We are heading to Haiti for the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project for Habitat for Humanity. Jeanna and I will be joined by our Oregon friends, Iwa and Gayle to help build 100 houses in one week! We are both excited and nervous as we prepare for our trip. HFH has sent us a lot of literature and emails to help us prepare for this journey. . .it has been repeated several different ways that the conditions "are primitive at best" and my favorite quote "The conditions under which we will be working are a little different this year, and our time together will likely require an extra measure of grace"! So I am trying to get mentally prepared for the conditions and find the grace as suggested above!
One of the biggest threats is the mighty mosquito! They are a real nuisance and it seems like there will be a lot of them buzzing and biting! We are taking malaria medicine to prevent the disease. We have also tried to take as many precautions to prevent even one mosquito bite. . .we have Bug spray, mosquito nets, and have sprayed our clothes with some nasty stuff ( I think I am developing a third nipple from the exposure!). The other serious concern is cholera but we will be eating only food prepared by HFH and drinking their water. . . we will be vigilant about hand washing and that should help.
We will be staying in 6 or 10 person tents with cots, mattresses, and mosquito nets. We have to bring a sleeping bag and pillow. There will be latrines and showers. . . they don't elaborate here so I am planning for the worst. I have been known to forego showers for longer periods than my friends would want me to, but I have some body wipes in my bag to use as back up!
The typical work day schedule will be:
6-6:45 Breakfast
7-7:30 Buses leave for worksite
8:00 Work begins
11:30 First Lunch
12:30 Second Lunch
4-4:30 Buses leave for camp site
6:00 Dinner
7-8:30 Evening Entertainment
9:30 Lights out!
We will be working in working in the district of Leogane in the Santos community which is located about 18 miles west of Port-au-Prince. HRH is building the houses on a 34 acre plot of land. They have involved the community in the process from the very beginning. There are about 700 Haitians employed by HRH! We will be working side by side the Haitians to build the houses. The houses will be compact, about 200 square feet, with a porch and a separate latrine. This is the first development and there will be many more houses built in the coming months and years.
I am grateful for this opportunity to go to Haiti and do my small part to make life a little better for the Santos community. I am also grateful to my friends and family for donating the money needed to be a part of this endeavor. . .together Jeanna and I raised $11,000, which will be used to build this community. I send out the deepest thank you to all who have supported us.
I will be taking photos and writing the blog every night while in Haiti. I might be able to send a blog from Haiti but most likely not because there will be 400 people trying to use the few computers they have for us. Put I will send the blogs once I get home next weekend so you will all be able to share in our adventure.
I found this quote and I think that it will ring true of this week. . . probably more than I can even imagine. . .
"Sometime in your life, hope that you might see one starved man, the look on his face when the bread finally arrives. Hope that you might have baked it or bought or even kneaded it yourself. For that look on his face, for your meeting his eyes across a piece of bread, you might be willing to lose a lot, or suffer a lot, or die a little, even." ~Daniel Berrigan
Godspeed!
One of the biggest threats is the mighty mosquito! They are a real nuisance and it seems like there will be a lot of them buzzing and biting! We are taking malaria medicine to prevent the disease. We have also tried to take as many precautions to prevent even one mosquito bite. . .we have Bug spray, mosquito nets, and have sprayed our clothes with some nasty stuff ( I think I am developing a third nipple from the exposure!). The other serious concern is cholera but we will be eating only food prepared by HFH and drinking their water. . . we will be vigilant about hand washing and that should help.
We will be staying in 6 or 10 person tents with cots, mattresses, and mosquito nets. We have to bring a sleeping bag and pillow. There will be latrines and showers. . . they don't elaborate here so I am planning for the worst. I have been known to forego showers for longer periods than my friends would want me to, but I have some body wipes in my bag to use as back up!
The typical work day schedule will be:
6-6:45 Breakfast
7-7:30 Buses leave for worksite
8:00 Work begins
11:30 First Lunch
12:30 Second Lunch
4-4:30 Buses leave for camp site
6:00 Dinner
7-8:30 Evening Entertainment
9:30 Lights out!
We will be working in working in the district of Leogane in the Santos community which is located about 18 miles west of Port-au-Prince. HRH is building the houses on a 34 acre plot of land. They have involved the community in the process from the very beginning. There are about 700 Haitians employed by HRH! We will be working side by side the Haitians to build the houses. The houses will be compact, about 200 square feet, with a porch and a separate latrine. This is the first development and there will be many more houses built in the coming months and years.
I am grateful for this opportunity to go to Haiti and do my small part to make life a little better for the Santos community. I am also grateful to my friends and family for donating the money needed to be a part of this endeavor. . .together Jeanna and I raised $11,000, which will be used to build this community. I send out the deepest thank you to all who have supported us.
I will be taking photos and writing the blog every night while in Haiti. I might be able to send a blog from Haiti but most likely not because there will be 400 people trying to use the few computers they have for us. Put I will send the blogs once I get home next weekend so you will all be able to share in our adventure.
I found this quote and I think that it will ring true of this week. . . probably more than I can even imagine. . .
"Sometime in your life, hope that you might see one starved man, the look on his face when the bread finally arrives. Hope that you might have baked it or bought or even kneaded it yourself. For that look on his face, for your meeting his eyes across a piece of bread, you might be willing to lose a lot, or suffer a lot, or die a little, even." ~Daniel Berrigan
Godspeed!
Hi Deb and Jeanna - I am so excited to hear all about your journey - all the details please! Please travel safely and hang on to eachother!
ReplyDeleteLaurie
XOXOXOXO
Hi Deb, Dion and I are thinking about taking a group of kids from Blake to do service work in Haiti next year (spring time, one week). I am looking forward to reading about your experience to see if that is feasable. While you are there, if you here of any organization that work with volunteers young students, please let me know!
ReplyDeleteBe safe,
Silvana
Deb and Jeanna.....travel safely and know I'm thinking safe and healthy thoughts for both of you while you're so far away! I'll pray every day that your bodies will fight away any bugs and disease....and believe your strength will get you through this journey unscathed! You're stronger than you think!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm so proud of both of you for the money's you both raised and the good deed you'll contribute to. Your quote above speaks volumes about people in need. Your pictures will make your thoughts reality so I'm anxious to see what you capture through your lens into the Haitian world! Love you lots....take care of each other! xoxo