The ridge beam is up on the main building and the men hang around at the end of this long day of work and look up. They are reluctant to leave, they high five and hug each other; their excitement is palpable says Ray. This is an accomplishment for this crew still learning construction skills. Seeing what they can do, what they have learned and the concrete evidence of their efforts is a high point. They are proud and rightly so. It is a victory against the odds, against the elements, against all the challenges that have led them to work on the construction of the Village Notre Dame de Lourdes. It is a symbol of their power to change things for themselves and for their country. A seemingly fairly minor undertaking for a western crew becomes a symbol of hope in Haiti.
