FIXING THE ROAD TO GRAMOTHE...

We visited the United States in June with the news that spring rains had washed away much of the bottom portion of the road leading up the mountain to the village of Gramothe. By the end of June, the entrance area had been completely washed away leaving a 10' ledge from the river bed up to the road making it impossible for persons or vehicles to access.
Here is what it looked like from a distance, notice where the road stops...

Repairing the road has been an extensive work that will most likely continue through the rest of this year. The process, so far, has included renting a bull dozer to push the river rocks around to create a new road area as well as an area for the retaining wall.
As soon as we returned from our summer trip, a team of teens and adults from all around the U.S. came to help. These young people were to be commended for their labor in the intense heat & day to day "thrills" of working alongside of the Haitian workers throwing rocks on a truck & into baskets. Though their thoughts wondered for a bit, their fearless adult leaders kept them on track & well disciplined! We were grateful for their help & appreciate their efforts & example. A lot of work was accomplished that week...

Children came to help throw rocks on the truck.

Assembling the wire baskets.

First row of baskets.

Second row of baskets.

The repairs to this area are far from over. The road is now accessible but there is still at least one diversion wall to build, the retainer wall to be finished, re-routing of the river done & tree planting to do.

The spring rains were hard on other areas of the road too, therefore, other repairs were also needed...
For those of you who have made the trips up & down the mountain road, you will remember the beloved "switch back". It's the first turn in the road where the truck has to stop & do some turning in an effort to continue with its journey. While repairing the road at the river bed, Willem also created a little surprise for you...

YES, that is a wall you see! Security, or the thought of it, is a good thing :)
Next team in is September 30, they'll be the first to experience the newly repaired road to Gramothe, see you then!