New Horizons

Bill spent May and June in Haiti working very hard to get the two new smaller bases built and to get moved out of the base we sold to Yvrose.  It was a HUGE job.  We are grateful for the many people who came to help.   In the midst of it all, as always when working in Haiti, there were regular people needing help in so many ways.  Bill wrote the following update.

“I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection.”  – Thomas Paine

Some of the developments of the last 8 – 10 weeks spent in Haiti have caused me to smile, gather strength, and now I hope to grow brave by reflection!

Base in Boulaille

The base camp in Boulaille in the foot hills above Fonds Parisien is almost complete.  All the gear and supplies have been moved either there or to the new base of operations on Ile a Vache.  Trust me, no small project, but I’m glad to say that while there is yet much to do, we have a roof to keep out the rain and a place to lay our heads.

Taking supplies to the island

I would like to say thank you to all the brothers and sisters, friends, and family that have worked so hard and given so much to this endeavor.  Hannah, Richard, Mary, Jesse, Nick, Cristin, Clenold and Nono, Sherlie, Chris, and all our friends who gave out of their hearts with a hope to help fulfill the prayer Jesus taught us to pray, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Base on Ile a Vache with many of the friends who worked on it

I read somewhere, “Life is not waiting for the storm to pass.  It’s learning to dance in the rain.”  During the process of building and moving, all the time and energy, planning and working to accomplish all the physical things that seem so necessary to live, God keeps teaching us to dance in the rain!

It feels like dancing, bringing a smile, a word of encouragement, or a kind embrace to the children and young people as they pumped water at the well in Fonds (most of them from the mountains who are now restaveks, endentured servants).

Island neighborhood children

Finding a ten year old girl with green puss running from infected cracks in her scalp.  No disinfectant like betadine on the island.  The mission?  Take her on a water taxi to Les Cayes, a six mile forty five minute ride across the channel to the mainland, then on a motorcycle tap-tap (taxi) to a clinic with no time to see her, on to a pharmacy to buy betadine, back to the sea in time to catch a water tap-tap back across the channel to her home, wash her hair once a day for two or three days with betadine (Good job, Mary!), and now she is well and back in school.  By the way, her name is Dafka and she is so full of life!  We see each other many times each day and I will often scoop her up in my arms and tell her God loves her.

A local carpenter cut a 4-5 inch gash from his wrist to the center of his palm.  He came to me for help.  A quick look and I told him he needed stitches.  There is a small clinic on the island about an hour and a half walk from us so I bandaged up his wound, gave him 1,000 gourde (about $25) and sent him to get stitches.  He came back a few days later and we redressed and treated the wound.   I hope we become friends.

Went to a neighbors house one night.  A 2-3 month baby was sick.  Very shallow breathing and slow respiration.  It was apparent she needed medical attention immediately so we went to find the only motor boat that could help.  No gas!!  They didn’t make it very far on a small fishing sailboat before the baby died.  I wish we could have done more!  (We need a motor boat for an ambulance to go to the mainland when emergencies occur.   Many times, we cannot find a boat when needed.)

A man rushed into our construction site and told us he needed two stroke oil.  They had gas for a small motor boat to rush a man to the hospital who had swallowed glass but no oil for the gas!  We hurried to our boat where we had some two stroke oil and were able to help get the man to the hospital.  Last I heard he was doing well.

Walk and talk, have dinner together, a cup of coffee with a friend, working shoulder to shoulder, being there when there’s nowhere else to turn.

So in trouble we smile and in distress we gain strength and as we reflect, we grow brave.  And yes, there is that pump to work on when I get back.  It’s the closest water the village on Ile a Vache has and it has been broken for months.  There is a toilet (latrine) to build, work to do with the fishermen, gardens to plant, maybe a poultry house to build, medical and educational needs to address, the Jesus Film to show, The Greatest Journey classes to start……………..

The storm will pass one day…..but we won’t wait.  We will dance in the rain.

“Let not your hearts be troubled.”  –  Jesus of Nazareth