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