January 11, 2012

...a better day...
We went to the worksite early, at the same place we worked last year. Some of the guys continued assembling/ constructing benches for the satellite church, some of us assisted the haitian painter who was painting the lines of the basketball court we carefully chalked out yesterday. Yes, for you Illini fans: the lines are blue and  it is orange  inside the free throw line.Soon however, a few of us peeled off to go with Pastor Edde to build a prefab home. We rode in the back of his truck through downtown Jacmel - what a ride!! We walked through fields near the church, winding through narrow paths and between block buildings to a tent-site where there were pieces of  a wood shed ready to be assembled. However, no floor in sight, and no blocks to put the shed on. As with so many things here, resources are scarce, and mobilization efforts (our new favorite words) seem short sighted at best, and nonexistent at worst. The family is currently living in a desert storm tent covered by a plastic tarp that says US AID on it. There is a mamma and 6 or 7 children.
We shared two of the babydolls that Helen sent with the family (this was a protected environment and so no riot would develop) the children played with those dolls, sang and talked to them. It was endearing.
It takes quite a while to figure issues with the existing language barriers, but we soon found that the floor wasn't here because it was too heavy to carry over. However, it appeared that it was up to get it over there. I think I spotted a "God moment" here, as when we went back over the fields that many more haitian young men were spotted and asked to help, and they did. Around 15 of us or so carried that floor across those fields, through the bushes and barbed wire to the site. It was the un-doable unfolding right before my eyes. This building is 8 by 12, with a door and a window, much like the sheds we use to store our lawn mowers. We got the 4 walls up and will return on Thursday to finish the roof. The remainder of the crew stayed at the first site and landscaped rocks around the satellite church site and played with the tent city kids, who now have begun to follow us around in little herds. There is no sign of any animosity from the aid distribution event yesterday, which eased my mind a bit.
Let me talk a bit about the group experience. We are bonding as a group as the days go on Debriefing after a long work day has become the norm now, necessarily as this country is one that produces many emotions, and it is important to know where to "put" them (as the house rules say). Being here produces more questions than answers in my mind. There are layers of situations I see that my mind can not reconcile. But I know that culture changes take a long time. And leadership is in want in many of the situations, most of all in the political leadership. Anyway, we are holding on together, as one group, and we (like last year) once again are supporting each other. Differing viewpoints alternately sooth and guide one another. Like a human body, each part does it's job, making the entire body fruitful in purpose. I think we are ready for our last full workday on Thursday: it's back to the New Guesthouse to prepare for the dedication this weekend!