15May13
We’re back in Jacmel again. We had a great week up north, making several stops.
Recently, we’ve been doing a lot of work around Jacmel, mostly in-house, so I haven’t had too much to say on here.
But this past week was another trip.
Finally, we made it up near Cap Haitien, to the town of Bas Limbe, or more specifically, a little coastal village called Bod Me Limbe. We were working to install solar power for a clinic for Haiti Village Health. The entire village of Bod Me Limbe has no connection to a power grid, so it is only generators (or solar), if there is any power at all.
This job was long overdue. HVH were the ones that were able to ship in the pallet of solar panels for me about 5 months ago, and it was great to finally get there and finish the job. We spend 2 days installing, and then one extra day just to make sure everything continued to work properly. Also, this extra day was spent exploring some beautiful coastline up there. If you have ever gone on a cruise to Labadee, Haiti, we were just across the bay from Labadee’s port, and saw several cruise ships while we were there.
On the way north, we got the chance to stop in at La Croix New Testament Mission, and Jamie got to see their facility. La Croix is a place I have done some work too. Pastor Pierre was not around, but we still got to see the other staff, and it was nice to visit.
On the way back south, we hit 2 more potential jobs. 2 different orphanage facilities in Montrouis asked me to stop in and give them a proposal for installing solar power. While this is still the part of the job that I am least comfortable with, I have started learning how to estimate better as I get more experience.
One will be a small installation, similar to what I would put on my house, and the other is a larger facility, so it will require a bit more fundraising, but they are confident that God will provide, as He has provided very well for them, and the special needs kids they are taking care of, over the past 4 years of ministry here.
It was great to talk with Annie, the director of the orphanage with special needs kids. She was very quick to point out how God provided for everything, and it was such an encouragement to me as well. It’s always a constant reminder that we must depend on Him for everything.
We will be heading back to the states for about 2 weeks at the end of April since our residency paperwork is not ready yet, so we have to leave the country for a bit. Plus, we’re looking at options of taking a trip in July or August to visit Jamie’s family in Finland, but I am being much more careful to not leave country for too long anymore.
It is getting more and more important to be consistent in our presence here, for the ministry, for our friends, (and now, for our cat as well). I don’t like being gone for too long as it makes for a hard disconnect.
On another note, I am looking to do some shipping of materials here.
I have managed to sell through all of the solar panels from the last shipment, and I have a chance to ship some more soon. Also, I have a contact that can ship a 55 gallon drum to Haiti for $150. With the cost of wire that I’ve been having to pay recently ($1 per foot for 12/2g NM-B), it seems to be time to get together a bunch of wire at good prices and ship it down here.
Please keep these ideas in your prayers, that I may have wisdom in knowing what to do.
God Bless.
