Long before sunrise, the sounds of Good Friday church services echoed through the hills of Grand Goave. Although they may be lacking some of life's basic needs, Haitians have enormous faith and believe that God will watch over them.
Today was our final morning at BLB - soon we would be on our way home. Once we were all packed, it was time for our most important task of the week - presenting Claude and his family with the keys to their new home. As we gathered in front of his new home, the mood was significantly quieter than the rest of the week. In our own way, everyone seemed to be reflecting on what we had accomplished in just four short days.
As we gathered for the brief dedication ceremony, we were thankful that we remembered to wear our sunglasses. Yes, the sun was intense but so were the tears. We all quickly realized we had just changed a family's life - forever.
With the help of Gama from BLB, Claude was presented with a housewarming letter written in Creole and signed by the "home builders" wishing his family good fortune in their new home and thanking them for allowing us into their lives - it was very moving. We also had two housewarming gifts - a Bible in Creole and a crucifix thanks to our good friend back home, Pauline. Claude and his wife both spoke to the group in Creole with Gama translating their comments. While holding back tears, Claude told us he could have worked for the rest of his life and still never have been able to provide his family with the home they would soon be enjoying - he was clearly overwhelmed. His wife similarly thanked us for our hard work and wished us safe travels home. Soon, it was time for the final round of pictures then back to BLB and our transport to the airport.
When we arrived at BLB, we were greeted with a special surprise - the twenty kids all on the outside altar singing Oh Happy Day - it was great! After a bunch of hugs and photos, we waived good bye - it was time to head to Port au Prince.
Our trip home could not have been easier. The typical traffic snarls in Haiti were non-existent thanks to Good Friday church services. After a quick flight to Miami, we safely made our way to Boston.
As we headed west on the Pike, Jim and I talked about the week, our group and the impact just a few people can make on the lives of others. Although we thought our first trip to BLB in the October was terrific, the past week was undoubtedly one of the most powerful weeks of our lives - we experienced the sights and sounds of twenty kids who now call BLB home - experiencing deep love and protection from poverty and violence for the first times in their young lives - we also learned that individually and as a group, we can make dreams come true.
Many thanks to our home building team Ann, Patti, Matt, Fran and Tom - you took a leap of faith by travelling with us to the most impoverished country in the Western Hemisphere and in the process spread your joy and love to the kids of BLB and Claude's family.
We also extend our heartfelt thanks to our host and tour guide Len for keeping us safe yet providing an amazing tour of the sights and sounds of Grand Goave. Len and Cherylann's tireless love for Brit made her dream of building an orphanage become a reality and in the process created a legacy that will endure forever.
Happy Easter and thanks for travelling with us!
Claude's Home Builders
Claude and Osnerline in front of there current home
Claude and Osnerline in front of their current home.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Friday, March 29, 2013
Terrific Thursday
It was a terrific Thursday in Grand Goave and a wonderful way to spend Holy Thursday!
As soon as we finished breakfast, we climbed our way up the hill to the construction site - it was only 7:00 but we were soon busily clearing and leveling the land around Claude's new home. It was hot work but once we were done, the site looked great! In between shoveling piles of rock and sifting stone to mix with the concrete, we made one more trip to the hardware store for the final two thousand pounds of concrete mix along. On our way back, we stopped at BLB to fill a few more barrels of water to use with the cement. Filling the barrels is not a quick process. We fill each barrel one bucket at a time from the BLB water source, travel up the hill with it splashing around the back of the truck, then unload it the same way - bucket by bucket.
As the masons continued working on the exterior walls, the roofer arrived to install the roofing panels - Claude's house was quickly taking shape and it was hard to tell who was more excited - us or Claude.
After lunch break, we returned to the site to complete our "landscaping" project. The day was beautiful but the Haiti sun was strong. By 3:00, we all agreed it was time to head back to BLB for showers and a trip to Taina Beach Club. On our way to the Club, we made one more visit to the site. Jim brought special gifts for all of the workers - Bell and Hudson Putt a Thon tee shirts - the guys were thrilled and all posed for pictures wearing their new shirts.
Our trip to the beach was a great way to end our trip to Grand Goave. The coastline is absolutely beautiful - a stark comparison to the sights we experienced during the rest of our trip.
We returned in time for another wonderful dinner prepared by Gilbert and the kitchen crew - they work tirelessly but never stop smiling. After dinner, we gathered on the roof for our final evening of reflection. One by one, we all expressed our feelings towards the trip and how Haiti impacted our lives. We all agreed, the trip was the experience of a lifetime thanks to our host Len. Len not only made sure that we were always safe, he allowed us to experience Haiti as much possible and share Brit's vision during one short week.
Tomorrow, we will all meet at Claude's a 7:30 for a special presentation to Claude and his wife of the key to their new home. Stay tuned for tomorrow's update and be sure to follow us on www.belikebrit.org - you'll find hundreds of pictures of our trip.
Claude's Home Builders
As soon as we finished breakfast, we climbed our way up the hill to the construction site - it was only 7:00 but we were soon busily clearing and leveling the land around Claude's new home. It was hot work but once we were done, the site looked great! In between shoveling piles of rock and sifting stone to mix with the concrete, we made one more trip to the hardware store for the final two thousand pounds of concrete mix along. On our way back, we stopped at BLB to fill a few more barrels of water to use with the cement. Filling the barrels is not a quick process. We fill each barrel one bucket at a time from the BLB water source, travel up the hill with it splashing around the back of the truck, then unload it the same way - bucket by bucket.
As the masons continued working on the exterior walls, the roofer arrived to install the roofing panels - Claude's house was quickly taking shape and it was hard to tell who was more excited - us or Claude.
After lunch break, we returned to the site to complete our "landscaping" project. The day was beautiful but the Haiti sun was strong. By 3:00, we all agreed it was time to head back to BLB for showers and a trip to Taina Beach Club. On our way to the Club, we made one more visit to the site. Jim brought special gifts for all of the workers - Bell and Hudson Putt a Thon tee shirts - the guys were thrilled and all posed for pictures wearing their new shirts.
Our trip to the beach was a great way to end our trip to Grand Goave. The coastline is absolutely beautiful - a stark comparison to the sights we experienced during the rest of our trip.
We returned in time for another wonderful dinner prepared by Gilbert and the kitchen crew - they work tirelessly but never stop smiling. After dinner, we gathered on the roof for our final evening of reflection. One by one, we all expressed our feelings towards the trip and how Haiti impacted our lives. We all agreed, the trip was the experience of a lifetime thanks to our host Len. Len not only made sure that we were always safe, he allowed us to experience Haiti as much possible and share Brit's vision during one short week.
Tomorrow, we will all meet at Claude's a 7:30 for a special presentation to Claude and his wife of the key to their new home. Stay tuned for tomorrow's update and be sure to follow us on www.belikebrit.org - you'll find hundreds of pictures of our trip.
Claude's Home Builders
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