Beds, Business and Bayonnais
The Beds!
So I agreed…I searched the internet for simple wood bunk bed designs, I found some attractive pictures to base my design on. We got right to it and built the first bed as a prototype right away. They all loved it. So, I bought more materials and we built and delivered the first three. Then I was out of cash…the foundation was sending the money down here so we had to sit on our hands for a couple of days…like I said, lumber is expensive down here! While we were waiting, there was a bit of a design change, they wanted the top beds a little bit lower. We changed the design, reconfigured our cuts for the least waste and moved on when we were able to buy the rest of the material.
The finished product turned out wonderful. They are made from 2×6 lumber with 1/2 inch finish grade plywood for the mattresses to rest on. We puttied the holes, routered the corners, sanded and applied two coats of varnish. We got 12 beds done in around 2 weeks and we were able to squeeze a little profit out for our work.
Jean Phillipe – my partner on this project |
Actually, I am just pretending to be varnishing for the camera |
Truck loaded with the parts to assemble six beds |
Some of the finished beds in the girls dorm |
These are their old beds that are being replaced by my beds! |
The Business –
This bed project is exactly what I had in mind for a school and business. I will secure contracts from orphanages, churches, schools and other organizations to build things like beds, chairs, tables, desks, book cases, cabinets…and so on. My students will work with me as apprentices at first and as partners or subcontractors as their skills allow. As they progress, they will gain experience in the trade and knowledge about how their trade can be a successful business. These contracts will allow the school to keep itself funded by producing something instead of it living from donations forever.
Bayonnais –
I have mentioned in the past that I am looking at an area about an hour away from Gonaives to start my first professional school. I have had several meetings with one of the community leaders from the area to discuss mutual goals for the area. They are interested in donating the land for a professional school in their area. Saturday, I wend out there again and walked around the potential school site. I am a little scared about getting something for nothing, but after much deliberation, I am planning to take him up on his offer and start my first school there. It is a pretty good size piece of land right next to the community market. The market area could prove to be a great opportunity for my future carpenters to practice…building tables, chairs, stools, sun shades for the vendors in the market area.
To make this work, I will need some help. I will need to purchase a vehicle, materials for construction of the school and the tools we will work with in the various disciplines that will be taught. My initial plan will start with English, carpentry and computer skills. Our school will have covered areas with light to allow children in the community to study after the sun goes down.
My sister has set up a corporation for this purpose and we are currently wading through the waters of the IRS to get a non profit 501c(3) status. I will keep you informed as to when donations can be accepted by that corporation, but for now…you can still contribute to my work down here through my church. If you would like to make a one time contribution, you can go to Journey Church’s Donation Page and select “Scott Peters – Haiti” from the drop down box. Or if you would like to sponsor me with a monthly contribution of $10 to $100, you can do that from the top right of this page where it says “Monthly Support for My Mission”
This area is very beautiful with mountains, trees and small rivers, but it does not have much infrastructure. I think this school could be a great benefit to the area short term and long term.
God bless you and thank you for your support and prayers.