When Mike’s away, the cats play!

"We are truly blessed"

"We are truly blessed" said  Hayley as Mike unpacked the things sent by our wonderful church friends from Runnymede.  How can we express our gratitude and the impact these items will have on the people here?  A little means so much!  Thanks to you all for the rings so women can get married, the books for the library, the materials/books for the sewing club, the cameras(which Juan was absolutely thrilled with) and so much more.  May God bless your generosity!

 

How did we do?     Library, Bookshelves and Working Tools  -   Evaluate the following scenario re: development work

 

Luckny’s dream(an email sent to us a year ago) :   a community library/ESL centre

Discussions:  We encouraged Luckny to talk to John H.  re: space and building bookshelves

Location: Luckny talked with Pedro about co-using the shop with paintings.  Pedro said yes.  Now there’s problems—Pedro says 3 months only.   I’m encouraging Luckny to talk to Pedro to ask why 3 months, and also to email John H. who owns the shops for his help/advice/problem solving.  There’s one shop that remains empty.  Pray for successful resolution(hopefully before we leave!!)

Shelves:  Byrvens(a Haitian man from Ascension village who works in the woodworking shop in Paraiso Village) came to Esperanza with materials and tools(bought by Mike)
Byrvens taught the 2 men to build wood bookshelves for Luckny’s library.  Shelves done!

Woodworking Skills:  Byrvens and I bought tools more wood for other projects so the men can learn a trade and do their own woodworking. 

Books:   The good folks at Runnymede Community Church have provided books for Mike to bring down.  Sherry owns a restaurant, and when she returns she’ll be bringing books from teacher friends in the States.  Pray, pray!

 Participatory Continuum ‘When Helping Hurts’ 

Coercion
Compliance
Consultation
Cooperation
Co-learning :  Local people and outsiders share their knowledge to create appropriate goals and plans, to execute those plans and to evaluate the results. 
Community Initiated

Ascension Village Wedding   - We couldn’t be at Niece Kathy’s wedding today(April 20) but we were able to celebrate with 2 brides and the whole village! 

Hayley and I made flower corsages (from Elio’s bush outside our window)

 

Oceanside Church last Sunday-Church is a pavilion with no walls.

  

Homework at a beachside hut--- If we have to do school work, we may as well find a beautiful place to do it!

Porque Soy una Chica!    Girl's club!

Ring Jose is very, very ill with blood disorder (anemic).  We gave him money to buy blood for a transfusion at the hospital that he desparately needed.  Pray, pray. We brought his cousin Antonio to the Montellano butcher to buy meat for him. 

Thankfully, Antonio bought meat and not the pig head hanging in the window!