Goodbyes

Goodbyes

SP has many fine, interesting Christians both on their staff and as volunteers.  Volunteers come anywhere from a week to two weeks and are put to work on a project in line with their skill set.  Paid staff are hired on a contract basis that ranges from three months up to a year or more.  Year staff also get paid leave time to visit the States every few months. 

One thing a little hard to get used to is the steady coming and going of both groups.  I never really know or remember who is coming or going when and for how long.

RL is one of those volunteers.  He showed up two weeks ago wandering around the yard looking for a screen.  I was on the loader at the time so I paused to see if I could lend him a hand.  His speech was a little difficult to understand but I kind of got the jist of what he was needing.  RL was a mason who came down from North Carolina to assist the laborers in laying the block for the various new structures.  At that moment he was in search of a screen that he could sift the sand with.  It was too coarse for the mortar joints as it sat in the pile; he wanted to sift it to separate out the finer mortar sand.  I threw a couple of options at him but they didn’t really fit what he had in his head so I recommended he talk to someone more familiar with stuff on the base.

As the week went along I discovered that RL had a good sense of humor, dry as it was, and was a professional at his trade.  I also found that, 14 months earlier, he had been diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease, a terminal degenerative illness.  His difficulty in speech was an early symptom.  As we talked one evening RL expressed a great satisfaction in what he was doing.  At 60, he was glad to share his masonry skills with the Haitians.  He also had brought an entire suitcase of toys with him to share with the kids at the Lamb orphanage in Leogane.  I was inspired that a man with such difficulties would spend his last years of useful life sharing them with the people and children of Haiti. 

I had to say goodbye to RL tonight as he is leaving early in the morning to return home.  I will miss him.

I also got a big hug from Dave.  He is also leaving in the morning.  Like RL, he had volunteered for a couple of weeks.  Dave, in his middle 60’s, lives in Pennsylvania with his wife and has ended up being a painter of houses.  “I hated to paint”, he told me.  “But after doing it for seventeen years, I guess I’ve learned to like it.”  He wants to buy a house in Florida so he can enjoy the sunshine and warmth of our southern state.  Grandkids keep them affixed in PA for now, but, “who knows, that may change soon”. 

Dave enjoyed driving around the country with Neil and RL on the weekends.  Along with Francois, they made up the “Fabulous Four”; a name generated only because of the lack of something cleverer.  They traveled over the mountains to Jachmal, the beachside community 50 kilometers south of here.  The previous weekend they traveled to the western end of the island and toured Cayes, an old town with an old mission church being slowly restored.  They found an unmarked dirt road that took them to an overlook; a beach view from 1500 feet up on the mountain.  Dave took lots of photos and will take them home as fond memories.

This morning after chapel, he and I talked for a few moments about the mixed emotions he had about leaving.  On one hand he wanted to see his family, on the other he wanted to continue working here with his newfound family and friends.  I listened.  When he was done I commented that working overseas, like in Haiti, is a little bit of a fantasy.  All the required needs to live are provided; food, shelter, materials, laundry … the work was with Christians who, generally speaking, practice a strong work ethic and are more open to sharing their Christian values and way of life that complements constructive work activity.  The people are lively, focused and fun to work with.  The overall goal of the project and work was inspiring and was good to be a part of.  On the other hand, at home was the same routine; repetitive work, bills to pay, family issues to address. Returning home paled by comparison.  I continued by sharing how God places responsibilities in our lives that we are committed to; a spouse, grandchildren, a loving family.  These relationships are given by God as a blessing for us and are to be nurtured and cared for.  I also shared that, in my opinion, when the Lord opens the door for ministry in a strange land, he will also work with those relationships to provide a Godly support group at home and that everyone involved would be in agreement as to the mission, its time span and involvement.  I believe, since God blesses us with those relationships, it is priority to have those in syc with what we think He is showing us to do. Dave listened and slowly nodded his head.  He said he understood what I was saying and really appreciated what I had to say.

Dave and RL will most likely return to Haiti next year. I think their positive experience will rub off on their respective families and ignite a supporting spark.  But it is always best to have some time to reflect on an experience, and to be away from it for a season before making a judgment call on it. 

If I’m still here I will look forward to being a part of their extended contribution to what God is doing here. But in the meantime, safe travels; we will miss you both.