Days 219 – 221 ½  (6/05 – 08)

Tuesday – Our local team was on the road to Pui Blan by 8:00 AM. That left me a couple of hours to finish up my documentation for the Joint Leadership Team meeting. Just for review, the JLT is composed of Pastors Gesner Paul, President and Marco Depestre, Secretary of the EMH; Elizabeth Petheo, Head of Mission and Lauren James, Church Liason for UMCOR; and Tom and I for UMVIM. Jim Gulley for GBGM attended via telephone. Everyone reports on their program progress for the last month and outlines their plan for the current month. This enables us to better coordinate with one another. I presented my construction documentation proposal and everyone thought it was a good idea. However, now it will be up to me to implement it. I doubt that I’ll get much help from the EMH side.

This afternoon we had a team come in from Cabaret and a new one in from the States. With our Puit Blan team we had 3 teams at dinner.

Wednesday – It was a busy morning. We got the Cabaret team off to the airport and home; the new team loaded up and off to their week in Furcy and our local team off for their work day in Pui Blan.  I was planning on doing some site visitations today, but with the Nissan down because of the accident damage, our D-Max has been pressed into service for team transportation. So – I was grounded and spent the day on the computer. There never seems an end to “paperwork”, although that term seems strange when it’s all on the computer. We did have another team arrive late in the afternoon.

Thursday – The new team was sent on their way to Thor and our Puit Blan team departed early. I had a meeting with Engineers Laplanche and Derly and the two new contractors for houses in Carrefour. It was contract signing day. We will now have 3 contractors starting on the 20 houses in Carrefour. This will be very challenging work compared to the Mellier houses. The lots are small, on steep terrain and most have limited access – meaning that all the materials will have to be hand carried. We’ve been fortunate that we’ve had very little rain so far this rainy season. But when it finally comes it will be an additional challenge. Even with the difficulties we’re hoping for an October completion on all 20 houses.

And the teams keep coming – thank you Lord. We had two new arrivals from the States this afternoon. Tom and I got all the equipment and supplies pre-staged for the teams going to Hinche and Leveque in the morning because I have to leave early for the airport.

Friday – This morning I will fly to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. I have to visit a factory that is manufacturing Styrofoam floor, wall and roof panels on Monday and Tuesday. So – I decided to take advantage and be a tourist over the weekend. I am flying on a commuter airline called Tortug Air. My first surprise was that I had to pay a $55 departure tax. I’ve never had to pay that before. I guess American Airlines includes it in their ticket price. But, along with the included airport fees and taxes, it effectively doubled the cost of an already expensive ticket for a 45 minute plane ride. The plane was an Air Jet turbo prop slightly larger than the King Air 100 I flew when I toured with Mickey Gilley. It held 30 passengers – 1 seat left and 2 seats right. I sat in the front middle seat so I had a clear view of the cockpit. I enjoyed watching the flight instruments and pilots. It was an older plane and not as well equipped as Gilley’s King Air, but was well maintained and everything worked the way it was supposed to. I thoroughly enjoyed the flight. To be continued.