Written by Tim Van Maanen, Board President of MH4H
Sunday the 15th was a day to catch up with many friends. As we walked the streets of Pignon, we saw many familiar faces. It always takes longer than you think to walk around, as so many stop you to greet you and tell you how they are doing. My favorite thing of the week so far has to be the church service at Jean Robert’s church in Bohoc. There was this older gentleman that showed up with his homemade wind instrument. It was so awesome to see this actually worked. He played his heart out to every song we sang.
This is a homemade wind instrument this man made for church.On Monday we toured some farms and we met some new friends that followed us EVERYWHERE we went. We came across some mango trees that were just starting to put on little green hard fruit. I picked some of these unripe sour bitter tasting mangos and the kids ate them. I guess it is at least something in an empty stomach.
Our new friends that followed us everywhere.
On Tuesday the workers were putting blocks for the walls on the house that MH4H is building for a single mom and 8 kids. The husband died last year so mom has no way to support herself and children.
The new home being built by MH4H. Special thanks to our friends in Sioux City, who saw this need and acted by providing the funds.Our main focus this week was to help C&C get organized hence their recent move. Each day Jeff helped Fransley build shelving after a long day visiting families in the 5 Loaves program.
Jeff and Fransly building shelving and organizational furniture for the dormitory.After a long day of work….it is good to take a load off and sit with our cooks. (Beitrice and Evnie) Those 2 ladies put in some serious long days of cooking and cleaning for us.
It is good to be among friends and have a Coke together.Jeff and I are in country with a group of 9 ladies from Portland, Oregon. They are conducting a women’s retreat at a church near Fontaine. We do not see much of them. They leave early in the morning and do not get back to the dorm till 10:30 pm. When we do see them, they say the retreat is “going great. Couldn’t be better.”
Blessings from Haiti, Tim Van Maanen