The Krul Family: Monday in the Village

March 13, 2017

6:15 a.m.

I open my small backpack to make sure I have everything I need, only to have a cricket jump out at me and latch momentarily onto my face. I let out a small cry, then watch as it dive bombs back to earth. Not having the heart to kill it, I shoo it away and it quickly scurries under a cabinet.

“It’s time to wake up Jay!” I look back at the still sleeping form of my husband and wait for a response, before pushing open the wooden screen door. We’ve decided to eat breakfast later so we can head to the market before the sun gets too hot. Not only are we going to get a real cultural experience by exploring the market we are also riding donkeys to get there!

6:30 a.m.

The donkeys and their owners are waiting and we soon embark.

The locals have a lot of fun laughing at us and after getting over our initial embarrassment we all enjoy the ride.

As we make our way the sun slowly rises, bathing the world in a golden glow.

7:15 a.m.

Although it’s still early the market is already in full swing.

We are quickly surrounded by funky odors, and a cacophony of sounds.

Vendors vie for attention, trying to sell their wares, as livestock bellow in fear over their impending slaughter. Not wanting to be merely spectators we make purchases too. I enjoy the bartering, as there is very little opportunity for it in the first world.

Once we’re finished, one of Lemuel’s local staff shows us the devastation Hurricane Matthew caused in the area.

It’s incredible to see how over a meter deep of earth has been washed away, and the little that is left of the numerous houses and buildings, where the waters rushed through.

8:30 a.m.

Lemuel’s one and only school bus picks us up to bring us back to the compound but we soon came to the conclusion that the donkeys are a much more reliable mode of transportation.

The first time the bus breaks down the clutch falls off, it runs out of fuel and there is no more water left in the radiator all at once. At least the road we break down on borders a deserted beach, so we take a little time to explore the area and collect shells.

It surprisingly does not take more than 15 minutes to have the bus running again, so off we go again.

We all let out a groan when not even 15 minutes later it once again rolls to a stop.

We disembark and this time explore an area badly eroded by Hurricane Matthew. 8 minutes later we are on our way again.

After a quick breakfast the team gets to work putting up the new chain link fence. I take this time to write as many thoughts and impressions are swirling through my mind and I don’t want to forget them!

Lunch consists of a delicious meal of chicken, rice and beans and a turnip/potato salad.

After lunch the team heads over to the school to teach computer classes to the Grade 6 class. This is the first time for most of the students to ever touch a computer.

At 2:00 p.m., when school is out, we head to the school bus to catch a ride to the beach with the local teachers from the school. The bus also gives rides to some of the smaller kids who live further away so we all need to share seats as best as we can. Since Jason and I are some of the last ones to get on the bus there is only a partially empty back seat for us to share with a small boy about of about 5, the age of my middle son.

He looks tired and thin and has a small wound on his knee and bumps around his mouth. He is too shy to talk to us and keeps edging further and further away from us until his one leg is almost trapped between the seat and the side of the bus. As I discreetly study him I wonder what life is like for him. When he gets home, will his mother be waiting for him with a hug and snack, the way I wait for my son to come home from school? Will there be somewhere comfortable where he can relax for a while and play? Knowing a little of the harsh realities of the lives of many of the people here, my heart aches for him.

When the last child is dropped off we bump along until we reach a neglected beach.