This and That

1. We still don't have the Tracker in our possession. Some paperwork got lost somewhere along the line and now it's a holiday week, so we probably won't have it until next week. :(
2. Carnival was this weekend through today. Carnival is similar to Mardi Gras. There are differing opinions about Carnival in the Christian community here in Haiti. Some say Christians don't participate in Carnival, and others participate--just not in the less wholesome activities. Some churches have youth retreats over the long weekend to provide an alternative to the young people. In fact there was a Seventh Day Adventist group using the school, church, and bathrooms in Gramothe for a youth retreat. Since we had clinic on Saturday and Monday, I got to see some of their activities. It looked like a lot of fun. I think there were probably around 150 people there all together.
3. We've had quite a few people in and out of the guest house in the past 10 days. Last Sunday, three people for an eye clinic, 2 medical people for a regular clinic, and four guys for construction came in. On Tuesday 25 people from Goshen, IN, came in to do construction and run the clinic. Two adoptive parents came on Thursday, the same day that Beth and the initial construction crew left. The eye clinic people left Friday. The adoptive parents snuck out Sunday morning, and the Goshen team leaves on Wednesday afternoon. We had 6 days of clinic last week and finished this Monday, making it a 7 day stretch. It was really crazy with people there to see the regular doctors and others there for the eye doctor. Working in the dossier room was a little stressful at times!
4. The MTM buildings in Gramothe have had some sprucing up in the past weeks. All the rough cement edges have been finished off, new stairs were added to the steps leading up to the school, stairs and a sidewalk now lead to the bathrooms, and the entire primary school has been tiled and painted with primer. I think the President will come to visit after everything has been finished. That will be an exciting day!
5. Willem was planning to build a hospital next to the clinic, and there is even the beginnings of some walls. However, there's a great piece of land just on this side of the riverbed that Willem is trying to buy. If he's able to get it, the clinic and hospital will be there. Eventually the existing clinic would be turned in to a trade school. We're hopeful that this piece of land can be purchased soon.