03.15.10
Day 8
Gail, Jenifer and Charlotte left this morning for Port au Prince, Miami, Chicago and Indianapolis. Bon Voyage!
Carla, Pat, Jackie spent the day resting, knitting and reading. David pidlled the morning away doing plumbing repairs at the guesthouse. After lunch we walked down to the local convenience store for a resupply of snacks.
David met Alexander and went for a tour of Jeremie by motorbike. David went to visit Goblet’s house and met with his “Uncle”, who turns out to be a legitimate cousin. We then went to see a house that Alexander has arranged for some earthquake victims from Port au Prince. It was destitute, only a very small tin shanty with holes in the roof that you could stick your hand through. There were two “houses” with seven people in each from a four different families. The people were a mix of elderly and very young children who had lost all their remaining relatives. We then went to visit Marc’s house. Marc is a long time friend and worker on many projects. In spite of other reports, he says that his house was damaged during the earthquake. In any case one wall of his very small home has a 1″ crack in the wall and the wall is not plumb. He has asked for assistance in fixing the house. The front wall is block and in good shape. the side and the back walls are wooden posts (half eaten by termites) with stone and concrete filler between the posts. The onloy remedy is to tear it down and start over. All in all a very depressing afternoon.
