10 Days In Haiti

-touched down in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti at 12:15 PM local time. HUGE thanks to Fran Sullivan of the International Organization for Migration for her help, and for the woulib (free ride) to the Peace Corps Haiti headquarters in Petionville. I spoke with all of the staff members still working at the office to organize the future of Peace Corps there. They are cautiously optimistic that some volunteers may be back as early as July. There are at least 7 returned PCVs back in Haiti, working independently now or with other organizations, so it's not just me. In fact, four of us hung out at the Hotel Olaffson bar that night just like old times.

-flew to Pignon, Haiti, from Port-au-Prince at 3:00 PM; arrived Ranquitte at 6:00 PM. I was warmly met by the Haitian pastor I had been living with during my service, and brought the rain with me. I found out that it's the rainy season now, which would further complicate my subsequent trips within Haiti. The road from Pignon to Ranquitte is laughable and bruising. Once I get there, my room was exactly as I had left it--a mess. Not very Haitian of me. Soon after I arrived I took a wonderful meal of rice with bean and creole sauces, fried plantains, and fried goat meat. Manje Ma'am Fo. Being in Ranquitte again feels good.

-left Ranquitte a bit late after examining the problem with the internet connected laptop at one secondary school. No communication in/out of Ranquitte without it. They should have a new computer by mid-May. Motorcycle to Bahon, then public truck to Cap-Haitien, which had some major trouble along the way and forced me to catch another motorcycle to Cap. Jumped on a public truck at Kafou Lanmo at 12:00, needing to be at the Ouanaminthe/Dajabon border by 4:00 Haiti time. This road is atrocious. We have to creep along in the mud and through the deep potholes. We weren't making it, which forced me to catch another motorcycle near the Dominican border. Before that had motorcycled to the St. Suzanne station in Trou-du-Nord during a stop and had a conversation with a driver I knew about BSF mold transport. Got to the border 4 minutes late and was forced to cross the Massacre River piggyback on a Haitian's back. Eventually contacted Jose Rivas, a local filter technician, by phone in Dajabon. He took me to the Hotel Bonanza, and then into his home for Lasagna. We spoke Spanish, very slowly. I slept well.

-had breakfast in Jose's home again. Then he took me to his place of business, just outside of Dajabon, Dominican Republic. Once again, speaking Spanish very slowly, we constructed a filter together and discussed critical elements of the process. Later in the morning Dominican PCV Eric Mackintosh meets us and helps speed things up by his translation. By the time I leave Dajabon at 12:00 PM Haitian time, Jose has provided me with Rotarian money, a Bio-Sand Filter mold, and helped me purchase several tools and materials essential to the project. Unfortunately, the driver I had arranged from Ranquitte is not there, so I was forced to arrange the transport from the border. However, I was able to find a pick-up truck in very good condition to take me the whole way back. I was lucky to find this vehicle and this driver, but it was a costly ride. I arrive back at 6:00 PM and prepare mac & cheese with chunks of canned chicken and share it amongst friends.

-met with Cecile St. Fleur and Jean-Newel Dayiso, the former, a trained filter technician living in Ranquitte, and the latter, the president of a peasant organization doing grass-roots development work in the community. Both are very excited about the project's possibilities and exhibit a positive attitude. There are still a few tools and materials to pick up, including cement, so we make a list. They have been ready for this since January. I speak twice that day in front of Catholic audiences, once in front of the Church of Christ, and once at the Baptist church, announcing the filter as a way every person can improve the health of their families and community at large. This was my first full day back in Ranquitte.

-went with the missionaries to Cap-Haitien, where I ran into quite a few familiar faces and saw a fairly large French military presence. Things were calm everywhere I went in Haiti. Purchased 3 sacks of cement, a very large wrench, and some liquid soap. I would later find that the wrench wasn't big enough. Got back into Ranquitte again by 5:00 PM.

-go out to MPR (Ranquitte Peasant Movement) to see the sand they've collected and discuss how they can most efficiently use the facilities and begin to plan for transportation issues. First we must make the sieves to properly choose the sand. The cement had to wait to arrive at MPR until Wednesday. It begins to rain and we are forced to wait until Wednesday to begin the work. But we talk about filter construction and I share with Cecile what I've learned about the process, from both Jose Rivas, but also other PCVs and Dr. Jan Tollefson. These people are starting from scratch, but will be equipped with all of the materials, tools, a building, and all training necessary to sustain the project. I'm only there as a catalyst, but I hope to return as a catalyst in the future.

-return to MPR. We work together and sieve a load of river sand into large gravel, small gravel, and fine sand. The sand will be used to construct the filter but not in the instillation. They have imported mined sand for the actual filtration, and we finish sifting more sand to prepare a filter from the mold. Then we see that the wrench will not fit the nut. This means that we cannot possibly construct a filter because we don't have the means to remove the mold from it once it hardens. Not a disaster, because I know that a wrench can be ordered or found in Cap-Haitien, and so the project will begin. But disappointing that we couldn't at least make the first one together. I will need to return to Ranquitte to continue working with and supporting the Bio-Sand Filter project there for it to have a chance to succeed. The project needs "community facilitators" to work with the technician in order to better publicize and promote the filters as a means of drinking potable water in Ranquitte. I would return to train community facilitators and work on any filter construction or installation problems they have.

-forced to leave Ranquitte at 7:30 AM. The plane arrives in Pignon at 10:00, and am in Port-Au-Prince again by 12:00. Once there, I place the order with a friend and hardware store owner for Cecile to pick up the wrench the following morning in Cap-Haitien. That night, RAM played at the Olaffson, and I got to see a great show.


				*Ranquitte, Haiti* *10 Days In Haiti*



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		An account of my recent trip to Haiti Wednesday April 21st- -touched down in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti at 12:15 PM local time. HUGE thanks to Fran Sullivan of the International Organization for Migration for her help, and for the woulib (free ride) to the Peace Corps Haiti headquarters in Petionville. I spoke with all of the staff members still working at the office to organize the future of Peace Corps there. They are cautiously optimistic that some volunteers may be back as early as July. There are at least 7 returned PCVs back in Haiti, working independently now or with other organizations, so it's not just me. In fact, four of us hung out at the Hotel Olaffson bar that night just like old times. Thursday April 22nd- -flew to Pignon, Haiti, from Port-au-Prince at 3:00 PM; arrived Ranquitte at 6:00 PM. I was warmly met by the Haitian pastor I had been living with during my service, and brought the rain with me. I found out that it's the rainy season now, which would further complicate my subsequent trips within Haiti. The road from Pignon to Ranquitte is laughable and bruising. Once I get there, my room was exactly as I had left it--a mess. Not very Haitian of me. Soon after I arrived I took a wonderful meal of rice with bean and creole sauces, fried plantains, and fried goat meat. Manje Ma'am Fo. Being in Ranquitte again feels good. Friday April 23rd- -left Ranquitte a bit late after examining the problem with the internet connected laptop at one secondary school. No communication in/out of Ranquitte without it. They should have a new computer by mid-May. Motorcycle to Bahon, then public truck to Cap-Haitien, which had some major trouble along the way and forced me to catch another motorcycle to Cap. Jumped on a public truck at Kafou Lanmo at 12:00, needing to be at the Ouanaminthe/Dajabon border by 4:00 Haiti time. This road is atrocious. We have to creep along in the mud and through the deep potholes. We weren't making it, which forced me to catch another motorcycle near the Dominican border. Before that had motorcycled to the St. Suzanne station in Trou-du-Nord during a stop and had a conversation with a driver I knew about BSF mold transport. Got to the border 4 minutes late and was forced to cross the Massacre River piggyback on a Haitian's back. Eventually contacted Jose Rivas, a local filter technician, by phone in Dajabon. He took me to the Hotel Bonanza, and then into his home for Lasagna. We spoke Spanish, very slowly. I slept well. Saturday April 24th- -had breakfast in Jose's home again. Then he took me to his place of business, just outside of Dajabon, Dominican Republic. Once again, speaking Spanish very slowly, we constructed a filter together and discussed critical elements of the process. Later in the morning Dominican PCV Eric Mackintosh meets us and helps speed things up by his translation. By the time I leave Dajabon at 12:00 PM Haitian time, Jose has provided me with Rotarian money, a Bio-Sand Filter mold, and helped me purchase several tools and materials essential to the project. Unfortunately, the driver I had arranged from Ranquitte is not there, so I was forced to arrange the transport from the border. However, I was able to find a pick-up truck in very good condition to take me the whole way back. I was lucky to find this vehicle and this driver, but it was a costly ride. I arrive back at 6:00 PM and prepare mac & cheese with chunks of canned chicken and share it amongst friends. Sunday April 25th- -met with Cecile St. Fleur and Jean-Newel Dayiso, the former, a trained filter technician living in Ranquitte, and the latter, the president of a peasant organization doing grass-roots development work in the community. Both are very excited about the project's possibilities and exhibit a positive attitude. There are still a few tools and materials to pick up, including cement, so we make a list. They have been ready for this since January. I speak twice that day in front of Catholic audiences, once in front of the Church of Christ, and once at the Baptist church, announcing the filter as a way every person can improve the health of their families and community at large. This was my first full day back in Ranquitte. Monday April 26th- -went with the missionaries to Cap-Haitien, where I ran into quite a few familiar faces and saw a fairly large French military presence. Things were calm everywhere I went in Haiti. Purchased 3 sacks of cement, a very large wrench, and some liquid soap. I would later find that the wrench wasn't big enough. Got back into Ranquitte again by 5:00 PM. Tuesday April 27th- -go out to MPR (Ranquitte Peasant Movement) to see the sand they've collected and discuss how they can most efficiently use the facilities and begin to plan for transportation issues. First we must make the sieves to properly choose the sand. The cement had to wait to arrive at MPR until Wednesday. It begins to rain and we are forced to wait until Wednesday to begin the work. But we talk about filter construction and I share with Cecile what I've learned about the process, from both Jose Rivas, but also other PCVs and Dr. Jan Tollefson. These people are starting from scratch, but will be equipped with all of the materials, tools, a building, and all training necessary to sustain the project. I'm only there as a catalyst, but I hope to return as a catalyst in the future. Wednesday April 28th- -return to MPR. We work together and sieve a load of river sand into large gravel, small gravel, and fine sand. The sand will be used to construct the filter but not in the instillation. They have imported mined sand for the actual filtration, and we finish sifting more sand to prepare a filter from the mold. Then we see that the wrench will not fit the nut. This means that we cannot possibly construct a filter because we don't have the means to remove the mold from it once it hardens. Not a disaster, because I know that a wrench can be ordered or found in Cap-Haitien, and so the project will begin. But disappointing that we couldn't at least make the first one together. I will need to return to Ranquitte to continue working with and supporting the Bio-Sand Filter project there for it to have a chance to succeed. The project needs "community facilitators" to work with the technician in order to better publicize and promote the filters as a means of drinking potable water in Ranquitte. I would return to train community facilitators and work on any filter construction or installation problems they have. Thursday April 29th- -forced to leave Ranquitte at 7:30 AM. The plane arrives in Pignon at 10:00, and am in Port-Au-Prince again by 12:00. Once there, I place the order with a friend and hardware store owner for Cecile to pick up the wrench the following morning in Cap-Haitien. That night, RAM played at the Olaffson, and I got to see a great show. Friday April 30th- -left Port-au-Prince at 1:30 PM, eventually getting into St. Louis, Missouri, USA, about 9:00 that night. But I'll never be able to let go of Haiti.