Old friends

 Elson visited Dokte Cynthia yesterday.  Cynthia hosted Elson at her home in Maine while St Mary's Medical Center took care of his medical needs a few years back.  He's 100% recuperated and back with his family these days.

Claudette and Jonas who goes by the name "Bob-Joe", his artist name.  Most visitors know him as the bracelet boy.  He makes personalized bracelets for all our visitors as a gift and then takes orders.  Smart approach.  Jonas is also a graduate of Espwa.

Jonas

This is 17 y/o Jonas who is presently a resident of the prison in Les Cayes.  Whatever he is accused of, he claims innocence.  No surprise there.  Paige was visiting the prison today and was allowed by the guards to take this close-up so that we could show you.  Doctor Jerry thinks he has hepatitis but blood-work is needed to determine which type- A, B or C.  He is in pain and has no appetite nor does he have a family to provide for him.  We'll be going back tomorrow (with Doctor J.) to see how we can help him and the other minors being held there.  We'd like to purchase personal hygiene kits for the all the prisoners (all 460 of 'em) which would include soap, shampoo, deodorant, powder, tooth paste and brush, laundry soap.  Will let you know the cost in another post.

The graduate

One of our graduates called me today.  He had been working at a hotel in PaP which was destroyed on that cruel day last month.  His wife and two children are fine but he now has no job, no place to stay and no family to help him out.  He started crying on the phone because things were going pretty well for him and now he's lost it all.  I tried in vain to encourage him.  Will call him tomorrow and arrange for a friend in PaP to help him out temporarily.  And Jonas is but one of hundreds of thousands of people!

Visitors- January 2010

Connie is now from South Carolina but she was born and brought up in Lewiston Maine, my home town. Here she's talking with Djimy Pierre while Jonas Dorseus looks on.

Deacon Don and his wife, Dottie, from California, seen enjoying a hearty breakfast. Mike, the mechanic, is partially seen washing his hands.

Rehab

Here's Jonas Delices putting paint on the new windows

The old windows of the secondary school were small and made of wood.  These were removed and replaced by clostra blocks which allow more light and better ventilation.  They don't look bad, either.