New batteries for the mission!

For several months our battery packs in the mission's power system have been going bad. 

The batteries are an integral part of the system: by using the solar panel system to charge them by day, we can utilize the batteries by night, thus eliminating the need of running the generator.

But, since the batteries had gone bad, we had to run the generator a lot more- 

which, in turn makes operating costs go up!

Recently we purchased new batteries, but last night we finally got to instal them!

As Andrew and Steve installed the 16 new batteries the power needed to be shut off.

This was unfortunate, since the sun began to go down about and hour before they finished!

They started about three o'clock in the afternoon, finally finishing around nine...

The moment of truth when everything was reconnected... will it work?

Hurray! It does!

New Batteries!

We've gotten some new batteries for our powers system down here!

Yesterday the guys were hooking up the new cells and charging them up!

We will have 5 groups of 4 batteries each, giving us a total of 20 batteries in 5 banks.

Cell Group...

Yesterday some of us trekked over the mountain to a church cell group...

On the way we saw several cows... here is one of them.

Notice the white bird in the center of the photo?

We had to cross the "river" multiple times during the hike.

As you can see, there were often stepping stones which substituted for bridges;

however, when there were no stones, we just had to wade through!

A nice tree at the house we had cell group at.

First, we sang for about 15 minutes...

Then John Mark preached for about a half hour...

Everyone listened intently as he preached.

His main subject was about why we should go to church;

You don't go for food, transportation, or money; you go because of Jesus!

We then closed with another song or two and prayers.

As we walked back we were treated to the beauty of God's creation...

It was about a 30 minute hike from the mission.

Here we come, up the riverbed to the back of the mission!

Picture Haiti life...

Today we went out to see a house project that is being worked on by Haitians. We have funded the materials and the workers, so we wanted to go check things out!

The first thing we pass on our way was a butchered cow!

Not exactly up to FDA standards, but, you know...

Inside the house, one of the Haitian workers stuccos the inside walls of the first room...

Part of the unfinished second room.

Here are their main tools: a hammer and trowel!

They mix cement with this sand to make their stucco mixture, then slap it onto the walls.

Part of the family- the little guy is the lady's son, and the bigger boy is a friend.

The house from the outside.

Believe it or not, this is a pigpen :)

On our way back we met up with these young guys;

they were hauling stones from the riverbed to another house which is being built nearby.

Could you imagine walking up a mountain and rough terrain with large stones on your head??

Down in the riverbed we met this kindly man, who was digging up sand.

This breathtaking view greeted us once we rounded the last bend in the river...

Picture a day...

Good morning!

It's been a while since we have posted anything on the Haiti Life blog here!

As you can see, the gardens have been doing very well!

The corn is about 8 feet tall by now.

Unfortunately for the crops, there has been almost too much rain!

Looking up towards the well, you can see how muddy everything is!

However, today the sun is shining, and the prospect of a bright day is great!

A chicken picks about in the gravel outside the clinic...

One of the neighbor children watches on as life goes by along the main road.

Outside the temporary clinic sits several market-style shacks where some women cook food for hungry patients...

Andrew continues his metal work, preparing window grates for the new clinic.

One last look outside the back of the mission compound, where the hills turn upward into a mountainous range.