Update and Planting Cacao

"springs" of water in the school yard

More rain over the weekend. Parts of lower campus actually had water bubbling up from the ground around the school and the school's dinning hall foundation.

We enjoyed a visit from Dieucel. We heard how his family evacuated their house, one by one, piggy-backed on the back of a tall man.

 How the water came up almost to his wife's neck as they moved to higher ground.

They returned to their home after a the flood waters receded only to have to evacuate a second time.

We listened with praise in our hearts as he shared with us how a pastor in a very hard church got excited about the Konsey books and purchased a box for his church.

 The Lord blessed the church with an increase of offerings after the people started to read the book.

He told us also of a place in the Dominican where many Haitians live that received 2 or 3 boxes of Konsey.

 So very glad to hear how the Lord continues to spread the books to Haitians.

flood washed peanut fields

Last week we brought 97 cacao trees to the new gardens and kept 3 to plant on campus to compare the USDA selected "super trees" with the other cacao on campus and see how well they grow under peach palms.

We have had over 60 inches of rain the past 5 weeks so the paths around here are very muddy.

We also had to delay planting until the river was low enough to cross with wheelbarrows of trees.

It was a long, hard 45 minutes or so to get to the gardens, dodging or hitting stones placed on the trails in some areas to help with walking over the water and mud but hard on the wheelbarrows.

The weather has been so cloudy that for now the pigeon pea crop in the area is mostly lost.

There just isn't enough sun so the plants that didn't die from flooding have dropped most of the pea pods.

 They might still produce a later crop.

The peanuts that didn't wash out look ok so far, might be OK if we get sunny weather now.

Our young fruit trees and peach palms are doing well. The rice looks thin in most of the garden, probably not planted close enough or just lacking enough sunshine.

Mud running with the wheelbarrows. Cassava/yucca from our garden

Planting cacao

Peach palm and rice in best part of garden

Local pigeon pea garden

Mosquito traps, chocolate nursery and volleyball credit.

Cory recently visited three of the gardens. All doing well.

Reading a recent article about controlling mosquitoes prompted a new project, since with the good rains, we are suffering from a large mosquito population.

Three different tools and lots of muscle were used to cut up old tires into pieces. The hack saw and machete worked best.

Next the pieces were placed around the perimeter of the campus.

Water that had been in the discarded tires with larvae was filtered and mixed with additional water to fill the new "traps".

After the larva are filtered out, a pheromone remains in the water that lets mother mosquitos know it is a "safe" place to lay their eggs.

Now the traps will need to have the water filtered  once or twice a week, destroying the immature mosquitos, and re-setting the trap. Any container that holds water could be used.

Cory visited the location where the big chocolate tree nursery is being built.

This USAID sponsored project plans to start thousands of cacao trees to be distributed around the area to small farmers.

Chocolate prices are good so many gardeners are planting cacao trees for the export market.

 Last year the new trees that were planted did not have real good survival due to the drought.

We should also give credit to the Haitian government for the volleyball tournament they sponsored at no cost to the players, including room, board and transport.

The olympic sports complex was built as an encouragement to Haiti's youth after the earthquake.

 It looks like many youth teams enjoy these modern facilities throughout the year.

The away teams for tournaments use the dorms and Port au Prince teams return home each night.

Good-byes and Field Trip to Chocolate Co-op

A sunny start to the morning as the sound of wood chopping fills the air as a large mango branch [1/2 an old tree really] fell next to the carport last night during the rain. Thankfully it did not hit the truck. Too bad the mangos aren't quite mature enough to ripen.

Yesterday we started and ended the day with rain but the team did fly out of Cap Haitian heading back to their homes.

They helped us clean up the guest house a bit before loading the truck with their luggage to leave.


Having heard that Haiti's President planned to visit Port Margot Cory dropped off Eli, Anna, Evon and I at the town square after our good-byes and then returned to travel with the team to Cap and pick up a heavy saw that just shipped into Haiti. [The president did not come]

We stood around for over an hour, accepted hugs and cheek kisses from a mentally challenged lady, noticed the signs some people carried and a large truck with blaring sound system talking about the need for road repairs before the gentleman who would help us get back home came to tell us the real event was down the road.

So we decided to walk to the chocolate co-op where the rest of the foreigners gathered for the talks. On the way a light rain spurred us to pick up our pace therefore we'd almost arrived as a motorcade passed by.

Later we learned that the big truck carrying the team broke down climbing a small mountain in the middle of the road and the police in the motorcade told them to move it but offered no help.

The Lord answered the team's prayers by helping them: move to the side of the road (Fortunately no one fell off the benches when the truck lurched forward and then stalled again in a few seconds, just feet from the top of the mountain),borrow a wrench from the  mechanic we know who had just jumped on for a free ride to Limbe and lives at the base of the mountain/big hill to get the engine running, and delivering the team to the airport on time [actually their flight ended up delayed a while so they arrived with plenty of time]

 [Note our team did get to try the fleshy pulp that surrounds a fresh cocoa bean as seen in the picture below. They also bought lots of locally produced baking chocolate which we heard is superior.]

After only a few minutes of standing outside the co-op our pale faces recognized by a local church member who had something to do with the event got us in the door.


We stood and listened to the speeches that we could hear about the chocolate co-op. The goals to improve people's income by expansion, more exportation and fixing the road. The American Ambassador spoke.

About half the time we could not hear the speakers while we stood at the back of the crowd, near the road as the protesters marched between the co-op and Port Margot.

After the speeches people could visit the different booths and buy local products. Very nicely done. When asked to buy I told the venders that we were local and bought in the market and to focus on the visitors who would leave with their money, drawing laughs.

Then we prepared to go, not having invitations to the VIP luncheon and our ride had arrived. But as we neared the road the protesters were once again out front and an American man told us to move toward the back of the area since we would not be going anywhere soon as they through the crowd could turn violent.

I confessed not having an invitation, when he told us to grab something to eat but he waved us in to the reception. So we let our plates be filled with small bites of food unfamiliar to us and sat to eat.

Another foreigner who had greeted us earlier told me he had a gift and handed me a block of baking chocolate which I noted in interest carried a label stating it was made in Port-au-Prince. We picked up handouts for Cory.

Going home we passed through 2 rara (Voodoo) bands and the group of protesters without problem. Cory returned a short time later. Tired. not much school or study occurred but we did enjoy watching part of a documentary on Teddy Roosevelt's life and had an early bedtime.

Team made it to Florida OK but the small bag of Moringa seeds did not make it through customs.

We will continue to put things away and with sun fit in as many loads of laundry as possible the next couple of days.

Please be praying for Cory as he prepares to leave for Costa Rica on Tuesday.
Please pray for those of us staying at home as well.

Now at the 2 months, 2 week mark for waiting for our adoption referral.

Praying for all families in the process to hear news about their next step.

26 days until my family practice exam. SIGH