I love it when our plans fall apart.

Oh, Haiti.  
How I love you.  
Let me count the ways.
You are warm year-round. 
You have so much sunshine to share.
You are chaos that soothes my soul.
You are home to so many that I have come to love.
You bustle and burst with hope.
You show me what faith and compassion look like in action.
You let me share your stories and heartaches.

I've been home this time for about a week.  Transition-wise, this has been the easiest of the trips.  I am sure it has some to do with having friends on the trip with me in Heather and Seth, Alana and Cassie.  I'm sure it has something to do with knowing we were going to submit our adoption application asap.  Regardless, it's been good.

This trip had so many layers and plans changed and activities altered and that made it so beautiful in every way.
The weeks schedule was tentative, as usual, but we thought we would spend 3 or 4 partial days at Lophane's working on a guesthouse.  We thought we would get to the children's hospital and the Home for the Dying.  We thought maybe we would get to go do water therapy with the Notre Maison kids.  All good things.
How the week transpired made for some beautiful stories of provision and letting go of control.  Good lessons for all of us, I am know.
Day 1 and 2 went as planned.  Later in the trip, we all had to readjust!
The easiest way to unpack the stories of the week is to do them day by day, I think.  Each person that went on this trip has their story.  Each person we encounter and spend time with while we are there has their story.  There is nothing I can write that can give the full depth of those stories, except my own.  I want be open about the people and places without minimizing their stories.  As it is most places, Haiti is not always as it first seems.  As I have said before, it is everything you would expect a third world country to be, but the people we know are not poor in any way that matters.  They have an abundance of joy and kindness and compassion and love.  They are why we go.

Wednesday was travel day for most of the group and all but two members got into Port Au Prince some time during that day.  
Cassie, Alana and I met up in Miami Tuesday evening and hauled 300 lbs of donations from the airport to the hotel and then back to the airport the next morning.  We will be checking that stuff through next time, but we were all thankful for our Crossfitty-ness! 

I don't think I can fully express how meaningful it was to have these two go to Haiti with me.  Their hearts and passion for all the people they met did not surprise me one bit, because it is who they are on a daily basis.  I came home this time feeling like I have a team that is now connected to Haiti and that is a wonderful feeling!

Leaving Miami with part of the group!

It was Leonard's birthday so Kim made little signs for him in Kreyol!

THIS is why we go to Haiti.  This is Gus and Keith.  Gus has special needs and has been at Gertrude's for years and Keith has a super special relationship with him.  They love each other.  We got in before Kim and Keith and I was hugging on Gus and told him Keith was coming soon!  You would not believe the squeal that came out of him!  When Keith finally got there, this was his greeting!
We go to Haiti because relationships matter and being present with our friends there matters and hugs like this matter!

 

All the donations took over the playroom.  It took us all week to get this all sorted and distributed!
Many people, myself included, have wondered why we bring so much "stuff" to Haiti.  Why not just purchase these things there?  The truth is, it is less expensive for us to bring bags of donations than it would be to purchase these items in country.  Sometimes I think it is worth it to purchase things in country as it helps the economy here, but when we are trying to have items for multiple orphanages and schools and churches, this makes the most sense, right now.  Shoes, school supplies and medicines are quite expensive here so when can bring them those items the money goes farther and  that is helpful.

Hugged on Rosie girl as much as I could!  Rosie is Gertrude's daughter and such a sweetheart.  I didn't tell her I was coming this trip cause surprises are fun :-).  She loves it when people come to stay, but leaving is always hard!

 Thursday morning was spent at Lophane's, a member and youth director at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church.  He is building a guesthouse that will also be used as a youth center.  People may wonder about these "guesthouses" and why they are so valuable to a community in Haiti.  What happens when a guesthouse is run well, is employment.  This particular place will hopefully employ at least 10 people.  In a country that is in desperate need of jobs, that is a good thing.  The location of this property is close to where many of the youth of the congregation live so it will serve as an after school center and a place the youth can spend time together, as well.

Keith drove us to the work site and showed us his seriously good driving skills. He fit that bus into a space that a bus shouldn't be able to fit into!

The boys were there to help work!  If you remember two years ago, I met these three, Junior, Roby and Marcelin, at Leogane and we've all stayed in touch!  

Heather wrapping the rebar "frame" for a concrete base for a wall.

Primitive is probably the best way to describe how construction works in Haiti.  The mixing of the concrete is not for the faint of heart or the perfectionist.  I thought I was neither of those things, but I lasted about 30 seconds as a mixer.  It took a skill that I do not possess...YET!  It was a pile on the ground of gravel, which we bucketed to the pile from various spots on the property, sand which was shoveled into the pile from a different pile, water which was hauled up by the bucket from the water reservoir under the house, and a bag or two of cement.  This was then mixed with shovels by men who are some of the hardest workers I've seen and know the just right consistency needed.  We make and manufacture all kinds of equipment in this country to make things as easy and simple as possible.  These men just do with what they have.  It is incredible. 

lunch break

 We got all kinds of dirty that day and I thought for sure I could convince Chad that new shoes were in order after I got home.  He said I just needed a hose ;-)  I suppose so!

After we were done for the day at Lophane's we headed to the airport to pick up two more from the team.  Leonard parked us outside the airport so we wouldn't have to pay for parking.  A few went in to get them and the rest of us just hung out.  A major blessing for the whole trip was this lovely lady. 

Jill Jack.

 Ever heard of her?  You will!!
She's a folksy/rock/awesome singer/songwriter and provided the soundtrack for this trip.  

Look her up!

It was incredible and she is a sweetheart to boot!  I can't wait to stay in touch with her and hit up some of her concerts!!

My laying on a concrete wall that had a major drop-off into a ravine of trash and sewage, was not comforting to some.  I found it be a just fine place to get some sunshine :-)

After we picked up Mark and Bill, two priceless individuals who have been to Haiti 8ish times(they couldn't remember if it was 7 or 8), we headed back to Gertrude's to go through donations and play with the kids.

 Each morning and evening we met on the rooftop for devotions.  This always proves to be a special time for the group.  When you have 16 people from all over the country, this gives us a chance to connect and process our days together and begin and end in the Word.  It was an anchoring time for me.  I desperately needed those moments each day and I'm sure others would agree they did too.

 Well, that's Day 1 and 2.  I know it's so much "stuff", but each day is just full of moments to remember.  The next day, Friday, we got to go to House of Love and Hope and Alana and I spent the weekend.  Those moments I will never forget!!

Friday, Saturday and Sunday coming up next...