The strange sensation in my leg has now moved to my arm but I can’t see how it is possibly connected. I ask somebody for advice and they agree that I was probably just sleeping on it strangely.
The good news is that the projects have not just picked up a gear or two; it’s like a completely different organisation. I like to think that my original group’s rebellion and no-nonsense attitude was the catalyst for this new motivated approach and daily attitude.
We have now set up projects to help re-build, care and educate at:
-2 Orphanages;
-1 School;
-1 Refugee camp and
-1 Clinic.
Raoul, Kara and I are waiting for a man to pick us up and take us to a new orphanage so that we can make an assessment about working with it in the future. This is a contact of Kara, a friend-of-a-friend type thing; the man and his wife who own the orphanage have a little bit of money and have been helping lost and homeless kids since the earthquake. Unfortunately their good work has been eclipsed, and in a macabre twist, their own son is now displaced. He has been kidnapped and held for ransom and they have no idea where he is. We are all desperate to help even, if it is just to try and locate the missing boy.
Our pick up is now 30mins late so we call to make sure he isn’t lost and is still on his way. We learn that he had a car accident and that his car in now in the river, but he is still coming and it will take him another hour – what did I tell you about me jinxing transport? Raoul is desperate to do something so he takes the empty bottles back to Jonas; Jonas the dry cleaners is where we source our pop and beer from time to time, – when in Haiti…!!
At noon there is still no sign of the driver, so we call again. He tells us that his battery is flooded, but that’s not all that surprising since the rest of the vehicle is in the river. He can’t come today but will call tomorrow to reschedule a time for Monday. It’s a real pity as we have now slightly wasted the morning and I won’t be here on Monday.
Some of the other volunteers pop back for a half hour rest or get ready for a different afternoon activity. I change for my last working day; I have put my name up for a local construction project. Two schools (primary and secondary) catering for approximately 700 children, were damaged (destroyed) in the earthquake. We have offered our services and brute strength to dismantle the unsafe buildings, clear the mountain of rubble, build a temporary school which hopes to last a couple of years after which two new permanent buildings for education can be built.
We are at the rubble stage, so, armed with pick axes, wheel barrows, spades, gloves and water, we head off to smash, collect, clear and flatten. This is one of my most favourite tasks that I have been a part of since being here. Not only am I loving the physical aspect, which helps to switch off my brain (for a couple of hours at least), it’s great to know that there is a very definite aim, goal and timeframe for what we need to do. Once again, we are surrounded by ants and every time we move a giant boulder, ants and cockroaches materialise and surround us.
Andy finds a gigantic centipede
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