Working as One...

This pass weekend was Heritage in my Village. Each year the Sunday before the week long festive start for Independence day, a different village will host Heritage Day. This year it was my village's turn. It is a day long event which includes a Church Service in Creole (The Local Language), the opening of the Flower Show Site (My Village is KNOWN for their flowers), an exhibit of flowers, fruits, veggies, arts, and cultural sculptors, and we ended the night with a cultural gala to demonstrate the different dances, songs, and traditions. One of purposes of Heritage Day is to showcase, understand and be proud of the past. Get into the roots so they are not forgotten!

Click HERE for Pictures!

Before all of the above can be done, there was A LOT and I mean A LOT of work to be done! The prison system has an amazing program for the prisoners who are on 'good behavior!' They are able to leave the prison (with a guard) and do different type of work all throughout the island. A lot of the work involves beautification of land, building stages for events, working on houses. If a prisoner comes into prison with a skill and are on 'good behavior' then they are able to go on these special outings. My landlord's husband is in charge of deciding what prisoners are able to assist in the different actives. There is a cost that is involved by hiring the prisoners to do the work, but it is a great deal less expensive then it would be to hire a contractor.

The program is amazing because it allows the prisoners to feel a sense of accomplishment, rewards good behavior in a positive way, and help the villages a great deal. To be honest, we (my village) would not of been able to do all the work we did with out the GREAT assist of the prisoners.

One of the days I had the opportunity to work with them and help clear out the playing field. I did most of the moving the branches to the burn pile as they were on the side of a cliff thing cutting them down. I did not even know how they got up there let allow cut things down from that angle. It was good to interact with them, I do not know nor do I care to know why they are there.. the men were just humans, working hard, playing some football, and enjoying themselves. There was a sense of respect for me as I showed them the same respect.

At the end of the day we are humans, we all make mistakes, some mistakes are greater then others but we make mistakes. If we all look back on our lives, there could be a time when we made a mistake but did not get caught. Sometimes the difference between prisoners and non-prisoners, is one got caught and one did not. These men got caught the act and now have to pay for the consequence of their action. But the individuals do not become dead to society but help to up lift the island. They are still able to use their skills and help to in better the island!