The First couple of Days

Back To Haiti:


On March 19th I flew back to Haiti…for an extended time. As I leave I feel like a new chapter in my life is opening. I don’t know if this is a long…long term stay in Haiti, (like a year or more) or a time with a new focus (job), direction and reaching my dreams and visions. I DO know that as I thought and prayed, I told the mission that I could stay for three months, and then I would re-evaluate. I am looking forward to pressing in. I will press into construction and rebuilding projects, I will press into getting to know the people of Haiti, I will press in Also, pressing into myself (if that makes sense). What Fears do I have, what goals do I have that I need to take steps to accomplish, where do I want to be in five, ten, twenty years…A new chapter ….starting in a new country…a country torn not only by earthquakes but poverty, social/ political unrest…a new day indeed.

Saturday March 20

A group of 12 guys from the neighborhood got baptized today….we loaded fifty people into four vehicles (yes that’s right …two pick-up trucks) Drove about an hour to a “clean” beach and celebrated these guys and the choice to follow God. I had met all of these guys on my first trip, they are pressing into living a right life. We hired them to work on demolishing houses and have been involved in a daily bible study. A good way to enter back into the country.

Sunday, March 21

Found out at 10:00 am that there are 50 sheds at port for us. A company in Pennsylvania donated the sheds (8x12) put them on skids and shipped them…..we knew they were coming but not so soon. We expected them at least a week from now….(everything gets caught up in port)…either in the US or especially in Haiti. We Hired two flat bed trailers…drove into port they loaded them on the flatbed and drove off….not paying anything…ummm miracle? That usually does not happen. Once we arrived at our base camp (about 7:30) the plan was to unload by hand all 50 sheds. Now they are bound together in one “kit” ready to put up…so we did not want to break up the kits and become unorganized. PROBPLEM…they were heavy…we had 20 guys around on shed and had to transport about 100 yards…three sheds removed in one hour…tired men this is not happening. Need a fork lift…the search is on. Marine base…no…finally the small port in Carefour had a fork lift…made arrangements for 7:00amin the morning…paid the truck drivers extra to sleep here overnight. All in the crazy life in Haiti

Monday March 22

Woke up early to unload the trailers…got a fork lift from the port we now have 50 8 x 12 shed to put up. For the people of Haiti….to get them out of the rain. Took about an hour to unload the rest of the sheds…piled them up in the alley…All the Haitians are asking for one…We are clearing one lot at a time…one family at a time.

A new team comes into Haiti today…we as “long timers” are setting up projects for the “one week” crew coming in. The main construction job is at Louis’ house…Louis opened up his property to the” Haiti Family” In the early weeks after the earthquake the teams slept in the courtyard, under the stars before tarps and tents started to arrive. The main focus is to build the walls back up to enclose the property…then put at least two sheds for Louis and his family. Everything takes longer in Haiti…cinder block has to be hauled 300 yards to the property…four or five at a time in a wheel barrel, mortar/sand sifted and mixed by hand….and rubble continued to be removed by hand. Working in 100 degree temps…a long hard days work.