Haiti

I rarely share personal information in my posts, but given the devastation in Haiti, I am making an exception. I traveled to Haiti in 1991. I was part of a work team that had raised money for materials and was going to build an addition to the teachers’ quarters outside an elementary school. The school was in Cabaret (formerly Duvalierville during Papa Doc’s time)  about a half hour from Port Au Prince.

This is how we found the job site. The teachers lived in those existing concrete squares outside the school with no electricity, bathrooms, or runnng water.

This was our Haitian forman. He was a formidable worker. He wore me to a frazzle.

The temperature was over 100 degrees each day and shade was coveted.

We poured a concrete floor and built the concrete columns that would carry the roof of the addition.

Unloading a truck full of precious (and heavy) construction materials.

Now were making progress.

The beautiful students who visited us whenever class was out.

They were super friendly and spending time with them helped reinforce why we were there.

I couldn’t get enough of these guys.

My first day in Haiti, touring Port au Prince. Found a nice basketball game in the park.

After work we visited the hospital in Port au Prince.

This little one was so small and so sick.

A dedicated young doctor educates us on the challenges she faces daily.

My prayers go out to all the Haitian people and especially to the children, the teachers, the men who labored with us in the sun, and the doctors who work so hard in such difficult conditions.

pete