Road Building
Raymond observed the lack of roads hampered the flow of commerce. Raymond found an old Cat in the bush which he secured the right to its usage though his Senator friend.
The steering crutches and brakes did not work. With the lack of the capacity to steer, while backing up dragging the blade, he had a man walk on either side to adjust the blade down to make the old Cat turn. He had to add 3 barrels of water and 1 barrel of fuel per day to keep the old create going.
He built 10 miles of roads that summer with the old Cat. This linked 3 communities to the outside world. No longer did they have to carry their supplies in 10 miles and their wares out 10 miles. Now there are 2 trucks a day going in and out of those communities. This accelerated the economy.
Raymond told this story to some friends while at Montezuma saying he wished he had saved money back to buy a Cat and continue to build roads. It was suggested that he ask for cash to fulfill his request. He said he was too proud to do this. One of the bystanders asked if he could ask.
This is where Hope for Haiti came into being. $70,000 was borrowed at the bank and a D-6 Cat was bought. The calls went out and people stepped up to bat and the note was paid off in several months.
The next year a grader was needed. So the same call went out and the people stepped up again and a Cat maintainer was paid for. Next, a Cat track hoe was provided by a generous donor which expedited road building! To date over 350 miles of road have been built or restored. Then a community wishes to have a road built, they are required to raise funds to pay for the fuel.
