This morning I headed over to the Lemuel campus around 8:00. Armed with my camera, my mission was to get pictures of everything going on so I could give you an idea of what a typical morning at Lemuel is like…
Since I was entering the campus from the airstrip I came to the pretty blue gate…
Were you to enter from the main road you would come to the main gate which Regilien would open for you.
To my left upon opening the gate is the storage container and the box from the yellow truck. The yellow truck was sent into Port-au-Prince the week along with the water truck. The water tank is going to be transferred from the older green truck to the newer yellow one. They put the yellow box on stilts so that when the green truck gets back it will be easier to put this box on it.
Ahead of me is the Development Office where Gulbert is working on making doors for the new Guest House bath area.
He has taken very rough cut lumber down to a smooth and is now cutting the planks to size.
To my right as I walk in the gate is the school kitchen where I find Mme Wisly. Today’s school meal (cornmeal with dried herring) won’t take too long so she is using some spare time to sort beans for tomorrow. She has been here since 5:00am. She goes to an early prayer meeting and then cleans and sweeps her area and begins preparing the hot meal for the children and staff.
I continue on to the school and get there just in time to catch them raising the flag.
The kindergarteners are busy with their morning routine as well.
All three classes sing some welcome songs together…
…and then greet each other in French.
The teachers help the children practice their greetings.
They then join in a circle for some fun singing.
Kin. 1 Teacher, Kattia, provides the music.
On the way out of the Kindergarten I passed through the office where Wiltha was talking with a parent. Wiltha is now working in the office as supervisor of grades 1-6, disciplinarian, receptionist and secretary among other responsibilities.
By the time I finished all of that, the other classes were in session. There have been some changes in position since the last school post I did so you may notice some teachers have changed classes.
Bergeline is teaching the First Graders about C Cedille (the French C with the tail… I can’t do one in blogger).
Andiose is working on diction with the Second Graders as they read the phrase of the week, “Jesus is the light of the world.”
Mezou is working with the Third Graders on putting the correct heading on their papers. The poor guy was a bit frustrated as I passed by. It seems some of his students were not following directions 🙂
Guillaume is teaching the Fourth Graders about why they won’t have class on Friday, November 1.
Wilnique is grading papers while his Fifth Graders take their monthly exams.
The Sixth Graders were also taking exams. I accidentally missed their teacher, Osslet. He was also grading papers while he supervised the exam.
Djanaika, the only girl in the Sixth Grade, writing her exam.
Back toward the Development Office, the development guys are planting trees. They have been here since 7:00 and have already done a huge amount of work in front of the Guest House. Lenique, our General Administrator has stopped by to check on their work. He has been here since before 6:00 and is always one of the last to leave. Derilus (in the straw hat) digs the holes…
…and Wesner comes behind him and plants the trees.
My next stop is the finance office where Williamso is covering for Krischelle while she is in the US. Williamso is currently studying Administration in university. The universities have a very different schedule – their break is from mid-September to mid-November… just when Krischelle was planning to be gone! YAY!
From the finance office I head into the main part of the Lemuel House (the finance office is in the Lemuel House) where Loring, Marion, Rick and Jenna are having breakfast. Loring and Marion you have already met. Rick is here for two weeks helping out with all kinds of maintenance things… electrical issues, vehicles, plumbing, burnt out appliances, odds and ends for people in the community, and who knows what else will pop up before he leaves on Saturday! Jenna is our intern for this year. She will be teaching English in the school. She is working on writing up a post to introduce herself to you all so that should be coming soon.
Mme Gulbert is busy cleaning the Lemuel House.
Jinel, head of the Hospitality staff, is taking down a list from Mme Celissa…
…who is busy cleaning a chicken for today’s lunch.
After leaving the Lemuel House kitchen, I took this photo to give you a little peak at the new Guest House shower area, then headed back down toward the gazebo.
I found Mme Obert sweeping behind the gazebo. Mme Obert has much to do. She washes, cleans Manis’ office, the gazebo, guest house, and latrines and sweeps the Lemuel House yard!
Back toward the Development Office I find Nadege and Mme Tiferne going for water for the school children to drink.
The school kitchen is the thatch building in the back left of this photo.
As I get back to the Development Office, Lenique is discussing the doors with Gulbert. They have run into a little bit of a problem with the doors are are discussing possible solutions.
Inside the Development Office, Rick writes down some information I need, and then he and Loring show me the list they have been working on of items we need to purchase… it is getting pretty long! 🙁
They then head over to the 4-Runner that they have been working on for the past two days and that has been giving them quite a few headaches! The sunroof was left open last night and we had a little rain so the doors are open so it can air out 🙂
As I made one last round I found Mme Adrien in the school kitchen pounding spices…
…and starting the fires. Mme Wisly was still sorting beans… it takes a long time!
Mme Tiferne was outside of the school with water ready for the students.
And Marion was in the school to do a story with the Kin. 2 students. The two other Kin. classes were so interested she did it with them as well!
Jenna was also in the school today. She is just following classes to see how a normal day goes. She will begin teaching English in the school next Monday!
My last photo as I left the campus was of Rick in the campus’ internet “hot-spot”… yes, this is the best place to get internet on campus.
Some people you haven’t seen in this post are:
Bonita: she is in Canada
Krischelle: she is in the US
Sam: He is in Port-au-Prince picking up materials to finish the church depot
Petion: He is in Port-au-Prince taking care of the switching over of the water tank
Enes: He is also in Port-au-Prince as he helped drive the vehicles in
Manis: He stayed home with Ani so I could go over early
Upon arriving back home Ani and I headed up to the roof so I could get started on this post.
This is where I used to sit to work on the internet…
…but Manis, Sam, and Gulbert made me this nice little office so I could work even when the sun is overhead… aren’t they nice!
So, this is where I am sitting right now…
…and this is my photographer who stood on a chair so she could take the picture at a better angle 🙂 She just left for school with Marion.
Well, that is the end of our tour for today 🙂 Hope you enjoyed it!