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
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
It's a warm Wednesday in Grand Goave
Greetings from Grand Goave. The morning started out a quite a bit warmer than yesterday but soon the temperature climbed from warm to hot - Haiti hot!
When we started the day, we didn't think we would be working quite as hard as yesterday - or at least so we thought. The morning was spent lugging buckets of water to mix the cement followed by a quick trip to the hardware store where we bought (and carried) ninety-five pound bags of cement mix. Carrying and lifting heavy bags of cement from the store to the truck meant just one thing - we would need to carry them again when we got to the construction site. It was quite a workout! As the masons worked on the final details before the trusses for the roof could be installed, we decided to head back to the orphanage to do some painting. Although the orphanage is essentially completed, there is always work to be done. Soon we were climbing ladders and scaffolding while painting the security wall. It was hot work but it was definitely more fun than sitting around watching the masons work their magic.
Lunch break was great and couldn't come soon enough. We enjoyed another great lunch prepared by the kitchen staff while overlooking the ocean from the second floor dining area. The cool breezes felt great!
After an extended lunch break, we took a walk down the hill to visit some of the neighbors. Our first stop was Clara Love's house - a house very similar to the one we are building for Claude. We then walked a hilly path to view the site where a mother and her four children we buried alive during a mudslide following Hurricane Sandy. It was a moving and sad experience. Frankie, the BLB photographer, was one of the first to arrive at the site following the mudslide - it was a tough experience for a young guy. Next, we walked down to Claude's existing home. Although Jim and I visited his home during our previous trip, our visit was limited to the outside of the tarp and cardboard structure.. Today, we were invited inside - their living conditions are unimaginable and some of the worst we have seen. In a small way, knowing that they are just days away from a new home made the visit slightly less upsetting.
We left Claude's and walked over to the Mission of Hope School which is run by Pastor Lex and his wife Renee - a native of Connecticut. Much of the school was destroyed in the earthquake but the rebuilding project is going strong - they hope to have it open by September. In the mean time, they are using temporary communal classrooms for all grades. One of the highlights of our visit was seeing their new computer classroom. Thanks to a donation of twenty computers, the kids are learning some basic computer skills and having a great time in the process.
We returned to BLB after visiting the neighbors and all decided to enjoy some great downtime overlooking the ocean while hearing the laughter and excitement of twenty happy children.
Tomorrow is another working day!
Claude's Home Builders
When we started the day, we didn't think we would be working quite as hard as yesterday - or at least so we thought. The morning was spent lugging buckets of water to mix the cement followed by a quick trip to the hardware store where we bought (and carried) ninety-five pound bags of cement mix. Carrying and lifting heavy bags of cement from the store to the truck meant just one thing - we would need to carry them again when we got to the construction site. It was quite a workout! As the masons worked on the final details before the trusses for the roof could be installed, we decided to head back to the orphanage to do some painting. Although the orphanage is essentially completed, there is always work to be done. Soon we were climbing ladders and scaffolding while painting the security wall. It was hot work but it was definitely more fun than sitting around watching the masons work their magic.
Lunch break was great and couldn't come soon enough. We enjoyed another great lunch prepared by the kitchen staff while overlooking the ocean from the second floor dining area. The cool breezes felt great!
After an extended lunch break, we took a walk down the hill to visit some of the neighbors. Our first stop was Clara Love's house - a house very similar to the one we are building for Claude. We then walked a hilly path to view the site where a mother and her four children we buried alive during a mudslide following Hurricane Sandy. It was a moving and sad experience. Frankie, the BLB photographer, was one of the first to arrive at the site following the mudslide - it was a tough experience for a young guy. Next, we walked down to Claude's existing home. Although Jim and I visited his home during our previous trip, our visit was limited to the outside of the tarp and cardboard structure.. Today, we were invited inside - their living conditions are unimaginable and some of the worst we have seen. In a small way, knowing that they are just days away from a new home made the visit slightly less upsetting.
We left Claude's and walked over to the Mission of Hope School which is run by Pastor Lex and his wife Renee - a native of Connecticut. Much of the school was destroyed in the earthquake but the rebuilding project is going strong - they hope to have it open by September. In the mean time, they are using temporary communal classrooms for all grades. One of the highlights of our visit was seeing their new computer classroom. Thanks to a donation of twenty computers, the kids are learning some basic computer skills and having a great time in the process.
We returned to BLB after visiting the neighbors and all decided to enjoy some great downtime overlooking the ocean while hearing the laughter and excitement of twenty happy children.
Tomorrow is another working day!
Claude's Home Builders
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Tuesday in Grand Goave
It's been a busy day! Our first challenge of the day was to be out of the orphanage and at the construction site by 7:00 - we did it! As we left the gates of BLB for the quick ride up the hill, there was a group of thirty or so workers all hoping to be chosen to spend the day working on Claude's house. You see, now that most of the major construction at BLB is complete, many of the eighty or so laborers who helped with its construction are no longer employed. Each day they arrive before 7:00 hoping that today will be there lucky day. Well for about twenty-five or so, luck was in their favor.
Our first task of the day was to clean the excess concrete from the five hundred plus concrete blocks we brought to the site the day before. With the right tools, it's probably a relatively easy task. However, our tools of the trade were limited to using the side of a rock to chisel away the excess concrete. Yes, it was a Flintstones morning! In between cleaning the blocks, we made several trips to the local hardware store (they don't have a Lowe's in Grand Goave) and welding shop - a great way to get to understand the Haitian lifestyle.
As the morning's work increased, so did the temperature. We now fully understand the saying "hot as Haiti" - it was a hot one! Although it was hot, the highpoint was visiting with Claude and his wife - it was her first visit to the construction site and she never stopped smiling - they are a very happy (and fortunate) family. Soon it was time for lunch and a well-deserved break at BLB.
As we enjoyed some down time at lunch, the wind shifted and it became a lot more comfortable. We spent most of the afternoon mixing cement and carrying buckets of it into the house as the masons built its four walls. It was hard work for folks who don't typically do a lot of manual labor but we enjoyed every minute of it. Around 3:30, we ended our work day - then it was time for a field trip.
Len really wants us to experience Haiti - well today we sure did! We took a ride in the pick-up truck through a dry river bed into a jungle-like area - it was wild! We finally made our way to visit one of the workers at BLB and his family - we were in the middle of the jungle - it was beyond any adventure ride at Disney. After a nice visit and tour of their home (a tarp-like structure), our next stop was to a voodoo temple - it was nuts! We posed for a picture then hot-footed out of there before we all were possessed with an evil curse! On our way back, we made one final visit to the construction site - the masons were working feverishly - it was a day of great progress.
So, all is well in Grand Goave. We're a little tired after a busy day but looking forward to another great day building Claude his home.
Claude's Home Builders
Our first task of the day was to clean the excess concrete from the five hundred plus concrete blocks we brought to the site the day before. With the right tools, it's probably a relatively easy task. However, our tools of the trade were limited to using the side of a rock to chisel away the excess concrete. Yes, it was a Flintstones morning! In between cleaning the blocks, we made several trips to the local hardware store (they don't have a Lowe's in Grand Goave) and welding shop - a great way to get to understand the Haitian lifestyle.
As the morning's work increased, so did the temperature. We now fully understand the saying "hot as Haiti" - it was a hot one! Although it was hot, the highpoint was visiting with Claude and his wife - it was her first visit to the construction site and she never stopped smiling - they are a very happy (and fortunate) family. Soon it was time for lunch and a well-deserved break at BLB.
As we enjoyed some down time at lunch, the wind shifted and it became a lot more comfortable. We spent most of the afternoon mixing cement and carrying buckets of it into the house as the masons built its four walls. It was hard work for folks who don't typically do a lot of manual labor but we enjoyed every minute of it. Around 3:30, we ended our work day - then it was time for a field trip.
Len really wants us to experience Haiti - well today we sure did! We took a ride in the pick-up truck through a dry river bed into a jungle-like area - it was wild! We finally made our way to visit one of the workers at BLB and his family - we were in the middle of the jungle - it was beyond any adventure ride at Disney. After a nice visit and tour of their home (a tarp-like structure), our next stop was to a voodoo temple - it was nuts! We posed for a picture then hot-footed out of there before we all were possessed with an evil curse! On our way back, we made one final visit to the construction site - the masons were working feverishly - it was a day of great progress.
So, all is well in Grand Goave. We're a little tired after a busy day but looking forward to another great day building Claude his home.
Claude's Home Builders
Monday, March 25, 2013
Monday in Grand Goave
We started our day bright and early at 6:00 with Len bellowing GOOD MORNING GRAND GOAVE! We knew from the tone of his voice that sleeping another five minutes was not an option - we had work to do. After a quick breakfast and great Haitian coffee while sitting on the roof of Be Like Brit, we were off toe the work site.
We were created at the site by a team of Haitian workers and one very excited guy named Claude. It was our first time seeing him since we arrived. He is absolutely thrilled that we are building his family a new home. After a brief prayer, it was time to get down to business. Soon we were filling containers with stone and carrying bags of cement mix to start pouring the slab for Claude's house. What a process! For a bunch of people who do not spend their days doing manual labor, we had a great time. After several hours, the slab was poured and it was time for lunch. While we all returned to the orphanage for a break, Claude stayed at the site clearing the land around his new home. In fact, he spent the entire day working non-stop - he is that excited.
We enjoyed lunch with the twenty kids who call BLB home. It's Holy Week so there isn't any school this week. The lunch break was great! We spent most of the time with the kids - playing ball, blowing bubbles - just all great kids things. They loved it and so did we. Jim brought a bunch of "kids" books in Creole and Patti brought them beaded bracelets with a crucifix - a great gift for Holy Week. Suddenly it was time to get back to work.
With the slab drying, it was now time to get 535 concrete blocks to the site for tomorrows wall building project. 535 concrete blocks is a lot of lifting and trips to the block factory when you can only load the truck with forty per trip. Four of us would load the truck (under the watchful eye of about five local children who just hopped in the back with us) then make the trip up the BLB road to the site to then unload it along with the help of the rest of our crew. It was hot and dusty and the blocks seemed to get heavier during each trip but our team made it easy. Finally, we had lugged enough blocks for the day - it was time for a trip downtown to the fishing village and St. Francis Church.
St. Francis Church was ruined in the earthquake and was still under construction during our last visit. It is now open and beautiful. We arrived just before the 5:00 service so our visit was brief but it's nice to see progress and Haiti slowly improving.
We had a great dinner prepared by Gilbert then spent the past hour on the roof reflecting on our day with Len. Len explained that we are the first group where just about everyone is older than him. Most of the other groups have been college aged and require a little more chaperoning and attention. Well, we may be older but we still totally enjoy spending time talking with Len and enjoying the whole BLB experience.
Although today was action-packed, we were told that the real work starts tomorrow! By the sounds on things, it will be another busy day.
During reflection, Jim said "my muscles are sore but by spirit is soaring - we all agreed.
That's it for today from Claude's Home Builders.
We were created at the site by a team of Haitian workers and one very excited guy named Claude. It was our first time seeing him since we arrived. He is absolutely thrilled that we are building his family a new home. After a brief prayer, it was time to get down to business. Soon we were filling containers with stone and carrying bags of cement mix to start pouring the slab for Claude's house. What a process! For a bunch of people who do not spend their days doing manual labor, we had a great time. After several hours, the slab was poured and it was time for lunch. While we all returned to the orphanage for a break, Claude stayed at the site clearing the land around his new home. In fact, he spent the entire day working non-stop - he is that excited.
We enjoyed lunch with the twenty kids who call BLB home. It's Holy Week so there isn't any school this week. The lunch break was great! We spent most of the time with the kids - playing ball, blowing bubbles - just all great kids things. They loved it and so did we. Jim brought a bunch of "kids" books in Creole and Patti brought them beaded bracelets with a crucifix - a great gift for Holy Week. Suddenly it was time to get back to work.
With the slab drying, it was now time to get 535 concrete blocks to the site for tomorrows wall building project. 535 concrete blocks is a lot of lifting and trips to the block factory when you can only load the truck with forty per trip. Four of us would load the truck (under the watchful eye of about five local children who just hopped in the back with us) then make the trip up the BLB road to the site to then unload it along with the help of the rest of our crew. It was hot and dusty and the blocks seemed to get heavier during each trip but our team made it easy. Finally, we had lugged enough blocks for the day - it was time for a trip downtown to the fishing village and St. Francis Church.
St. Francis Church was ruined in the earthquake and was still under construction during our last visit. It is now open and beautiful. We arrived just before the 5:00 service so our visit was brief but it's nice to see progress and Haiti slowly improving.
We had a great dinner prepared by Gilbert then spent the past hour on the roof reflecting on our day with Len. Len explained that we are the first group where just about everyone is older than him. Most of the other groups have been college aged and require a little more chaperoning and attention. Well, we may be older but we still totally enjoy spending time talking with Len and enjoying the whole BLB experience.
Although today was action-packed, we were told that the real work starts tomorrow! By the sounds on things, it will be another busy day.
During reflection, Jim said "my muscles are sore but by spirit is soaring - we all agreed.
That's it for today from Claude's Home Builders.
Sunday, March 24, 2013
We're here!
It's been a great (and long) day. We all arrived at Logan at 4:00 and after checking in our luggage and clearing security, we were off Miami and then to Port au Prince. The changes to the PAP airport since we were here in October are amazing. We arrived at a brand new terminal with a modernized immigration and backage area - a huge difference! After retreiving our bags, we were met by Big who safely escorted us to parking lot where we were joined by Frankie, Matthew our security guard for the ride to Grand Goave, and our driver Patrick.
The ride through Port au Prince was eye-opening for the new members of our group and aside from a few traffic delays, relatively easy. Two hours later the van was climbing the hill to the Be Like Brit orphanage.
Wow! The orphanage is absolutely incredible. We were greeted at the door by its twenty new residents - the kids who now call it home. They met us with open arms and big hugs - they are beautiful and happy to be living inside the walls of the BLB orphanage. After a few minutes, it was time for a tour. Although Jim and I were here in October, seeing the finished product was very emotional for all of us - it's one of a kind.
Before dinner, we visited the site of Claude's soon to be home. Construction starts in the morning and by the end of the week we'll be presenting him with the keys - it will be great.
Although it's still early in the evening, it feels pretty late considering this morning's early wake-up - so it's time for bed.
Check back with us tomorrow for an update.
Claude's Homebuilders
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