Day 4



The neighbors have gotten used to us by now.



Still recovering from the intense work yesterday and trying our best to rehydrate and get as many carbs as we can, we set back out to start the walls.  It's cooler today after the storms, but it is still Haiti.



The alleyway we trudge back and forth between the sand pile in the street and the house we're building is flooded and muddy, but we tredge on.  By now we've made at least 200 trips with buckets of concrete either on our shoulders or in each hand.  Today we move the sand to the site and mix on the floor.  But first we have to sift the wet sand to a finer grain. The clods will be used as filler.   They don't waste anything.  Even the bags from the concrete mix are used. 

The smiling lady on the left is the widow who will live in the house we are building.  Big smiles and bojour each morning!



Before getting started on the walls, though, our first morning duty brought our military training to bear.  We had to dig out the "indoor plumbing."  

Our day was cut short due to rain, but the walls are taking shape.  We hope to make up all the lost ground tomorrow.

We wish we had more time to post some things about the orphanage and school.  We've watched and interacted with a lot of the kids and they staff has been so good to us.  The pastor's wife cooks our meals, and they are fantastic!  They make sure we have electricity for a fan at night and they go out of our way to see if we need anything (at least I think so, I don't understand a word, so I just smile.)  There is a missionary couple staying here, Andy and Uta.  They were to be in Africa to train people in mechanics and other things, but the place wasn't ready so they are here for a while.  They've told us a lot about the place as well.  We'll try to share more next time.

One thing is for sure, the boys love their soccer.  They've played in the large building they use as a chapel every day.  They're very talented, aggressive, and smile no matter how hard they hit the floor.   I was going to play with them, but I need to save my strength...

 








Tomorrow we try to finish the walls and continue to do what needs doing.