He obviously wasn't done. . . .

A year in the making, today was mostly about installing solar power in Chiraque.  From yesterday's blog post, you already knew we almost didn't have the services of our expert installer from Good Samaritan. . .and that we couldn't locate one set of parts we thought had been delivered to Jeremie in December (more on this in a minute).  It seemed we made shoe-string catches by nightfall. . .

. . .but it was a restless night, almost as if some of us hadn't fully everything through.  Yes, our Haitian friends showed really creativity and initiative in making security brackets to hold the panels, to replace some of the parts that were missing. . .and by morning the red lights were blinking because we were also missing ALL the cables and connectors.  Our installer friend said he could juryrig the installation, but it would take longer. . .maybe enough longer that we might not finish today (and he's gone as of 4:00 am Sunday morning). . .and it wouldn't be the more robust "factory" solution.  

Maybe that wee small voice inside we sometimes hear chimed in. . .when we tried to find the missing parts the preceding day we were all looking for a long package. . .but maybe the cables and connectors were in a box that got separated from its long, skinny cousin. . .so, the installer went off to  buy whatever he could for a makeshift installation and others went back to the storage depot to look, minds retrained, for a different size wayward package.

And the Big Guy stepped up again for, lo and behold, there she be. . .the missing and intensely coveted parts box. . . 

. . .now all we needed to do was find an alternate 2nd vehicle to move our party of 12. . .and all of our daily gear, AND a portable generator. . .to today's work sites. . .most to Chiraque for the solar installation and equipment rooms painting, and Scott and Jill to the Gebeau Clinic to see eye patients.  Our church hosts, usually reliable in the transport front, have cancelled out in two successive nights for the next day.  

While irritating, our Haitian support team located a friend's pick-up truck. . .available for a "small" fee. . .right now.  We paid what the market should bar in that circumstance for we had a lot to do and no chance to putting it off or taking more than one day to get.it.done!

The rest is history, as the pictures that follow illustrate.  Yes, we had to deal with a rain shower, and find ways and means to rework our Haitian bracket solution to eliminate any significant shadow cast on the panels but such brackets. . .a little shadow can effectively render an entire panel useless until the shadow is gone with the passing of the sun.  

The village was so excited when the switch was finally flipped and lights came on in their sanctuary.  I regret not having a picture of Pastor Felix, whose smile was ear to ear.  He was happy, and you should be too for helping bright light into Chiraque's darkness. . .for enabling the world's "content" to hopefully educate and inspire Chiraque's youth, perhaps accelerating a rise in Haitian living standards.  Blessings!  John Smith