When you are at EGO, you do not work at main jobs on Sunday. Quite simply, it is the Lord’s Day, and you need to observe it. We did. Norm made scrambled eggs with cheese, olives and probably some other things, that were really good. He is our dedicated cook and baker, as well as construction leader. Church in the Tabernacle started at 9:00, and went until 11:30 or so. The entire service was in Creole, so most of us could only participate in thoughts and praise. The church had a ‘monitor’ who made sure you were paying attention. She stood center front, watching and waiting for someone to poke, giggle, cross their legs, nod off, or put their arm on the back of the pew. She would then swoop in and correct the offense, sometimes moving the offender. She moved several children around who were having a difficult time sitting still. Dave even had his arm gently nudged off the pew back. Quite the rebel in our group. I don’t recall what we had for lunch, but I know none of us went hungry during the trip. Don took us around and showed us the orphanage grounds and the school across the street that they are in the process of building. He also showed us the jobs we would be working on.
1. We will be pouring a concrete pad 12 x 29 feet to provide the floor of a pre-fab house. The house is waiting in a shipping container. The pad will also have a 6 x 12 foot patio pad attached to it. We will need to bring in large rocks—6-12 inches in diameter to form a base, then put gravel to fill the voids, and sand on top. We will form it up with 1 x 12 lumber.
2. We will be pouring a concrete floor for a latrine (restroom) at the school. The pit is dug and has concrete block walls already built, and a wooden support is in place to pour the concrete on. Milo (preacher on Sunday, former orphan, and now EGO handyman) is welding steel re-rod to strengthen the floor. He knows what he is doing.
3. We will be installing a 4 x 4 support beam for a house roof overhang. Don has the 4 x 4’s and steel pipe for support posts. At the same house, we will be enclosing the gable ends with wooden boards from our concrete forms, and expanded metal to allow air movement. We will also install several aluminum frame, glass louver windows.
4. We will be forming and pouring a concrete balcony/covered walkway at the school if we have time.
5. We will be doing several odd jobs as time permits.
Whew, I’m tired already!
The day is still fairly young, and everyone except me and Ev decided to go to the first of five forts overlooking Dessalines. While there is some controversy about the construction of the forts, one version has General Dessalines, a leader in the slave revolt in the late 1700’s/early 1800’s had them constructed by slave labor to protect the country in the event of an invasion by the French, who the slaves had overpowered. The trip up to the first of these forts is easily made in 10-20 minutes, and is quite interesting. I have been there twice over the years, and my legs and Ev’s are probably better on even ground.
After the groups return, we ate with Don and Doris. Not really lunch, not really dinner, but filling in the mid to late afternoon.
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