Haiti - Day 1

This first day felt like a week's worth of experiences and emotions. We woke up at 4 am and headed to the Ft. Lauderdale airport. I actually kept forgetting that we were on our way to Haiti. The morning felt so normal for a trip in America. As our plane approached Haiti, it began to sink in. I was gripped with amazement at the magnificence of the island. Mountains soared up out of the ocean into the clouds. As the plane turned, I could see the glittering of a city nestled into an inlet. The mountains seemed to wrap themselves around this city, almost as if protecting it. But as we came closer, I began to notice a blanket of buildings just stacked up on top of each other covering the base of the mountain. Cars crammed the streets and tents were plopped down in the midst of the chaos of this city. No, this city was not protected. It was filled to the brim with people barely surviving. The drive through the city confirmed this. The streets were lined with vendors who set up little stands right outside the walls of more profitable businesses. They were trying to sell anything from produce to used auto parts to random nick knacks. And there was a smell to the air. It was a mixture of garbage, cooking, and waste. There was no trash system so trash was piled up on the sides of the streets. We would occasionally turn down a street and see locals sweeping the trash to a pile, giving us a glimpse at the work ethics that infiltrated this culture. Animals roamed looking for scraps and so did some of the people if they didn't have anything to sell. As we made our way up the mountain to Chauffard, the towns became smaller and smaller with more farms. We passed farmers farming along the side of the mountains. We passed goats, cows, pigs, and other animals tied up and grazing. We passed rubble from the earthquake. The road got bumpier and scarier as we climbed higher and higher and eventually turned to gravel and rock. We went through clouds and kept climbing. And as we climbed the view got more and more breathtaking.

We arrived in Chaufford around 1:00, just 5 hours after our plane landed. The kids were in school, but I doubt the last hour of their day was very productive. We said quick hellos to some of the adults standing outside and then got settled in the bunkhouse. We were the first group to use the bunkhouse and it was such a blessing. We went back down to the school to observe a little and talk to the teachers. My sweet Maceline (the little girl we've sponsored for a year now) saw me before I saw her. She was sitting there with her eyes so big and a big smile on her face. I got to say a quick hello and give her a quick cuddle. It was perfect. We left and had a meeting to get our bearings. At some point the ladies in the village brought us a pot of noodles with fish in it. My first Haitian meal was exquisite! By the time we were done meeting and eating, the kids had finished school. Some of the kids came back after they changed out of their uniform to play. We got out a football, but they quickly used it to play soccer. We also sang songs and had them teach us some Creole. Julien, our other sponsored child, was there leading the game of football/soccer. He flashed a big smile when he learned that I am "Madame Jon". He is so sweet and respectful and smart. I instantly saw why Jon was drawn to him and wanted to make sure we could help him finish school. We had a worship service that evening. I was blown away at how wholeheartedly the people worshiped. Hands were lifted in praise, voices sang out loud and emotional, and "Amen"s echoed through the building. By the end of the worship service, we were exhausted. We went to bed, but I couldn't sleep. I just lay there amazed at all that I had seen this first day. There are so many needs here, but the people are absolutely amazing. The kids are so respectful. They played like kids. They didn't try to act all grown up, nor did they care about their clothes or who had what. They just laughed and played and were so excited to have new friends to meet. And the adults were so hospitable. The men rushed out to help with our bags, the women cooked for us, and they were all so welcoming at church. I am truly humbled by these people. I am now convinced more than ever that our tv's and our facebook and our busyness takes so much away from our lives. Maybe not for everyone, but for our culture at large. I finally fell asleep but part of me didn't want to. I wanted to hold on to the feeling I had forever. I know that when I go back home, the realities of life that are so evident in Haiti will start to fade.