Jacmel Update

Today was another beautiful day in Jacmel! After a breakfast of oatmeal and craisins we went with the tap tap to one of the job sites. On the way we learned that Jilner, the Haitian foreman, had his thumbnail ripped completely off while putting a wall in place. Ouch!

We finished the third house at around 9am, just in time for the delighted homeowner to bring us Haitian coffee and bread. What a treat! The coffee is very strong and sweet and kind of tastes like molasses.

The future owners of the home we were building were very happy! The man kept walking around the house grinning from ear to ear rubbing his hands together and the lady was actually dancing and laughing. It was wonderful to see!

The next house we built was in a field with a few mango trees nearby so a neighbour boy climbed to the top and picked some ripe mangoes which we could eat with our lunch.

The people here are friendly but don’t crowd around as much as in Port au Prince. However as we leave the houses we finished, people begin to appear and inspect them. I think they are quite amazed that a house can be built in about 3 hours! No wonder they keep asking for us to build them one too.

On our last house for the day, we were given some more Haitian food, which consisted of a styrofoam take out container with a chicken leg, deep fried plantains and some tomatoes and sweet and spicy onions. The food here is fantastic! It apparently can make you sick but I’ll take my chances.

Our tap tap has been having trouble with flat tires today so we’ve had to wait periodically, but Jack, the driver, is such an apologetic and nice guy we can't get annoyed. At the end of the day a friend of his drove up in his tap tap with a flat tire too and he helped change it before he brought us back to the guest house.

While we waited an old man hailed us who spoke very good English. He had been to Canada and the US quite a few times, and if we have the terms right, he had been a mayor in Port au Prince! Very interesting!

While we were talking a dump truck came roaring up the street and came bouncing and swerving through the school yard directly toward us! All of us were scrambling to get out of the way when he suddenly turned sharply and drifted the truck around the soccer goal and stopped. Out stepped Jack! Apparently he doesn’t only drive tap tap! I've never seen a dump truck driven like a dirt bike before, but I am a witness that it is possible!

After we arrived back at the guest house we were guided to the beach by a mischievous little girl named Linda. What a wonderful, refreshing way to end a work day and to wash off the dust and sweat! Beautiful turquoise water, white sand beach, cool salt water and an incredible picturesque setting!

After a great dinner of beet salad, stew, and mashed potatoes, the three of us washed and put away all the dishes (don’t tell our wives). When we finished we called our wives who had an eventful day back in Port au Prince. We are now relaxing on the couch, typing, writing meditations, and reading.

We've had a busy day and are almost ready to pack it in. Time to recharge for tomorrow.

A.J.