Kenscoff Mountain Walk - Part 2

 

I love the Kenscoff area. There are mountains behind mountains!

This is Amos striking a sailing in the wind pose on the back of Kimosabee :)

The farms in this area have lots of topsoil.

You can tell the path the rainwater takes when it rains.

The clouds were hanging low that day. For part of our drive to Godet we drove through a cloud.

You can't see far with the clouds but the view is still great!

Downtown Godet.

Evidence of erosion a the side of the road.

Unloading our supplies by the Godet market.

The Godet outside market building.

The guys are getting ready for the hike!

The road was a good quality road almost all the way to Pastor Pierre's nearest church. Heavy rains in June destroyed the road. This is the good part of the road leading down from the Godet outside market.

Here you can see the mountains beyond mountains view!

2 teddy bear guards are the security for this property on the Godet road.. A voodoo curse on anyone who dares to trespass :) People will take these teddy bear guards seriously!

Looking down the Godet road.

Admiring the view before heading off on the hike!

It is a shame that the road was damaged. Before June trucks were using this road.

A mountain woman carrying a heavy load of onions on her head. People will walk for hours in the mountains with heavy loads like this on their heads. Women are just as strong as the men!

After the visitors headed down the Godet road I turned Kimosabee around and started heading back down the mountain. I felt like someone was staring at me and there was... this big cow!

This is one healthy cow!

Heading down the mountain I gave a ride to some of the walkers who were carrying loads down to the main road.

The rest of the pictures of Kenscoff I have are from Adrian's camera.

A view of the Kenscoff area.

Their walk to Pastor Pierre's church begins!

A small house is being built on the mountain side (maybe it will be a boutique to sell supplies to people walking on the Godet road.

A barbed wire/branch fence.

Houses lower down the mountain slopes.

Terrace farming on the mountain slopes. Some of these slopes are 70 degree angles. A challenge for a farmer!

The long and winding mountain road!

Taking a rest to take in the view. People from Pastor Pierre's congregation hauled the supplies for the trip carrying them on their head. They were excited that foreigners were paying a visit to their mountain area :)

State Exam Results - Elementary School Graduates - 5eme/6eme AF

 

The results for the government exams for 6eme AF (last year of elementary school) have been released. The national pass rate is 77%, which is a good average. Out of 105,141 candidates who wrote the exams in the West department (of which Port-au-Prince is part of) 81,089 candidates passed. For the 2nd consecutive year our students completed 2 years in one (5eme and 6eme AF) and for the 2nd year we had a 100% pass rate. All 12 of our students passed the state exams. We registered our students along with the Ecole Evangeliste and in total 32 out of the 33 students passed. Sherri Fausey is an American missionary who has a school in the Delmas 31 neighborhood as well had a 100% pass rate for the 26 students that her school sent to the state exams. It looks good for our Delmas 31 neighborhood. We have good schools and good teachers at these schools. Pray for the students as they prepare for secondary school :) Attached are some photos of 2 of our teacher leaders at our school Jn. Eddy Alexandre, and Josue Marcelin. Josue Marcelin is the teacher of the Grade5/6 class. On the last day of classes in June we had a parent/teacher meeting and the graduating class was presented with haitian creole bibles ( a gift from bibles that were donated to us from Providence United Reformed Church in Strathroy. After completing their education here at Coram Deo we hope to place them in a christian secondary school in our neighborhood Ecole Evangeliste. Pray that we can find sponsors for this year graduating class.

Jn. Eddy Alexandre and Josue Marcelin are the leaders of our school program here at Coram Deo. Jn. Eddy is responsible for the 3eme/4eme AF and Josue Marcelin (Amos' older brother) is responsible for the 5eme/6eme AF program.

Our elementary school graduates for 2013. All 11 students wrote and passed their state exams. Not only did they their state exams but they completed 2 years of education in one year, completing both 5eme and 6eme AF :)

For the 2nd year in a row we had a school pass rate of 100% in the state exams.

The students worked hard this year, studying extra time. The teachers came in on Saturday mornings to work a couple of hours with our state exam class. The teachers gave the students a kiss at the parent/teacher meeting when the students were presented with their report cards. The 5emeAF had to wait until today to await the results from the government of their passing to secondary school.

The teachers are proud to have students willing to work extra hard to complete 2 years of education in 1 year.

The graduates :)

Kenscoff Mountain Walk - Part 1

 

Jake, Adrian and Janise Tamminga wanted to spend a night in the mountains of Kenscoff. Visitors in the past have spent a few hours hiking in the mountains and this was a first for us to organize this. It is a good way to meet the people who live in the area of Pastor Pierre's churches.

Kimosabee had no problems driving up to Kenscoff! The most important thing that we needed to make sure of with this overnight trip is to bring drinking water. There was a cholera outbreak in the mountain area the visitors would be visiting and we wanted to make sure that they would be safe with the drinking water.

People who live far away in the mountains have to have strong legs and a strong back. Things that people have need to be carried large distances usually on their heads.

Behind this tall grass is a house.

A teacher/church worker of Pastor Pierre's is seen leaving the doorway of the grass hedge.

Behind the tall grass is where Pastor Pierre lives with his family. His wife is holding onto Jeff Jr., their youngest child. He was just waking up from a nap when we arrived.

We spent a few minutes at Pastor Pierre's home before driving up to Godet for the mountain walk.

This is the home where Pastor Pierre lives with his family.

They have a small yard surrounded by grass, trees and banana plants.

A view of a neighbours green onion field is seen through a gap in the vegetation.

His yard is a cozy area to relax.

When it rains, the water drains from the roof into a covered water cistern in the ground.

We had a quick tour of the property.

Amos looks like he is ready to have a long rest!

We headed up the mountain road/trail towards Godet.

It was a scenic route. Everything is green from the regular rains in the mountains this time of year.

The mountain scenery is beautiful.

There are steep slopes leading off the side of the road.

When it rains water raises through this gully.

During rainfall it is dangerous to walk in certain areas of the mountains.

Janise took the photos while I was driving. I didn't want to drive off the narrow road while taking photos:)

It was a cloudy day, which made good weather for hiking.

You can see that the road to Godet isn't very wide. I was praying that we wouldn't meet up with another vehicle coming from the opposite direction.

Lower down the mountain development is taking place. Large homes are being built with scenic mountain views.

The cloud cover was hanging low that day.

I kept both hands on the wheel and kept as far away from the edge/drop off that I could :)

Every now and thn I would peek out to enjoy the scenic drive :)

A metal gate shows the view inside this property.

We passed this woman and her horse.

This curious cow was watching our progress up the mountain road :)