Life "off the grid"!

You don’t have to travel very far outside Port au Prince before you find people living “off the grid”, outside the power grid that is. There are no power lines in the villages, no gas or water lines either. In many ways a walk through the village is a step back in time. The people live as they have for generations; kerosine lanterns provide light and charcoal fires are used for cooking.

women buy & sell charcoal in the market 

Here in Gros Morne we live “off the grid”. For that matter, our house needs to be self sufficient when it comes to all our utilities: electricity, gas, & water. Unlike the villagers we do not rely on kerosene and charcoal. Our primary power source is 15 of solar panels on the roof of the house. Many of our energy needs are in the kitchen. Our solar refrigerator and freezer have a battery “back up” system that insures electricity 24/7. Our stove is fitted with a propane tank. Other household electricity needs include indoor & outdoor lighting …bedroom fans during the summer months …and a plethora wall chargers for, but not limited to, computers, cell phones, & iPods. In addition to the solar panels we also have a diesel generator. We run the generator approximately 45 minutes a day to supplement the solar power during our peak usage time; when the non-potable water is being pumped from our well & cistern to the roof for use throughout the house. Keep in mind the house has no central heating or cooling system …no hot water heater …no dish washer or microwave …no clothes washer or dryer …no TV. So far I’ve not experienced any power outages …although I have had a couple opportunities to change the gas tank on the stove.

Larger of two solar arrays on the roof

Solar freezer with battery back-up

Our house is not the norm in Haiti. Unfortunately, solar power is still beyond the means of the average person here in Haiti. Hopefully, as the technology becomes more affordable the Haiti people will have greater access to healthy, environmentally sound, sustainable energy sources.

We see from where we stand!

There is a Haitian proverb which says, “We see from where we stand.” Two years after the earth quake struck Haiti I find myself standing shoulder to shoulder with the Haitian people, praying …

Sacred Heart Parish, Port au Prince

Compassionate Jesus, you give us the mandate to alleviate the suffering of others.

Give us a new heart and a new spirit.

You told us to reach out to the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the ill,

the imprisoned.

Give us a new heart and a new spirit.

Help us to reach out to those in pain–friends, neighbors, and even total strangers.

Give us a new heart and a new spirit.

Teach us to join our efforts with those of others, to take actions whenever we can.

Give us a new heart and a new spirit.

Kaypòv

Shortly after I arrived in Gros Morne I heard about the Kaypòv. Kaypòv is Creole for “poor house”. The name conjured up for me images of the Dickensian institutions of the 19^th century which instilled fear into the hearts of my Irish ancestors. Much to my relief I learned that the Kaypòv is a long term homeless shelter for men and women, primarily the elderly who have no family to care for them. The structure itself is a one story, “U” shaped building constructed in stages by volunteers. There are dorms for both men and women; about thirty people call this building home. There is a pump in the courtyard, where the entire “neighborhood” comes to pump water.  The kitchen is in a neighboring structure, two meals are served daily. Behind the building are latrines and a concrete slab where the people do their laundry. Around the side of the building, affording a little privacy, is another concrete slab where people take their “bucket bath”; bathe with the water from a five gallon bucket. The Kaypòv is not simply a shelter it is a home that provides all the necessities of life.  

On Christmas Day we visited the Kaypòv, sang Christmas Carols, and served cake and soda.

Fortunately, this 21^st century poor house proved to be a kinder gentler place than the 19^th century institutions whose name it shares. In December a woman arrived in Gros Morne who needed a place to stay. She wasn’t pregnant, but she did need medical attention. The long term volunteers with whom I live took it upon themselves to care for the woman until we could find someone to provide the extensive medical care she needed. The temporary solution was to secure a “private room” for our friend at the Kaypòv. Although the woman was grossly disfigured by her injuries the people of the Kaypòv welcomed her into their community. We would go daily to administer her medication and help her bathe, but it was the people of the Kaypòv who provided her meals and kept a watchful eye over her throughout the day and night. In this case the community of the Kaypòv provided a temporary home for a person not only economically poor but also poor in body, mind, & spirit. 

Bònn Ane! Jou Endepandans!

January 1st is not only New Years day in Haiti it is also Independence day.

We stand to face the future;

God behind us in the past

Christ before us; the way ahead;

Christ beside us in this moment;

Christ beneath us in our weakness;

Christ above to shield us –

beneath the shadow of his wings we are safe;

Christ between us to bind us in the unity of his love;

Christ in us, equipping us with his all sufficient grace.

Thus armed and guided, and protected we face the new year.

Now we arise and go forth on the journey before us,

knowing that, where Christ leads, life is a journey home.

Therefore we travel in faith, in hope, and in love,

in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

May the blessing of God be upon us all this year and into eternity.

Amen

A New Year Blessing from the Iona Community, Iona, Scotland

Happy New Year! Happy Independence Day!

Jwaye Nowèl !

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, and

brings good news. (Isaiah 52:7)

 Jwaye Nowèl !

Merry Christmas!

Holiday travel

In the days leading up to Christmas I am reminded of the story of Joseph and Mary leaving Nazareth and heading to Bethlehem in response to the census being taken by decree of the Emperor.  Recently as I was wandering the donkey trails and dirt roads of the mountains of Haiti I was contemplating Joseph trying to find transportation for Mary. Of course this story is often illustrated with Mary riding on  a donkey, being led by Joseph. Joseph would have no problem finding a donkey for the journey in Haiti today.

However, there are a few more options in 21^st century Haiti. Joseph might go down to the market and hire a “taxi” for the journey. Most of these taxis are small motorcycles (125 cc). Surprisingly, I have seen entire families of four on one of these motorcycles. Joseph and Mary would probably both be able to ride with the driver. A ride to the next town would cost about $4.

If a “taxis” wasn’t possible Joseph might have chosen a “tap tap”. “Tap taps” are often little pickup trucks that have been fitted with benches in the back. They are brightly painted and often have religious or biblical sayings on the side. The “tap taps” have a set route of about a mile or so, the fare is about 25-cents, steeper routes are a bit more.

Finally, Joseph might have friends at one of the NGOs and be able to arrange a ride in an SUV. The ride in the SUV is far from smooth and flat tires are common, but this would probably be the safest way for Mary to get to Bethlehem.

Safe travels to all this holiday season!

O prosper the work of our hands!

Recently I’ve spent a lot of time working on the chicken coop. One of the tasks at hand was to set two metal brackets in about two cubic feet of concrete each. The metal brackets were designed to help stabilize the building in the event of a hurricane. In Haiti concrete is mixed on site. The unit of measure used in the concrete recipe was a five gallon bucket. To the best of my recollection we needed three buckets of gravel, two buckets of sand, and two buckets of water for every two buckets of concrete. We started by sifting the sand. Then all the ingredients were combined and mixed with shovels. At which point we used the five gallon buckets to carry the concrete to the designated spot. Four of us worked as a team and were able to complete the job in one day.

As I helped sift sand and carry buckets of concrete I ponder all the things that are done by hand here in Haiti. At the construction site hand saws were used to cut PVC pipe, wood, and iron re-bar. Nails were driven with a hammer not a nail gun. Ladders were fabricated from scrap lumber as needed. In Haiti the hands on approach goes beyond the construction site and seems to be applied to all aspects of life. Water is pumped by hand. Car repairs are all done by hand; including engine work, body work, and patching flat tires. The baskets, trivets, and coasters in our dining room were all hand woven. Our juice is fresh squeezed by hand. Furniture is handmade, including the tables and chairs in the preschool. The children’s school uniforms are all individually tailored and hand sewn. I am amazed at what the Haitian people are able to accomplish by hand. O prosper the work of our hands! (Ps. 90:17)

preschool students in uniform, complete with aprons