December « 2008 « Haiti H2O

Jan. 2 -12, 1997

December 16, 2008 — 4:10 pm

Standing: Julie Nieset, Michelle Weiland,Mike Cavagnaro, Shena Dickson, Luther Hansley, Antoine, Ginger Weeber, Ted Schumacher, Greg Baker, Jim Smith, Earnest, Jim Smith, George Saylor, Marcelin, Gary, Kneeling: Stephanie Arbaugh, Stephanie Swaney, Jenny Olivetti, Sarah VanderMolen, Jeff VanderMolen

In January 1997, a team of College students went to Bassain Caimman Haiti with Jeff and Sarah VanderMolen and Luther HansleyÂ (trip with Harvest International). That week we laid 1,000 cement blocks for the walls of the first school building in that community. We carry lots and lots of rocks for the floor of the school and we dug a 20′ pit to serve as a latrine. You may remember the Church had walls but just a pye and tin roof. You may remember the guest house and driving in Baissen Caimman each day. You may remember picking up rocks and exchanging words in Creole with the children. You may remember the hot sun, hard work, great haitian food, cooling off at the beach and Julie’s dramatic winning shot on the basket ball court!

Sarah VanderMolen and Shena Dickson

Jim Smith and the bucket line

Stephanie Arbaugh and Shena Dickson take a break from spreading rocks for the floor.

George Saylor explaining why he is looking forward to getting married.

With her blonde hair, Jenny was like the pied piper for the Haitian girls.

Tell us what else you remember. Post pictures of your own and check out our website to see the progress in Baissen Caimman.

Benji Benne ou, (God Bless you)

Jeff VanderMolen

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Teams

jeff

Dec. 31, 1997 – Jan. 10, 1998

— 3:27 pm

: Katie Brennan by the new school foundation

: Shannon gathers rocks with the kids

: mixing cement for the Church floor

: Cement floor for the Church

: Dec 31. 1997- Jan 10, 1998

: Erin Martin, making room for a window

Backrow: Jeff VanderMolen, Luther Hansley, Edmund, Standing: Sarah VanderMolen, Stephanie Rohrer, Shannon Bowditch, Liz Miller, Erin Martin, Cassie Schumacher, Melissa Noonan, Jackie Berda, Dan Seigried, Kneeling: Jill Morales, Katie Brennan, Mike Bowen, Amy Serridge, Alec Heisey, Lynn Williams, Dadee

In 1998 Sarah and I brought our second team to Baissin CaimmanÂ (trip with Harvest International). We still stayed in the guest house and drove into Baissin Caimman each day. That week the team poured the footer for a new school room. This involves digging a 2 foot trench and filling it with big rocks (gro roche) and cement. We then laid cement block walls. We knocked out block on the first school build to make space for windows. We poured a cement floor and alter for the Church and poured a cement roof for the porch of the Church.

Katie Brennan by the new school foundation

Erin Martin, making room for a window

mixing cement for the Church floor

Shannon gathers rocks with the kids

This picture of Shannon and the Kids reminds me of all the rocks we gathered; whenever I thought we had enough Luther would laugh and send us out for more. The kids had boundless energy as they taught me words in Creole.

“Ki sa sa ye?”

“en creole, roche”

“en anglais, rock”

This was a conversation I would have for years…

Share some of your memories, post photos and check back often.

Jeff

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Teams

jeff

Mar. 3 – 11, 2000

— 3:03 pm

Tressa Assid, Robb Hutton, Christie Jolley, Steve Radick, Shey McGuire, Erin Martin, Amy MB Cumer, Antoine, Bethann Bowman, Tiffany Hickman, Kylie Harvey, Erin Stewart, Dana Nowak, Gary Schulz, Beka Haynie

In March 3 – 11, 2000, we painted the Church both interior and exterior and the doors on both the Church and School. We cleared the brush out of the back lot and planted 56 trees. We also built a roof for the outhouse. You may remember that we also brought down pvc soccer goals and had many great soccer games! It was fun when renee realsized that kids understood some of the french words for ballet poses. I have never seen Haitian kids plie before. With the school enclosed and roofed, this was the first year that we stayed in Baissen CaimmanÂ (trip with Harvest International).

Planting trees

In this ground, the pick was more useful than the shovel

Shey McGuire and Robb Hutton pick and shovel together.

Erin Stewart, Dana Nowak, Beka Haynie, and Amy (Barnick) Cumer paint the Church

: Renee BrewerÂ plies with the kids

Share your photos and memories with us.

Jeff

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Teams

jeff

Dec. 28, 2001 – Jan. 12, 2002

— 2:59 pm

Luther Hansley, Amy Housley, John Fritz, Amy McNulty, Trent VanOnteghem, Christi-An Hansley, Jackie American, Cassandra Sperringer, Shana Simmons, Marsha Michel, Jeff VanderMolen, Alyssa Pasternak, Nicole Johnson, Amy MB Cumer, Julie Johnson, Amy Serridge, Lucner, Emily Sheposh, Gary, Shey McGuire, Gary Schulz, Sherod McGuire, Antoine

Backrow: Luther Hansley, Amy Housley, John Fritz, Amy McNulty, Trent VanOnteghem, Christi-An Hansley, Jackie American, Cassandra Sperringer, Shana Simmons, Marsha Michel, Jeff VanderMolen, Alyssa Pasternak, Nicole Johnson, Amy MB Cumer, Julie Johnson, Amy Serridge, Lucner, Emily Sheposh, Gary, Shey McGuire, Gary Schulz, Sherod McGuire, Antoine

In Dec. 28, 2001 – Jan. 12, 2002, the team came from Bethany College, Point Park College, Wheeling Jesuit and West Virgina UniversityÂ (trip with Harvest International). We dug and poured a foundation for a new school building, Laid block for the second story of the corner school building and poured cement steps for that second floor. We also transplanted 18 of the trees from two years ago and built a wall in the front of the courtyard.Â This was the year we tried to rescue that ill-fated goat.

Trent digs the foundation

Sherod and Shana show they got what it takes!

Amy lays block on the second story building

Shey McGuire, Emily Sheposh, Elanina, Merenell, Lucner, Jeff VanderMolen, Gary Duvall

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Haiti, Teams

jeff

Dec. 26, 2002 – Jan. 2, 2003

December 15, 2008 — 5:22 pm

Back Row: Daryll Daughtry, Jackie American, Lynn Portnoff, Jon Blandino, Pete Brewton, Justin Tatman, Gary Schulz, Will Stephens, Dave Blandino, Charlie Chislaghi, Lucner Front Row: Marsha Dugan, Kelly Dugan, Liz Blandino, Jeff Dugan, Cyrstal Daughtry, Barbara Blandino, Katie Blandino, Renee Boring, Rachel Elek, Tereasa Assid, Sitting: Michah Nagle

Dec. 26, 2002 – Jan. 2, 2003 Friendship ChurchÂ (trip with Harvest International)Â dug and poured the footer for the second half of the new school building. We began work on a new project; a bread oven. We built a roof for the two story corner school building. We ran a Bible School program for the children, painted a mural on the Church and I think, introduced Mime to Haiti.

Digging the footer for the new school building

Gary Schulz raises the truss for the roof.

The bucket line for the foundation of the bread oven.

"Emmanuel - God with us"

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Teams

jeff

Dec. 26, 2004 – Jan. 4, 2005

— 5:19 pm

: Gary Schulz, Marc Portnoff, Pat Driscoll, Pastor Celone, Ruth Portnoff, Luther Hansley, Matthew Hansley, Elizabeth Blandino, Liz Blandino, Leah Tatman, Christi-An Hansley, Anna Brewton, Toto, Jeff VanderMolen, Marcus Hansley, Dave Blandino, Crystal Daughtry, Marsha Dugan Kolbe, Rachel Elek, Will Stephens, Lucner, Darryl Daughtry, Merenel, Kevin Tatman, Charlie Chislaghi, Jake Portnoff

The team from Friendship Church (trip with Harvest International) poured a cement roof for the new two story school building. We dug and poured a footer for a privacy wall for the outhouse and we built a roof for the bread oven. We also ran a Bible School for the children.

Charlie Chislaghi passes cement up to the roof.

The bucket line on the roof.

Will Stephens and Darryl Daughtry

The roof for the bread oven.

Bible school with the children.

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Teams

jeff

Dec. 28, 2006 – Jan.7, 2007

— 4:54 pm

: Ruth Portnoff, Gary Schulz, Ben Fiorillo, Greg Fiorillo, Dave Blandio, Tony Fiorillo, Luther Hansley, Jeff VanderMolen, Sarah VanderMolen, Charlie Chislaghi, Liz Blandino, Elizabeth Blandino, Jamie VanderMolen, Darryl Daughtry, Leah Tatman, Crystal Daughtry, Justin Tatman, Anna Brewton, Al Kolbe, Judy Albert, Ben Johnson, Matt Fiorillo