Clinic well

Here's the well digging team we hired for the clinic well.  They use the old fashion method of doing it by hand, slowly turning the pipe that works its way down, inch by inch, to fresh water.  Lucky for them and us that we have lots of clay and sand underground with very few rocks.  Notice the young man helping his team by sitting on the pipe!

Matthew 25:36

 

UN Representative Moussah (Burkino-Faso) and Nathalie checking out the food stuff for the special meal that the 500 detainees in our local prison enjoyed yesterday, the International Day of the Prisoner.  Thanks to the support of Cross International and Catholic Relief Services, the prisoners were treated to rice, beans and chicken along with fresh juice.

The special day began with the liturgy which was followed by a music program.  Photos are not allowed of the prisoners so that's all we've got to show you.  I can tell you that the detainees were deeply appreciative.

Update- Jean Raymond

This is the photo I posted a while back (in the spring) of Jean Raymond.  So cruel were the other children in his area that Jean Raymond refused to go to school.

This photo was taken yesterday when Jean Raymond got back from school.  He has new friends and is doing very well in school.  He has no trouble pronouncing words anymore, can drink normally now and, most significantly, can smile.

Smile Train with Surgical Volunteers International are to be praised for their fantastic work.

Update- brothers

Judeson

Getro

I've been asked a couple of times for an update on the three brothers who were in an accident back in early July.  I am very happy to report that the three are doing amazingly well.  The oldest, Jameson, had his mandible repaired and is fine now but with fewer teeth.  He was absent when the photo was taken.  Judeson (above) has pins in his leg but gets around pretty well.  No soccer for the immediate future.  Getro who suffered a fractured skull is on the mend and is attending school.  Thanks to all who made donations to help them.  The boys and their family are most grateful and ask God to bestow His blessings on you.

Update: kitchen and dining room

Our crew had a steep learning curve on this part of the project.  They are now in the groove and the roofing struts and panels are going up.  The larger panels weigh in at 300 pounds so you know this is challenging.  We are very relieved to see this progress.

Sisters

Margaret and Christine

Christine was here this week not just to visit her sister, Margaret, but to work on our Master Plan.  Christine visited us last summer and decided to make Pwoje Espwa her Master's Thesis subject.  She has produced a masterful work that incorporates weather, climate, appropriate building technologies, children's social and psychological needs... What a terrific gift to the children of Espwa!

Rain.....Grrrrrr

The rain started pouring down almost as soon as the crew gathered this morning to work on the roof.  That's Ely sitting about twenty feet up trying to stay dry.  Good thing he's thin.

Homecoming of sorts

These young men are graduates of Espwa and now working for S2H.  they've come back from projects in PaP to work on our kitchen/dining room roof.  Good to see them and have them back.

Good news

TiBoss (Jocelyn Nelson) and Stephen Runnels

Stephen Runnels of S2H is with us for the next two weeks to finally put a roof on the kitchen/dining room.  We've been waiting for months but there was always a hindrance.  We are very happy to have everyone and everything finally in place to get this done.

Still more rain

From left: our Guest House, our small clinic and our storage containers

Entrance to the children's village

Rain still

Field that we plowed under last week and were going to plant this week.  Glad we didn't.

Incessant rain

Not a clear shot but you get the idea of the situation in town this morning.

Downtown Les Cayes this morning

Flooding

MaTante's house was an island today.  Downtown Les Cayes was under water--  in some places three feet of it.  Heard there was one death but that is not confirmed.

Rain

On Friday Margaret asked about the rainy season here in Haiti.  We told her it is usually at this time of year but so far we had been lucky.  Well, Saturday and Sunday were the wettest days so far this season.  It felt like  hurricane weather yesterday with high winds and rain coming down in buckets.

That's a photo of the small dirt road in front of my dwelling-- under water-- making traveling a real challenge.

School's in session finally

Primary school students gathered in the Quonset hut this morning for a prayer session to kick off the new school year.

A few of the girls dressed in old uniforms.

Mass exodus of secondary and primary students after the prayer. 

Pre-school

The kids are back from summer vacation and many are real happy about it.

A few were not and ended up in the crying room.  About a dozen of them were here when I visited this morning.  It'll take a few days before they get used to the idea but the patience of the teachers will win out in the end.

Rest in Peace

Remember this post of TiJean a couple of months ago?  Found out this week that TiJean died a couple of weeks ago.  Seems he had a fever with a headache and lasted only about three hours after that.  Bernatho's sister died the same way and we have heard of others, too.  Autopsies are not done here so we will never know what transpired.  When folks don't know what has happened they typically blame it on magical curses.  

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.  And may perpetual light shine on him forever.

Mathurin Oceant

This is a photo of Mathurin's arm.  He broke it in a motorcycle accident about two months ago.  Mathurin went to the ER at the local hospital and the doctor there set his arm in plaster.  As you can tell from the photo (I saw the new x-rays) the bone has set badly so he now has to have it broken and reset.  Ouch!  Mathurin is a graduate of ours who now works in our agriculture program.  Can't wait for our clinic to be up and running!

Desperation

The main road leading to our campus was blocked for three days this week.  Trees were strategically placed to stop all traffic and young people were posted nearby to discourage anyone from trying to circumvent the obstacles.  Several tires were offered up, like sacrifices, for the cause.

What was behind this?  The young adults of Madame Combe, the nearest village to us, are frustrated and despondent because of high unemployment.  They have been to school and done what they should have but they remain jobless.  Imagine their frustration when they see dozens and dozens of Espwa employees pass their homes on their way to work every single day.  This all came to a head this week and the young people decided to act and let their feelings be known.  

Things have calmed down a bit but the fire is not out. 

Your prayers are needed for all of us here to have wisdom, patience and understanding.