John F. Beasley, Jr.
Sent from my iPhone
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
A reminder from Ed that Grande Boulage will Stay in our Hearts
John F. Beasley, Jr.
Sent from my iPhone
Girls Carry the Water
John F. Beasley, Jr.
Sent from my iPhoneThere was no secrets here - though there were humerous moments in the play - a human donkey prodded by a child with a stick - shooing the animal out of the stream - the plight of the girls carrying water alone for miles was plain. The water kiosks will profoundly change their lives for the better.
Visit to Grand Boulage
Our visit to the cistern and water system installed with funds raised by Ed through Water Life Hope was a dedication ceremony to rival Vialet. We were met by the school children at the mountain top community center with songs and escorted into the center where hundreds from the community had gathered for the celebration. As we waited for the program to begin we listened to local music and singers. We enjoyed quite a few impromptu songs as the rest of our group were shuttled up the mountain after the bus couldn't make the grade.
The dedication began with a prayer thanking God "for a great moment ... One long hoped for .... One that will be remembered forever."
The program continued with thanks from community leaders and a reminder that this is a community of 10,000 families with children some of whom must get up at 3:00 in the morning to walk three hours round trip or longer to get water. Then we were treated to a play that showed with a mix of humor and seriousness how girls gather water from the same source as donkeys and can be accosted or harassed while carrying 40 lb pails of water up the mountain.
Ed spoke to the community and thanked them explaining how water is "liquid hope" and that the community of Grand Boulage would remain in our hearts. We were then thanked again by children delivering gifts of baskets full of peas.
Then it was off to visit the Cistern that ultimately will hold 25,000 gallons that will be pumped from a lower reservoir at the bottom of the mountain then distributed to kiosks for the community. The cistern was built by the families that will benefit from it, hauling stones up the mountain and grading the roads. Before it was in place the water source was a 2 kilometer walk for the closest families - 10 kilometers for some.
Finally, we took time to experience the steep, rocky hike to the stream that is the water source for five regions. The people of Grand Boulage lined up to make sure we made it while 5 to 12 year olds marched up the mountain with water buckets balanced on their heads. At the bottom we saw a 20,000 gallon reservoir that is waiting for three pumps in customs - completion is less than a month away!
John F. Beasley, Jr.
Sent from my iPhone
The dedication began with a prayer thanking God "for a great moment ... One long hoped for .... One that will be remembered forever."
The program continued with thanks from community leaders and a reminder that this is a community of 10,000 families with children some of whom must get up at 3:00 in the morning to walk three hours round trip or longer to get water. Then we were treated to a play that showed with a mix of humor and seriousness how girls gather water from the same source as donkeys and can be accosted or harassed while carrying 40 lb pails of water up the mountain.
Ed spoke to the community and thanked them explaining how water is "liquid hope" and that the community of Grand Boulage would remain in our hearts. We were then thanked again by children delivering gifts of baskets full of peas.
Then it was off to visit the Cistern that ultimately will hold 25,000 gallons that will be pumped from a lower reservoir at the bottom of the mountain then distributed to kiosks for the community. The cistern was built by the families that will benefit from it, hauling stones up the mountain and grading the roads. Before it was in place the water source was a 2 kilometer walk for the closest families - 10 kilometers for some.
Finally, we took time to experience the steep, rocky hike to the stream that is the water source for five regions. The people of Grand Boulage lined up to make sure we made it while 5 to 12 year olds marched up the mountain with water buckets balanced on their heads. At the bottom we saw a 20,000 gallon reservoir that is waiting for three pumps in customs - completion is less than a month away!
John F. Beasley, Jr.
Sent from my iPhone
Lycée Charles Belair School
A visit to the Charles Belair school where the FFP Atlanta gala in September raised funds for wells at several schools. The first along with a 7000 gallon cistern was put in recently.
John F. Beasley, Jr.
Sent from my iPhone
John F. Beasley, Jr.
Sent from my iPhone
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
One Last Photo
John F. Beasley, Jr.
Sent from my iPhoneA last photo and then the long drive back to Port au Prince. Though I have experienced it before, there is nothing quite like Port au Prince traffic at night!
Amanda Addresses the Crowd
John F. Beasley, Jr.
Sent from my iPhoneAmanda accepts the mic to address the crowd and commend their strength that inspired the center. APD was a men's fishing association that benefitted from the center.
Water Filtration System
John F. Beasley, Jr.
Sent from my iPhoneEd and Patty with the Vialet water filtration system
Welcome Sign
John F. Beasley, Jr.
Sent from my iPhoneJustice at Work was penned by Amanda and the community welcomed us with the slogan, thanking all who donated and Ed for spearheading Water-Life-Hope and Food for the Poor for making it all happen
With the Kids
John F. Beasley, Jr.
Sent from my iPhoneThe children are some of the most obvious benefactors of the work here.
Sights and Sounds from the Parade
John F. Beasley, Jr.
Sent from my iPhoneIf you can open this clip - you will get a sense of the fun we were having!
Parade into Vialet
John F. Beasley, Jr.
Sent from my iPhone Heading into Vialet for the dedication of the Community Center - the funds for which were raised by Amanda Farahany - we were greeted by a parade complete with band and dancing. For nearly a mile we danced our way into Vialet, stopping to see the water filtration system funded by Water-Life-Hope.
School and Well Dedication in Petit Goave
Visit to Club Managers Association School in Petit Goave - a heartfelt thank you from the children and director for the well and other support. A painting of the school was given to Ed. Our visit to the yet to be completed school and well was the subject of a 2010 post. Pictures of the school children and dedication to follow.
John F. Beasley, Jr.
Sent from my iPhone
John F. Beasley, Jr.
Sent from my iPhone
Delane Bailey
John F. Beasley, Jr.
Sent from my iPhoneDelane guiding us to Petit Goave - 3 hours by coast road
Tuesday Travel Itinerary
Once on the ground in Haiti we will head to Petit Goave south of Port au Prince to visit a school water project then to Vialet for the inauguration of a water project and community center. Thanks to Amanda Farahany for her efforts to get the community center funded and all those that contributed to it! More soon.
John F. Beasley, Jr.
Sent from my iPhone
John F. Beasley, Jr.
Sent from my iPhone
Flight to Haiti
Up early for our flight to Port au Prince. It has been since 2010 that I have been in Port au Prince. Hoping to see improvement from the destruction and tent cities that I saw then. We are all looking forward to helping establish a new water project for a new community and helping with the continued recovery.
John F. Beasley, Jr.
Sent from my iPhone
John F. Beasley, Jr.
Sent from my iPhone
Monday, December 3, 2012
Leaving in the early am
We met for dinner tonight and fly out of Fort Lauderdale at 6:15 .
Sent from my iPhone
Sent from my iPhone
Preparing for Haiti
Packing for our trip to Haiti with Food for the Poor and the kick-off of Water-Life-Hope's 200 well project. Hope everyone follows us on this exciting journey for the communities of Haiti. Check out our website at www.foodforthepoor.org/200wells
John F. Beasley, Jr.
Sent from my iPhone
John F. Beasley, Jr.
Sent from my iPhone
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