Oh, I love it here! Today was so exciting and rewarding that we are all a'buzz and yet completely tuckered out as we recount all the stories of what happened today. Last night, the whole group had an array of sleep patterns that ranged from the toss and turn to the stone of slumber. We all started to wake at around 6:30 and moseyed to the breakfast spread that was simply delicious. Shout out to the army of ladies who make us fresh squeezed fruit juice, homemade dishes, and a wide option range. We joyfully ate our eggs, mangos, bacon, and biscuits.
Suddenly there was an all aboard signal from Butch and our hayride like truck took us through the streets of Les Cayes. We arrived at the Community's area and were welcomed inside by Silda and Tony (the leaders of construction and education of the whole deaf community). We started by hearing their story which was an absolutely beautiful testimony of God's call on their lives to completely sacrifice all of their comforts in Jamaica and their dream of this community. An interesting side note of this testimony is that it was being spoken in English and translated to Creole AND Sign Language. It's amazing that so many different people were coming together for a united purpose. Tony and Silda's goal is to build a full community for the deaf with a school and church and other community buildings, but today we just focused on the church.
We quickly were given the task of moving cinder blocks from one side of the church to the other. We came to find out that Tyler had moved a cinder block that he didn't realize til later that it had a tarantula inside one of the holes AND when I say tarantula I MEAN tarantula! The woman who worked in the kitchen very matter of factly took a stick and slew the giant as if it was nothing. We separated into different tasks for the majority of the day, so some of my information is sparse or secondhand.
Many folks on the team sanded down the window bars and primed them a happy orange. I noticed Kayla was sifting rocks to make concrete. We noticed how quiet the work was because the folks around us were signing. For most of the time, I was with Tom, Tyler, and Dana taking a pick ax to the rubble floor base and preparing it to pour concrete. It was absolutely the kind of work I get excited about (the ones where Tom gets delegated, but I try to pretend I am She-Hulk and volunteer as tribute).
It was while we were doing this work that we started to click with the folks we were working with. I knew how to ask their names and a man named Evans was more than eager to communicate. I realized that knowing the alphabet in ASL was pretty helpful. These Haitian guys were were so willing to teach us the signs and it was helpful that they were being taught in English for the most part. We could spell out "AGE" and look unsure or confused and they would see we were asking their ages and teach us that sign. We ended up joking, conversing, and enjoying each other throughout the day and every moment was filled with new vocabulary. We would joke and call each other "lazy" (an L on your shoulder) even though it was clear we were all busting our butts. The more we signed the more the guys gathered to talk to us and the more we connected. By the end of of the day we were standing in the sanctuary to be and learning our name sign and their name signs. Even though we didn't do a vast amount of tasks, the tasks we did complete were quite an undertaking and Tony was impressed with us. He asked "what did you guys put in that peanut butter, cause I want some".
We climbed into our hayride and made our way back at about 3pm. We spent the afternoon cleaning off the thick layer of grime we had acquired and enjoying each other's company. At one point we got everyone together for a game of Heads Up. We laughed and watched as each of us acted out a pat down and a "column dance". Soon it was time for dinner. We ate at 5, but the day had made us ravenous. We scarfed down our supper and enjoyed the rest of the evening, snapping our froggers, learning the ASL alphabet, knitting, reading, discussing childhood and Haiti, and what would happen if we got bit by a tarantula. I wonder if God is working through our lack of wifi to bring us closer together in these first few days. At the end of the night, Tom taught us the importance of being a sponge and not a rock and we ended the night munching on peanut M&M and pulling each other's leg. It's been such a lovely day and we welcome a good nights sleep! As I am writing this, I have to share that Anne, Miriam, and Kathleen have all agreed that they are happy they came, and just hearing that makes me so happy. I am so ready for Day 3.
~Abigail
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