No-fault (of our own)
There isn't a traffic light in Jeremie. Cars are nowhere to be found ('cept for the abandoned hulk. . .now doubling as a windowless apartment. . .done by the "bus station"!). Trucks are the 4-wheel choice given the poor roads and terrain, and motorbikes (99% Chinese origin) dominate are definitely the ride of choice.
It takes a fair amount of one's income to get a license, let along afford 2- or 4-wheels.
I think they should double the price of a license and get some clearly looney-tune bikers off the roads! Today, one sideswiped our truck while attempting to pass other bikers. Axary was none too pleased, read the doofus the riot act, took his bike key and after a few minutes gave it back.
Later, after the very first (and first rate) Haitian restaurant meal we've ever attempted, we returned to find the front windshield smashed by a rock the size of a bowling ball. OK, this looney tune didn't have a license. . .but he had trashed one or more other vehicles the same day. Axary tracked the "fellow" down, and he was truly looney tunes.
As I said, traffic enforcement is non existent here, and No-Fault here really means "just try to make me pay for my trashing your beautiful truck"! It definitely threw our crew a bit off kilter. . .but we rallied, jury-rigged some windshield repairs (duct tape, thank you!), confirmed that the dealer in Port au Prince has a replacement windshield in stock and went about our business.
Today, we visited the church's K-12 school in Jeremie, John Wesley College. We had 30+ dresses sewn by middle schoolers at Detroit Country Day, and each had written a brief note in French with a selfie, and placed in the pocket of each dress. This was their second year of so doing, and we shared the gifts with middle schoolers at John Wesley. It was great fun, and great outreach. . .a peer voice from another country saying "hi, how are you?".
We then went to Good Sam, the church's home for indigent elders. We love the place, love the residents, and try to care for them in ways the church cannot consistently do. . .meaning medical checkups, laying in food stores, and making sure the facility (modest would be a massive overstatement. . . .) is functional and tidy. Speaking of tidy, the hurricane winds basically sand-blasted the exterior walls, so we arranged for our favorite painter (Nisage) to freshen up. . .and he started an hour after we agreed for him to do so. Try to get that level of service in the U.S.!
We visited the jail, where last year we observed just awful conditions, and conducted a mobile medical event. To help with overcrowding (meaning, to allow the prisoners some more time out of a standing-room-only cell shared with 60 other inmates. . .in Haitian heat and humidity!), we supported the warden's request for an additional prison gate that fully secured what has become an outdoor courtyard. We saw that new gate in place today and saw many more prisoners enjoying "time in the yard".
We visited the works-in-progress that are home repairs for some of our loyal ground crew. . .feeling being we need to resolve their hurricane damage so that we have their full attentions helping us help others.
We returned to the Charmant to cut/count/bag medicines for our final mobile medical/dental tomorrow, after which we'll distribute the remaining medicines to the Haitian doctors who helped us this week.
These have been long, sweaty days, but the spirit of the Kellers, McClellands and Wilkinsons. . .and our loyal ground crew (Axary, Serge, John, Elie Jean, Woody, Goblet, James Stanley. . .aka "Hoss", Judseson, Little James, Peter, Patrick, Carlo and Nisage, and Doctors Marx/Jackson/Rosemond/Monsanto, and Nurses Golanda, Flore, Rose, Modelin, Maria) is one powerful force for good!
It takes a fair amount of one's income to get a license, let along afford 2- or 4-wheels.
I think they should double the price of a license and get some clearly looney-tune bikers off the roads! Today, one sideswiped our truck while attempting to pass other bikers. Axary was none too pleased, read the doofus the riot act, took his bike key and after a few minutes gave it back.
Later, after the very first (and first rate) Haitian restaurant meal we've ever attempted, we returned to find the front windshield smashed by a rock the size of a bowling ball. OK, this looney tune didn't have a license. . .but he had trashed one or more other vehicles the same day. Axary tracked the "fellow" down, and he was truly looney tunes.
As I said, traffic enforcement is non existent here, and No-Fault here really means "just try to make me pay for my trashing your beautiful truck"! It definitely threw our crew a bit off kilter. . .but we rallied, jury-rigged some windshield repairs (duct tape, thank you!), confirmed that the dealer in Port au Prince has a replacement windshield in stock and went about our business.
Today, we visited the church's K-12 school in Jeremie, John Wesley College. We had 30+ dresses sewn by middle schoolers at Detroit Country Day, and each had written a brief note in French with a selfie, and placed in the pocket of each dress. This was their second year of so doing, and we shared the gifts with middle schoolers at John Wesley. It was great fun, and great outreach. . .a peer voice from another country saying "hi, how are you?".
We then went to Good Sam, the church's home for indigent elders. We love the place, love the residents, and try to care for them in ways the church cannot consistently do. . .meaning medical checkups, laying in food stores, and making sure the facility (modest would be a massive overstatement. . . .) is functional and tidy. Speaking of tidy, the hurricane winds basically sand-blasted the exterior walls, so we arranged for our favorite painter (Nisage) to freshen up. . .and he started an hour after we agreed for him to do so. Try to get that level of service in the U.S.!
We visited the jail, where last year we observed just awful conditions, and conducted a mobile medical event. To help with overcrowding (meaning, to allow the prisoners some more time out of a standing-room-only cell shared with 60 other inmates. . .in Haitian heat and humidity!), we supported the warden's request for an additional prison gate that fully secured what has become an outdoor courtyard. We saw that new gate in place today and saw many more prisoners enjoying "time in the yard".
We visited the works-in-progress that are home repairs for some of our loyal ground crew. . .feeling being we need to resolve their hurricane damage so that we have their full attentions helping us help others.
We returned to the Charmant to cut/count/bag medicines for our final mobile medical/dental tomorrow, after which we'll distribute the remaining medicines to the Haitian doctors who helped us this week.
These have been long, sweaty days, but the spirit of the Kellers, McClellands and Wilkinsons. . .and our loyal ground crew (Axary, Serge, John, Elie Jean, Woody, Goblet, James Stanley. . .aka "Hoss", Judseson, Little James, Peter, Patrick, Carlo and Nisage, and Doctors Marx/Jackson/Rosemond/Monsanto, and Nurses Golanda, Flore, Rose, Modelin, Maria) is one powerful force for good!
Comments
Post a Comment