Healing Haiti-Friends: Healing Haiti-Friends: Day One Haiti

Leaving Iowa I was excited to start a new adventure. I might be new saying this, but missions is not out of my comfort zone. Although I don't plan on being a missionary I feel comfortable in new areas, seeing new people. I met a man on the plane that sat right by me. I am not very good at talking to people for the first time, so this was sort of uncomfortable. For those of you who know me, you know I talk all the time and you would be surprised by me saying this. I started by asking if he was from Haiti and that started a great conversation. We ended up talking about religion and what I believe in. I was trying to describe why I want to go to heaven, and being unprepared I said, "I don't like being hot." To this, the man would not stop laughing, so I awkwardly laughed along. I felt good about what we talked about, I just wish I was more prepared. 

When I arrived at the airport still on the plane, I was not awfully nervous to my surprise. Charlie and Steve (our leaders) led us through the entire process at the airport and we were ready to go. When we got out of the airport we were greeted by the smell of Haiti and people constantly coming up to take the bags. This is when I started to get nervous. Then I saw the healing Haiti shirts and for some reason felt safe just by seeing that. We started to throw our bags in the tap tap and finally jumped up into the bus looking vehicle, that is brightly colored and would probably be considered illegal in the states. We started to drive in streets without stop signs, potholes everywhere, people walking everywhere, and a crowded space barely big enough to breathe. I just started to smile, thinking that I would have never been here if God wouldn't have given me this opportunity. All the negative things just went away after that. 

We arrived at the guest house and inside it just instantly felt like home. The colors inside are beautiful and everything is so bright. We ended our night by going swimming down the street in our tap tap. When we got there we found out that we would have to walk back. I instantly got nervous because everything is dark, people hide in the shadows, and the roads are anything but smooth. We had a haitian walk with us so we weren't totally on our own, but it was still scary. When we got back I was more than grateful. Not only this, we were greeted by the cutest haitian children. This was a definite cap of to a horrible, wonderful day. 

P.S.-Special shout out to all the people who donated and supported this trip. And an extra shout out to the SH band. I hope they are all reading this and smile when they see the special shout out. And here are a few pictures :)

Love, Maddie