So Travis and I didn't get the generator/welder up in Arcahaie fixed, but we found a burned out pack of diodes and a big capacitor that was actually wired into the circuit wrong [so that it would have burned up the diodes]. That's all electrical speak for we're pretty sure we identified the problem, and replacement parts will be on the way from the states as soon as is practical.
Things are still going well here in Grand Goave. We've been working at a fairly steady pace on the school project. Everyday is more concrete and rebar and dirt and broken creole sentences. The last few work days have been challenging, because Daniel [an engineer from Alaska, and the only other American on site since John and Lisa left for the states] has been pretty sick, and while he's been stubborn and has tried to work anyway, he's had to go home early the last couple days. I honestly don't know how he's done it this far. He's feeling a little better today, but went to the doctor to get a blood test for malaria, and lo and behold, that's what he has. Good to have it identified so he can be treated accordingly, but I know he's still frustrated that he can't be operating at full capacity. Fortunately, we're at a point right now where for the most part, the guys know what they're doing: the carpenters are hanging forms in preparation for the next pour [most likely Thursday], the dirt guys are still moving dirt, which they do well, and I'm left to supervise and attempt to communicate things like "this needs to go over there" [li beswe ale lot bo] and "make this here look like that" [fe ici kon sa] and "great work" [trevay tre byen]. it's an adventure in communication for sure.
language has been one of the best parts of this trip, as well as one of the most tiring parts. at the end of the day, my brain is just fried. however, it's great to be able to understand the guys a little bit better [if they speak slowly enough], to the point that we can have conversations about our families and such. without fail, they're all amazed that i don't have kids and that i'm not married yet. my standard answer is "pita" [which means "later"], which inevitably is met with laughter. they're also normally amazed that i have only one sister, as most of them have 4 or 5 or 13 siblings. while we might say "well they just start having kids really young" or "no one here uses birth control" or whatever, when the guys talk about their kids, their faces light up just like any proud dad, and it reminds me that at the core, we really are all the same.
when i see how ugly the attitude of entitlement is, whether it's in kids that are mad because you won't let them use your ipod when they want to use it, or in 'he got a new pair of work gloves, so i want a new pair of work gloves too', i realize how often i reflect that myself. it might look different, but it's the same underlying pride issue, of 'i need this, and i deserve that', whether it's electricity at the beach house, or a ride to or from the job site when i want to go, or the *huge* inconvenience of not having internet all the time. life will go on without internet, and i know how to use a headlamp, so what am i complaining about anyway?
all in all, things are going well, but God definitely has some things to teach me. i think it's going to be rough, but obviously necessary since He knows what's best in the end anyway even when i'm blind to it.
to Him be the glory.
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:8-10
Good morning how are you?
ReplyDeleteMy name is Emilio, I am a Spanish boy and I live in a town near to Madrid. I am a very interested person in knowing things so different as the culture, the way of life of the inhabitants of our planet, the fauna, the flora, and the landscapes of all the countries of the world etc. in summary, I am a person that enjoys traveling, learning and respecting people's diversity from all over the world.
I would love to travel and meet in person all the aspects above mentioned, but unfortunately as this is very expensive and my purchasing power is quite small, so I devised a way to travel with the imagination in every corner of our planet. A few years ago I started a collection of letters addressed to me in which my goal was to get at least 1 letter from each country in the world. This modest goal is feasible to reach in the most part of countries, but unfortunately it’s impossible to achieve in other various territories for several reasons, either because they are countries at war, either because they are countries with extreme poverty or because for whatever reason the postal system is not functioning properly.
For all this I would ask you one small favour:
Would you be so kind as to send me a letter by traditional mail from Haiti? I understand perfectly that you think that your blog is not the appropriate place to ask this, and even, is very probably that you ignore my letter, but I would call your attention to the difficulty involved in getting a letter from that country, and also I don’t know anyone neither where to write in Haiti in order to increase my collection. a letter for me is like a little souvenir, like if I have had visited that territory with my imagination and at same time, the arrival of the letters from a country is a sign of peace and normality and a original way to promote a country in the world. My postal address is the following one:
Emilio Fernandez Esteban
Avenida Juan de la Cierva, 44
28903 Getafe (Madrid)
Spain
If you wish, you can visit my blog www.cartasenmibuzon.blogspot.com, where you can see the pictures of all the letters that I have received from whole World.
Finally I would like to thank the attention given to this letter, and whether you can help me or not, I send my best wishes for peace, health and happiness for you, your family and all your dear beings.
Yours Sincerely