Those Who Passed By by Eleanor Turnbull

Those Who Passed By by Eleanor Turnbull

Author:Eleanor Turnbull
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Haiti;missions;Haitian history;pioneer missionaries;development work in Haiti;NGOs in Haiti;Christian biography;missionary biography;Turnbull;Baptist Haiti Mission;International development;international missions;Christian missions;cross-cultural missions;church building;medical work in Haiti;missions in Haiti;BIO026000;REL045000;HIS041000
Publisher: Light Messages Publishing
Published: 2017-07-22T04:00:00+00:00


Water of Sorrows

“Sometimes we are lucky enough to know that our lives have been changed, to discard the old, embrace the new, and run headlong down an immutable course…”

Jacques Yves Cousteau

Water of Sorrows

I think it was in July that a stranger came into the office glad to get to the mountains, away from the sweltering heat of Port-au-Prince, and commented on my sign over the door that read: AIR CONDITIONED BY MOTHER NATURE. Along with introductions, he gave me a card and explained that Jacques Cousteau and his son Jean-Michel were filming a documentary in Haiti. He asked if Jean-Michel and his crew could come interview us. Arrangements were made, and two days later we had a half-day visit and filming with Jean-Michel. We enjoyed talking with him and his team about our experiences in some of the greatest and most beautiful waters of the world.

The young Cousteau laughed as we recounted the story of our friend Cecil and the big stingray he speared. The giant ray rose to the surface and started east, taking Cecil with him as he held fast to the length of the cord which attached to his spear gun behind the ray. Cecil knew he needed help, so as he raced by with the ray in the lead, Cecil grabbed our friend Jack. All I could do was watch in wonder the unlikely display of water-skiing with the ray as the determined engine pulling Cecil who would not let go, and Jack who was the caboose. Eventually, the ray wore down and the attendees at the mission leaders’ seminar enjoyed a much appreciated change of menu!

Then there was the time Ti Jo (an Arab merchant friend) was with us on the South coast. Ti Jo speared a snapper, which he laid by a big sea rock, and surfaced to reload his rubber-strap-powered spear gun. He asked Cecil to go down and get his fish by the rock. Cecil found instead a giant grouper, which sleeping looked like a rock. He speared the grouper. We helped him get it into the boat and were surprised when it spit out Ti Jo’s fish. We took the fish back to the Mission to share with the mountain people who rarely got a taste of seafood.

We also shared with Cousteau and his team the conservation efforts of our sea-loving friend Robert Baussan. He developed a glass-bottomed boat, and for a period of time took tours over Iroquois Reef, home to a greater variety of coral than any other known reef as well as some of the largest sponges in the world. He successfully had the reef declared a national park, but unfortunately no park rules or controls were ever applied.

The film the Cousteaus created contained little of the information we shared during the visit at the Mission. We were able, however, to share our Christian reasons for the Mission and the part we were playing to combat the three issues highlighted in Cousteau’s film Haiti—Water of Sorrows: deforestation, Vodou, and over-population.



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