January 6: Dirty Hands

We've spent most of the past two days bagging compost at Sonje's new nursery they're establishing in partnership with the Environment Ministry. By day's end, as a group we'd managed to turn out 2,091 new bags, which will eventually turn into Haitian trees in the area and hopefully work to prevent things like deaths that are caused by casual flooding in the area, and other forms of damage - both to life and property - occasioned by the erosion that accompanies rain storms and other, more severe weather.

Sitting for hours in a hunched forward position on the rocky ground doesn't do wonders for the body, and I think the group is benefiting from some of the yoga lessons we imparted to the ladies of the mountain. To finish out our day and a half of composting, and to celebrate our last afternoon in Cap, Gabby took us out to Cornier Plage, a beautiful stretch of beach where we immediately made the change to swim gear and headed into the ocean. After floating around for about 30 minutes, we splayed out on chairs jamming to music, eating coconuts, and generally finding ourselves once again appreciative of the basic physical beauty presented by so much of Haiti. 

Like all days up until this point, we returned to Gabby's house around 4 p.m. and spent the rest of the evening showering, laying out on the roof, and reflecting. For our last night in Cap, and with Sonje, both Tina (our new honorary Compact member) and Gabby joined us on the roof for a discussion of Sonje's work going forward, and the ways in which we can all work harder and more mindfully about affecting greater dignity and empowerment both in Haiti and in our own communities.

More to come.

Brian


(Funny moment of the day: driving up to the beach and seeing a large boat sitting on the sand with some people loitering around it. When we asked Steve what the boat was for, he simply replied 'For the U.S. - my people are always ready.')

Cornier Plage