A day in Petit Paradis with tarantulas
Hey from Haiti.....
Our day started out with my favorite breakfast of fresh bread and amazing Haitian scrambled eggs and coffee and the bonus of homemade limeade!
I am noticing a difference of being here in February-March instead of April or May......much cooler and less humidity, but don't get me wrong it's still very hot out, but much more tolerable. It poured rain last night and cooled things off ....much easier to sleep in cooler temps.
Today most of the team headed up to Petit Paradise, a very poor community east of Grand Goave to start building homes for 5 families, who live in terrible conditions. One family we visited last night lived in a 8x8 house, cement floor, no beds and a few dishes organized on a wooden crate in the corner!! Incredibly sad. A young family of 7 lived in this tiny tiny home! :(
It broke our hearts as our team stood in this small space that barely fit us standing, yet a family calls this home.
Other families lived in homes just as small made up of scraps of tin, wood, signs and beat up tarps. So unbelievable and hard to understand!
The guys started out today by digging trenches for the footings on the first three homes, cementing in the rebar in each corner of the house, mixing cement as we all worked along side the Haitian construction team. Cindy and I were in charge of moving rocks large and small, to guys to help form the foundation/footings before cement was poured in to create the base of the house. Cindy and I also did our gym weight lifting work out by transporting cinder blocks.
Moving rocks might seem easy.....but when TARANTULAS appear when moving large boulders it becomes quite the experience. Today I hit a record high of uncovering 2 tarantulas plus numerous other critters! Good thing I am not afraid of bugs or spiders! Except when Jurgen pretends he is a tarantula crawling up my leg after spotting tarantula #2......yep I screamed!
Tomorrow we will return to the start of the 3 homes and finish them so the families can move In!
We have been excited and encouraged that we are able to change families lives by giving them a new home and that we have a home church that gives generously and sends us to make a difference in these families lives. We don't have the words to say how this has moved us to continue to be the hands and feet of Jesus!
Stacey and Bev stayed on campus today to make up hygiene packs, stain handrails, and paint at the Tech school.....while Ron our team "plumber" and Stacey his right hand woman were able to start working on getting a convection oven up and running in the technical school. God is using us all in the areas we are needed!
We are excited to see where God is going to take us the next 9 days......We know without a doubt we were called to be here right here, right now!
Continue to keep us in your prayers daily! We covet your prayers and appreciate them so much!
Love and Hugs <3
Delynne