Days 63 & 64 (11/16 – 17)

Wednesday – Our office is on the 2^nd story of the guest house and there are steps leading up to the back porch. Every day we have people (mostly children) knocking on the back door asking for food or medicine or money. It’s a problem we struggle with daily. How can you say no to people in need? But, how can you indiscriminately continue to give without creating a nation of beggars? It’s a problem with everything we do down here. The more you do the more they expect you to do. “You gave something to him. Where’s mine?” We are trying very hard to develop programs that require individual and community participation - programs that develop a sense of ownership and responsibility for self-sufficiency. It’s not an easy thing to do and sometimes requires some heart wrenching decisions. It’s strange that trying to do good things can sometimes be so difficult. I admire so much the UMCOR and UMVIM staff down here. They are truly caring people doing a very difficult job.

Jim Gulley and I met with Derly Charles, the EMH Pilot Project Engineer, and Pastor Jacob the pastor at the Mellier church over breakfast this morning. Derly reported on his visit with the Mayor of Leogane to get the building permits for Mellier. It appears that everything is in order and we should have all of the permits by the end of the week. But, this being Haiti, I’ll feel better when we have them in hand.

Thursday – Today I finally got to meet with Gessner Paul, the President of EMH (the Methodist Church of Haiti). He returned from Miami on Tuesday and had taken 2 of my proposals with him to review. I needed his stamp of approval before writing the grant proposals to UMCOR. He said, “This is very good. We should do this.” In fact, he thought we should increase the number of units for the Guest House expansion and on site staff housing from 8 to 12 and instructed the EMH Head Engineer to produce the drawings right away (see photos for location). Needless to say, it made my day. When you do this kind of work you never really know if the fruits of your labor will see the light of day. UMCOR has assured me that funds are in place. Hoo-Rah.

Also today, Jim Gulley, GBGM Haiti Liaison, asked me to replace him on the EMH Project Management and Advisory Team. This is the team that provides oversight for the EMH Pilot Project of 40 houses in Mellier and Carre Four. I had been attending the meetings in an unofficial consulting capacity, but now will have a voice in the process. It’s been a milestone day.