Our first full day in the beautiful country of Haiti was absolutely amazing!
We got off to a late start because some team members thought we have the same time as back at home. Nope, we are in the Eastern Time Zone. We ate and got ready as quickly as possibly as we anxiously awaited our first day.
We loaded up into the Tap-Tap and were off to the Port-au-Prince Airport with hopes to find Sam's bag. After moving to an offsite storage facility we had her bag in hand within 30 minutes--such a relief. Honestly I see it as such a blessing that we all made it to Haiti with every piece of our luggage and everyone safe and sound!
Leaving the airport, we headed into Cite Soleil where we would be stopping to deliver water. We got stuck in a huge traffic jam--yes much bigger and badder than any Minnesota traffic jam you could probably imagine considering they don't have/follow many traffic laws. An ambulance was also stuck in this traffic. Let that be a lesson not to get hurt unless you would like to sit completely still for over a half hour and then move 50 feet the next.
Driving into Cite Soleil would take your breath away. When you think you've seen the worst, there is still way more to come. As the children saw the Healing Haiti Tap-Tap they would shout "Hey You!" that being the only English they know and would bound after the Tap-Tap. As soon as the Tap-Tap was parked next to the water truck there were children surrounding it. Everyone inside basically jumped down the stairs and children were literally clinging to you. I'm pretty positive everyone on our team had a Haitian child in their arms-- and two or more clinging to them-- within a minute. It was so amazing.
We played with the kids and spoke to them in the horrible, broken Creole and said hello and asked their names. We would throw them in the air and catch them or spin them in circles. Megan and I (Maddie) decided to get a game of Ring-Around-The-Rosie going because we both had too many children to hold on to. The game expanded to include 15+ Haitian children and half of our team. It was great to see the children laugh and even greater to see the team members that I love and care about so much smile so big! I honestly loved every second of it! We then walked with one of our Healing Haiti guides that actually grew up there give us a walk past all the huts and such and out to the ocean. Let me tell you, the walk was very hard emotionally. We were walking over garbage and other things that smelt of something we had never experienced before. We walked by people who looked cautiously at us and saw how they lived. It was hard for me to even know that we come home to a beautiful guest house and they have to stay here. After the long walk filled with songs in both Creole and English and picking up more and more children as we went we had to get back in the Tap-Tap and go. It was absolutely amazing. As Ralph Moy said, it was so frustrating to go away knowing you were going home to something so perfect and had an abundance of food right with you, but knowing we couldn't be sure they even had a roof to sleep under.
The second water truck stop was just as fun and we got to meet the Haitian Initiative soccer teams! They just placed second at a huge World Cup Type tournament in Blaine. Minnesota! It was so cool to be able to talk, in broken English, to these kids and hear what they had to say and to hear about their hopes, dreams, and goals for soccer.
Coming home we were fortunate enough to be able to cool off in a local hotel's pool. That felt so great! We were all covered in dirt and sweat and the pool was the most perfect feeling I could've imagined. But, sitting in that pool I couldn't help but think back to all the kids I held today, and wonder if they are feeling as happy and relaxed as I was at that moment.
Dinner was amazing alfredo! We sat down and had our group meeting and our Word of the Day discussion and it was so cool to hear how God was working in everyone. Mine was Called. I firmly believe God has called me to do Mission work and I am so pumped to see how he shows me for the rest of the week!
All team members will post more pictures when we go home, but here is one of the team and some kids by the ocean, and one of what our water truck stop looks like!
Tomorrow we are going to the home for Sick and Dying children, Juno's Orphanage in the morning and then in the afternoon Sam, Megan, Kelly, and I have the opportunity to go the wound clinic and hope to help out there and the other half of the group will be playing soccer with the local kids!
Someone will be sure to check in tomorrow!
For now, Ke Bondye Beni'ou (May God Bless You)
Maddie
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