Typical day in Haiti

We needed supplies today but had no gasoline for our borrowed truck. We heard that there was some gas in Verrettes so Karen sent Odner on his motto to try and find some. He returned 1/2 hour later with 5 gallons. We put the gas in and Odner, Karen and I set of for St.Marc. On the way Luckner called to say that the HATS truck was ready. We stopped to pick it up from the mechanic(about 20km away) and left the borrowed truck on the side of the road. The HATS truck would not start when I tried it. I got the mechanic and he hit the battery with a wrench and the truck started, then we had to put air in 3 of 4 tires. Before we could they had to find gas for the generator to run the compressor and then it took 3 guys to put the air in. We drove to the grocery store to get supplies but more importanly to exchange US$ for Haitain$ to pay the work crew. The truck would not start so Karen got out and moved the battery cable and it started, but I had to shut it of again so Odner could go to Western Union to exchage more money, it would not start again. I got out and discovered the battery cable was loose and only sitting on the battery. I could not tighten it because the wrenches were behind the back seat and the the latch is broken so you can not get access to them. We ran a few more errands and left St. Marc. I love Haiti but you could never describe the conditions in St. Marc and make anyone who has never been there believe it. Halfway between St.Marc and Ponte Sonde we had a flat tire in bandit country. The spare tire was at HATS so we called Luckner to bring it ot us. He had to take a tap tap and then borrowed the mechanics truck. The handle for the jack would not fit so I shoved my arm behind the back seat until it was raw trying to reach a tool. I found a short bar and finally got the truck up. We could not get the nuts off, they were rusted solid. I persuaded them with a multipier and broke all 4 that were left. There was one stud left and another broken. I took a nut off he front tire and took some oil from the dipstick and the power steering pump and tried to get the nut on the only stud. After trying for a while it spun on easy. I then found a proper wrench behind the seat and tightened the battery cable. Luckner arrived with the tire and we put it on with one stud and drove back to the mechanic. It was easy the rest of the way.
Dickie
I had a calm day according to everyone else. Faith and I painted again this morning, then we sorted and counted clothes to give out to needy people. We added ours to Liettes so we would know just what we had and the sizes etc. I played with the kids a lot and then took Alex out to watch soccer and play with the boys and toys. He wanted to do laundry with his feet and was ticked at me when I would not give him water. Josie called my name today and ran to me and put up her arms. She usually hangs back and waits for you to pick her up but my heart soared when she called to me from way down the compound and ran with her arms up. What a joy! There was confusion today when Karen and Dickie and Odner were gone. Propane in the main house for the stove ran out, Fedna came for her weeks supplies and money and I was trying to find all of that, the Haitian workers were waiting for Luckner and Karen to return to pay them and I couldn't get her on the phone and then couldn't tell them anything. Finally I reached Karen and by the time I went over to the compound they were just leaving and Tim and I tried to explain. Tim was using his French and communicated well. We had a delicious supper of rice, chicken and kalliou and sauce, then I bathed Alex and rocked him to sleep and it is now 8:50 and I am still not showered...so must go. Karen will write a few lines now......maybe, she is so tired she may not make sense...BUT then that is often that she doesn't make sense so what is new?
Must run before she reads this.......
Sandra
I truly am very overtired and I am giddy again. All I can do is laugh at the trucks ongoing problems. Choose - laugh or cry. There is no choice there. I am laughing. What else can I do?? There was nothing left to go wrong today I thought. Then I returned home to find the house was out of propane and there is no way to cook anything for the 14 people in this house tomorrow. I figured bread and butter could be available. Sandra suggested we not eat tomorrow so the team could experience some of what the people in the area experience regularly. But tomorrow is another day of hard work so not eating might not be the best thing for the men. God will make a way where there seems to be no way.

We want to add some photos taken today but the two giddy sisters don't know how to download to the laptop. We will post this and go to my office computer, download, and do a very short blog with the missing photos. If you don't understand any of this it is because I don't either, so please do not ask for an explanation.

Goodnight everyone. God bless you.
Karen