2011 - Grace International, Lafiteau, Haiti

Dear friends, thank you for taking time to opening up this blog. Welcome to any new viewers. Below, I will share a bit about the trip in Haiti that became my calling to join eMi full time:

What: This blog is about my volunteer work at Engineering Ministries International (eMi) 

Where: in Lafiteau, Haiti 

When: approximately 1 year after the 7.0 earthquake rocked Leogane

Lafiteau is 57 km North East of Leogane (across the Porte au Prince Bay)

This blog is an amalgam of several typical days and not representative of any one day:

Step 1) Sleep falls away at 3 am at the sounds of voodoo drumming. The fenestration in our bedroom window is only a shear mosquito net; no glass in the windows so all the noise comes right in. We are sleeping only a few meters away from everyone else trying to sleep in the tent city. We share the noises, we share the neighbourhood.

Step 2) Wake up at 5 am to the chorus of competing pet roosters. Insert headphones in ears and turn on the MP3 player for some familiar sounds in lieu of the voodoo music or other livestock; it's more effective than earplugs. Today's choice is Hillsongs. It  gives me 2 more hours of  sleep.

Step 3) Fresh squeezed juice every day; this is because not all the water is potable. Time to get on the big blue bus to visit the Lafiteau site (it is a 15 passenger bus that fits 30 people).

Although we feel safe in Haiti, the ministry host does prefer that we not leave the compound by ourselves. In the photo above, I am next to our driver 'Ronaldino' and our security guard 'Baby.'

Step 4) Get back to the compound to decompress and dry off. 90 degrees in Haiti everyday. Lunch is great. Water is clean and safe at Grace Village; need to remember to stay hydrated. The Lord's kitchen is running again; 300 kids get fed, but they seem to be more interested to get candy than the beans and rice. I miss those kids.

Step 5) Time to crank out some design work. We visit the tent City, the school, and interview Grace International; they are the missionaries who are our Clients. 

Grace International runs a lot of work with Hospitals, Christian schools, Orphanages and programs to feed the needy. They have been in Haiti for over 30 years serving the poorest of the poor.

The existing orphanage is quite safe to live in, but some refuse to sleep there; preferring the safety of the softer ceilings of the tents when they sleep.

Step 6) Electricity goes on and off. Need to keep switching outlets so that the laptop does not run out of juice. Dinner and devotions take us to 9 pm. Finally, get a review meeting with Jonny (the client). He's tired. We are all tired. I don't know how he does it every day. Johnny's Dad (Bishop) and his wife have been keeping this pace for quite some time. Bishop Jeune sent his children to the US for a University education. They returned to Haiti to continue the efforts of their parents; that is a real testimony of continuing the family ministry:

Psalm 66:19-20but God has surely listened and has heard my prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!

It is different in Haiti. I'll start again tomorrow. 11pm; I need to get out of the office, I don't want to get locked in here. Slink back to the dorms; remember the flashlight. Yes, we have water! But 11pm is too late, I'll wake the others up if I turn on the shower. Perhaps tomorrow. Go to sleep. Half the people in my room tell me they snore, but I don't hear any of them.

Below is an example of housing I designed while in country:

Go to Step 1) for the next day.