Where to Start, Where to End... Oh, Yeah, it Doesn't End!

We all hit the ground running today.  We split up into teams today - the garden team, the concrete team, and the shopping team.  The garden team and concrete team also formed a trench-making team.  The garden team consisted of Diana, Greer, and Richard.  The concrete team was Paul and Jim.  The shopping team was Christine, Sarah, Jana, and Susan accompanied by Tracy and Marshall.  Like all jobs here, we all gravitated towards helping each other out, working under the concept that no one is done until everyone is done.

The concrete team laid a foundation to support 55 gallon drums of diesel fuel.  The pad was 8 ft by 3 ft.  The concrete was made principally with stone, sand, and cement shoveled into a mixer which was then poured into a wheel barrow and carted to the location of the pad.  Jim certainly learned a little bit about forms, rebar, and use of a trowel, while Paul seemed to know what he was doing.

The garden team ripped out a 40 x 20 area, ripping out the shrubs that were there, tilling by hand with rake, hoe, and a lot of sweat.  This was followed by taking two huge mounds of dirt and spreading it over that same area and once again raking to smooth it all out.  And if we weren't having enough fun, we started to dig out the trench which was 70 - 80 feet long and a foot deep.  Then we laid the plumbing for a sprinkler system to water the future Hope House garden.  And yes, Jim did learn something about plumbing including connecting male and female parts of piping, putting in a "T" in the piping, and what PVC pipe is.

The shoppers went to three different stores to price out furniture for the guard house, a stove for Hope House since the one in the main kitchen isn't working, and a few other items.  The prices were unbelievable - and not in a good way.  There didn't seem to be much rhyme or reason to them either.  We did find a comfortable chair for the guard house, a couple of tables for Hope House, and other things.  The last store we went to had just opened and was like the Target of Haiti.  It had a little bit of everything.

When the shoppers returned to Hope House, we helped pack vitamins and antacids in ziplock bags for the mobile med teams.  We quickly learned that we can't talk and count at the same time.    After that was finished, we pitched in with the other teams as much as they'd let us.

Even though we are experiencing a servant high, we did experience a low point today.  Hopie, the Hope House dog that has been here for many years, had to be put down today.  She had cancer in her hip and leg and was having trouble walking.  She wasn't eating and just wasn't herself.  A veterinarian came today and put her down.  For those of us veterans, she was both a guard dog and a friend.  We all pitched in to dig a grave for her in the garden and had a moment of silence and prayer.  She will be greatly missed.

We had another insightful devotion tonight, lead by Paul and sang another song from the songbook prepared by Nilah.  Thank you!  And yes, we are getting better as a choir but don't ask us to perform in public. Haha!

The Jim portion of this dynamic duo is ready for bed and signing off.  I guess that means Sarah is signing of as soon as the pictures load, as well.

Tomorrow we are planning on finishing up a few odd jobs around Hope House, going to Little Children of Jesus, and then the Baptist Mission.  We can't believe tomorrow is already Friday!

Thank you for your continued prayers.

Photos: Jim preparing the wall next to the concrete pad; Richard and Diana in the garden; Paul, Jim, and Keith mixing concrete; Susan and Jana counting vitamins; pitching in to fill in the trench; nightly devotions