The Bridge Committee

Last week, we held our first official community meeting for those interested in helping with the Bridges to Prosperity (B2P) pedestrian footbridge proposal.   We had an astounding 109 people in attendance!  The people contributed a great deal of information that will aid in our making the case for the social, economic, educational, and medical benefits of the bridge.  We planned to meet again with Msye Henri Michel, the head of the Bridge Committee, once Dan arrived with the B2P manual to measure the span of the riverbed.

Our meeting was scheduled for 3:30 PM Sunday afternoon.  As we crossed the riverbed, B2P manual and tape measure in hand, we saw a crowd of more than 100 people gathered to help us.  We measured the span of the riverbed and found it to be 680’ from bank to bank and 280’ (85 m) from one of the banks to a place suitable for placement of the other platform.   

Just as we were finishing up, it started to pour down rain.  We ran up the road in the muck and the mire to Msye Henri’s house with our Haitian entourage and had another impromptu meeting.  We went over the different aspects needed for the proposal (e.g., daily crossing survey, census of communities to be served, and delineated which aspects they would be responsible for.  We elected a head mason and carpenter who will work with Msye Henri to form a 10-person team.   I think that may be quite a daunting task given the fact that everybody wants to be a part of it.

On our way back to the house, we had to traverse quite a rough terrain.  The rain had caused the water to rise and there was mud covering everything.  Prince Dan, with his nice dry tennis shoes, did his best to stay dry.  He walked up and down the river bank looking for an ideal spot to cross.  Recognizing his attempts to stay clean, one of the Haitians standing nearby walked over and picked him up piggy-back style.  It was a sight to see no doubt!  Dan, a full grown (almost) white man, clutching to the back of a Haitian.  I thought I'd die from laughing so hard.  After a few pictures (to be added later) and joking around with the guys about how I was tougher than Dan, we moved on. 

It has been quite overwhelming to see the support we have in this project.  Both Dan and I have our doubts about the technical feasibility of the project and have discussed scrapping the work that has already been done for the Campeche location in order to relocate to a seemingly more feasible spot.  However, after seeing the hope and pride the people of the community have taken in helping us, I really feel I have no choice but to complete it.  Sometimes it is not about success or failure.  Rather it is about dreaming big and allowing others to be a part of that dream.   Who knows…maybe it’ll work out.  Never stop shooting for the stars.  If you miss, you might just land on the moon.