Our first 24 hours in Haiti have been full of surprises and
blessings. I knew this trip was going to be one filled with many blessings once
we were in Fort Lauderdale and eating lunch. The change from my meal was given
to me in 2 dollars and 5 dimes. For those of you who don’t know me- I see dimes
as a message from God and take finding dimes very seriously. Although the
airport was full of craziness and new experiences, we made it through pretty
smoothly considering the situation. I took the cattle truck to the compound
from the airport and am so glad I did. As we rode through Haiti, I was so
surprised by the number of people just walking along the streets and selling
things on the side of the road. I was so surprised by how strong those women
are carrying huge baskets and buckets on their head. The colorful signs and
trucks were filled with so much joy! My favorite sign said “Praise Jesus” in
red letters with a yellow background. Not only was it one of the few signs I
could actually read but I also loved the message. Also, driving in Haiti is SO
different. There are no road signs, speed limits or rules apparently. There are
two lanes on the road but those lines must just be just a suggestion because we
were all over the place. You have to drive fast enough to keep up with all the
other traffic or you will get passed by the other trucks and motorcycles. All I
could think of as we passed the huts that barely had a roof let alone running
water or the trash that just littered the side of the road, was how beautiful
this country is. What some might have seen as disastrous I saw as a place my
heart had been longing to be in for so long. I am so thankful for this
experience and it’s only the first day.
Today, we went to church at MPCA. The whole group loved how
wholeheartedly the Haitians worshiped. They were so focused on loving and
praising the Lord with all their heart that they seemed to forget everything
else in their life. Our group got up in front and sang “How Great Thou Art” and
stepped out of our comfort zone by singing the chorus in creole. The
congregation found it cute and comical. Some of them even recorded us on their
phones. It was cool to see that, because while they sang we videotaped them. It
put us on even ground with one another.
While the group relaxed, read books, swam or napped this
afternoon, Deb met with the Community Agents and was so blessed with their
urgency to learn.
The weather has been surprisingly cool, especially at night.
Actually as I write this, I can hear a storm rolling in on the ocean and the
breeze is something that we for sure are not taking for granted.
Tomorrow, we head to Saint Marc to teach VBS. I am
especially excited because this is where my sponsor child lives and I am
praying so hard that she shows up tomorrow so I can meet her. I have been
writing to her for a year now and although she never answers the many questions
I ask her, she does draw me cute
pineapples that I hang all over my room with pride.
A note to my family: I love you all so much and can’t wait
to tell all about my adventures, but until then, I found our vacation place for
next year ;)
With Love,
Emma
