St Vincent 3/10/87

Up at 4 AM. To the airport in vans. Customs, Immigration. Barbados. Customs, Immigration.
Port au Prince, Haiti, Gasoline for our DC 8. Miami, Customs. Just caught the Atlanta flight.
Had to leave Jim behind with all the luggage.

I had a meeting in Atlanta with the Federal Communication Commission and South Central Bell to set deprecations rates for the Telco. The Bell Representative met me at the airport with a new set of luggage from home for the week of meeting. Good planning say what? Caught a plane home with the Bell folks and here I am.

That's all folks.

St. Vincent 3/9/87

Up at 4:30 AM. Brush, pack, finish loading , walk to the bus.stop. Bus leaves at 5:30 am.The bus is an open bed truck with wood benches and backs and a wooden canopy built to hold 30 people. There were 40 on board. The choice to use a local bus was a good experience but a bad choice. Very  fortunately we did not deprive anyone of their needed seat. We were packed in so tight that I know the local girls on both sides of me intimately. We reach the Heron Hotel at 7:30 am (Two hours for 15 miles) One lane road straight up or down, hair pin turns, straight on one side , straight down on the other. Jungle or farms all the way (coconut, banana, bread fruit, orange, grape fruit12 inches in diameter. Got the bags to the room, wet down to write (wrongs). Will shop this PM.

Stella was there to see us off. Mr Williams came with us.

As I set here writing the wrongs,  I was left in charge of the keys to the car which needed a tire changed.  Can't go shopping until 11:00 am . others felt comfortable with leaving the key with the hotel clerk to get it to Jim. How would Jim know to ask at the desk for the keys.

Jim showed up and took the keys and I went shopping. Guess what!  Three T shirts ! Wet shirt contest when I get home. Second trip out --Ear Rings.

Went to Kentucky Fried Chicken for lunch. Strictly American. Back to the hotel, shower shot of rum, took a nap. Going out to a French Restaurant for dinner this evening. Dolphin for dinner. Bordeaux Blanc Wine.

St. Vincent 3/8/87

Must remember or send Stella some pictures and a tape of my thank you. Had breakfast and will be getting ready for church soon.

 Stella was here at 6:30 preparing our noon meal. Small gas stove, small old sink, 2 small cupboards, no counter space, 1 small refrigerator and meal for 14.

Church sermon by Lay Minister, Mr Providence.

Cleared of haze enough to see St. Lucia 21 miles away.

Lunch was big with desert, beef, macaroni and onions etc, beans , peas, bread fruit pudding, lettuce leaves, drink and cake, baked by Mrs. Providence.

Some are off to another project this PM. Others playing guitars, sleeping, talking. Will finish packing before bed tonight. Catch the bus at 5:30 tomorrow.

Just saw a white boy for the second time. Left her by a Swedish family in Rose Bank.

Those who left today for the meeting have returned. The entire group, without me, set down upstairs to go over the two weeks. I sat down with our hosts.The meeting went on for two or three hours while they ignored our host. They finally got tired of waiting and left. I feel it was the rudest thing we have done this week.

I would come again but not with the Brentwood team under Jim's leadership.

St. Vincent 3/7/87

Up at 6:30. Breakfast. I had clean up with Gerald and Nancy.

We are off on a boat trip up the edge of the island and up a river to the Baleine Falls. Swim suit on under our clothes. I understand that the boat can't get close to the beach, so we wade ashore. The trip was beautiful. Up the west coast to the north side. Docked waded ashore, off to the fresh water stream out of the mountains. Had a sandwich and drink on the beach.

Here we begin our climb up the narrow ledges, lava rock boulders and across in waist deep water.

It wasn't very for to the falls.When we reached it , it was beautiful. We swam across the clear pool to the falling water, got underneath it and behind it. The boat captain climbed up behind the falls and dove in.

Back to the boat and home. Went to church this evening for an informal good bye. Lots of song, prayer. Anyone who wanted to stand up an say a few words was welcome to do so.

The people here are friendly and very open and full of love and so poor in material things. Lizards and dogs in the church during service.

St Vincent 3/6/87

Why am I here? The universe, millions of years ago the world created  as a tiny speck in the universe. this island raised our of a mighty ocean as a tiny speck in the world. A mountain that supports this tiny island of St Vincent, this small church group in the village of Traumaka, this small project  of the total needs of the total world. Many years ago the island was populate  by slaves. Later, initiated by someone years before, they were lifted out of slavery. A small start for a major event. Here we are in this small place, doing this small job, feeling so overwhelmed by needs to be done. Maybe this small step will grow.

Joel, Jim and Farris are cooking a breakfast of eggs, potatoes, and bacon. This is our last day of work before we depart. My experience here was primarily construction and relating toe local folks. The teaching team dealt with a great number of children. The dental team dealt with a great number of people. Maybe it would be better if we sent smaller construction teams and hired local people to help build.. Help the economy,help the family of the workers,  and give an opportunity to develop a relationship inside the church and outside.

Finished  the North side of the roof today. Cut tin for the other side..

St Vincent 3/5/87

Had breakfast. Had water.

They needed someone to deliver the dental team, set up the dental chair, hook up the suction system, the compressor and the air system. Someone with electrical knowledge. Jim pointed at me. So I did it . No sweat The power saw I repaired for Mr Williams ran ok for a while but then quit. I reset the brushes again. I will show him what to buy to replace them. Jim  went to town today and got  some new blades. They wouldn't fit so I cut an adapter from an old blade. Completed cutting the tin roofing after lunch. So it will be back up on the roof this pm.

Finished all of the North side except for the two end pieces. Will finish these tomorrow. Don't have enough blades to complete the other side of the roof.

The dentist and his three helpers are over to the neighbors for supper tonight.  He put nine stitches in her arm. She received her injury in a fight.

Jim is missing travelers checks. Gerald is missing a bill fold. Joel is missing a dental kit. First thought was local thievery but each time they had misplaced them.

St Vincent 3/4/87

No water yet. Worked on the church roof with Gerald today. The one carbide blade to cut sheet metal roofing wore down to nothing. There are no more on the island. We only completed  a third  of the job of replacing the roofing. Can't do more without more blades. Repaired Mr. William's power this PM. Hope it continues to work.

 Went to the creek to bath this evening.Shampooed and wash the clothes I was wearing on a rock
with water running over it.

Went to church this evening. Lots of singing to the local beat. Neat. Jim preached. As in most evenings, one or two retire to their room to write or think or sleep. The rest sit in the front room downstairs talking and laughing at the top of their voices.

The water line was finally repaired today. The water pressure finally built up enough so that we had water at 8:30 PM.

St. Vincent 3/3/87

Up at the roosters crow. No water. I gave devotion today. A couple of them wanted a copy of what I read. Some thought it was very good and appropriate. It was about children. On this Island 75 % of the population are children. .

I worked on the church roof today, replacing old rusty metal roofing while hanging by a rope. Others put the roof on the bathroom and others put the cap on the septic tank.

After work several went off the river to bath. I got left out. I got to the river just before dark, after delivering Gerald and three local youth directors to a meeting in Chateaubeliar. I went to the river alone. The walking path to the river saw a dirt path through an area of huts up along the side of the mountain stream. I was a little uncomfortable with the area. After my bath I went back to Chateaubeliar to pick up group I had delivered. While I was waiting, a group of children gathered around the car and we talked about America and life and the stars.

St. Vincent 3/2/87

Up at 6:30. Still no water. Any water we drink or use has to be carried in by the bucket full from 2 to3 miles away. To work at 8:00 am. Ron and I put the last layer of blocks on the septic tank. some others put the cement cap on the block wall to the building.

After work we needed a bath. Two days without  ;under labor conditions is long enough. Ron and I went to the river with Stella and someone else. They washed clothes on the rocks. We went up river  out of sight, shampooed and bathed.. I wore my cut off shorts back to the house. Second time behind the wheel of the car. You drive on the right side of the road. /the car has the steering wheel on the right. The roads are all one lane mountain passes with high cliffs straight up on one side and straight down on the other.

Seeing what is here is somewhat like returning to life in my child hood.We had nothing, we use an outhouse till I was 22 years old. I had the teeth problems they are experiencing here. Spent most of my time in the back woods. The house we lived in was not unlike what you see here. I wonder what my parents would have thought  if Brentwood had sent a team to our town.

The rest of the team managed to get the river before dark. Sure was a good feeling.

The dental team returned at 8:30 pm. Had to turn people away. Joel said he got to all that were in pain.

St Vincent 3/1/87

Walk to church.

Still no water.Used glass full out of the thermos to brush my teeth. The whole city is without water. Slacks, shirt and tie for church.

I can recite the whole sermon if you so desire.

Nothing much went on during the afternoon. Some went visiting, some went swimming, I got stuck with the dishes again.

Had a wiener and marsh mellow roast tonight. Had children of all ages. I took pictures and recorded some singing. To busy to take time to eat.

The party.

St Vincent 2/28/87

Up at 6:30. Breakfast of cornflakes. Off to hike to the Mt. Soufrier volcano. Drove to the end of
Richmond Beach road. Walked up the  up the beach. Waded a river flowing into the ocean. On up the beach to the turn off point between Lashum and Wallibow . Up an old lava flow eroded to a deep cavern by water.

After we found the right spot we started up the ridge of the mountain.

St Vincent 2/27/87

Roosters crowed all night. No water at 6:30 AM. Corn Flakes for breakfast at 7:00 AM. Devotional 7:30 AM Roy read a letter from his daughter. I should get a copy of it. Laid cement block, mixed mortar, sifted sand, built doors, knocked out walls today. No water at noon to wash in. No water at  5PM.   Several went to the ocean to swim in salt water. The walk back and the salt didn't help much. Ron and I were asked to go pick up part of the dental team. We stopped at a fresh water stream ,where a girl was washing clothes using water and rocks, and took a bath in the stream.

Went down to the squeeze and drank a beer. Squeeze is a place where you can buy anything and be entertained.

Water line across on top of the road.

Job Site
Mr Williams                                   

JOB SITE 2


Stella is the lady who is looking after us. Her sons helped us all  day and carried water all evening.

Stella.

Mr Williams two sons worked with yesterday and today. Names were difficult to understand. The children( 10 to 15 years old) all want to know your name and they want you to know theirs.

Water came on about 9 PM. Will last only an hour or so. A shower is in order. Cold shower.  Change in prospective.Before we come we cringed at the thought of a cold shower. Now we would give anything for one.

St Vincent pics

Pictures from the first couple of days.
Kingston hotel window.

The Squeeze

Tooth extraction

Scenery

You thought I was working.

St Vincent 2\26\87

Up at 6:30.  Breakfast and devotion at 7:00 am. Assigned clean up duty. Second flat tire last night while Jim and Gerald were using the car. I took the work tools to work this morning. Flat tire when I arrived. I promised Joel that I would have ti repaired before I returned. Jack didn't work. Borrowed one from John Fenner, the area minister from England, to put on the tire repaired last night.

Poured floor, laid block, cut hole in wall for door, built one door frame..

Shower time. After I completed my shower-no water. Truck ran over the water line. Repaired by 9:30 PM.

Dental compressor unit we brought which runs drills etc and the compressor which controls suction hose both need repair. Got them working OK.

Went to Mr William's house and drank coconut milk after work. Neighbor boy climbed  a tree and brought down a coconut. Mr. Williams opened it with his machete. Next he opened a more mature coconut with meat inside. Mr Williams is the local builder. He is acting as construction foreman.

After Joel, the dentist who came with us, got back today after a full day of working on teeth, a 14 year old boy was waiting with a toothache. On a kitchen chair in the back lot- novocain, extraction..
Rooster crowed all night, dogs barked all night, donkey brayed all night.

Down at the Squeeze the music covers the entire neighborhood. South American beat. Jim and Gerald off to a youth meeting.

Volunteers In Mission to St Vincent Feb 24, 1987

Departure 2/24/87 7:35 AM  Flight via Atlanta, Miami, Barbados. Arrived 9;40 PM (7;40 Central Time)
Team  of fourteen loaded carry ons plus 24 heavy check through bags of gear and clothing at Nashville.
Carry ons had to be checked through at Barbados. Ten  of the team members went on to Tromaca on arrival. Jim ,Gerald, Joel and I stayed in the Heron Hotel in Kingston Tuesday night. Hot showers, air conditioning, single bed.

2/25/87  Up at 6:30 am. Jim and Geralds shower blew up last night right after Gerald finished his shower. Jim had to just sponge off. The knock on my door at 6:30 was Gerald wanting to know if Jim could use my shower.

Breakfast at the hotel-menu consisted of eggs, bacon, toast, juice, coffee, and tea.

Then to rent a car, which had been reserved. No car was available.  The renter agency took us to  someone willing to rent us their car. Next to get  drivers licences for each of us four-$10 each for the two week period.

Next to the bank to exchange some US dollars for EC dollars for Jim.

Somewhere along the way the man Jim rented the car from caught up with us. They wouldn"t cash the Travelers Check. Off to the bank.

The trip to Tromaca, 10 to 15 miles, took 1 and 1/2 hours. Up the mountains, around the mountains, down mountains,through chuck holes, backing up for a truck to pass by, over gravel piles. On arrival ,the car set for a while (FLAT TIRE). The jack was broken. Lifted by hand and put stones
underneath. Put on the spare. Sent the tire back to Kingston on a truck to get fixed.

Joel took the first load of ladies up to their temporary home. I took the second load. Driving is work.
Next was room and roommate selection. Smokers all in the same room. Supper-Left overs -chicken, peanut butter, jelly, soda pop. Quiet evening. Cold shower. Inspected job sight.
More to follow. It gets better. I am typing it just as it was written in my log book at the time. Talk to you later on a new blog.

Traveling

Just returned from the State of Washington to visit my brother and his wife about three weeks ago. His son, Jeff went with me.We drove 12 to 13 hours  day over three days, moteled two nights, ate motel breakfast, had peanut butter on bread and an apple for lunch at rest stops and dinner in a restaurant each evening. It was the same on the way home except we spent a half day at the Pioneer Village in Nebraska. It was an amazing collection of history. Homes,  stores, automobiles, farm equipment and goods of every aspect of American life.  We stayed in 1950 vintage motel (The Pioneer Motel(.

When we arrived at my brothers he had a list of projects that required our attention since he has to look after his wife 20 to 24 hours a day and is on oxygen full time. We got involved washing and tinting house windows, moving phone locations, repair to one of the yard watering sprayers, spraying the yard for weeds, repairing a car door, and trimming forsythia bushes. Brother Gale mowed the yard, cleaned the mower and planted tomatoes. Jeff did most of the work  with my expert advice. Jeff also did all of the cooking for the four of us.

Enjoyed the short visit.

Tomorrow

Talked to my brother Gale in Washington today and advised him I would be trying to visit him in April or May. Called his son, Jeff, in Florida to see if he wanted to ride along. Since he has a job to attend to I'll let him try to pick a date which I can live with.

Tomorrow is an on the go day. Must haul the garbage to the " convience center", get a haircut in Spring Hill, see the Ag Agent in Lewisburg about when to spray for Bag Worms, then to the
library, a liquer store and WallMart. Next home to burn some leaves, bottle some wine, clean
the mud dobbers out of the dryer vent, and contact Verizon about my life insurance. May not get
it all done in one day.

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