Co Workers

Co Workers

The backbone of any organization is its people.  Money can be plentiful and materials available, but it takes men and women with a good heart to make things come about.  I’m finding that here to be true.

I share a small room with a man named Paul.  He is from South Carolina, “a stone’s throw to North Carolina”, he assures me.  He welcomed me a week ago with a warm smile and a firm handshake.  He has been here for a month and recently signed on for another.  He hasn’t found another job in his field so he has to do what he has to in order to pay the bills at home.  I’m sure he would rather be home with his three kids and wife, but his heart is here for now in Haiti.  He and Bob, the oldest member of the team at 68, are preparing an ‘office’ building for the relocation later this month of the other base administration.  They are insulating, paneling and trying to finish out the details on the multi roomed structure for move in.  Bob is dedicated, as Paul, to completing the project on time in spite of order changes and challenges with tools and material appropriation.  Bob and I banter back and forth deliberately messing up each other’s names and poking fun at our age in front of the younger set.  He is sharp and witty and I am amazed at his ability to work in the cramped quarters with the temperatures as high as they get.  He sweats a lot but never seems to complain.  Paul and Bob set a fine example of the older American work ethic of doing what has to be done in a nasty environment just because that’s what needs to be done.

There is also a younger set that brings youth and vitality to the endeavor.  Aaron is twenty, he and Timo room across from Paul and I.  I hear the occasional guitar play, some music off of an I pod or whatever it’s called, and some laughter intermixed with conversation on trying to find out where to go in life.  These two young men are working at the Lamb Center, an SP sponsored orphanage being constructed in Leogane.  They help hauling materials, digging foundations, and spreading stone among other tasks. Although they will be leaving soon they still enjoy being a part of a project that is new, different and mission related. 

John is the base manager.  He is in the late forties and seems to have traveled to numerous countries in his life helping with assorted projects.  He pretty much knows what is going on, where everything is, and what the upcoming goals are for the overall mission.  He has a good heart and is fun to mentally spar with as he likes to laugh and demonstrate his rapier wit.  He is also a workaholic to some extent.  I hear him late into the evening working on his ‘new’ one room living quarters that he hopes to move into next week. 

Travis and Robert are my bosses.  Travis, at 28, has many years of experience working with people under his belt for being as young as he is.  He has been here for 15 months and will be leaving in January.  He put together the rubble removal program pretty much from the start, has made contacts with local administrative people, and has kept the equipment supplied, repaired and operating.  He seems quite patient and knows what he is doing.  Right now he is taking the time to groom Robert to take his place in January.  Robert and his wife, Nina, come from North Carolina and have been here as long as Travis and plan to stay another year.  Robert is an excellent equipment operator and does quite well cleaning up my messes.  He is soft spoken and likes a good laugh now and then.  I think we’ll get along quite fine as he moves into his new supervisory role.  Nina is in charge of camp operations and makes sure everything is in the right spot at the right time.  She multitasks with precision and seems to enjoy juggling the different crisis’ that come across her desk.

There are more staff here that have different duties and assignments that cover a wide spectrum of Samaritans Purses’ goals.  They are dedicated and seem to have a sincere joy in what they are doing.  I feel honored to part of their team.