Haiti 2001, Day 6: Between a Rock and a Hardplace

The walk to Mona's seemed longer today. By the time we arrived, we were all breathing pretty well. Immediately, two Haitian men that were shoveling sand out of a huge truck yelled out "need two men!" So, I looked at the only two men we have on our team: Kevin and Cooley. They looked back like "You're kiddin, right?" Nope. Not kidding. It seemed these guys were expecting us a little sooner and this was Cooley's first day on the work site. But like a trooper, the both of them set down their stuff, and jumped up into the bed of the truck and started shoveling with the other two men.

As for the rest of us, we had a huge pile of rocks to move to the work site. Each one weighed anywhere from 5 lbs to 40 lbs. or more. We left the huge ones for the guys, and carried the rest one or two at a time, depending on the size. We quickly found that setting the largest rock on our left hip with our left hand under it allowed us to grab a smaller one with our right hand. Most of us had nice bruises or small cuts on our hips by the end of the day. But we got the job done. Some were taken to the nearest edge of the foundation, while others had to be taken all around the perimeter of the foundation. With temps nearing 90 today, the 60' treks with the larger rocks was definately a challenge. As soon as the boys were done with the sand, they chipped in and we were done in no time.

Haitian workers had formed the rebar corner posts the day before using four 12' rods. 4'x 4' square braces are threaded over the rods at equal intervals and secured into place with wire wraps. The same re-rod is laid in a grid pattern forming a 15" x 15" square of nine 5" squares, each held in place with wire ties. At each corner of the foundation, plus the corners of the porch, a grid was laid down in each trench, then one of the four posters were stood in the center of it.

All of us then formed a bucket line from the sand pile, where the concrete was being mixed on the ground, to the bossmen laying the re-rod. We began passing buckets from one to another up the line, as other team members handed the correct size rocks to the bossmen, as called for. The bossmen would then place rock by rock like a puzzle over the grid and up against the four posters of re-rod. As the buckets of concrete arrived they would be poured between the rocks, then another rock laid. Again, and again until more concrete needed to be mixed, or that specific corner was complete. Then we would adjust the bucket line longer or shorter to reach the next corner, then the next, until all eight were complete.

At lunch, we were invited to visit a neighbor's home. Val at HAPI had visited at an ealier date and they were concerned that they had not heard back from her. They lost their entire house during the earthquake and had built a temporary home of palm tree planks. The metal corrigated roof had many holes and leaked badly during rains. Wilfred and his wife Nataschia shared how they struggled raising their four children, the youngest just a baby, in such a home. They wanted us to share their story. They felt like they had been forgotten.

Where their house used to be, before the earthquake. Nothing but a remnant now.

Their new temporary home. Not really conducive to hard rains or hurricane winds.

Nataschia and their newest baby standing in the kitchen area of their temporary home.

So I told Wilfred I would share what we had seen with HAPI and asked if we could pray for him and his family. He agreed, so we circled up and held hands with our new sisters and brothers in Christ. We prayed that God would provide a way to build a new home that was safe in all weather. We prayed for patience and perseverance. We prayed for God's blessing upon Wilfred and his family.

As we were leaving their home, we noticed a plush area of grass which is rare in Haiti. So we all laid down in it and enjoyed a moment of rest under God and all heaven. I'm sure Wilfred thought we were crazy. It was a beautiful plot of grass though. Then we returned to our work site and continued our day.

The other team finished laying Gertrude's foundation and picked more rocks. Jerry and Darryl added a long, arduous trek down a steep valley to collect more water for the concrete foundation. A natural spring broke ground with two simple pipes peeking out of the ground. Carrying 5 gallon buckets of water back up the steep mountain trails took more than the guys had planned. One of the Haitians asked Jerry if he was lazy, so Jerry traded him his 5 gallon bucket for the Haitians 3 gallon bucket. The Haitian didn't ask the question again. Their team was able to form up the porch at Gertrude's, as well.

Another delicious dinner. Another night of the band practicing the night away. New friends made. Exhausted bodies collapse.