Friday 9 July

Kindergarten site still not quite finished, but we definitely expect to wrap it up tomorrow - some other teams think we have been swinging in hammocks all day, drinking iced beer and so on. I wish!



We had more wildlife visitors today: another tarantula popped out of a hollow concrete block, a small snake arrived and left, and so did a puppy from next door and a handsome cockerel.

The schools coordinator for HODR has been trying to facilitate a frame tent building for the kindergarten from another NGO. Meanwhile the owners, Jackson and Nicole are so pleased and grateful for the runbble clearance. He paid $US600 to have an area about 15' x 10' cleared by a private contractor before he heard about HODR - probably best part of a year's income for them -and the was quoted $US20,000 to clear the slab. There is no way they would have been able to find that sort of money. Their gratitude and the children make us want to make sure we live it ready for their new building, however temporary.

Jackson and his neighbours have been very friendly and, having watched us clear the site, one neighbour has realised how much can be done with a few tools and some manual labour and has now started on their own home. Although mostly very friendly to us, Haitians can be quite volatile to each other. Arguments are held at the top of their voices and look as if they about to erupt into violence. the local community tends to gather round and join in the shouting too

The timber frame for the school I mentioned before was completed back at the base here in a temperature measured at 115 degrees in the sun, and has now been shipped to the school site, courtesy of the UN and some of their Sri Lankan soldiers. The outer walls were erected today and the roof goes on tomorrow. May sign up for this next week.

The nightly meetings here, which everybody attends, review the day's work and give team leaders the opportunity to sell the benefits of their projects for tomorrow. "All day fun", shade, food / drink presents from the local community, "loads of sledging" are popular selling points.

I continue to be very impressed by the people here: staff, long term volunteers (many here since February / March) and short termers too. Energy, intelligence, common sense and a huge sense of care for the Haitian people and their situation. You can see how closely they relate to the local Haitian volunteers as they work with them.

HODR's founder, David Campbell, arrived here last night on his 6th visit. I can see, from the little I've seen of him so far, the same characteristics that the volunteers have. It would be good to get some time to talk to him at some stage.