The sun is rising, oatmeal cooking on the stove. The electricity had been on most all night and has our battery banks fully charged and will keep the fridge and a fan running until 6:00PM. The chickens have just come down from their mango tree roost and are begging for their June Bug [beetles] treats. The bugs are attracted by the scores to our security light during the night and end up in a tub of water below.
Last Sunday at English Bible Fellowship, I met Allen & Terri from SonLight Power Inc. SonLight is a ministry of it’s own, installing solar systems around the world to help meet the needs of schools, churches, and ministries in developing countries with clean renewable power. They were here to do an installation for fellow missionaries Hudson & Lucy Hess. Immediately I recognized SonLight from the three solar projects that our friend Jim Pankratz had installed here. Allen invited me down to review Hudson’s project when they get it finished, possibly Tuesday afternoon, and I asked if I could tag along when they go out to review Jim’s projects. I was excited about the ability to get some hands-on exposure to Solar power and learn some basic trouble shooting.
Monday was spent getting information for parts for LifeWater and also getting the OMS tractor to do a cab and bed change on their truck.
Tuesday morning we were able to do the truck change over and be ready to head for the typical airport run for MFI at 10:45. As it turned out the plane was delayed and we ended up unloading in between bouts of rain about 4:30PM, finally heading home at 6:30.
Wednesday I had planned to tag along with Allen & Terri to check on Jim’s three projects but they were busy till noon with Hudson’s project and we would go in the afternoon. It was good to spend time with them and “pick their brains” about solar, visiting two churches/schools out in Bau-Limbe that I not been to in a couple of years due to the distance and difficult roads.
Thursday it was back to the airport for MFI, Allen was anxiously waiting for an inverter that was being rushed in to finish Hudson’s project as the one that originally was shipped was incorrect. I rode back with Hudson & Allen to look at Jim’s third solar project as it was near the airport, then it was off to the streets of Cap-Haitien to pick up some last minute electrical parts to complete the project. We were finally able to fill our shopping list but not before school let out causing traffic jams, Cap’s own version of “rush hour”. At the airport I had volunteered if I could be of any help to SonLight with getting their project finished I would be glad to help as I had the rest of the day free. Allen said that would be great as they had at least 4 hours of work ahead and due to the wrong part snafu had already extended their trip a few days. We finally were back to the Hess’s at about 4PM, they had left for the airport at about 9:30 AM so after a meal it was off to work. After some direction I was able to start doing some wiring changes to the main service panel while Terri and Allen were connecting up the replacement inverter. Soon we were working by flashlights trying to get the power connected. By about 6:30 Terri was doing some final checks and slowly turning on the system while doing multiple tests. Soon we had lights again, we were running off of what the sun had stored in the batteries during the day. A local friend of Hudson’s took two of us home, it was dark and raining but a great sense of satisfaction that the Hess’s were back up and running. They have not opted to connect to EDH [the power company] due to the high cost for a connection where they are and small amounts of time that it might be on.
Friday I finally was able to install a new water pump and timing belt in the Isuzu Rodeo that T-Lewis has so graciously lent us. The information that came with the belt showed it to be a 4 hour job but, here in the yard, lacking a few tools, and saying many prayers, Geslin & I were able to get it finished in 6.
Maybe today Jane & I can get down and visit the Hess’s, finish tightening a few electrical connections with the proper size allen wrench that we had been lacking on Thursday.
God continues to show each day were we can be involved with the Haitian people and come along side of the other missionaries here in whatever their ministry may be.
Bud
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