No Gas

First, like you, the price of gas went down.  It has dropped pretty significantly in the last couple months from a high of nearly $6.00 per gallon ($1.59 per liter) to around $3.50 per gallon ($0.93 per liter).  Sounds great to us.  Then, no gas!

So far we have basically been stuck at home for nearly a week.  It is always hard to know in Haiti who exactly is responsible and why shortages like this happen.  The most likely culprit is just poor planning.  Diesel is available (oh, how I wish for a diesel vehicle now!) but there is no gas and some gas stations are totally closed.  Gas has been available roadside by the gallon but the price is up to about 100 Haitian dollars a gallon.  That converts to $12.50 per gallon.  Now the police have prevented people from selling by the gallon because of the price gouging.

Usually we try to be prepared for eventualities like this.  In God's providence, things happened in a way that we were not ready this time.  I keep a couple 5-gallon containers of gas around for just such an eventuality.  But I has taken one to Lagonav to run the generator there.  When I dropped off the Orlando team last Saturday I said to myself, "I don't need to go anywhere for a few days, I won't spend the money putting has in the car."  On the way home several has stations were already closed but it was too late.  So we wait at home.

And to add to the mix we also ran out of propane mid last week.  Since we cook with propane it meant no coffee in the morning and no hot meals for now.  Heather has brought out the solar oven though.  This means we can enjoy fresh baked bread, a little boiled water if we want and today chili.  Amazing what the hot, Caribbean sun can do!

We did enjoy a nice Saturday here at Kaliko with our friends Chris and Leslie Rolling.  We went for a walk.  Spent some time swimming.  After the kids went to bed we chatted for a while before they head home.  It is always great to have time to chat with other missionaries working in Haiti.  Chris has been here for over 6 years and has interesting stories to tell.

So we wait for gas to become available and keep our ear to the ground to see where we might go.  Do pray it will come soon as we prepare for a small team coming on Tuesday.