Castillon

Castillon - it's a name I have heard many times over the years of coming to Jeremie. It is one of the farthest HHF villages one can reach by car - taking about 3 1/2 hours, one way, on a good day. Usually staff go for an entire week to complete all their activities.
Especially for the last hour and one-half, the road is very rough, made of boulders and rocks and almost no ground, wide enough for only one vehicle, with a drop off straight down the side of the mountain.
I had always wanted to go - and yesterday I had the opportunity. We needed to bring more cholera-prevention supplies. And the car would be returning the same day. So, with camera, water, and something to eat, I joined the driver and nurse supervisor - both men - and we set off. The 3 of us shared the front seat and the back was filled with buckets, chlorox, oral rehydration serum, aqua tabs for purifying water , and soap.

The ride was everything I had heard it would be: breath-taking; bumpy, VERY bumpy; slippery at times; scarey when it was slippery near the edge; over many high mountain peaks, so high my ears popped; and, for a short time, driving along a peak with the drop off on BOTH sides of the narrow road. Then the driver said, "we are coming to Castillon," and, as we rounded the corner, I saw the village before me. The entire village is comprised of what you see - though, including all the homes in the surrounding mountains and hills, there are about 2,000 to 3,000 people.

It has no school and no church, so HHF build the building you see in the second picture. It contains rooms for meetings and health posts and has a covered, but open gathering space. A latrine is built next to it.

Because of the lack of a school and church it has been harder to educate the people on health matters. There is a higher illiteracy rate and many children do not go to school. It is a long walk up and down the mountains to the nearest school.

A honk of the horn and people, including the Health Agent living there, soon arrived to unload the supplies. After an update by the Health Agent on the cholera situation in his area, we got back into the SUV and headed home.

On the way back we stopped at Bigarade, another larger village under HHF's health care umbrella and delivered supplies to them. HHF had a larger building there with housing for the Health Agent and family. Again we got both an oral and written report on the extent of cholera in that area.

Three things I had never seen before: the remains of a Spanish fort high in the mountains; the unique way corn is hung to dry; and rows of beans still on the vine and in the pods, hung to dry. I will include pictures of all three next time.

After Bigarade, where the road was wider, we almost had an accident. A motorcycle, coming around a "blind" mountain corner, was in our lane, and, instead of turning Right (back into his own lane), he turned Left (right in front of our car), slipped, and upset the motorcycle, all 3 on the motorcycle tumbled off. Only because we have well maintained vehicles and excellent drivers, were we able to stop in time, both us and the motorcycle just feet from the edge. Everyone was too grateful to be upset, none on the motorcycle were hurt, and the two drivers shook hands before each was on his way.

We got back about 5:30 PM. It was a wonderful day! And I am so glad I finally got to see Castillon!

Till next time. God bless. Mary Ann