Never a Dull Moment

Due to the hard work of the students and Volunteers of LCS, inside the walls of the school is a fully-functioning and self-efficient community. Much of the school’s repairs, cleaning and disposal of waste is performed by these community members, who recognize that, as Catholics, service is a necessary aspect of life. This service not only benefits the school, but teaches everyone the true value of hard work.

Although most work is done by students and Volunteers, there are some exceptions to this rule. About every 2 weeks, when LCS requests more meat for meals, a cow is brought to campus. This week, the cow arrived to the front gates of LCS on Friday, and was then led to the back field of campus where it was tied up. I have to admit, hearing the moo-ing sounds from across campus were a little disconcerting, however the entire experience is something that I will never forget. This morning, the cow was killed and then butchered by a local man and woman. Although I could not muster up the courage to watch the slaughtering, passing by the skull and its insides on the way to Work Hour made the experience that more real.

The craziness of the day only continued when I came back from Work Hour and learned that the PC group would not be making it to Haiti today. Unfortunately, at some point yesterday afternoon a Brazilian aircraft was damaged on the Port-au-Prince tarmac yesterday. The good news was that no one was injured, however the bad news was that the PC group would be delayed until Wednesday. With the entire group stuck in Miami, Father Cuddy and Deacon Moynihan made alternate plans for the group to do service in Miami until they are able to get a flight down to Haiti. Although I was disappointed they will be spending a few less days at LCS than expected, I am thankful that everyone is safe and that all of the hard work and planning of the group will not go to waste. These students have been meeting once a week for the past few months, so I am sure they are beyond anxious to get here and throw themselves into work here.  

The rest of the day was busy, as I prepared the survey on cell phones that I will start distributing tomorrow. With the help of Deacon Moynihan I was able to fine-tune some of my questions, and make sure that I am completely ready for tomorrow. I also spent a large part of the day preparing for phone calls and meetings with employees of a cell phone company here. It is my hope that after speaking with these people I will better understand how cell phones in Haiti work, and what their role is in the lives of Haitians.

I also was able to play basketball again today, this time not completely embarrassing myself. Playing basketball here is a great way to remind me that although my project is important, the temporary anxieties that I might have are ultimately insignificant. At the end of the day, it is necessary to remember to enjoy the people around you, and embrace their love and the community that you are blessed to have.