Part 3: The Construction Story
“When the winds of change blow, some people build walls and others build windmills.”
— Chinese Proverb
And just like that, construction of Lespwa Lavi school academy began. No bulldozers, no jackhammers, no electric tools. Only locally sourced materials and hard labor. Hand-hewn limestone foundation. Concrete mixed with sticks and shovels. Pure sweat, strength and dedication poured into the mountainside.
Our highest priority with construction was safety in design. We promised buildings that would not crumble in an earthquake or collapse in a flash flood. A local construction engineer used a scaled-back model of our original plan to create a classroom building and multi-purpose building. We vetted the plan and materials through a trusted Haitian-American contractor for approval.
On February 9th, four years to the day since our USA team had been in Verrettes, construction workers broke ground on our first school building.
The view looking towards the church building
One week later, bandits armed with AK-47s rode into the neighborhood as part of a massive gang operation intended to take over the Artibonite region. They pulled families from their homes, murdering dozens and kidnapping over 200 people. Gunfire raged around our land for days. Those who could, fled the town. Director Duvelsaint and his wife decided to stay and serve. They kept track of every child in our advocacy program and got food to those fleeing into the mountains.
Then we saw what real courage looks like. The entire construction crew refused to stop working. Despite the USA team’s request for safety, the workers dug the foundation with gunshots echoing just meters away. The men told Duvelsaint that this project was providing hope. It was too important to the community for them to stop.
A light on the hilltop.
The children cannot wait. Education cannot wait.
In a previous blog we told how the community stood against the gangs. Verrettes remains an island of peace in the Artibonite almost 6 months later and set the tone for other communities throughout Haiti to ally with their police force.
We kept this secret to protect these men while they have continued to work nonstop. Now we’re honored to share the faces of these brave men with you.
