School Construction and So Much More!

NOTE: This post is from February 2007 and was added to bridge the gap between the previous blogs.

January 9th saw Luckner, Ti Mili, and I, along with 3 policeman head to Port-au-Prince to pick up the 11 person workteam from Nova Scotia. I was able to talk my way into the airport to meet them to try to help them through customs with all the luggage. It, however, was not the normal happy ‘Welcome to Haiti’ meeting I had anticipated, because I was tied up with airport security and police making a report when they arrived. The workteam ended up waiting for me inside the airport while Luckner, Ti Mili and the police escort were waiting outside.

When I had entered the airport, while the plane was unloading, I went into the ladies washroom. There were no other ladies around. What I did not know was that a man was hiding behind one of the stall doors and of course it was the one I entered. He ended up leaving with my purse and I ended up sitting on the floor trembling. Other than sporting a ugly black eye for two weeks I was fine. He had told me not to talk, to just give him my money. When he was starting to leave I called out to Jesus and he hit me. Three days later I received a phone call from the chief security at the airport saying they had found my purse. Only the money was missing and money can be replaced. Thank God I had my credit card and Haitian ID card in my pocket.

Thanks be to God and the Canadian workteam the construction of HATS-Haiti school (IMED) is finished. Now we need six doors and more benches made.

The aptly named “work” team, under the great leadership of Gerry Rhyno, did a fantastic job.

Some missions joke that groups are sometimes called ‘workteams’ not only for the work they do but for the work it is for the mission too. I can say, and I know Luckner agrees with me, that they could not be called anything but a ‘workteam’. They came and they worked and they worked. They represented five different churches in the Yarmouth area and did not know each other before they planned the trip. They, however, truly were a ‘team’ who ‘worked’ well and hard together.

Day 1 – Team meeting on the foundation

Most of them learned to lay blocks for the first time. They caught on quickly to anything that was new to them and they were willing to work hard in the heat to see that the school construction was finished while they were here

The walls are going up!

The roof is going on.

The finished school

Preschool to grades 3 with the workteam.

This is what the construction was all about. Furthering the education of children.

One large room which will really be two classrooms Monday – Friday is our church room for now. We had our first church service in that room two days before the group returned to Canada. What a lovely worship time we had together. Many of the Haitian men who worked on the school with the Canadian group worshipped with us at that service and are continuing to come Sunday mornings. At that service we dedicated the school and the land to the Lord. We know this project is going to touch a lot of lives in our area.

Our first church service in the finished school (Canadian choral group)

It was a blessing for me to have the group with me. They were extremely encouraging and supportive of what I do here. It was great to be able to speak English a lot of the time. Too, it was nice to have someone here besides my darling baby Alexandre in the evenings. It does get lonely at times. We spent a lot of time in fun and laughter. Having Gerry’s lovely wife, Heather who also is a Newfie, along with the ten men was a triple blessing to me. I am so very thankful that she came.

The Montero was still not fixed when they arrived so we rented a van to transport the group from and to the airport. This meant they needed more funds than expected but they were all willing to cover the cost of the van and the police escort both ways. We had no travel problems. Hopefully before the March visitors arrive the Montero will again be running.

At the moment, with a donation from a Rotary Group in the US, we are working on a cement block fence around the school. We will not be able to close all the property at this time, but will do as much as possible. When we have used these funds we will put razor wire around the rest of the property as we await additional funds to properly finish enclosing it all with a brick wall. Enclosing the property is very important, to protect the finished school and to keep the back of the land from being used as a toilet. Not what one would call sanitary. We want to say a very big thank you to Dr. Patrick Roche and the Macon, GA, Rotary Group for this donation.

Speaking of police escorts it appears that things have quieted down a lot in regards to kidnapping. We see lots of groups and visitors coming to Haiti again. Please continue to pray that things will improve even more in this country.

We have three people coming from Halifax area in March and hopefully five from Calgary in April or May.

I want you to know that I am extremely thankful for every dollar that is sent for HATS and for me personally. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I know that a lot of thank you letters are long overdue, but the problem is I can only do so much in a day. Those who know me well know that I always try to do too much. Running the mission, staying on top of things, fundraising, correspondence, having a baby to care for, meetings, time with my children, on call 24 hours a day/7 days a week, plus . . . . takes more time and energy than I have to give. Thus, some things slip behind and thank you letters have been one of them. Please be patient with me. I do pray for you and ask God to bless you as you continue to bless us here. Your generosity and encouragement is keeping us going.

~Karen