Chickens and such . . .

Poultry seems to be a major theme of the week. Each day begins with the incessant crowings of the rooster men's chorus. And many daylight hours have been spent learning about chicken and eggs. Doesn't matter which came first. All that matters is building a suitable place for that eternal mystery to take place. Voila, the chicken coop, or coup, I'm not sure.

John is an experienced chicken cooper, having built one in his own yard. The setting and resources are slightly different, but his knowledge of the important principles has been the foundation of the project. As a result, today we will put up fencing around our cemented posts, add a bit of screen wire to the doors of the coop, and we will be finished. The backyard of the Clay's residence will have been transformed from a pleasant, cool place for drying laundry, to a loud, somewhat nasty, miniature barnyard.

It hasn't been easy. Building supplies are tough to find in Port au Prince. It takes at least half a day just to go get supplies, and that is when a ride can be found. And even then, it has been necessary to be creative and flexible. A bit unorthodox.

Why do the chickens cross the road? Around here, for no particular reason.

Anyway, it has been a fun and rewarding project.

But yesterday was the best. We found the place that sells chickens. Despite my suggestions that we just welcome chickens in off the street, we decided that it would be better to buy new ones for the Clays. So we did. Thirty young hens to be delivered to their newly opened spa this Saturday. It is sad that we won't get to meet them. But it is eggciting.

It is exciting that the dozens of eggs produced by these new hens will be given and/or fed to expectant mothers to address dietary deficiencies resulting in extremely low birth weight and resulting complications for infants.

Eggs, like most things around here, are hard to come by. And now, for a few families, it will be a little easier.

It's not much. But it is something. And that's the way it must start. Poverty is not waiting for us to make up our minds about what to do. It is moving right ahead with its devastating ways. Intelligent policy is necessary from the top down, governmental, charitable and religious. But good policy will never be enough.

Haiti has been assaulted and lies injured on the side of the journey road.

Will we tend to them, help them get up and walk, or will we walk on by again?

Do we have any neighbors? Have you been to see them lately?

Sorry bout that. Guess I was destined to get a little preachy this week after all.

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