Post for Friday, april 15th(sorry for the delay)
Oh last night was a struggle. BUT i has a great time talking to a few amazing friends on Facebook chat, and then i had a great sleep. thanks for the prayers.
OK so lets back up, yesterday morning i left all my loves at GLA. i held little Blanco till just before i left, and allowed Sony final moments in my arms. I gave hugs to all i could that told them that i was not goodbye. i was still very sad. even though i knew there was a good chance that i would be back to ATLEAST visit before i return to Canada. I had a really great time at GLA, if you have not already gathered that from past blogs. I have met some amazing people and strengthened bonds with friends i already had. Dixie gave me a hug good bye and told me that if she would have known that i was going else where in Haiti to do construction then she would have kept me there to do just that.... haha not exactly what i needed to hear at that point, BUT at the same time i like that for my future.
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an over view, see all the raw wood?
that was me! |
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| wanting to learn! |
OK . Because i stayed a few days longer at GLA because of when i was going to get a ride down to EDV my 5 kids that where assigned to me where passed on to others. SO Molly found some jobs for me to do. I had been working on the playground up at the toddler house for a while, and had not been very successful finding all the bolts that i needed to finish. SO i finally found those, after sorting through all sorts of rusty and greasy things. Tuesday morning i took on the challange of finishing that, i had already pulled a night shift of grinding off the rusty bolts, night shift because that is the safest time being the kids are all in bed. So i was happy to have all the parts to finish that project. the final touches where done with a large crowd of kids around me. Widley got saw dust in his eye and was not too impressed, but was eager to still stand close to me while i finished.
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| Lets try out the new bridge!!! |
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my helper, as we pushed the
other two and the tv out of the room. |
Molly asked me if i would be willing to build a bunk bed, for Sonson. (he is the young man that does the gate and many other things around the toddler and volunteer house) I was so happy to hear this, because just the night before i noticed that he was sleeping on mattress on the floor. this did not sit well with me. Turns out he had a bed, but the bugs had gotten to it and it was not a very good design either, so it was no longer functioning for him. I sat down and designed a bunk bed, and planned out what wood i would need. in the mean time i asked Sonson if he would like to clear everything out of his room, since it is VERY small, so we could look at the space and such. i noticed some mold in the corner, and i decided that him and i would CLEAN his room, so we did just that. Scrubby brush each and some good cleaning water/ product we went at it.
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before... and no at this point the did not
help... they watched the game haha |
Again, this is a very small room, so it did not take long. I was looking at how badly it could use some paint, so i went to ask Molly if this was possible. YES she said, to my delight! she even had EVERYTHING i would need, so we started! it was YELLOW! wow i am talking YELLOW.
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many helping hands
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| a place for Sonson's things, and you see he is quickly putting it to good use! |
I felt so wonderful about this project, i have really bonded with Sonson over my last 3 trips to Haiti, and even more this trip. He is in one of my first blogs, a photo with 2 guys and 2 girls. A few days back i had noticed that he was kinda sad. he had come back from being away seeing his family over the weekend and i just noticed something was up. Now remember, i speak very little Creole, and he only speaks some English, BUT body language was huge in this case. I decided that one night when we got home i would ask him. He told me that his brother was very sick, and he was sad for him. My heart broke a little more from the look in his eyes, i wanted to do SOMETHING. I am happy to report that he came back from the next weekend in a bit better spirits, his brother has something wrong with his head is what i understand, but he is going to see a good doctor. The fun and smiles that we shared over the two days we worked on his room felt so wonderful. I think that the very cheery yellow and the new bunk bed and BONUS shelf (because he should have a place for his thing, rather than a broken chair and scrap of plywood) he took such pride in doing the final coat of paint, and the sanding of the shelves. Time with Sonson was what i was able to share, and some well deserved comforts. For now, this sits well with me. My prayers will be lifted in regard to his brother  |
the outcome! i am very happy with it!
Me leaving GLA was tough, but night 1 at EDV was even tougher. As my mom does say though, things always look better in the morning. And i knew they would. i was happy that i dove right into working, i spend the afternoon helping 2 other ladies working on building some tables for ‘julie’s project’ which is a location for the recycled flip flopproject to grow. they make them out of USED TIRES! how cool is that! now she with help of others are taking them off the streets, so rather then being burnt they are being turned into something useful! i love it! My carpentry skills came in very handy, thanks DAD for all the wonderful teaching. HA the only learning curve that is really going to mess me up IS they where all designed in CM rather then INCHES. wow how strange! but i am adjusting quickly. Thursdays are Poker night at EDV,but i just did not have it in me. I was very happy to chat with a couple friends, and spend sometime on my computer. Some people where friendly, but i think that has to be a two way thing, and i was just not into it. i was very blessed with an awesome sleep, after much frustration with my misquito net. i ended up sleeping in a closet, but that was just fine, i slept pretty great. I was not sure what to do with my self in the morning, but i guessed that projects awaited, so up i got. And soon things really did look better. Kinda bizarre concept... 2 of us walking to our project for the morning. Backpacks loaded up with tools and off we went. We did not have much to finish on the tables, i actually think the walk there and back took longer then the work. But that is all part of it. i shake my head OFTEN... i am really doing this, i am working in PAP, Haiti, the place that was drastically changed Jan 12th 2010. Me... here... (photos of EDV TO COME.) so much more to report... All that to say, thursday night was tough... but friday morning looked much better. i am settling in, and getting into the groove. |
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| wanted to take this peanut to Port Au Prince with me |
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| hard to leave a face like this! |
Saturday i woke to a beautiful cove... ocean, beauty! i feel blessed to have this rest mid trip, and to see the island, but i have many moments of mixed feelings. Saturday was bonding day. I hung out with my 2 roomates for the weekend. We had breakfast, we hung out on the beach, we played cards, we chatted, we laughed, we bonded. this is what i was waiting for. ON the late side on saturday night we all headed out for dinner. this was a high light of my life. we doubled up and jumped on Motos.... ok i could not wipe the silly grin off my face! what a highlight! Vicki, who was between the driver and my self turned back and had the SAME silly grin on her face, haha. We shared such a cool moment. OH to be clear... a Moto is a motorbike, but kinda a scooter... kinda in between. The streets in Jacmel are flatter then most places i have been here, and calm, and not full of pot holes. this made is all the more enjoyable. Dinner was just another cool experience. OH as Vicki and Jade(my weekend room mates) call these moments or experiences MINI ADVENTURES. i guess it is a thing from UK TV. from the Austin Mini commercials... the night on the town was interesting. it is a very beautiful city....many buildings that have been marked as historic. I had decided i did not want my camera along that night... so i dont have anything to show for it. BUT on that note, Vicki and i went out with Paul(from previous blog, possibly name not mentioned) and he took us for a tour and i got lot of photos! 
