This was a serious work day. We moved a lot of destroyed concrete walls.
I guess this will look good on my resume. ”Rob works well with Gang Members in one of the toughest cities in the world”
Haitian gang members negotiate different than most of us do. They yell at each other. Then they talk fast at you. Then, I pick up my toys (I mean tools) and act like I am going home. Everyone calms down, I tell them how proud of them I am, then we hit fist and slap our chest in some gang symbol and we are all ok.
I was told today, they thought I was going to hook up a tractor and yank the second floor off the first. It does not work like that. You have to bust it up and push off the debris. You do this while not damaging the first floor or killing someone.
Mike my partner in helping people yelled at me today, “Rob you can’t go upstairs and out work the help. They will watch you work while they get paid.” So, I guess I will try to stay cleaner tomorrow. There is just so much to do here I feel everyone needs to be working harder than usual.
Matt my journalist friend went with Fr Rick to bury people. He said it was incredible They buried over a hundred people at once today. Most of them were children. He said they were putting five kids to a coffin. They had to press them in.
I thinking working with the gangs is a much better job.
- Rob
Today, I bought a cold drink at a gas station. I also bought a can of Pringles! Things are starting to move some.
The streets are filled with small street vendors selling goods. The roads are also jammed with cars and motorcycles.
I am not sure what UN military staff do, but I am proud of our Military. I talked to one group surveying the streets. Great guys!
I worked all afternoon in some of the hardest hit areas. We are getting local prices for tools and equipment. Planning on hiring people to clear demolished buildings.
I was able to purchase a new local cell phone. We hired a car and driver to meet us in the morning so we can inventory what we can purchase locally in terms of supplies.
I rewired the computer network here at St Lukes which is like a motel for volunteers that come to work at St Damien’s Children hospital. It works much better now.
Don’t feel to sorry for me, we have a kitchen and this facility is ran by Italians. They own a commercial bakery that is now running. We eat fairly well. Water to drink comes in occassionaly but is in short supply. I may have to shift to beer or wine that’s what the Italians drink. They make make sure there is plenty
- Rob Beckham, Fuller Center Volunteer
