Tiburon meeting

Tiburon community leaders met with Zach, Paige and me yesterday in one of the classrooms of our school there.  Needs were discussed and possible solutions presented.  We're working on a grant to fund disaster risk reduction.  Every major storm that passes our way has a terrible impact on the major sources of income for this region---jobs are lost; equipment destroyed; crops are washed away.  The people of Tiburon know what needs to be done but have no resources available to them.  This grant would be a step in the right direction towards a more sustainable economic future.  Keep us in your prayers.

Tiburon

Photo taken yesterday when Berthony, our Director, and Maitre Etienne, our Director of Education, visited our small school there. This photo of the landscape behind our school depresses me.  Why?  See that plume of smoke?  That's charcoal being made from trees that have been cut down.  The hillsides are already starting to show the scarring of the deforestation.  Tiburon used to be all about fishing but several major storms destroyed the fishing fleet and the folks have turned to making charcoal in order to live.  What they need is help to get new boats and nets.  I'm looking for funding to help the fishing cooperative so if you know anyone interested, drop me a line.

Latest from Tiburon

 

Two of the more dramatic photos that Maxo brought back from Tiburon. He says that he saw over a hundred homes that are no longer livable and he did not venture from the main road.  The immediate need is food which we can address once the road is passable but the long term needs are housing, agricultural restoration and employment.

Road trip to Tiburon

Just beyond Port Salut the road is well paved and the scenery amazing.

There's an occasional obstacle like the stream above.  Glad it was a sunny day.

As we approached Tiburon, we saw plenty of trees which might be described as wind-swept.

Our school in Tiburon

A couple of photos of our school in Tiburon which is far from here.  Go west about three hours on a good day and you'll find it.  We built the school there on donated land and pay the teachers' salaries.  All these children, 200 of them, would not be able to afford school otherwise.  Your donations give these children a chance to learn, a chance to break the cycle of poverty.  Your donations give them "espwa"!

Guess whose coming to dinner..

Duckens Douyon went home to check on his family last week. He ended up getting mumps and had to stay a few extra days. He called me a few days ago and asked if he could bring "some" boys who were either orphaned or indirect victims of the earthquake. Well, "some" boys walked in this evening--- a total of fifteen from the age of eight to twelve years old. We'll straighten out their stories tomorrow. Right now we have to feed them. Catch me tomorrow for an update.