UP TO SOLIETTE

TIM AND GARY MIXING CEMENT

PHILIP MAKING 3 LEGGED SCHOOL DESKS FOR THE TEACHERS

PINE FOREST

The Allen Boys hanging my Bible verse: Psalm 91:11

WE  arrived at Soliette safely around 8:00 p.m. on Friday the 21st of Feb. It was wonderful to spend some time with this team. Seeing the dream Pat had for the school's project actually get completed. The team laid up blocks in place of the tarped wall school. Put welded doors in place and painted wood boards for chalk boards. Philip made 9 - 3 legged desks for the teachers to have a place for their things. The children was all having school under different mango trees.  On Sunday we enjoyed a church service in the school. We packed up and headed up to Oriani to have a picnic. This is close to one of the highest altitudes in Haiti at 6200ft. We soon found a grassy area under some huge pines and enjoyed a picnic. The coats even felt good and we heard God's breath whispering through the pines. Such a Beautiful place. Stanley, who lives with us was coming up to work at the Halderman Clinic while Pastor Enel's daughter took time off to prepare for her wedding. Stanley interpreted for the new nurse and taught her Creole after Clinic closed for the day. Stanley thought he would freeze up there at first, he then thought it was nice, not so hot. we headed home on Tuesday morning. Part of the team came on Thursday and stayed till Tuesday. Tim Shellbargers, Fred Sink and Cheryl was here. We enjoyed having them, went to the beach again, supper at Kaliko, Apparent Project. Picked up Fannie at the orphanage after we  had lunch/supper at the Observatory. Its a lookout above Port. Fannie is a Haitian, who Tim and Angie is adopting. Sunday found us all at Santo 3 church. When Philip was introducing everyone , Martita (the cook at the project) was out in the crowd waving at Philip. Madam Johnny and Boss Paul (stucco boss) was there too. I guess they go there to church some. On Monday Tim's left to take Fannie back to orphanage. Kris and Cheryl helped unload boxes, and make this place look more like a home. Kris was working hanging my Bible verse above my door but in evening THE ALLEN BOYS - Tim Allen , Fred Allen finished the project. Well done , merci!!! Tuesday found us taking Tims and Freds to the airport. Cheryl left on Wednesday to go stay at IFM children's home.
    We went up to the beach one evening to eat supper with Layne Boones and Clint Bowers.

Layne, Ruth, Erica and Colton

Layne's brought me some apples. Ruth is Nathan's sister. She asked what I'd like to have in Haiti and Kendra told her some apples. Thank you for carrying them in your purse all the time.They were delicious too.

Clint, Brenda, Ava and Mia

   Saturday we went to see Cheryl stay with her up in Matt Newcomers apartment . On Sunday morning Cheryl, Philip and I went to Pastor Enel's daughters wedding. Big wedding and lots of whites from the U.S. and Canada. spent the rest of afternoon with Cheryl and headed home.
  Tuesday we went to airport and picked up Trevor Metzgers. They came to encourage us and see where we were hanging out. Trevor helped Philip lay tile in the pantry. One more job done. Whoopee!!! Thursday morning Martita and Madam Johnny came early to fix a Haitian meal for us. Martita and I hiked in to the market to get the essentials, like fresh goat legs as the little goat heads sat on the table smiling at us. Haitians like to eat almost every part.  We had a very good meal with Johnny, Pastor Apollo. Madam Apollo and their daughter joining us for lunch too.

Philip and Ava watching the waves

.  Clint's came on Thursday night to spend the night and leave the girls with us for a few days.

They were headed to the D.R. to get Brenda's dental work done. Saturday morning we left off Ava, Mia at BRIC and we headed up the to the beach once again. Supper once again at Kaliko, never tired of the ocean. Sunday up to church in mountain of Port -a sister church to Santo 3 . Onald a man who helped stucco our house goes to church there. After church we headed on up to the lookout. Monday took Trevor's back to the airport. Thank you for coming to encourage us. Picked up Ava and Mia at Bric. The girls didn't feel good. Cheryl came arrived back here. Clint's came and got the girls on Thursday and  left on Friday. ON Sunday Cheryl , Philip and I went to Bric for church and ate lunch there. Left to go into the airport to pick up Katy Marconett, she was coming to spend some time with Cheryl. 

Katy and Cheryl working on my big stencil Nathan made for me last fall 

We sure had fun with Katy and Cheryl. One day we headed up to Petionville to get more paint, groceries and we picked up some plants too. Traffic was terrible on the way home, at times completely stopped. Well, when we got home we were minus  the 5 gallon paint bucket, a pineapple and 12 rolls of T.P.  A lesson learned once again.  We helped butcher a hog with Clints while they were here too, exciting.  The time went fast and then it was time to say good-bye to Katy and Cheryl two days later.

Bye cousin - please come again -someday!! 

After we left the airport we went to the rum plant to see where you can get sugarcane mulch. We ended up with a load. The mulch is free but there's many little boys who want to load for you, all for pay of course. Philip made a deal with them and as they started loading a big payloader with claws came along. The boys yelled, beckoned to them and we got a huge load quickly. Yes, the boys still got paid, they did stomp the load down and cleaned off windshield. On the way out to the main intersection there are many nurseries. Guess what the truck cab got full of plants.   

Our painted house and some of the landscaping

The house  is starting to feel  like Home

  Our container from the U.S. arrived. I now have a cabinet under the counter-top and upper cabinets. Philip made the lower unit the fall before we left, actually Russell Bowman had to finish it. Thank you Russell. I've enjoyed one of the bikes that Trevor sent.  The grill also got a workout, with chicken from Double Harvest, Henry and Philip butchered. Thank you Eldon's for loading and hauling the items to PA for shipment.
  Enjoyed Tom Mohler's  the other weekend. Our truck had no brakes -so I had to drive the  GB Land Cruiser, Laurie rode up front and the guys in the back of the truck bed. Challenging for both Philip and I. He's a very aggressive driver and I'm not quite like he is. :) We went and visited Double Harvest, where our friends Henry, Maria and their children live. On Sunday I drove us to CAM to enjoy a church service with the Maranatha Choir from MN Bible School. They sang for most of the service.  Very uplifting for all of us Missionaries.
  Stanley and Gario are moved out. We encouraged this as it wasn't a long term plan in the beginning. We thought it was time for them to think about their future. Gario still doesn't have a job, there's maybe an opportunity for him at the Halderman TB Clinic. He's thought this job will happen for several months but some of the money is disappearing and  they are getting audited. So, no hiring till this is worked out. Stanley will start working for CAM on the 5th of May on a 6 month trial. Philip has been teaching him how to drive a manual shift, something he'll need to know. I've went on few of these driving stints - whew!!!  He's trying hard and is learning.
  Easter morning we were heading to BRIC for church, and a lady flagged us down to stop. She was holding a sleeping child. I was thinking she wanted a ride to church. She asked if we could take her and her sick child to a clinic. the little girl say about 4 years old had been vomiting and had fever. The first clinic was closed so we drove on and she would ask someone walking along about another clinic. We finally arrived at a nice looking clinic. Philip, another man and the lady still holding the sleeping child went looking for help. After a while they came back to the truck and started talking to a guard. Yes, we could pick up a little of the conversation but not real sure all that was being said. The Doctor was in church and could look at the child after church.  We finally left hoping they had some help soon. the child never did wake up. We headed back to church and I guess we wouldn't be on time this time either. :) We know the Lord had us there for a reason. Enjoyed a Easter meal with Bric. Went home and Harold Herr came to see our abode. He wrote a book called Except the Unexpected, its about Haiti, put out by Cam. Very worth reading.
 Time to end the day. Blessings to all of you, thinking of you this past weekend and our Risen Savior. Love, Philip and Bethany   

 

FINISHING UP THE PROJECT !!!!!

Rit enjoying a dress left for her!

Addash enjoying the shades- thanks Jared :)

Watching a last sunset

Sister and brother enjoying each other!

Team Two settled in , worked hard and ATE lots. There was eighteen of us.  We had several boys  who could do a tremendous amount of work and ate enough food to fuel it. I was amazed ! The team accomplished the slab poured, set the pillars, set the trusses, put on purlings, got the building roofed,  started welding doors and windows.     Some of the highlights were, getting to know the church people better. The chicken who kept laying eggs on the tallest bed in the boys tent, which was Eugene's.  Visiting  several homes with sickness or were just bedridden, having a prayer and singing with them. One family in particular  very poor.  The momma couldn't work because she had deep cuts and skin peeling off her hands. Seeing those hands healing on the third team. Just seeing how much work can be done in a short amount of time with so many hard workers.

starting the slab

working on welding the trusses

Ed checking out the front step

Ed with all his new little friends

We left early so we wouldn't run out of work for team three. Came to our house and they poured the  cement slab here too.

Working on our slab

 The team enjoyed going to IFM and seeing their mission. Stayed in the evening and enjoyed homemade pretzels with another team, who was working at IFM.   We took the team to Real Hope for Haiti, to the beach and then to Wahoo Bay for supper. The next  day most of the boys went to a big waterfalls and the rest of us went to the tin market. Some of us went in the market with Gario. We all went to Simeon Shanksters for supper. The next day found us late on the way to the airport.  Philip passed about 21 cars in stopped traffic, on a two lane bridge. A policeman came by us and told him he shouldn't do that in Haiti, then farther down the road he pulled Philip over. The ticket book kept making its appearance as the time was fast ticking away and all those pasted cars went by. We finally was let go and no ticket. Got Ed and Denver to airport with 45 minutes to spare - Whew! The rest of the team headed in - their flights were later on. Took Brett Garbers bunch to the bus station to go to the Dominican Republic, we made it on time. Philip, Landon Kelly and I went to the grocery to get some coffee for Landon. As Landon was exchanging money at the ATM machine. He put in to many 0's and out popped much more Haitian  money then he intended. We're still using it up- Landon.  Took Landon to the airport next morning and started picking up the third team. Several didn't arrive till next morning due to weather in the states.  Clayton picked them up and we left ahead of them.  Got in traffic in Carrefour due to a semi-truck with rice turned on its side. The other truck caught up with us at Leogoane to eat breakfast at Don Weavers. We had new chains to put on the big truck, so we didn't have to stop for repairs like last time. Once again the old truck climbed right up those mountains.  Maritia had another yummy meal waiting for us.
  Team three worked very hard. They finished the windows, doors, painted and set them in place.  They finished the ridge on the roof and laid approx. 2500 blocks. This team was alot of newcomers so it took a few days to get the hang of everything. Simeon, Melanie and their boys showed up with 2 of our team on Monday. Simeon started laying block and got everyone excited and really going at it. Simeon's left on Wednesday leaving everyone's spirits buoyed  up.  The block got laid. The chicken couldn't get in the boys tent but it sure liked Jim and Bonnie's bed to lay her eggs on. Several of us hiked the ridge near the project. It was beautiful, clouds would roll in and swoop up the side of the mountain , we couldn't see a thing and then they would roll away giving us a clear view. It reminded me of Greece on top, rocky, misty and desolate. 

Starting the block laying

The extra good help !!!

Jim getting ready to set a door

The last BLOCK

Gario painting a door

Some of the good cooks- :)

Some more excellent cooks

AND MORE OF THE GREAT COOKS - KARA and BETHANY THANKS FOR ALL THE GOOD MENUS!!! 

The finished church getting stuccoed by Boss Paul                     ITS TIME TO LOAD UP AND SAY THOSE GOODBYE'S TO THE HAITIANS WE LEARNED TO LOVE!!!!!!  

BUGLING AT THE SEAMS BUT EVERYTHING GOT LOADED- 








THIS PICTURE LOOKED LIKE THIS BUNCH WAS ON A SAFARI HUNT!!!!

TELLING THOSE SWEET LITTLE GIRLS GOODBYE  WAS A LITTLE HARD ON ALL OF US! THANKS BEN FOR THE EXCELLENT PICTURE SHOWING ALL OUR TRUE FEELINGS THIS DAY!      So the team go back in record time and we enjoyed some extra days together. Once again enjoyed supper at Simeon's , us older left to catch a few extra zzzz's and the rest came later after playing a hilarious game made up by the KS boys. The boys left early one day and went to CAM. They unloaded the big truck, we caught up with them later and went to the beach. Then on to Kaliko Beach for supper. Several other families joined us , a total of 31 people. We all watched one more of God's beautiful Sunsets.   

waiting for the sun to set  

Beautitful!!!     

Rolling material-used cereal boxes

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The next day we went  several places -one of the most interesting places was the APPARENT PROJECT - it helps keep children with their mothers instead of going orphanages . Save those cardboard boxes !!! Ate lunch up at Baptist Mission. After pumping up a flat tire we headed down the mountain, and then  we lost our brakes. Wow - so glad it wasn't on the steep part. so we continued on using the emergency brake all the way home. The next day Philip loaded up all the people who needed to get to the airport first in our truck. Yes, it was a truck full. Kara was with us an extra day. Which I so enjoyed - she got me organized for a little bit. Labeled the totes and helped me clean up. We enjoyed the tin market for a little while. We took Kara to the airport, came home loaded up our things and headed to Soliette to help Cheryl and her team. Will finish this later. Thanks everyone who helped make this church possible for the people at Grand Dou - The workers -the financial support and most of all all the prayers on our behalf.  Blessings to all of you this day and everyday.  Philip and Bethany

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