35 pm. It has been an
exceedingly productive trip; Dan & Joy Irvine are very pleased with
what we've been able to accomplish. It will be good to be home.

Winding Down

We decided to take it easy today. Well --- almost. The pace was a little slower than the past few days. We did make a small 3-shelf bookcase for the watchman. There were more frequent breaks for water and resting.

There was an opportunity to drive up the coast to the next small towns, but we decided to just stay here.

The list for tomorrow has an initial priority. A little more plumbing and electrical work. Another shelf to be mounted. Some measurements to be made at one of the rebuilding sites.

Sites to See

Sunday
At 7:20 am we headed for Port-au-Prince; an hour later we arrived
at the Wesleyan church in the Cite Soleil section of the city. Another
team had been working this week pouring the reinforced concrete
walls between the posts. Both teams joined the local congregation
for their morning worship service.

Following that service, three of us joined Dan and Judain for a trip to
Babaco. Babaco is a rural village toward the Dominican border
from Port-au-Prince; it is the site where the Penn-Jersey team from
Pine Grove built a pole barn church in the summer of 2010. The
church there is wanting to put up a 4-room school. While we were
there, the people of the church insisted on serving us rice & beans,
and chicken.

Dan identified a need for designing wood trusses so some time was
spent scouring the web for free software. In fact, that web surfing is a
primary reason for the absence of a post yesterday.


Monday
One of the truss design demo programs has some potential; it's not
clear how feasible this approach will be.

Water was seen dripping from the kitchen ceiling last evening.
Investigation today revealed a leaking joint in the water supply to the
sink in our bathroom. Unfortunately, most of the plumbing is inside
concrete walls. Fortunately, one of our guys was able to find and
repair the leak.

A third door was framed on the auxiliary building; two doors were
hung. More painting was done, a key box was mounted; and
another lockset was installed.

One More in the Books

Another work day is history. A doorway framed; more posts
painted; more batteries tested. 1x2 strips were ripped from a 2x6 to
make sides for screen frames. Two frames were assembled,
covered with screen and installed. A ground rod was cut from a
piece of rebar, sunk in the ground and connected to the generator. It
will be good to have a day off tomorrow.

Another Good Day of Work

Progress continued on the several projects that are underway. The
stairway posts have been set in place. The decorative wrought iron
panels between the posts have been attached. A top rail was set in
place.

A new pump was installed in the large cistern in the second building
on the property. The other day plumbing was installed to allow the
cistern in the main building to be filled from the cistern in the second
building.

Additional wiring was cleaned up; the cook's bedroom now has a
functional duplex outlet so a floor fan would keep the temperature
tolerable as long as electricity is available. Dead bolts were added to
the new doors. The cache of batteries for the power tools was
inventoried and recharged.

One Down, One To Go

Wow! We've reached the half-way point in our ministry here. It was
another productive day in spite of the hot, humid working condition.
Good progress has been made on the stairway posts and painting of
the cooks bedroom. Another window screen was made. New door
knobs have been installed on a couple bedrooms.

As is typical for our trips to Haiti, we have been well fed. Electricity
has been rationed. Haiti power is extremely sparce. We typically
run the generator during the day for the power tools. It is then run in
the evening until about 10:00 pm. It's always refreshing to visit with
Dan & Joy for a while following dinner.

A Visit to the Island

Monday evening we learned of an opportunity to visit the island of La
Gonave. Several of my trips have been to the island, but three of our
current team had never seen our mission station and hospital in Anse-a-
Galets.

So Tuesday morning we boarded the "Breezy Sea" for the 1 1/2 hour ride
across the Saint Marc channel. The plan was to spend a few hours
visiting then return to the mainland. We toured the hospital, the mission
station, and the new guest house. We also rode to the outskirts of town
where property has been purchased for an orphanage. A block wall has
been erected around the entire property for security. However, as so
often happens to plans in Haiti, our plans were changed. Our return
transportation to the mainland (the Breezy Sea) was still at the wharf at
Croix Luly (on the mainland) because the folks shopping for materials
were delayed by city traffic. By the time they finally returned, it was too
late to return. So not only did we have the opportunity to visit La
Gonave, we also had the opportunity to spend the night there.

Wednesday morning (today) at the appointed time we arrived at the dock
to board the Breezy Sea. The boat was there, but there was no sign of
the crew. A phone call revealed that the crew was looking in town for a
place to by some diesel fuel for the boat. About an hour later they
showed up with three 5-gallon cans of fuel. It was poured into the fuel
tank using a funnel made from a inverted gallon jug with the bottom cut
out. We were soon under way, and no sooner had we cleared the inlet
and headed for the open sea than the wind and waves picked up. Most
of the trip was through 3 to 6 foot swells with a few largers ones just to
keep it interesting.

This afternoon we were back to work. Stairway posts and railing,
painting, screens, plumbing to allow pumping water between the two
cisterns. We even took time to cool off in the water before supper.

The Work Continues

Sunday was a pleasant change of pace. Our team joined Dan, Joy and
Heidi (a short term missionary who is working with Joy) for a worship
service. A restful afternoon was followed by a refreshing dip in the
channel. The water near the shore is crystal clear (quite different from
Petit Goave); one can clearly see through 4 feet of water.

Monday has been another busy day. Work continued on the stairway
posts; each one needed to be custom fit to the existing holes in the stair
treads. Another coat of paint was carefully applied to the white-washed
walls. A scaffold was disassembled for its lumber. Electrical wiring for
the generator and in the circuit breaker panels was upgraded. The
washing machine was installed and connected. Tomorrow is another day.

On Site and At Work

Sunday
For the last three days we have been without internet. Here is an update for the last few days.

Thursday
The travel to Haiti was relatively on-time and uneventful. We did sit on the plane in Miami for an extra 20 minutes or so while they tried to locate the last passenger or find and remove his luggage from the plane. In Port-au-Prince the immigration line moved without undue delay and baggage claim was successful in the end. The customs agent asked if we had any medicine (we had some insulin), and directed me to another officer who inquired further. When he learned that it was for our hospital and was not expired, he sent us on our way.

Dan had ordered hamburgers and french fries for us so we ate en-route to EKO-Depot, a local building supply store. After a few purchases there and more purchases at another building supply we headed north to Croix Luly, our home for the next two weeks.

Our "project" for this visit was helping with the refurbishing of the two buildings on this newly acquired property. It is situated just two properties from our existing wharf. It is a good size waterfront property with two houses. The houses have been uninhabited for many years so much maintenance and updating is needed. The vision for this property is very exciting: The site is ideal for a training center for local Pastors. The site will provide a cost effective opportunity for the missionaries on-site to "get away" for a few days. The site is a convenient staging location for ministry teams traveling to La Gonave. It also provides a residence for a missionary couple.


Friday
A variety of tasks were begun today. Shelves were built and installed in a storage building. Wiring for the pump that fills the water cistern on the roof was upgraded. A "functioning" shower head was installed. Metal bars on several of the windows were wire brushed and painted. One of four stairway posts was cut and set. One of the guys was also able to reposition and re-tension the hydraulic pump and belt for the rudder control on the Breezy Sea.


Saturday
Worked continued on the stairway posts. Installation of plumbing for the clothes washer began. The rooms in the auxiliary building are being reorganized. One of the rooms is being used for tool storage. Another one of the rooms in an auxiliary building was "converted" into a bedroom for Lousani the Haitian lady who is doing the cooking for us. That meant repairing the door so it closed and had a lock, putting screen on the three windows, and trying to paint the walls --- trying because the previous white-wash would flake off as the roller of latex paint was applied.

The Next Challenge

During our time in Haiti last May we learned of a budding opportunity for home refurbishing. A newly acquired property with significant potential for ministry impact had been uninhabited for years and needs substantial attention to plumbing, electrical and carpentry upgrades. Tomorrow morning five guys from across the Penn-Jersey District head to Haiti to undertake this task.

As before, I hope to update this blog on a daily basis; but as before, there is no guarantee of internet access, adequate time or sufficient coherence. So stay tuned and don't despair if updates don't arrive when you expect them.

This One is Done

The trip home was pleasantly uneventful. Sufficient time in Miami for lunch at Chilli's, and on the tarmac in Philly about 5:45. Who could ask for more.

I think we all were very pleased with the work accomplished; Barry had a neat observation about the trip --- he said "I felt like I belonged there."

Initial planning has begun for a trip in October, but for now it's time to focus on the responsibilities in North America.

Last Night in Haiti (I hope)

This productive and worthwhile adventure is nearing its conclusion. According to the schedule we should be back in the United States tomorrow by half past noon, and we should be in Philadelphia before 6:00 pm. Of course, we are still in Haiti so the possibility of changes is never out of our minds.

Today was a nice blend of work and relaxation. Minor repairs were made to the generator that Dan & Joy use for electricity when the city power is off. Several hours were filled with conversation with the Irvines; it is encouraging and challenging hear their stories and their vision.

A Step Toward Home

The journey home began at 5:00 am today. The public ferry was the means of transportation to the mainland. The hour and a half trip across the water put us at the dock on the mainland about 7:30. It was 8:50 by the time we arrived in the greater Port-au-Prince area and 9:30 by the time we arrived at Dan & Joy's house.

After some rest and lunch, we traveled with Dan as he visited some of the sites where construction is underway. In addition to seeing Port-au-Prince from different elevations, we also experienced an extremely wide variety of road surfaces (most of them requiring slow, cautious travel) and traffic congestion.

Tomorrow we plan to work on various maintenance chores around the house.

It's in the Book

Our current work on La Gonave has come to a close. It was a very productive week. All but 4 interior walls are up to 6 courses above the floor. The Haitian masons are well capable of completing that work. Further block work is dependent of sufficient scaffolding. There has been discussion about procuring same, but I'm not sure about the conclusion. I did hear mention of having a local carpenter build it.

As the schedule now stands, we are planning to leave the island for Port-au-Prince early tomorrow.

Welcome Rest

It was nice to be able to slow down and not feel guilty about it. We spent a couple hours at a Haitian morning worship service here in Anse-a-Galets. Although we could not understand very much of what transpired, the people were glad to see us, and Pastor Keno called us up front to introduce ourselves. We also shared a time of worship (in English) with the missionary families here on the mission station.

After lunch several of the folks took the Wesleyana out to the sand bar for some swimming and snorkeling. Some of us (me included) used the time to rest.

So --- it's one more day of work here then on to Port-au-Prince.

Footers to Walls

What we thought was going to be the last work day turned out be another very productive day. The moisture barrier and back-filling was finished by lunch time. The exterior walls are all 6 courses above floor level. The masons continue laying the side walls for the bedrooms. The two Haitian masons are quickly absorbing the counsel of Barry and Alan (the "brickie" from Scotland).

A significant portion of the afternoon was allotted to rest; the temperature on the back porch of the dining hall registered at 130 degrees F.

Since Alan's flight home leaves Monday, this was his last day of work. We've had a great time working and visiting with him. This week we've had 72 years of block laying experience on site (Barry with 30 and Alan with 42).

As it turns out, Barry and I will have another work day here on the island. Dan Irvine is scheduled to come from Port on Monday for a retirement party for 3 of the Wesleyan Mission employees. He has chartered an MAF flight for return on Tuesday. So not only do Barry and I get to work another day; we also get to travel back to Port with Dan.

Sun and Work

Breezes were blowing throughout the morning making the sun in a clear sky a bit more bearable. Block laying continues as does placing the moisture barrier and back-filling. However, there was no break in the temperature for the afternoon. It just doesn't take long for the beating sun to sap all our energy, but we keep going -- just a bit slower each hour. It was a another good day of progress. The exterior walls are up to window height; the interior wall are about half way up to the windows.

Rain and Work

The rain of last night carried over to this morning. For a while it looked like a day in the (hot) shade, but about 8:30 the rain stopped, and the workers began straggling in. It turned out to be a very productive day. In spite of the gooey mixture of rain, mud and dirt we managed to do what we needed to do. A few more courses were laid on the 2 long exterior walls. A moisture barrier was placed around the exterior wall and back-filled to floor level.

Can you believe we only have 2 more days to work on La Gonave. Sunday we'll enjoy a day of relaxation; Monday we travel to Port-a-Prince where we'll have 2 days of work before returning home next Thursday.

The Walls Go Up

Wednesday was a good day of block laying; the two short ends are now at 5 and 6 courses of blocks above floor level. A delivery of block was very timely; we'll need another couple deliveries today if we are to maintain the current pace. It is also a challenge to motivate the local laborers to keep block and mortar supplied to the masons and to have re-bar cut when needed.

We've been holding up well physically, but when 4:00 o'clock comes around, we're ready to stop for the day.

Block by Block

In spite of the heat the progress continues. The rains in the evening provide lower temperatures overnight, and the conditions for sleeping are much more bearable. We were able to mark the location of many interior doors, and Barry was able to begin laying corners. Another block mason arrived Tuesday so we should be able to make substantial progress as long as the supply of block is maintained. For now the block is coming from Port; that entails a 2-hour drive up the coast than a 2-hour boat trip across the channel. At the present time the Breezy Sea is out of commission with a malfunctioning starter so all channel crossings are in the Wesleyana. It is hoped that soon a block maker here in Anse-a-Galet will be able to begin making blocks for us.

Marching Onward

Why is it that by the time I get around to writing for this blog my energy has hit bottom even though it is only 8:00 pm. The heat has a way of sapping ones strength. By the time dinner is over we're ready to crash.

'Twas another good (hot) day of progress. As Barry and others continued laying blocks, I worked with some others to line the side of the wall blocks with plastic prior to back-filling the dirt up to floor level. It's really neat to see two North Americans working side by side with a dozen Haitians. Somehow we manage to communicate in spite of the linguistic limitations.

Another Hot One

Saturday was another brutally hot day in the sun. None the less we are making good progress in getting the interior load bearing walls up to floor level (two courses of blocks above the footer). The 2 long segments are 90% done; the 6 shorter segments are about 60% done.

One of the Haitian masons has decided I need to learn to count and tell time in Creole. At the end of the work day yesterday I was sitting on some blocks in the shade just cooling down and looking over our work. After the tools had been washed off and before he left for home, he walked over to me to say good bye and began prompting me to count. After a few minutes of this exercise, we parted ways; I'm quite sure we'll have another session on Monday.

Today seems to be a bit milder; late yesterday evening there was a heavy rain for half an hour or so. I'm thankful for this day to move slowly and relax. A medical team arrived yesterday; they'll be here for a week. Some of the folks have joined Lowell for a "ride" around the town and up the mountain.

A Good Day of Work

The overnight rain contributed to slightly lower temperatures (at least for the morning). Although the day again left us very tired, we are feeling much better than we were yesterday at this time. It was a very productive day of laying block.

The new guest house is 75' x 103' and will provide accommodations for 44 persons. Prior to our arrival, footers had been poured, and blocks for some of the load bearing walls had been layed. There are 2 interior load bearing walls running the length of the building and 6 interior load bearing walls running the width of the building. The initial goal for our 2 weeks here is to lay the blocks for all of the load bearing walls up to the floor level. At that point, backfilling of dirt can be done, and the concrete floor can be poured. Ideally we will also be able to continue laying several more courses of block.

We've begun to build relationships with some of the Haitian workers, and although our linguistic skills are poor, communication at an elementary level still is happening.

One Hot Day

The first work day is over, and we have survived. The site of the new guest house is in the direct sunlight; at noon today the temperature was 126 degrees F. Needless to say we are both exhausted. However, it was a good day of work. Several Haitians worked with us -- some laying block, some mixing mortar, some carrying blocks, mortar and water. We look forward to more of the same tomorrow.

On Time Travel

The journey was uneventful and on-time --- actually a little early. We arrived at the mission station about 1:30 and were greeted with the 90/90 climate as usual (90 degrees, 90% RH). After lunch Barry and I joined Greg (the station manager) for a tour of the work site. Much of the exterior foundation wall has been laid up to floor height. Most of the interior foundation walls are yet to be laid. A few hours were spent digesting the drawings and getting familiar with the dimensions for placement of doorways. Tomorrow we get to work.

To the South - Again

During our last trip to Haiti we saw footers being dug for a new guest house at the mission station on La Gonave. Since then footers have been poured and folks have been busy laying the block foundation walls. While we were there last March, the station manager had expressed a strong desire to have some block masons from North America come to work alongside the Haitians. Tomorrow morning a friend who has over 30 years masonry experience is joining me for a 2-week trip to work on the new guest house. Hopefully, I'll be able to post daily updates.

Wrapping it Up

Another trip to Haiti is history; it was certainly a worthwhile trip from several perspectives --- work accomplished, friendships strengthened, encouragement provided. In Haiti there is always much more to be done, but the people are extremely grateful for every little bit that is accomplished.

On Thursday the ceiling repairs in the apartment were completed; roof sealant was applied to the rest of the main storage shed; and scores of books were sorted in preparation for the opening of a library that is currently under construction.

Two major construction projects are underway on the La Gonave mission station: a new hospital to replace the overcrowded, 50-year old original, and a new guest house to accommodate larger groups and provide meeting space for training seminars. These projects are being spearheaded by a group from Scotland (http://www.lemonaid.org.uk/) and will rely heavily on volunteer labor. The land for the new guesthouse had been cleared before our arrival, and the last tree to be felled came down while we were there. It was fascinating to watch the Haitian workers trim the limbs and section the tree using only axes and machetes. Corner stakes for the new guest house were set, and a volunteer from New Brunswick, Canada, was operating a backhoe to level the ground.

Thursday afternoon our group was taken on a tour through the town of Anse-a-Galets and up the mountain. The views were impressive, the contrasts stark -- the bay in the distance, the mountain range beyond that on the northern arm of the mainland, the arid land where people eke out a living with small gardens and an animal or two. The road was narrow, rocky, and at times, barely passable. Yet some commute daily to the town below either on foot or by motor bike.

We also toured the saline - a flat area along the shore where folks who have no other place to live scrounge wood, blocks, tin and cloth to frame a shelter they call home.

Thursday evening we were able to enjoy a visit with the missionary families and also to identify additional projects that we were able to fund including the hiring of local labors to do some of the needed repairs.

The trip home began Friday morning at 3:30 am. Due to other schedule requirements we were provided a pre-dawn journey across the Saint Marc channel with the added benefit of watching the sun rise. The two-hour truck ride to Port-au-Prince was interrupted with a stop at a large, flat area sprinkled with crosses; We were told that more than 200,000 earthquake victims are buried here.

Following lunch we were taken on a tour of Port-au-Prince. Much of the destruction remains untouched; the palace, the cathedral and several government buildings look little different from the days immediately following the earthquake. Tent cities are still prevalent, and people walk distances and stand in lines for water. Yet, life goes on; street vendors and open air markets are open, and folks are selling their charcoal and sugar cane along the roadways.

Saturday was a typical travel day --- standing in lines, sitting in boarding lounges, sitting on airplanes. A seven hour layover in Fort Lauderdale allowed us plenty of time to feast on American food (and gave our bags a chance to get to Philadelphia before we did).

On this trip I was reminded of additional reasons for North Americans to visit our missionaries on the field. I've often observed that words and pictures are inadequate descriptions of life in Haiti; there's no substitute for being "on the ground". There is clearly much more to be done that can be accomplished by the missionaries themselves; added human and financial resources meet needs that would otherwise be delayed or overlooked. On this trip several of the missionaries commented to me how much they were encouraged just by our coming; I also realized that our presence is a statement to the Haitians that they have not been forgotten, and there is reason for hope.

Home Again

We landed in Philadelphia about 10:15, but since our checked bags took a different route, it took a while to locate them. We got home just before midnight. It was a very productive and rewarding trip. Thursday was a long day, and I didn't take time to report; Friday I had no access to internet. In the next day or so, I'll fill in the rest of the story. Thanks for all your interest and prayers.

More Work; Some Visits

It was another good day of work even though we only worked for the morning. Roof sealant was applied to the main storage shed (the depot); the remaining propane tanks were cleaned and painted. Significant progress was made on the ceiling repairs in the apartment.

After lunch we visited an orphanage in town where 61 children (24 boys and 37 girls) are being cared for. We passed out gifts of candy, toy cars, beany babies, and silly bands, and were entertained with energetic songs from both boys and girls. We also passed out crayons and pages from coloring books and visited with them as they colored.

Before supper we sat in on two English classes and had the opportunity to interact with the students. They are very eager to learn, and a discussion about a paragraph they have read often extends beyond the language to the content of the paragraph. For example, as they read about the Great Depression, they asked what caused it and wanted to explore the economic climate of the time (Why did the stock market crash? Why did the banks fail?).

Following supper we attended the advance English class, and after a lesson on past tense and negative past tense, we joined them in playing "You've Been Sentenced". It is a great tool for teaching sentence structure, syntax and vocabulary, and it provided many reasons for laughter. After each round the teacher would review parts of speech and talk about the definitions of newly encountered words.

We are down to our final day on the island. The plan is to work in the morning then tour the area around and outside the town.

A Good Days Work

A second coat of sealant was applied to the station manager's house roof. Two windows in a storage area were boarded up, caulked, and painted in preparation for storing bags of concrete. More propane tanks were cleaned and painted. A ceiling in one of the apartments showed signs of significant deterioration and termite damage. The attic floor was vacuumed and a few reinforcement boards were set in place in preparation for a new ceiling panel. Throughout the day there were opportunities to share with the missionary families and to renew friendships with nationals we have met on previous trips. Several trips to other ministries in the area are being planned.

The Last Few Days

It seems that each trip south incorporates special "perks". I knew our check-in last Saturday at US Airways would be "different" because there were 6 of us checking 16 bags - many of them at or (slightly) over 50 pounds. Although some details of that exercise require follow up, all 16 got on the plane with us. An early arrival at Fort Lauderdale started me thinking that this trip was going to set new records for smoothness. However, the oversight of US Airways in not providing boarding passes for the American Airlines flight to Port-au-Prince and a security check line that extended through three waiting queues and continued outside the terminal building made me thankful that we had over two hours to make the connection. In the boarding lounge we were joined by the two other members of the team (and their four checked bags), and the eight of us were finally on board only 45 minutes behind schedule. For the next half hour we sat while the pilot waited for the report of aircraft weight, and the baggage handlers were "moving bags around" in the baggage compartment. Providentially, all 20 pieces of checked luggage were waiting for us in the Port-au-Prince baggage claim area when we finally exited immigration a mere hour and 30 minutes after touching down. A typical Haitian meal of rice and beans and a tasty meat sauce accompanied by fried plantians welcomed us to the guest house for the night.

Sunday we began the two hour ride up the coast of the northern arm of the country in a covered flat bed truck and an SUV. About midway in the trip we stopped at Source Matelas to join their worship service and greet the people. At the wharf we loaded our luggage along with a scale for the hospital and a refrigerator for the guest house onto the diesel powered refurbished lobster boat for the hour and a half, 12-mile ride across the Saint Marc channel to the town of Anse-a-Galets on the island of La Gonave. Lunch was waiting for us at the mission station guest house following which we visited with the missionaries stationed here and previewed the projects waiting for us.

It is no surprise that the project list is sufficient to keep many teams busy for many weeks. For today the main focus was seal coating the tin roof of the station manager's house and wire brush cleaning of several propane tanks in preparation for painting them. Finally after dinner there was time to relax and learn more about the ministries that are taking place in the town and on the island.

On the Island

We've arrived on the island of La Gonave. The trip so far has been mostly as expected although we do have a few anecdotes to tell. Both Saturday and today have been full, busy days. Yesterday I never took the computer out of the bag, and I've just connected to the Internet a few minutes ago. We sort of have a plan for tomorrow, and it's shaping up to be a busy week. Hopefully I'll write more tomorrow.

The Adventure Continues

It is once again time to pack our bags and head south. In about 9 hours six of us should be boarding a plane in Philadelphia bound for Port-au-Prince, Haiti, by way of Fort Lauderdale (where we'll be joined by two more). Our destination is the town of Anse-a-Galets on the island of La Gonave. The current plan is to spend most of our time at the Wesleyan Mission Station and Hospital; we expect our efforts to focus on the current, pressing needs for maintenance and improvement. As on prior trips, it is my intention to publish updates daily; achievement of this goal is dependent on both the availability of Internet access and an adequate level coherence and energy on the part of the author. Neither condition is guaranteed. Stay tuned.