Haiti Day 1

I'm finally ready to get started.  Although blogging about my trip is important to me....I've been dreading it.  How can I put it into words?

I'm going to do my best.  I think doing it day by day will be the best way.

Part of me has no words...  Another part of me has so many words that I want to SCREAM it out.  I have held back the screaming and have stayed pretty quite.  I think I'm ready to give this a shot.

Lord,
Help me to be forever ruined for the ordinary!
That was a prayer that a friend sent to me.  I claimed it and prayed it constantly.
I hope that prayer is answered.  I'm yet to know....forever is the key word.

Day 1:  Arrival

We were prepped about the craziness of the Port a Prince airport.  We were told to hang on to our luggage and do our best to stay together.  I was responsible for two teenage girls.

My journal...
Airport-CRAZY!  So crowded.  People trying to "help" you forcefully.  I'm in charge of R&F.  Super sweet girls.  So far I am enjoying the teens so much.  I'm pretty shocked about that.  Our plane was full of missionaries.  Such an amazing privilege!  I'm reading Redeeming Love.  God's already at work in me.  So happy!  I can't believe I get to do this.  Lord, Help me to be forever ruined for the ordinary!  Love, Me

The drive from the airport was our first exposure to Haiti.  You could hear a pin drop in the bus during the 45 min. ride.  It was hot.  The sights were shocking.  So dirty.  So much trash.  Everywhere.  That is what stuck with me the first day.  So much trash.
I had a hard time taking pictures.  I wanted to capture it all...but I felt so wrong.  I wanted to capture their lives so I could share...without exposing something so personal.

I don't know....see, I can't put it all in words.

Several of the pictures that you will see in this blog and the upcoming blogs were taken by others.
I just had a really hard time taking pictures.

 Here we go...

Quick pic of the Airport:

Some pictures from our drive from airport to Mission of Hope...

This was called a Tap-Tap.  It was how the majority of Haitians get around.  You knock on the truck to tell it to stop so you can jump on and you knock on the truck when you need it to stop so you can get off.  They can stuff A LOT of people on those things!!

Need gas?  These were the "gas stations". 

Mission of Hope

I will talk more about it in tomorrow's blog but here is a few teasers...

The green building is where we stayed.  

10 gals to a room.  

The other buildings are the orphanage buildings. 

So here is the info that many of you are interested in...

10 girls, one bathroom.  It did have a toilet that flushed, but you were to follow the rule:

If it's brown flush it down,

If it's yellow let it mellow.

All toilet paper was to go into the wastebasket...not down the toilet. 

Showers....cold water

Turn it on to wet down.  Tun it off to lather up.  Turn it on to rinse off.

Do not get the water in your mouth.

There were armed guards walking the campus.  I felt VERY SAFE!

So day one...how was I feeling?  A little culture shocked but SO THANKFUL that the Lord had blessed me with this opportunity.  I was on cloud 9.  I didn't know what was in store for me but I knew it would be good!  And it was! 

Stay tuned....