Here is a quick recap of what we have done.
Yesterday, we had a considerable delay in Miami so we got into the airport at Port Au Prince quite late. We got in the line for customs and I was so proud of the kids for greeting the Haitian customs and passport control staff in French or Creole. So many Americans do not make that effort, and it is too bad, because the rewards you get for that effort are so great. The Haitians were smiling and talking back to the kids and truly took pleasure in the efforts that the kids made to be courteous and friendly. I was proud of them.
After getting everyone through customs and then passport control, and an extensive and interesting effort to reacquire our luggage, we proceeded to the exit where we were met by mission staff who had come to pick us up. We loaded up the truck, and drove from Port Au Prince to the suburb where we are staying (Bon Repos). We did all of the sign in for the hotel and got our rooms (they really are very nice for a missions trip) and we ate dinner. We got there so late that the dinner was over and they went and picked up pizzas from a new Haitian pizza place nearby.
We got settled in and went to bed to rest up for today.
Morning came pretty early, but we had some rise-and-shiners who were up around 6am. The other groups had set alarms for later. We were all at breakfast by 8am, ate and got things ready to go. We loaded up the truck and headed down the street to visit The Lighthouse, an orphanage run by Jesus in Haiti. They showed us around and we learned about that ministry. The orphans were all away at camp except for one, a blind boy named Jovens who joined our group. We were amazed when he played keyboards for us. He is a very talented boy!
We went from the Lighthouse out to the Mission property. We spent the day in service, painting the benches for the school and painting a wall of the new church. It is very hot and they were working in the sun and they did great. We just filled up our water bottles and dug right in. They got a lot of work done in the few hours that we were there. There were a few older children who live nearby who came by to see what was going on and joined in. It was great for us to get to talk to Haitian kids our own ages. We ate lunch out there, making special peanut butter sandwiches with Haitian style peanut butter and got to try four different kinds of Haitian Jelly made with fruits we don't see in the US. As a snack in the afternoon, we got to try sugar cane - fresh from the market!
IT gets dark fairly early this close to the equator, so we headed home. We had about an hour until dinner so the kids swam or showered. Then the Haitian staff at the hotel had prepared a full Haitian meal and the kids dug in. They tried things that they hadn't ever had before, and the meal got good reviews.
We had reflections and prayer after dinner and discussed out itinerary tomorrow. After that, most were very tired. Many were journaling and then going to bed.
Tomorrow, we are visiting the villages of Cabaret and Transformation. We will visit homes of older ladies who attend church to have conversation and let them feel loved. We will be eating lunch at a Haitian Restaurant and then will be going to Transformation to help with a Kids Club. This should be a GREAT DAY!! We also are expecting that the playground we have purchased for the school as the target of our fundraising efforts will be delivered tomorrow. We remain flexible but optimistic in that expectation.
I will update with photos if I can get a better connection. Right now it takes so long that it keeps timing out, but if I can get a better connection, I would love for you to be able to SEE some of the great things we are doing as the hands and feet of Jesus In Haiti.
We continue this adventure, praying for servants' hearts! Please keep us in your prayers as well!
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