Beyond the Gates

Moving through the gates of the Wesleyan compound at Anse-a-Galets, out into the rocky streets, definitely feels like walking into another world.  Within the gates is a western community, with concrete block houses, a hospital, a duplex, a concrete block guest house, a tool depot;  grass (during the rainy season) kept mowed by a Haitian yard keeper; construction going on at the location of the new guest house, a couple of trucks. 

Outside the gates, rocky roads are typically lined with walls - some, concrete; some, reeds or sticks - all defining ownership and property, personal space.

 Along the road are found shops 

 and the market and a whole host of items for sale,

including bars of soap, dried fish, some coconuts and packaged cheese,

 tomatoes and melons from a local garden, sweet potatoes and cabbages.

One of the gathering places in town is a lovely fenced area, with a band shell structure.

The police station...

..look closely and you may be able to see the goat on the step on the right side of the picture.  Goats run free like dogs or cats on the island!

Behind the Wesleyan compound is the town cemetery, where the deceased are laid to rest after a procession through the streets, led by a brass band.  When the somber parade reaches the cemetery, the last song played is Auld Lang Syne!

And, a place very full of life is the Institution Foyer des Enfants de Jesus, the orphanage run by Madam Solliette who has rescued 70+ children off the streets of La Gonave.

Here one finds smiling, happy kids, loved and trained, educated -  family!

Madame Soliette and her visitor from the states!

 Happy girls, ready to live out God's promise of a future and a hope for His people.

Beyond the gates - a slice of life in the city of Anse-a-Galets, on the island of La Gonave, Haiti.

A Taste of Home (away from home)

When we arrived in the Wesleyan mission in Anse-a-Galets on the island of La Gonave in October,

 

   we got busy at making our duplex apartment, " home".  

  

 

Curtains made for the kitchen and sitting areas - check!  Ikea chair put together - check!  Rugs provided by Meg spread on the floor - check!  Target futon cover fit over the cushions on the sofa - check!

 

Hardware put on kitchen cabinet doors and drawers that a recent team had spruced up for us with fresh white paint - check!  Finishing touches accomplished by Larry when he trimmed the doors to fit flush.

Colorful Haitian art bought from the gift shop at the guest house and secured on the walls - check!

                     

Bedroom furniture purchased in Port-au-Prince, brought over to the island via The Breezy Sea and assembled by Larry and Wade - check.

 

Second bedroom readily fashioned into office/storage room/ clothes drying area/guest room/gym - check!

 

Screened back porch which both sides of the duplex share - fast becoming a favorite area first thing in the morning!  Love the Christmas lights the neighbor put up!

 And views around the neighborhood (Wesleyan compound), outside our front door:

Looking toward the old gust house

A peek inside the dining area

Looking toward the construction site of the new guest house at a rare quite moment - must be Sunday!  Look carefully and you can see the sea beyond the construction.

  

These men work from daylight to the end of the day.  That is the cement mixer! 

One of the houses on the compound

and just across the street, the Wesleyan Methodist Hospital:

Plaque indicating that the hospital was dedicated in 1959, serving the people of La Gonave for over 50 years.  It is the only hospital on the island of close to 100,000 people.

 

mural on wall outside hospital

Closing with one of the hundreds of Haiti's proverbs:

"Bondye bon." 

God is good.

Next posting - Beyond the Walls

Pictures ARE worth a thousand words!

Fall trip to Haiti - 

On the way to Port-au-Prince, flying MFI (Missionary Flights International).

Our gear rode between us and the cockpit!

First glimpses of Haiti

.. and Port-au-Prince.

 The Breezy Sea, for the 1 1/2 hour crossing from the mainland to the island of La Gonave

I don't look real comfy!  Actually, they hitched a plank bench along the side for me to sit on which worked just fine.  You can see La Gonave out across the water.

It wasn't long before the ole Navy man was behind the wheel.  Larry drove us most of the way across the channel, loving every minute of it!

These sailboats constructed by the men on La Gonave are used for fishing and for ferrying people across the channel.  They were beautiful sight as we came in to the wharf at Anse-a-Galets.

Public ferries we would take across on two occasion during our stay this fall.

Coming in to dock at the Wesleyan wharf 

Always plenty of muscle around, PTL!

The story of our trip to La Ganove, in a fraction of the pictures we took!  

But, it gives you an idea of the beauty of God's creation in this needy land. 

Next, getting settled in.