April 16, 2006
A Special Message from David Nichols in Charlotte:
Friends of OFCB Ministries:
Following on the initiation of the Internet at OFCB Ministries in Bayonnais,
Actionnel now has his own e-mail address:
Dimilsaint continues to use mdimilsaint@yahoo.fr but can now see it at the school.
The U.S. telephone number of the OFCB office through the Internet phone is: 716 941-7464
Since the electrical system is not running all the time, the computer/Internet/phone system is not available all the time. It is usually turned on part of the afternoons and evenings on weekdays, and perhaps part of Saturday and Sunday afternoons. When Actionnel is on his regular schedule, he will see his e-mail most days according the above schedule.
An engineering consultant will visit OFCB in late April to work on the controls for the solar/generator system. He will be able to talk with the EWB engineers in the US using the new Internet phone (a cordless one, so he can be near the solar system controls). The EWB engineers have been working hard to develop instructional and operating materials in English and French to help the consultant train OFCB people to maintain the system. Meanwhile, light bulbs have been changed to compact fluorescent bulbs and switches are being installed so that lights can be turned of when lights are not needed. The objective is to run the generator as little as possible, relying as much as possible on the new solar power system.
Now that the Internet and network wiring to the computer classroom is in place, and the solar system is going to fulfill its promise of low-cost power much of the time, the situation with the old computers needs to be addressed.
Currently, the computers at the school are not being used much because of the high cost of diesel fuel. An application has been made for a grant to replace the 10 year old high power consumption (and heat producing) PC's with current basic laptop computers and Microsoft Office software. They would use about 75% less power (and produce 75% less heat in the room). The application is in competition with others. A number of grants will be made. We won't know until July if the grant will be awarded to OFCB.
Meanwhile, if anyone has thoughts of how to get 20 or so new basic laptops for substantially less than $500 each, please let me know. Ditto for the Teacher & Student Edition of Microsoft Office, often available in stores at about $150. They need to have computers that are basic and homogenous, i.e., all very similar in construction for ease of understanding and maintenance.
The view of the impact of the Internet on education in Bayonnais is nonexistent at this moment. The potential is enormous! They are starting from scratch. Those of you involved in education in the U.S. can imagine some of the possibilities in student education (K-13), teacher education, extension into subjects they cannot teach now and possibly a junior college! Getting networked laptops running on the new solar system will give OFCB a great basic system to jump into 21st century education.
On April 28, College Classique de Bayonnais, which is the high school founded 10 years ago, will have its 10th anniversary celebration. They are having speakers from other places to inspire the students, parents and the whole community. They hope to have some food and soda for several thousand people. It will be a big time for the school and the church in a community where fellowship is a big inspiration to some of the poorest people in our hemisphere.
If you wish to participate in this important time in Bayonnais by contributing some of the funds needed, please send a check marked "10th anniversary" to:
South Mecklenburg Presbyterian
Church
8601 Bryant Farms Road
Charlotte NC 28277
Attention: Mary-Katheryne Zagora, Financial Administrator
Thank you for your support for the work of the school and church!
Speaking of support, major progress has been made on the bridge across the river this month. Two engineers from the U.S. led a large Haitian construction crew through building the four beams across the previously-built piers in the river. They hope to have another construction session in May to build the roadway on the beams. Here's what it looks like now:
The current way to cross the river now is to wade through the area on the far side of the bridge in this Pictures. This is the way whether it is an adult, child, animal, or, very occasionally, a vehicle. The water level varies according to the rainfall. The bridge will be a great thing for the community on this main road (it does not look like what you would call a main road, or even a road).
WAIT, there is more GREAT news!
A ten-person medical team - doctors, nurses, EMT's and others from eastern VA and NC are going to Bayonnais on April 24th. This is the FIRST MEDICAL PEOPLE TO GO TO BAYONNAIS. They will spend several days running a clinic in the church at OFCB. Please pray for a wonderful experience for all - those giving of their time, talents and help with medicines and equipment, those hopeful for help with the illnesses, and for the first step of (hopefully) future such trips leading up to the establishment of a permanent clinic (later hospital) staffed by OFCB students now in college.
Dr. Justin Broughton will be leading the team, which includes three doctors and three nurses. Actionnel and Dr. Broughton had a chance to meet last summer to talk about this trip. Finally the political climate in Haiti has improved enough to allow the team to go to Bayonnais.
David Nichols
Matthews NC
704 847-3059 if you have questions
About 75 people in the U.S. are receiving this e-mail. The e-mail addresses are being suppressed to protect those who do not wish their address to be sent out.
