Count Your Blessings....

We have some neighbors across the road who decided it was time to do something about their roof after contending with all the recent rainstorms we've had in the past few weeks. The man said that during and after the rain, there is not one dry spot in the house to lay down on. I asked for their permission to take a few photos of the before and after and they were happy to allow me to do so. They were also fascinated to see themselves in the picture review of the camera.

It is quite humbling to see how some people really live here in Haiti and how they do their best to make the most of it.

This is the house located next to the one that is being upgraded. It has the same type of thatched roof that was removed from the home. (No, that is not poor photography on my part; the house really is leaning that way).

This is the house just after all the roof had been pulled off. The smoke in the back is from the fire of the discarded material. The man in the white hat is using a machete to trim the wood down to the right size to make the rafters.

Checking the results of his work and stopping long enough to pose for the photo.

One side on and one to go.

Making great progress on Day Two of construction.

(Front of Home) Putting the finishing touches on the roof. If you cannot see the furniture inside, it is because they do not have any, except for the one folding wood chair in the room on the left.

(Back of Home) Notice how the top of the walls are crumbling all around the base of the roof.

The family members were very happy to have the new roof and it was completed in time to receive the next round of severe rain. The roof survived the high winds and they slept in the comfort (?) of their dry home. It will be a while before they can raise the funds to upgrade the roofs on both the house next door and the one behind them. They also have a mud hut that is about to collapse. I am not sure if someone lives there or if it is where they store their food. There are so many homes in our area that are very sad to see. Some of them are just tin walls made from scrap with palm leaves for their roof. Some of these homes are as small as a single bedroom in an average American home and they house as many as six to eight people. Most of them have dirt floors. I wish I could help them and I pray that God has a bigger plan.

My thanks go out to the many people who have a place in their heart for Haiti and do what they can to contribute or get involved to make it a better place to be. Love to all.