Well friends, we have arrived safely back home in Athens, GA. You might see some of us in church today looking rather tired, seeing as we got back around 12:30 am!! Our trip was incredible, and each of us has many stories and memories that we're looking forward to sharing with each of you in person.
There is a story to tell about Haiti, and it's not all sad. There are some beautiful things happening there, and of course, wonderful people! We are extremely grateful for all of your thoughts and prayers over us, as well as your encouraging words.
Be watching for our pictures that will help illustrate our journey and some of the stories we told throughout the week. We will add some final reflections as well!
So wherever this finds you on Pentecost Sunday...be it Haiti, Athens, or beyond... we pray that the Holy Spirit will bless you on this journey we call faith. We were blessed in Haiti, and hope to continue to share those blessings with others!
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
Resting and Waiting
This morning we painted part of a wall in the medical clinic before running out of paint. The flexibility of the island schedule means that there is a lot of hurry up and wait. Once the painting was finished, we played highly competitive games of catchphrase that were very narrowly won by BA, Kristy, and David. Let's take a minute to talk about our culinary adventures. Yesterday we had goat and pumpkin soup, and every morning breakfast has fresh pineapple, papaya, and mango. While touring the school yesterday someone cut open a coconut for us to drink. Everything is full of flavor, even without salt and pepper.
Yesterday afternoon we walked into town and everyone got a coke or a sprite, our first cold drink since leaving the US. So far our afternoon has consisted of playing card games and waiting for our trip to the datrophe plant. All we know about it now is that it makes bio-fuel. We'll tell you more about it when we get back.
(Typed by John)
Yesterday afternoon we walked into town and everyone got a coke or a sprite, our first cold drink since leaving the US. So far our afternoon has consisted of playing card games and waiting for our trip to the datrophe plant. All we know about it now is that it makes bio-fuel. We'll tell you more about it when we get back.
(Typed by John)
Thursday, June 9, 2011
"Life Is An Adventure"
Our plan was to go do the feeding at 8:30 this morning, so it wouldn't be that hot...life is an adventure. Turns out the truck had 2 flat kawoutchou(tires). We didn't leave until almost 10. In the mean time, we were the show and tell in school. Kristy was asked to talk about herself to the classes. They all enjoyed it and laughed at her when she made mistakes. Then, we went to the concrete courtyard and took pictures with the kids. They crowded around us, fought each other to see the pictures, and all wanted to hold our hands and get our attention.
For the feeding, we first went to Phoeton. It was orderly and the people were very grateful for the food. The oldest people came first, then the pregnant women, families, and everybody else if there was food left over. Most thanked us for the food. After we left Phoeton, we went to Paulette. This town is very poor because the factory that used to be there shut down and people lost their jobs. We were accepted very differently. The people were more angry and the crowd shoved to get to the front. The town leader organized the people to make it more orderly and to keep us safe. The feeding was very humbling. It made us realize that we have a lot even when we don't think we have enough. Not everyone got food, so it was depressing to see the hungry people leave empty handed. Then, we climbed in the back of the flat bed for the very long, very hot, very bumpy trip back to Phoeton to see the beach. The water was warm but felt really good. After we left the beach, we rode back in the truck for an even longer, even hotter, still bumpy trip home. We are all sunburned(John more than most) and rested after an afternoon siesta.
It's raining, and it feels really good. We're waiting for it to slack off so we can walk to town and get a coke. Stay tuned for further details of our sweaty Haiti adventures
[Typed by Zoe :)]
For the feeding, we first went to Phoeton. It was orderly and the people were very grateful for the food. The oldest people came first, then the pregnant women, families, and everybody else if there was food left over. Most thanked us for the food. After we left Phoeton, we went to Paulette. This town is very poor because the factory that used to be there shut down and people lost their jobs. We were accepted very differently. The people were more angry and the crowd shoved to get to the front. The town leader organized the people to make it more orderly and to keep us safe. The feeding was very humbling. It made us realize that we have a lot even when we don't think we have enough. Not everyone got food, so it was depressing to see the hungry people leave empty handed. Then, we climbed in the back of the flat bed for the very long, very hot, very bumpy trip back to Phoeton to see the beach. The water was warm but felt really good. After we left the beach, we rode back in the truck for an even longer, even hotter, still bumpy trip home. We are all sunburned(John more than most) and rested after an afternoon siesta.
It's raining, and it feels really good. We're waiting for it to slack off so we can walk to town and get a coke. Stay tuned for further details of our sweaty Haiti adventures
[Typed by Zoe :)]
Yesterday... Hurry Up and Wait!
Sorry for the delay, but last night there was no internet. Yesterday we painted one of the walls in the clinic and in the middle of a seemingly endless task, we kept reminding each other of who we were doing this for. We also encountered the local wildlife... donkeys, dogs, puppies, goats, pigs, chickens, oh and a horse dashing down the road!!
We also packed TONS (like literally several tons) of food. We put rice, beans, vegetable oil, spaghettie, and Zoe's favorite...dried fish that still looked remarkably like fish (and smelled that way too). Pam still has a slightly fishy scent.
Down here education is a gift, not something to be taken for granted. -- John
Everyone worked really well together, and would stop and pitch in whenever they saw a need. It wasn't just us working, it was the school community. Pam
Visiting the classrooms was really interesting, and impressive. The kids in 8th grade were studying physics in French! It was cool to see! -- David
One of the cool things was when you took out your camera, you were mobbed with cute kids who wanted their picture taken and then wanted to look at it on your camera. -- Zoe
Everyone has been so welcoming and willing to teach us Creole. Haiti operates on its own time schedule and you simply live in the moment... we do whatever needs to be done, right then-- painting, making jewelry, packing food, or just sitting and playing a game. It's been great... nou tann ampile "We wait a lot." :) -- Kristy
Beth Anne has alreay headed over to the school so she is hanging out there as we write! She enjoyed sitting in the kindergarten class yesterday as they practiced writing the letter "O" on their chalkboard slates. And they loved having her there too!
So from all of us to all of you...bonjour, man bon jodia a! (Hello and have a good day!)
The Team (Ps. We're all totally healthy and doing well now that we have clean clothes to sweat in!)
We also packed TONS (like literally several tons) of food. We put rice, beans, vegetable oil, spaghettie, and Zoe's favorite...dried fish that still looked remarkably like fish (and smelled that way too). Pam still has a slightly fishy scent.
Down here education is a gift, not something to be taken for granted. -- John
Everyone worked really well together, and would stop and pitch in whenever they saw a need. It wasn't just us working, it was the school community. Pam
Visiting the classrooms was really interesting, and impressive. The kids in 8th grade were studying physics in French! It was cool to see! -- David
One of the cool things was when you took out your camera, you were mobbed with cute kids who wanted their picture taken and then wanted to look at it on your camera. -- Zoe
Everyone has been so welcoming and willing to teach us Creole. Haiti operates on its own time schedule and you simply live in the moment... we do whatever needs to be done, right then-- painting, making jewelry, packing food, or just sitting and playing a game. It's been great... nou tann ampile "We wait a lot." :) -- Kristy
Beth Anne has alreay headed over to the school so she is hanging out there as we write! She enjoyed sitting in the kindergarten class yesterday as they practiced writing the letter "O" on their chalkboard slates. And they loved having her there too!
So from all of us to all of you...bonjour, man bon jodia a! (Hello and have a good day!)
The Team (Ps. We're all totally healthy and doing well now that we have clean clothes to sweat in!)
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
At the End of a Long Long Day
Well, we woke up at 4 am this morning (after a short nap on a comfortable bed) to catch the shuttle to JFK (yes..that's NYC folks) to get on our plane to Santiago. Of course, we had some time to kill in JFK watching the airport open. The flight went well, and we arrived safely.
Unfortunately, our luggage did not arrive safely with us. In fact, it didn't arrive at all. Turns out our bags decided to spend the night in Miami...even though we did not.
Upon arriving in the Dominican Republic, we boarded a bright green (air-conditioned) shuttle for the long ride to the Haitian border... and yes, it was bumpy and somewhat harrowing.
The farther away from Santiago we went, the more rural and impoverished the area became. At the Haitian border, there were tents everywhere. You could see such a clear dividing line between the D.R. and Haiti. The border crossing closes at 5pm, and the militia were definitely on the DR side, but not on the Haitian side.
As our jeeps moved toward Terrier Rouge, we noticed that transportation changed from car to moped to horses/donkeys. We were amazed at the stark contrasts that we've seen already-- people sitting in squalor, holding cell phones.
The Ecole St. Bartholomy stands out in the community as being a very clean, neat place that is well-respected. One of the things that amazed us was the resourcefulness of this place... the clinic has an X-Ray machine from World War II that is in great working order, and the clinic runs off of solar energy and gathering rainwater. So much creativity is exhibited...right up to the prayer labyrinth that is prescribed to lower blood pressure.
We enjoyed playing cards and meeting Son and Lulu, who have become our friends! We're all doing well...eagerly looking forward to bed time tonight and hopefully getting luggage tomorrow. Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers, and we'll update more tomorrow.
Blessings.... from Zoe, John, David, Beth Anne, Pam, Kristy, Trey and the Haiti Team.
Unfortunately, our luggage did not arrive safely with us. In fact, it didn't arrive at all. Turns out our bags decided to spend the night in Miami...even though we did not.
Upon arriving in the Dominican Republic, we boarded a bright green (air-conditioned) shuttle for the long ride to the Haitian border... and yes, it was bumpy and somewhat harrowing.
The farther away from Santiago we went, the more rural and impoverished the area became. At the Haitian border, there were tents everywhere. You could see such a clear dividing line between the D.R. and Haiti. The border crossing closes at 5pm, and the militia were definitely on the DR side, but not on the Haitian side.
As our jeeps moved toward Terrier Rouge, we noticed that transportation changed from car to moped to horses/donkeys. We were amazed at the stark contrasts that we've seen already-- people sitting in squalor, holding cell phones.
The Ecole St. Bartholomy stands out in the community as being a very clean, neat place that is well-respected. One of the things that amazed us was the resourcefulness of this place... the clinic has an X-Ray machine from World War II that is in great working order, and the clinic runs off of solar energy and gathering rainwater. So much creativity is exhibited...right up to the prayer labyrinth that is prescribed to lower blood pressure.
We enjoyed playing cards and meeting Son and Lulu, who have become our friends! We're all doing well...eagerly looking forward to bed time tonight and hopefully getting luggage tomorrow. Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers, and we'll update more tomorrow.
Blessings.... from Zoe, John, David, Beth Anne, Pam, Kristy, Trey and the Haiti Team.
Monday, June 6, 2011
The adventure continues...
New plan... Heading to New York around 10pm, arriving around 12am, leaving for the D.R. at 6 am... Fun times ahead.
In Miami for the night.
Due to Atl delay, we missed our connection. So the adventure begins with an overnight in Miami. Ps... We watched our flight pull out. Yay!!
At the airport... Waiting!
So we're at the Atlanta airport and our flight delay is up to 2 hrs. We're now leaving at 3:50. This means that we'll have an exciting run through the Miami airport to make our connection. More to come!
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