Monday, April 29, 2013

Come!
 
 
See!
 
 
 
and
 
 
Hear!
 
 
Pastor Vern Groves, Bec Groves-Haley, Jim Kane, and Rick Edwards will share pictures and stories of their recent work trip to Haiti.
 
 
Tuesday - April 30th
 
6:30 PM @ the Parish House in DeRuyter
 
(next to Senior Apartments on Rt. 13)
 
 
 
Everyone is Invited!!!

Monday, April 15, 2013

One wake up left



Last day...trip to downtown Port-au-Prince. It has been an interesting day. It has been a realization that we have only one wake-up left in Haiti. Tomorrow, we leave to return home. I will miss Haiti. I told Lyny today that I think his country is beautiful. And that I believe his people are beautiful. And, if I was to live here, I would be like him. I would build a house and live in the mountains, if at all possible.
 
We have been treated with the utmost kindness by this family - this household of people who are more than blood-family. They are a spirit-knitted family and we have been welcome and embraced by them. I will miss them.
 
We went to a Nazarene Bible College that Jim had worked at over 25 years ago. He took lots of pictures for Tish. They had both been here and stayed in dorms.
 
I have so enjoyed getting to know Rick. He and I have been roomates for these past 2 weeks. It has been interesting to note the common interests that he and I have. His expereience as a machinist and the necessity of making close tolerances in his line of work was a true credit to this team and to our work. Sometimes I thought he was a bit anal, but it worked out for the best.
 
 
A victorian house (wood structure) in what I believe was the older downtown Port-au-Prince. This house was likely built in the late 1800's. And this house was one of a few wooden structured houses in the same area.
 
This is the Haiti Constitution of 1801.

Pastor Wilson returned from his trip to NJ and Virginia this afternoon. He had a successful trip. We prayed for he and Gladys and for their household.

This trip, for me, has been a completion of the trip I took here 3 years ago. It completed and yet gave me a grander vision of Haiti and the people. I thank Jim for his leading this group and that God led him and brought this mix of people to the team. Each person had something unique they offered to complement the group and to fulfill our mission.

What a grand experience! Au Revoir (until next time)

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Song in Creole...

The morning was spent in Church. 9-noon. We didn't go with the rest of the household who started at 6 am. We slept in. Well, not really sleep in. I was awake at 4 and up on the roof at 5. I thought about Peter when he was up on his friends roof (Acts 10).

I took a videos before we left for church. It's point of interest is the hymn you will hear sung. Whoever knows the hymn, please send me your reply.

 
 
We went to Fort Jacques yesteray and this is some info from the internet about the fort Jacques we visited. Very interesting!

Pétion-Ville’s two forts

Text and Photo: Amelia Duarte de la Rosa, Special correspondent

DEEP in the mountains of Kenscoff – close to Pétion-Ville – and 1,500 meters above sea level, are the ruins of Fort Jacques and Fort Alexandre, vestiges of Haitian history. Both fortifications, destroyed by the January 2010 earthquake and abandonment, symbolize the birth of the first consolidated republic of Latin America.

Built in 1804 during the colonial period in 1804, under the command of Alexandre Pétion (subsequently appointed first President of the Republic in 1806), and following the instructions of Governor-General Jean Jacques Dessalines (Emperor Jacques I of Haiti), the objective of the forts was to protect the incipient independent Republic from French or pirate attacks. The defensive system in the Kenscoff peaks assured the west and southeast of the country, while La Citadelle, in Cap Haïtien, safeguarded the territorial integrity of the northeast coast.

The forts, named after their creators, are approximately 800 meters apart and linked by a narrow underground tunnel which can only be transited in a crouched position.

Located on the eastern slopes, Fort Alexandre was flanked by four angled bastions. Fort Jacques, on the other hand, was initially armed with cannons, and its cavernous interior, constructed of local clay and stone, was used for Haitian army activities. Soldiers here had visual control of the entire city of Port-au-Prince, the bay and Étang Saumâtre Lac Azuéi, the country’s largest lake, 30 kilometers from the capital.

The current state of both constructions is distressing. Only traces remain of their splendor and the foundations of Haiti’s history, taken advantage of by some people living in the surrounding area.

Visited by tourists maybe seeking something more than luxury mansions, the property of the wealthy in the pleasant mountain climate, the ruins of the forts seem to reflect the history of a people who made a decisive revolution in the context of Latin American independence and a nation which is now one of the poorest on the continent.

 


Saturday, April 13, 2013

Our Work is our Purpose

Our work is done. It was completed yesterday. We no longer feel as though we've any reason to be here. Today we were tourists. We went to the mountains and visited the Baptise Mission again. We ate lunch there and also looked in the gift shop again. We had a tour of the greenhouse. No, we had atour of one of their greenhouses. The point that I foound most interesting was about the reforestation project they are working on. It is going to take a very long commitment to see it really take effect in the Hait mountain areas. There is a need to reforest, yet that does not provide a high level of economic return. It may be the most needed thing to do, for the sake of the future of the land. But the question remains, 'what about an income now?' So, the work has to be addressed from many angles. And that is the challenge.

We went also to St. Jacques Fort. It was a fort built after the French were defeated and the Haitians had won their freedom. The fort was built for protection from the likely attack of the French against the newly freed slaves.  It was an interesting piece of history. We had a tour guide who was very helpful.

The highest mountain in Haiti is, I believe, are 6,000 ft. high. That is quite high, considering that the Rocky Mountains are 11,000 plus feet high, but at the base of those mountains it starts at 7 or 8 or 9,000 ft. high. So elevation gain is quite a bit more for these mountains in Haiti than the ones in our own United States. That is impressive.

Looking at the mountains with the steep mountainsides coverd with terraced garden plots I find most inspiring. I feel like the bear who went over the mountain to see what he could see. They draw me to want to go to the other side, just for the satisfaction of my own curiousity.

Let me give you some of the pictures I took. May some of them draw you to a place of feeling inspired and yearning to go over the mountains in your life.









Friday, April 12, 2013

Day 10--

It is day 10 of our Haiti Chronicles. We finished our work at the orphanage. We completed the bunkbeds. We tightened up some other bunkbeds that were wobbly. We built a two shelf unit it in stairwell. We built a free standing 3 shelf unit for the living room area. We played soccer with the kids and Mr. T. We gave out candy to the kids. We threw them up in the air and they laughed and so did we.

The morning began, for me, at before 4 am. It was a very hot night and I wasn't able to sleep all that well once I woke. I arose at just before 6 and went to the rooftop. Arriving on the rooftop, I discovered there was a man in one area praying. He is a Christian man and he must have been starting his day seeking the face of the Father. Gladys and some of the ladies from the church spent yesterday today and tomorrow praying for an extended period of time. Yesterday morning I descended the stairs saw someone laying on the floor and noticed there were a couple other ladies stretched out on the floor (lying prosrtate). Yesterday it was from 6 am til 6 pm here at Gladys' home. Today was 6 am til 6 pm at the Church. Tomorrow is from 6 am till ? at someplace, I'm not sure where.

I did a surround view of both Pastor Wilson & Gladys house and the orphanage rooftop. I gave my narration, and I'll include those videos for your viewing pleasure.

There are mixed feelings. I'm feeling sad to be leaving. But I'm feeling ready to return home. This was a good experience so far.

Here are some pictures for you all to enjoy. Give me some feedback on your thoughts of how this blog has been. Is there any way I could have made it better. I'll have a few more days, just want to find out the response. I've got people from Germany, Canada, Russia, and the Us who are viewing the blog.



Thursday, April 11, 2013

Sponge bath and a water bucket rinse...

We got back to the house around 4 or shortly after. We were all hot and sticky. I laid down on the bed to straighten out my back. It felt so good to lay flat for a bit. I laid there long enough and soon fell asleep. Not for long, but people were taking their showers. So, I decided to let everyone take there shower and I would get the last one. With over a 300 gallon tank on the roof, I wasn't concerned about the water.

Rick told me that the water seemed to be not as forceful when he finished. So, I was prepared to turn off the water between lather and rinse. Well, standing under the shower, I turned the fawcet. No water, not one drop came out of the shower  head.  I was not going to get a shower.

I redressed, went to see if water could be pumped up to the roof via the generator. No! Out of gas for the generator. So, what about water in a bucket from the cistern. Okay, that's a doable. So, I was able to get myself cooled off and cleaned. 1/2 of the bucket went for soaping and the second half I lifted over my head and dumped on my head. I was rinsed, literally, from head to toe.

That was the highlight of my day... Here are some pictures to show us at the work site.

 
This is our main ride.
 
 
Cutting a 45 degree corner with a hand saw.
 
Ryan and Rick on the stairwell shelves...looking good!
 
 
A beautiful background for Ps. 97:4
 
 
A mosaic of Haiti
 
These are on the walls in the orphanage.
 
I played a little soccer with one of the teachers at the orphanage. I was tuckered out pretty fast and then had to go back to work. Maybe that's why I got a brief nap in as soon as we got back to our Haiiti home.
 
 

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

A Birthday to celebrate...

Today...another hot one. We're continuing to enjoy our work and our interaction with the orphans. They are so cute. We'll be done with our work probably Friday morning or so. Finished bunkbeds yesterday and will post some pics. Working on a s shelf or two in the stairwell and two shelf units for plates and other items in the orphanage. We are coming home at the end of each day, just covered with sawdust and dust from the ride mixed very thoroughly with sweat and stickiness.

Today we celebrated a birthday. It is Bec's. Bought a Mocha cake for her. It is very good. She was very surprised and had no idea it was coming.

Here are some pictures that you might find interesting. Some of our work is being shown off. The kids were just delighted to climb all over the bunk beds and pose for pictures.

 
Hey, the gangs all here..



rebar forms the spokes of this wheel barrow wheel
"Necessity is the mother of invetion"
 
 

 
More view enroute to the work site...

Monday, April 8, 2013

Haiti Chronicles - Sounds like Narnia doesn't it?

There is so very much that we got done today. But we also got so very tired. The work on the bunk beds continue. Tomorrow - hopefully - will be our last day on them. We discovered one that we flubbed up on. A mistake - horror of horrors. The temperature today was upwards of 90 degrees and very humid. We're eating well and sweating a lot. We have no thermopmeter we're looking at nor any scales. So, we don't know a lot of things we would keep closeer track of while back home. So when I say it was hot, that's all I can say with true accuracy. And I can't say anything for sure about whether losing weight or not, as the food is good and we're hungry enough to eat quite a bit.

The team is growing closer together. We're doing a devotion together and that causes us to think together on spiritual matters. Plus, we ride back and forth between the house and the orphanage and that takes about 45 minutes or so each way. We ride in the back of a pickup truck with an open rack on it. Plenty of time to view the sights of Haiti between here and there. And we work together and eat meals together. The team is building.

I'm going to try and post some videos. The power is going off and coming back on, so we'll see how far I can get on this task. ....

You may want to link to Bec's blog and she'll give you a whole differnt perspective than I'm giving you: Haitiexpedition@blogspot.com

I didn't get very far.....  Tomorrow is another day.... Godnight All! Thanks for joining me on this great journey...the Chronicles of Haiti!!

 
Loved that Soccer ball...
 
 
Yeh - Cool!!
 
 
Say Hello to the camera
 


 
 
 
Along the way to our work site
 

Sunday, April 7, 2013

A Day in the Mountains

To be lifted up and view the city from above was a wonderful experience. We could look at Port-au-Prince and see the urban sprawl. It includes Carrfour, Petionville and many other sub-cities. But it is all Port-au-Prince proper.The expanse of city, we were told, is about 10 million people. That has risen since the 2010 earthquake. Many additional people have come to the city to look for work. Most have not found it.

Our trip up the mountain was beautiful to experience. The ride  up reminded me of driving up either side of Cayuga Lake heading north out of Ithaca. The mountains here make the mountains and gorges of Ithaca look small. The temperature difference from down below to up higher was very refreshing.

We went to Lenny's home which he is building in the mountains. His home is built on top of his grandfather's house. That is common practice here. And it will be about a 45 - 60 minute drive from his home to his work when it is all done. He hopes to be done this summer. He will be getting married in the late fall to Dahlia.

This morning, Sunday, we spent from 6 am - 12 noon in Church. That is so un-American but very Haitian. I preached at the 6 am service and Jim preached at the 9 am service. It was my first experience preaching through a translator. That was different, but seemed to go well. God is quite capable of working through many different ways. It's quite amazing, actually.

Let me give you some pictures and a video. That may help you to feel like your with us here. Actually you are with us here in you  prayers and thoughts. THANKS! We all sense what it is you're sending our way. Merci.

 
In the morning..
 
 
See the early morning fog (clouds)?
 
 
Markenz (sp.?)
 
 
Markenz & Lennie (good friends)
 
 
Up the mountain on the back of the truck
 
 
Mountain Road...ended in a funeral...respect and shut off camera!
 

Friday, April 5, 2013

The Orphanage Kids...

Believe it or not, another day has passed. We were tireder today than we were yesterday. Pastor Wilson said that he's going to give us a Sabbath Rest tomorrow. Yeh! But, Sunday morning at 6 am and 9 am is church. I am preaching at 6 am and  Jim is preaching at 9 am. I'm preaching about John the Baptist as the preparer of the way for Jesus. His baptism was one of repentence and Jesus' baptism was one of the Holy Ghost. That's enough, don't wantto spoil my message. If you want to hear it, see you at 6 on Sunday morning.

We built 3 of the 5 bunkbeds. Hope to finish the other two on Monday. The 20 children in the orphanage will be back in school on Monday, so we have to confine ourselves in work to one area..a classroom. The other three classrooms will have students in them.

Rick and I played games with the boys today. One game was some sort of hand slap game. Another was a counting game (like musical chairs). Whoever it was that the counting landed on were out. I never could figure out what the number was. I don't understand Creole very well. I did learn a new word to day - "Oupre" and it means "Ready"? It's as though the r and the e are reversed when you pronounce it. One of the young men at the orphanage, we call him 'T', is a teacher. He was teaching me some words - writng them on the chalk board and all. I learn better by seeing it written rather than just by hearinging it. I am a visual learner. That is for sure.

I'm posting more pictures and videos below. Hope you enjoy them.Oh, by the way, tomorrow we're going up into the mountains. We're excited about that. Going to a Baptist Mission and also Lenny's house which he is building. Lenny is Wilson and Gladys' son. He is in his late twenties and will be our interpretter on Sunday morning. I think that is the case anyway.

Okay, here are the pictures and videos.



What a great sunrise...
 
 
Bec teaching a Yarn...
 
 
 
Playing a slap game of some sort...
 
 
Another "Up on the Roof" - this time at  Wilson's & Gladys' house...
 


Thursday, April 4, 2013

"Up on the Roof"

Okay, I missed yesterday for a blog. There was not power for the internet, so it didn't happen. But today, for now anyway, it's a different story. I'm attaching a video I'm titling "Up on the Roof". It's a 360 picture of the surrounding area of the orphanage where we are working.

Today's work consisted of cutting more lumber and we have finished cutting all the lumber for the 5 additional bunk beds we're making. It was hot and humid but we worked mostly in the shaded area. Us poor northerners would probably melt if we were to spend that many hours in the direct sun. As it is, the energy is just drained out of us by the end of the day.

There was a distribution of some of the clothes that MacKinzie brought. They were distributed to the kids at the orphanage. Tomorrow, we may be doing some more distributing of stuff. I'll include a picture of that as well. Thanks to all of you who are following this and who are really such a part of us being here. It is exciting just knowing that through your prayers, your financial support, your soap, shampoo, crayons, coloring books,  soccer balls, etc. ect. etc, you are literally here with us. Thanks for coming to these wonderful people. Thanks for supporting us in being able to be here. It is a blessing beyond measure.

I'll go for now and get another post up within a day or two. Just keep checking back and I will keep you posted on our progress.

 
 
Distribution of Mackenzie's little girl dresses
 
 
 "Only The Shadows Know"
 
 
"Up On The Roof"

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

First Day in Hait

We arrived here at about 5:30 this evening. What a contrast: a snowstorm and nasty roads traveling to the airport this morning, around 87 degrees when we arrived and still very warm but with a gentle breeze blowing. The place we are staying is very nice and we have a wonderful family hosting us.

The airport was in quite a bit better condition than I remember it to be directly after the earthquake 3 years ago and it wasn't as crowded with people. Still had those who wanted to carry our bags....and of course make some money off us for doing it. We had quite a ride coming to our destination in Petionville. Up and around and over this hill and down the next one - it was quite an experience. One road was just recently paved and that was a treat. Most of the roads are so full of potholes that you don't dare very fast.

I thought it would be a good idea NOT to have my motorcycle here. I wouldn't be able to get it out of first gear. There was one motorcycle (small 250 cc) that was carrying 3 people. It's a cheap way to make money - haul up to 3 people besides the driver and do it on something economical to drive.

Tommorrow will be another day and today is almost done. Actually, I'm almost done. Good night!



Enjoy the pics!