PIGNON AND HAITI OUTREACH

October 28.  Today I left the FHC team for a scouting expedition to the headquarters of Haiti Outreach in Pignon (Piyon).  I met Neil Van Dine when he passed through Cleveland with his family this summer.  Neil has lived and worked in Haiti for nearly 30 years.  Haiti Outreach is a community development organization specializing in making wells as a means of building capacity for community responsibility at the village level.  From Pignon their operation extends virtually all over Haiti.  My friend, Dionissi Aliprantis in Cleveland, connected me with Neil.  Learn more about Haiti Outreach.

I am staying in their guest house.  It is comfortable, although more Spartan than L'Ermitage.  I am apparently the only guest tonight.  It is located across the road from the air strip.  It is a longer and better kept landing strip than the one at Hinche.  I hope the air traffic is not to brisk tonight.

I am suffering from being overfed.  The amount of food I am served is huge.  Just take a look at lunch today.  And let me assure you, it is good and hearty county cuisine.  Chicken, carrots, plantain with black rice and gravy.  There was a Coke too, made with cane sugar.  Remember how Coke tasted in the '50s?

Roberta, Neil's wife, is a Haitian physician just completing the mandatory service required to be licensed to practice in Haiti.  She has a vision for serving those most in need of primary care on a regular basis, especially children and mothers.

I am experiencing something new here.  There are families living near the guest house.  This evening I hear children playing, now that the sun is down.  Some men hanging around the office near by were eager for some conversation.

One man, George, is working as an independent interpreter.  He is engaged in some gardening at his house just down the road using new agrarian methods that he was very delighted to discuss with me.  I tried to make a go of it in Kreyol, but he wanted to talk in English so we could understand each other better.  Translation: My Kreyol is pitiful and slow.

Later, after he finished his office work at 7:00, Neil took me into Pignon for a couple of Prestiges at a tiny bar.  Seating was on stools in the street.  The street was paved with concrete, though.  We chatted for over an hour.  A missionary, Mary, strolled by.  She lives in Hinche, but has an ice cream store in Pignon.  Men, women and children strolled by.  Lots of cheery chatter.

I'm shadowing Neil tomorrow on a day of travel.  Now, I'm refreshed and heading for bed.

--kjl