Haiti Day 2

Yesterday was my first full day back home.  I loved being with our church family and sharing stories from Haiti.  I am having a hard time keeping my mind focused on things here.  It is hard to put my feelings and emotions into words.  I am thrilled to be back with my family, but there is so much to be done in Haiti.  As I was driving Hannah to school this morning, I thought about the children I saw in Source a Phillipe who did not have the means to attend the small school in the village.  They will not learn basic reading and writing skills and the cycle of poverty will continue.  I packed my kids' lunches as they ate breakfast and thought about what to make for dinner tonight.  They will probably consume more food today than many in the village see in a week.  Their meals are balanced...fruit, veges, protein.  My dinner thoughts reminded me that I will soon need to make a trip to the grocery store.  I really should go today, but I am hitting the ground running.  I have to drop Aaron at school in about 15 minutes and then take Rachel to the orthodontist.  I volunteer at the front desk at Hannah's school from 11-2 on Mondays.  My biggest dilemma about going to the store today is where to fit it in my schedule.  In Source a Phillip or Haiti in general, the first concern would be how to pay for the food.  In some areas it may mean walking hours to get to the market.  Some of the thoughts and feelings will probably adjust with time, but today my heart is still overwhelmed.

Day 2                                                                                                          March 15, 2013

We left the guest house about 5:15 this morning.  I quickly learned that time is relative in Haiti.

The drive was interesting.  Cars drive on the right side of the road....most of the time.  Every spot is a passing zone.  There are very few if any stop lights.  I didn't see any, but I was told there are some.  i don't think it would make a difference.  I had to keep myself from watching out the front window.  It is best to not know what is heading toward us.

We drove to Petit Goave.  It is a coastal town about 40 miles from Port-au-Prince.  As we neared the area where we would board the boat to La Ganove, Pastor Bill jokingly said we should read a Psalm.  He said, "Psalm 91 sounds good.



 

We were driving in Petit Goave and we seemed to just stop in the middle of town.  I couldn't see the water behind the building and was trying to figure out what we were doing.  Claude took this picture of our van loaded with our bags on top.

Bill had told us about the boat, but actually seeing it was shocking to say the least.  The water was shallow so the men from the boat used a smaller boat to take us and our luggage to the larger boat.  Larger is a relative term.  The "large" boat was about 30 feet long and 12 feet wide. 

 

I can't express how relieved I was to be handed a life jacket.  I put it on, snapped it up and wore it the entire trip.  Once we were all on board, I pulled my Bible out of my backpack and found Psalm 91.  Bill told me to go ahead and read it. 

 

 

Psalm 91

 

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."  Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence.  He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.  You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.  A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.  You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.  If you say, "The LORD is my refuge," and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent.  For he will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.  You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.  "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.  He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.  With long life I will satisfy him and him my salvation.

 

The scripture was very calming and I felt peaceful.  I still maintained common sense and left my lifevest on.  Our interpreter, Rodney, told Bill the captain of the boat asked that Bill pray before we leave.  After he prayed I glanced over and saw the name of the boat.

 



 

My dear friend and favorite pharmacist, Shannon, had recommended taking Bonine for motion sickness.  I began taking it three days before the trip.  I often feel sick when riding in the backseat of a vehicle so I was quite certain the four hour boat ride would do me in. 

 

 

The medicine worked.  I also tried to keep my eyes on the horizon.  During the last 45 minutes of the boat ride I started to get a headache, but I think it was due to not being properly hydrated.  I didn't drink a lot of water before boarding or while on the boat because I was not about to have to find something in which to do my business (Ha!).  Since we didn't have much longer on the boat after I started to get the headache I drank some water.  The Bonine will be my new favorite traveling companion.

 

Most of the team found a spot to stretch out and nap on the bottom of the boat.

 

Doctor Rodney

 



Connie

 



Dee

 

Trevor

 

If Pastor Bill wasn't napping, this was his favorite spot to stand and enjoy the ride.



About halfway across, they raised the sail.

 



 

 

The island of La Ganove is about 75 miles off the coast of Haiti, but it was about a four hour boat ride.

 

 

As we pulled up to the coastline of the village of Source a Phillipe, the villagers were there to greet the boat.  "Bonjou."  I was leary of walking down what in my opinion was a crudely constructed plank.  I just grabbed onto the hands of the men helping us down.

 

We were so grateful to hear that some of the men of the village would be bringing our suitcases up to the guest house.  We could have and gladly would have toted them up ourselves, but the bags we checked were heavy.  I smiled when I saw some of the children carrying or pulling some of the bags up.  So eager to be a part.

 

We claimed our beds and walked over to the other guest house to see the additions that had been made since Bill, Connie and Rodney had been there before. 



 A shower with running water and flushable toilets.  PRAISE. BE. TO. GOD!  I was willing to do whatever it took to make this trip, but I was happy to see the addition. 
 

This is the outside of the shower.  The men from the village fill the black container using 5 gallon buckets.  The use a ladder and hand the buckets up one at a time. 



 

Our lunch was set up in the same building.  We were so grateful that lunch was served to us today.  We had lots of snacky stuff packed, but it was sweet of the ladies to do that for us.  After the boat ride, it was the BEST. SANDWICH. EVER!

When we were sitting down for lunch, we couldn't find Rodney.  He had already gone on a house call.  There was a woman in labor.  I just met Doctor Rodney on our flight this morning, but it is obvious he loves the Lord.  He is very humble and so willing to share his talents.  We fixed him a plate to save, but as we were finishing up, he returned.  All seems to be going well with the woman.  he examined her and the babies head is down and engaged.  He told her to let him know when her contractions are five minutes apart.  What a blessing that God is using him immediately.

 

After lunch, those who wanted showered and we took a nap.  Being on the go at 4:30 the past couple of mornings had caught up with us.  We are rested and ready for tomorrow.

 

Dinner was fabulous.  We are treated well.  Beans and rice, fried plantains, pasta in a cream sauce with mixed vegetables, conch and cookies.  There was also something similar to cooked cabbage.  It was okay.  I took a small piece of the conch out of the mixture it was in.  I don't like seafood, but I had never tried it, so I did.  I will add it to the list of seafood I do not like.

 

Bill asked that each of us take a night to lead a short devotion.  It can be just a favorite scripture, a way we see God working here or what we feel He is doing in us.  Connie led our devotion tonight and read from Psalm 146.  After the devotion, we will have a time of reflection each night.  During reflections tonight, Rodney pointed out the changes he noticed since his last trip here and how he sees God at work.

 

We met another team we are overlapping with for a few days out of Virginia.  They are doing construction and they also have a nurse on their team who has been in the clinic and will work with us at the clinic while they are here.

 

Connie said something yesterday that I have rolled around in my head.  She said as Americans we look at the Haitian people through our materialistic eyes.  We think they are hurting for all the things we have.  They NEED to be able to have basic necessities...food, clothing, shelter and medical care.   Beyond those needs, who are we to say?