Hey all, I just wanted to do a quick update, and share with you a day in the life, so to speak, of a maintenance person in Haiti.
Problem: Need to install a new washer and dryer to be used by the Miriam Center.
Hurdle: Water and electricity already run, appliances moved into place, just need a hose for the washer, a exhaust line for the dryer and a cord for the dryer.
Solution:
In the U.S. ~ Run to Wal-Mart, pick up needed supplies, return home and install hoses, test washer and dryer.
In Haiti ~
1) Talk to plumbing guy on campus to determine we don't have what we need here. Best bet is to find the parts in Port du Paix.
2) Get cash for parts and travel to Port du Paix, walk to downtown St Louis and board a tap-tap to PdP. ( The funny thing about this experience, when me and my guide boarded the tap-tap, there were only 5 people in the bed of the truck. by the time we got to Port du Paix, there were 38 people, 2 boxes of clothes, about 10 cases of empty beer bottles, a ton of bananas and assorted fruit, some empty diesel cans, etc)
3) Arrive in PdP, disembark from tap-tap and begin searching local "hardware stores" for needed parts. Cant find parts, but every place suggests somewhere else to try.
4) No parts at nearest places, so we board 2 moto's (scooters) and widen our search area for parts. (and yes, before you ask, the sight of me hanging on to a small Haitian on the back of a beat up little scooter, flying through the streets did get quite a few strange looks)
5) After about 2 hours, 250 Haitian Gourds (equal to 50 Haitian dollars or about $ 6.25 U.S.) and too many stores to count, we determine that no matter how many back-alley places we visit, they either don't have the parts, or we just can't find them, we decide the parts may be in Port au Prince, so we head our motos back to where the tap-taps gather on the outskirts of PdP, and head home to St Louis. Did I mention that it is raining by now?
6) Pile into a different tap-tap to head for St Louis ( this one is a smaller truck, with only about 17 people in the back, plus cargo. This truck also has the endearing trait of dying every time he stops, and only wants to start back up about half the time, necessitating the driver to get out and whack the starter with a piece of metal to get it started)
7) Return to St. Louis campus with no parts, no hope of parts, and 350 Gourds lighter.
8) New goal is to try and find out tomorrow where they got the parts for the other washers and dryers on campus at the last time, and go from there.
9) Take a shower, call it a night and dream of a Wal-Mart or Home Depot opening up just down the street.
10) Wake up tomorrow and start again!
One undeniable conclusion I have reached about my service in Haiti, is that it will be an adventure, and will most assuredly teach me about patience. thank you God for allowing me to serve your Kingdom, and for all of the great blessing you have shown me!
Good night all, and God bless you all!
Justin
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Sunday, April 1, 2012
4/1/12 ~ Safe and Sound
Well, after much stress and anxiety, I finally made it here to my new home in St. Louis du Nord Haiti! It's been a long journey to get here, not necessarily physically, but spiritually and emotionally as well. After years of praying for god to show me a place to serve, I am here and ready to go. it has been very bittersweet leaving my friends and family back home, but I (and they) know that this is where God wants me to be, and i know I go with their prayers and support.
I was welcomed to my new home with open arms, much happiness and the promise of plenty of things that need doing. Even though the campus has changed quite a bit since September, it really does feel good to be back, and I'm excited to get to work.
The journey itself was actually pretty smooth, other that a big rain storm that delayed my flight from Indy to Miami. Instead of getting into Miami about 9pm, we ended up getting there about 11:30, which made for a very short night when I had to leave back for the airport at 4am. But that's probably OK, i don't think I could have slept much, even if i had the time :-) I got to meet a lady named Barb on the shuttle to the airport who was also traveling to Northwest. She is from Indiana as well, but her flight schedule had routed her through Cincinnati, so we didn't meet until that evening. She had been to NWHCM several times, and was returning for the week. It was great to have somebody to talk to in the shuttle and in the airport. Once in the airport, we met up with several other groups that were going down, and we all had a good time hanging out in the airport.
The flight to Haiti went without problem, and i was pleased to see that all of my luggage made it to Haiti. After the maddening rush of getting our luggage, going through customs and finding Jacques (the gentleman from NWHCM whose daunting job it is to get all of us off of planes and where we need to go, as well as getting us out when we leave) we made our way outside where we split up. Most of the group would be taking the bus ride to St. Louis and barb and I were flying. We left the group and all our luggage at the bus, and headed to the airport, where we waited several hours for another couple of groups to come in that were on different flights to Haiti. Once everyone was there, we waited for the next flight to Port du Paix, when another small problem presented itself. We had 18 missionaries (including myself) heading to PdP, but the plane only holds 17. So, I volunteered to hang out for the next flight, and let the others go. I figured I'm here for 7 months, i can wait a little bit. About 2 hours later I boarded the plane to head out.
The ride from PdP to St Louis was as exciting as ever, and I finally made it to the campus just in time for dinner (after a round of greetings and hugs), then took a look at my new digs. It was a great blessing that Ed Ginter, who had just left Haiti, left me a bunch of things to help get me settled. It is such a blessing, not only for the stuff, but for the thoughts and care he left to help me feel at home. Thanks Ed, you're a great guy and i hope we meet again someday.
Well, that's all for now. I have a bunch of pictures, but i have not been able to figure out a way to get them from Ipod to computer to Blog. (if anyone has any suggestions, please shoot me a line) But I'm hopeful I will get them up sometime.
Have a great and blessed day, week and Easter, and may God bless you all!
in His name,
Justin
I was welcomed to my new home with open arms, much happiness and the promise of plenty of things that need doing. Even though the campus has changed quite a bit since September, it really does feel good to be back, and I'm excited to get to work.
The journey itself was actually pretty smooth, other that a big rain storm that delayed my flight from Indy to Miami. Instead of getting into Miami about 9pm, we ended up getting there about 11:30, which made for a very short night when I had to leave back for the airport at 4am. But that's probably OK, i don't think I could have slept much, even if i had the time :-) I got to meet a lady named Barb on the shuttle to the airport who was also traveling to Northwest. She is from Indiana as well, but her flight schedule had routed her through Cincinnati, so we didn't meet until that evening. She had been to NWHCM several times, and was returning for the week. It was great to have somebody to talk to in the shuttle and in the airport. Once in the airport, we met up with several other groups that were going down, and we all had a good time hanging out in the airport.
The flight to Haiti went without problem, and i was pleased to see that all of my luggage made it to Haiti. After the maddening rush of getting our luggage, going through customs and finding Jacques (the gentleman from NWHCM whose daunting job it is to get all of us off of planes and where we need to go, as well as getting us out when we leave) we made our way outside where we split up. Most of the group would be taking the bus ride to St. Louis and barb and I were flying. We left the group and all our luggage at the bus, and headed to the airport, where we waited several hours for another couple of groups to come in that were on different flights to Haiti. Once everyone was there, we waited for the next flight to Port du Paix, when another small problem presented itself. We had 18 missionaries (including myself) heading to PdP, but the plane only holds 17. So, I volunteered to hang out for the next flight, and let the others go. I figured I'm here for 7 months, i can wait a little bit. About 2 hours later I boarded the plane to head out.
The ride from PdP to St Louis was as exciting as ever, and I finally made it to the campus just in time for dinner (after a round of greetings and hugs), then took a look at my new digs. It was a great blessing that Ed Ginter, who had just left Haiti, left me a bunch of things to help get me settled. It is such a blessing, not only for the stuff, but for the thoughts and care he left to help me feel at home. Thanks Ed, you're a great guy and i hope we meet again someday.
Well, that's all for now. I have a bunch of pictures, but i have not been able to figure out a way to get them from Ipod to computer to Blog. (if anyone has any suggestions, please shoot me a line) But I'm hopeful I will get them up sometime.
Have a great and blessed day, week and Easter, and may God bless you all!
in His name,
Justin
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)