Can’t you take a hint?
We’ll post three pictures but one is for dear Sarah, who was unable to accompany husband Mick on this rescheduled trip. . .but she’ll recognize the setting (hint: Roseaux orphanage), and see the most essential item to a good day painting (hint: water at the ready. . .it was over 90 degrees today and we were painting the insides of the renovated boy’s dormitory building. . .two coats (our Haitian paint foreman drives ‘em hard!).
Nancy and Anne hung back at base camp (hint: Hotel Charmant) with a half-dozen of our ground crew to prepare for tomorrow’s mobile medical/dental clinic at the village of Testas. . .we had such a big crowd yesterday at Chiraque we weren’t sure we had enough medicines, and what we did have bagged and ready to distribute.
We were asked to do a mobile medical in the seaside village of Testas for the first time 2 years ago as it seems the village is poor (most are) and a bit off the beaten path. We obliged and were mobbed, and we went back again last year. . .same outcome. Of all the clinics we’ve done, the villagers of Testas are the poorest and most desperate. . .it can be 2 pm, we’ve been running since 9:00 am and they just keep coming. If we don’t get rain, it promises to be another long, hot. . .but good day. It’s that wee, small voice again saying “help as many as you can”.
We see many needs in our visits, and we receive many requests. Some are sadly compelling, like a family of five who have been without shelter since the hurricane. . .that was October 2016! The local pastor says $1000 can provide them a simple sheet metal structure that gets them out of the sun, rain and wind (hint: not a strong one. .). That one we write down and try to figure out ways to make it happen when we’re home. Some others do fall into the “nice to have” category, and are outnumbered by those labeled “Are you kidding me? Sure!”.
We take so many, many things for granted. . .and we’ll close with an illustration (hint: picture below!). Chiraque was pretty much leveled by the hurricane, but with lots of help the church and adjacent older school building were rebuilt with a year. There was space between the newer school building (hint: built in 2015, also with lots of help) and the rebuilt old school building that was rugged territory. . .uneven, rocky. We partnered with the villagers to level this space, and cover with a concrete apron and, BAM, instant playground! Check out the kids. . .and their moms. . .taking turns with jump rope! There isn’t any other space on this mountain to do this. . .and there isn’t another soccer field for miles (hint: also built with lots of help).
Thank you for following along, and contributing whatever to the effort. . .hand-made dresses, discarded
cell phones, computers from Beaumont Hospital. . .whatever. . .we’re your hands and feet, helping us help as many as we can.
John, Nancy, Anne and Mick
Nancy and Anne hung back at base camp (hint: Hotel Charmant) with a half-dozen of our ground crew to prepare for tomorrow’s mobile medical/dental clinic at the village of Testas. . .we had such a big crowd yesterday at Chiraque we weren’t sure we had enough medicines, and what we did have bagged and ready to distribute.
We were asked to do a mobile medical in the seaside village of Testas for the first time 2 years ago as it seems the village is poor (most are) and a bit off the beaten path. We obliged and were mobbed, and we went back again last year. . .same outcome. Of all the clinics we’ve done, the villagers of Testas are the poorest and most desperate. . .it can be 2 pm, we’ve been running since 9:00 am and they just keep coming. If we don’t get rain, it promises to be another long, hot. . .but good day. It’s that wee, small voice again saying “help as many as you can”.
We see many needs in our visits, and we receive many requests. Some are sadly compelling, like a family of five who have been without shelter since the hurricane. . .that was October 2016! The local pastor says $1000 can provide them a simple sheet metal structure that gets them out of the sun, rain and wind (hint: not a strong one. .). That one we write down and try to figure out ways to make it happen when we’re home. Some others do fall into the “nice to have” category, and are outnumbered by those labeled “Are you kidding me? Sure!”.
We take so many, many things for granted. . .and we’ll close with an illustration (hint: picture below!). Chiraque was pretty much leveled by the hurricane, but with lots of help the church and adjacent older school building were rebuilt with a year. There was space between the newer school building (hint: built in 2015, also with lots of help) and the rebuilt old school building that was rugged territory. . .uneven, rocky. We partnered with the villagers to level this space, and cover with a concrete apron and, BAM, instant playground! Check out the kids. . .and their moms. . .taking turns with jump rope! There isn’t any other space on this mountain to do this. . .and there isn’t another soccer field for miles (hint: also built with lots of help).
Thank you for following along, and contributing whatever to the effort. . .hand-made dresses, discarded
John, Nancy, Anne and Mick
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