Employment in Ferrier

Well finally have enough bars to pull up gmail. My intention was to use Internet Cafe so I could post some pictures. After walking to internet sight guess what, no electricity. So here I am home again. Unemployment in Ferrier is 80% or higher with few opportunities here in Ferrier. Some people are teachers at the schools (apx 9 primary and 4 secondary); there is also a police station but I rarely see a police presence. I have been told that some people go out of town to work. The majority of people sell things in front of their homes (microindustry). In the mornings some women will have cooked rice for sale; others sell charcoal, fruits, vegetables, candies, clothes, raw sugar cane, pretty much whatever they can get hold of. There are a lot of young men with motorcycles that function as taxies. It is amazing how many people they can get on one motorcycle and I am not talking about a big Harley. A few people have gardens but have not seen a lot. Jackson has a garden at his school that helps feed us and the school children. There are two clinics in town; one government clinic and the clinic I help at. The government clinic is staffed with doctors from Cuba and Bereca Clinic by a doctor from Dominica who will only be here 1 more year. Opportunities are few and education so important but so difficult.

Joy for the day.

Barbara

Waste Management

Houses in Ferrier have a small area around them called a lakou (yard) which is pretty much dirt but they take pride in their dirt. Every morning the women are up early painstakingly sweeping their dirt and any trash is swept into the middle or edge of the road. Later in the day the piles of trash are set on fire...problem solved. The big drawback is when their is plastic in the pile the smell is awful. Additional waste management involves digging a deep hole in your back lakou for human waste and trash. Not exactly sure how that is managed and not everyone does that; however, definitely not a good idea to go wandering thru the back lakou at night.
Love to hear your comments.

Love and joy, Barbara

Affirmation

Home from church and although didn't understand much the word kontan was used a lot whih means happy, glad or content. Just love it when God gives me reminders. Actually two so far today. Have a jou kontan. (Happy day)

Enough

Reading scripture from Upper Room this morning from Philippians 4:4-9 and then read a little more thru 13. Good reminder that whatever I have or don't have here it is still enough to be content with. Sometimes eating I think about what I might have at home; food here very much the same day to day but then I think am not hungry and God has provided me with enough to get thru each day so what more should I ask for. Certainly don't expect everyone to run to Haiti to realize how blessed they are but do pray for us all to think about what really is enough and to be content with what God has given us. Love and joy to you all.

Small Victory

....and that is all I ask for. Taking a walk after lunch and some children were calling me over to their house. Toddler had a sore on his head and they wanted medicine; told them I would be right back using Spanish and hoped they understood. Went home and got peroxide and ointment and cleaned and dressed sore and gave them rest of ointment. In my limited creole told them to lave (wash) kat (4) times a jou (day) and use petet (small) amount medicine. Hope it helps and builds trust.

Maten Samde (Saturday morning)

Manje maten jodea espageti, fig, leti e kafe. (Breakfast today spaghetti, banana, lettuce and coffee.) Am sitting downstairs with baby Wol and watching a little mouse run around and darting in and out of a bag of charcoal. Charcoal not like what we have but made from trees. The wood is placed in a hole, covered and then slowly burned to make charcoal. Not good for the environment as no trees equals erosion. I noticed that we have two new chickens but as I watch Nana who is 11 grabs one. She has a knife in her hand and takes the chicken behind the wall; momentary squawking and then silence. Guess we are having chicken for lunch. This city girl has a lot to get used to. His house ia always full of people...some work in the house and others just show up. I never know who is going to be sleeping here. Love and joy until the next post.

Friday Morning in Haiti

At 6:30 this morning the generator was started and I wondered why. Went out to look and they were pumping water into the holding tank on the roof. Funny because as was showering earlier thought what if I get all soaped up and the tank runs out of water. May have been a close call. Few minutes later was looking out porch and they were washing the truck using a water hose. Now I know you think what's the big deal, but remember no plumbing like we are used to. I guess the generator allowed water to be pumped thru the hose. Quite a crowd gathered around to watch the "truck washing".

Update
After the Truck washing event I heard singing and drums beating. Went to investigate and school children were marching down the street carrying the Haitian flag and singing but I had no idea what was going on. When I got to the clinic there were more children in the street singing, beating their drums and carrying flags. I found out they were celebrating the battle of Ver Tiere. Aproximately two hundreed years ago the slaves in Cap Haitian took a stand for freedom against the colonists and began their fight for independence.