Gauvreau en Haiti

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Today, the weather is great, a beautiful day to do the laundry, but I cannot pump the water to do it. Lately, we have a lot of problems with the water pump. During many days, we did fetch water in the well downstairs. Glad that the girls are there, they can carry big containers of water, I cannot do it.

We have been very busy at Fort-Jacques, GLA, preparing the warehouse for the coming of two other containers. You will be able to see on the pictures how everything has been sort out and inventoried on computer, so we can know exactly what we have on hand and what is missing. It took us a full week to do it. Georges, Jocelyne, Locita, Yannick, Kathiana and Reginald did the inventory of all the food stuff. Dave and Tara did the inventory of all the pharmaceutical products. (See photo November) Also, at the orphanage at Fort-Jacques, we got prepared for the Hurricane Tomas which did not show up in our region. (See photo November) We were very happy. We received a nice shower and we had almost no wind. It is the South of the island, Léogane and the North who had the storm.

Last Friday, we received one container and we started to sort out the clothing to send to Pastor Brandon’s new church which has already 165 people going, including 55 children on Sundays. Then, we sent more clothing to another orphanage. (See photo November)

We received the second container on Monday morning. We sorted out the clothing and distributed twice at a tent city for the deaf. They were so happy to have clothing. It was the first time that they received something since the earthquake.

At the orphanage, they received many malnourished babies and very sick. they lost one of them, but the health of the others is improving. Pray for the nurses who are very tired and also that God gives them wisdom to take care of the babies.

I am giving you and Internet site where you can get more information about the babies. It is Susan, our chief nurse at GLA, who writes the blog. http://heartsongsfromhaiti.blogspot.com

The elections will be on Sunday, November 28. Often we see a truck with loud music and someone speaking highly of one of the candidate for Presidency. There will be no school next week, just in case there will be disturbances amidst the population. The schools prefer to be safe than sorry. We wish that all will go well; there are a lot of prayers for the elections in the churches.

In Haiti, the death toll is getting higher for the cholera. The authority indicated that the infectious disease had killed over 1034 people since it showed up 3 weeks ago. Now there are some cases of cholera in Dominican Republic, which was carried by a sick Haitian. So the cholera is growing. I am a little worry about it, but I put my confidence in God and we take one day at a time. We take all the necessary precautions: drink only bottled water, wash our hands as often as possible, not to go to places at risk if possible, etc.

Sunday, November 28

Yesterday, Georges and I went to the grocery store and the Christmas stuff is out on the shelves. We looked at them no knowing if we should buy it or not. There are a lot of firecrackers for the December 31 for the New Year. This is a tradition to send them the highest possible in the sky. I am looking forward to it. Georges wants to buy some but I do not want it; so who will win...

Today we went to our house church in Thomassin. During the service someone came to tell that the depot, at the land of the future house of our hostesses, was burning. The men went to help to do a line up to carry the buckets of water to the fire. The firefighters arrived a little later to help. Finally, the depot went up in smoke and the fire was lighted up by someone. It is a great lost for Yvonne and Joel; they lost all their new windows and doors. They had accumulated these items over 15 years in order to have a house of their own. They are both evangelists, so their revenue is minimal. Pray for a miracle from God for them.

Before Georges left to help, he gave his keys to Molly so she could drive us back to GLA for lunch. But the car did not want to start the key did not turn in the ignition. We called Georges who told us what to do but even that did not work. Susan said that we had a real Haitian car. Georges had to come down and start the car. In the meantime, two of the girls had to sit at the back of the car, they opened the two seats but one of them had her skirt caught in the safety catch of the bench. We were not able to lift the bench; we could not find which button or control to press or lift to get her skirt out. Finally, Molly found the way; there is a bar at the bottom of the seat and we must turn it in the opposite way with our two hands. Anna (Molly’s sister) had torn her skirt. (See photo November)

This same Sunday, November 20, there was a lot of people and tap-taps (Haitian taxi) on the road; many trucks with music, and other attractions for the different candidates for the election. Even the girls found that there were a lot more people than usual after they exited the church.

Next Sunday, it will be election’s day. We must stay home because they are limiting the number of cars on the streets. The vote will be over at 7 pm. Following, we will wait a few days for the results. Here most is done manually. It is not like Canada where all is on the computer.

Yesterday evening, we received Yannick’s aunt and her future husband for supper. We were a little bit tight at the table because we were 7 on a table for 6 persons. I am always stressed when there are people coming at the house that I do not know. The girls prepared the meal. It was cabrit (goat) with scallop potatoes in the oven. It was a nice evening and we discussed a lot because both of them speak French. They will get married on December 30.

Monday, November 29, 2010

It is very interesting to be in a country when it is election time. It is so different from Canada. Bribery and fraud are very present and everyone knows where it is coming from but, to our knowledge, nobody is doing something to stop it. People that we know could not vote because their name was not on the list, or they could not find their polling station. Many people walked 4km and more to vote because their name was at a polling station far from their home. They walked because the cars and the motorcycles were not permitted to be on the road.

The day after the elections is quite calm at the moment we will see what will happen during the week. We do not want to go very far today so we stay home or we drive near home. Most of the schools are closed for the week. The girls will be home until December 6. Since they started school, there were many days off and Holidays. I am wondering how they can learn with that much days off.

If it stays calm, tomorrow we will buy Christmas decorations for home. The girls thrill to come with us at the store. They will do the decorating. For the tree, it will be a leafless tree, painted white and planted in a white pot with white cement.

There will be no snow for the Holidays. The last time that Georges and I had a Christmas without snow was in 1980 in Chilliwack, British-Colombia, Canada. But the weather is not as warm as Haiti.

Last week at GLA, we sorted out clothing and hygiene product. What was new we kept it to make Christmas gifts for the Haitian staff who work at the orphanage. There is still a lot of sorting to do. It is very long to do it and also hard on the body. Often, we must clean the hygiene products because many bottles of shampoo or liquid soap leaked in the boxes. Many boxes are very heavy, like the ones containing baby formula.  

We also gave clothing, blankets and hygiene products to a doctor who has an orphanage and a tent city that he takes care. The needs are so great and are never ending.

It is hard when you have no money to buy things in the stores. Even for us when we do grocery shopping we find the prices higher than Canada. Lately, they went down a little bit, but for certain products you set your mind to not have them like the yogurt. Once I bought yogurt because I needed it for my health and it cost me $5 for a 500 ml container.

In the last container, we received tools and machinery, like the Bobcat, for the construction at the new orphanage site at Fort-Jacques. (See photo November) Presently, we are waiting after the engineers who should give their advice on the observation they made about the plans, to see if buildings, water reservoirs and electricity are according to the American standards, before starting the construction.

Last Friday, Georges, John, Dave and Brandon made and painted boxes to put little barrels containing bleach with water to disinfect the shoes and the feet, with a place to put a bottle of antibacterial liquid for hands. This is for all the staff and the volunteers coming in the orphanage at Thomassin. There are cases of cholera in Kenscoff and Fermathe and this is not far from the orphanages. So, for the protection of the children and the staff we must disinfect.

I have included on our site in the photo, pictures of different roads that we take to go to Thomassin and Fort-Jacques. I hope that you will appreciate our nice roads! There is also 1 picture of a funeral cortege, unfortunately we see only the back of it. I had a video with the music but the site does not take it. I will post on Facebook. (See photo November) I finally found out how to put a video on my site, so you can see the video I took while following the funerals. Enjoy! Vidéo avec musique - Video with music

Following, there are two thoughts that are true and that I like very much. If everyone does this, the life would be easier. Thanks Sophie for the thoughts. 

 “Kindness is the language that a deaf can hear and that a blind can see.”

« To know ourselves make us bend the knee, essential posture for Love. Since the knowledge of God beget Love, and the knowledge of self beget humility.”

Much love!

Jocelyne and Georges