Papa is our Haitian gardener. He’s more than just a fine gardener, he’s a great fix-it person and is always smiling and friendly…..even in 90 degree weather. He lives in Tarpum Bay with other Haitians working here. Columbus (our property manager) was able to secure a green card for him so he is legal. He comes three days a week on his bike from town at 8 and leaves at 4 and is always punctual. He still speaks his creole French but you can communicate with him pretty well. He has a wife and 4 children in Haiti. He visits them once a year for a month. All the while he is sending money home to support them much like many Mexicans do in the US. There is no welfare or safety-net for him in the Bahamas or from Haiti. His work is his security and he is, in fact, both safe and secure. We have a hard time imagining being separated from family like Papa is. He misses them but, relatively speaking to other Haitians on the island as well as here in the Bahamas, he loves his work and is proud of what he does.