Up to another beautiful, sunny, hot day here in Haiti. There are some places you stand, look out and you can imagine what a paradise this country could be - how can the problems be fixed, what are the answers, are there answers? But there is not much time for these thoughts, we have work to do.
Yesterday's hard work is difficult to see. Most of the cement that we mixed went into the holes we dug to place the wall supports. Looking at the outline of the classroom foundation we despair that we will finish this job before we must leave. It is somewhat demoralizing. Merrrillyn and Sarah assure us that it will be done and to keep the faith and work hard. We are skeptical, but we get to work.
Water - something we take for granted at home - it comes out the taps, the sprinklers, the water fountains - we take it so for granted that we buy 'better' water in bottles. Constantly we are reminded just how spoiled we are, and in so many ways, but none is more of a slap in the face than the water. At the camp there is a large bladder of water - it looks like something kids jump on at a party. A truck comes each day to fill the bladder. There is a tap and women and children come to get water which they carry back to their tents in 5-gallon buckets balanced on top of their heads. They have to get water this way for cooking, cleaning, laundry, and bathing. There are assigned times of day that the tap is turned on and the key is kept by somebody in a position of authority at other times. Since we need water for the cement the bladder is being emptied at a faster rate than usual. We try hard not to spill or waste but as we fill multiple buckets and then carry or bucket brigade to where the water is needed some is always lost. At one point today I was handed the key to the tap and was in charge of filling buckets. Some women showed up with their own buckets and I had to dole out water to them. We were trying to get the cement mixed quickly, so I couldn't dispense to all the women immediately but had to slot them in around our buckets. I was extremely uncomfortable being in charge - of saying yes or no regarding this basic commodity to us that is so precious to the residents of the community. I have never felt the burden of privilege weigh so heavy.
We returned to camp after another long hard day and gathered in the pool - some didn't even wait to go to their rooms to put on swim suits, but simply jumped in as soon as they arrived at the hotel. Cold beer, cool water and non-stop laughter are good anti-dotes to a day of hard work.
No comments:
Post a Comment