Home Sweet Home

My mind is foggy from not enough sleep and being back in our "reality" so we'll see how well I recount the details of the last two days. Plus, I don't have Jim telling me what to write!

Yesterday was our last full day in Haiti. It was a national holiday - Flag Day - so the school was closed. We set out bright and early for Village of Hope School to paint the cafeteria. Our team quickly assessed what needed to be done and got to work. The walls and pillars were dry-brushed and areas scraped and tape was put down. We quickly realized that the 5 gallons of paint we had was not going to be enough to completely finish the job. We were able to apply one coat but the concrete walls were as thirsty as we were after a few hours of work! We're hoping another team will be visiting soon and can finish our job - many of us did not like leaving the job half done! Unlike in the states, though, there are no Home Depots to run to when you run out of paint! While the rest of us worked in the cafeteria, Jen and Susan finished putting together some care packages and painting a chalk board with new chalk board paint. After cleaning up with turpentine (because we used oil paint) and taking a group picture we were off for our next adventure - lunch at MacEpi.

After the earthquake, a small "fast food" store was built called MacEpi. It had crepes, burgers, fries, pizza, soda, beer, and cakes. We enjoyed not only eating Haitian fast food but relaxing in the air conditioning! Then we headed to Debbie's apartment where we took down the beds, folded up some bedding, and grabbed a few more items for her to take to Hope House.

Next stop was Hope House for a quick unloading of the truck and a cold drink. Then we were off to Marie's. Marie Major is a Haitian woman who started an orphanage for girls. The orphanage is no longer under the Lazarus Project but those of us who were there last year wanted to visit again. Instead of walking, like we did last year, we drove as there is a tent city along the way that has developed since the earthquake and Debbie feels it is safer for visitors to drive instead of walk past it. As we pulled up to Marie's, many of us were confused as to why were stopping. We didn't recognize the orphanage because of the damage done by the earthquake. The church and dormitory area for the girls had collapsed but is in the process of being cleared. We enjoyed making balloon animals and hats for the girls, playing with bouncy balls, blowing bubbles, and making them laugh. After a short visit we returned to Hope House. While we waited for our precious generator to be turned on so we could shower, we practiced making balloon animals and played with the puppies that are so, so cute! Madeline, Bubba, Monroe, Jolie, and Bonnie are the names we gave to the puppies of Hopie, the dog that lives at Hope House.

Our evening meal was yummy chicken, choyote pear (as we call it in the states), beets, potatoes, and other great dishes. This was followed by a birthday celebration for our fearless leader, Greer! There was cake that Debbie had gotten at the MacEpi and ice cream provided by Tom and Liz. And best of all were the balloon flowers for the centerpiece and balloon hat for the birthday boy! At the end of the celebration, the skies opened up and we quickly ran for shelter. Our devotions and reflection time were done in Debbie's living area while we waited for the rain to stop. After sharing our funniest moments and our most meaningful experiences of the trip, we were given beautiful steel suns from Debbie and were off to enjoy some more generator time before bed!

Morning finally arrived (for those of us that couldn't sleep) and we loaded up the truck for one last time to go to the airport. Jen and Julie had a later flight and didn't even get up to say good-bye! Our trip to the airport was full of sites as we saw the effect of all the rain and people headed to work. We waited in several lines to clear the firearms security check point, check bags, clear customs, and clear security. We had enough time to enjoy some more delectables from the MacEpi at the new airport terminal. And then we were off. Unlike last year, we did not have to return to the terminal several times and were able to take off with no incidences! There were many people on the flight from the U.S. who had been in Haiti with various organizations doing work similar to ours. It was interesting to hear all the conversations going on as people compared their experiences. We were a little late getting into Miami but not enough to impact us making our connecting flight. Elizabeth headed from Miami to New York and the rest of us made our way to Northern Virginia.

One thing we forgot to mention on Monday was that Susan and Jim had the opportunity to meet the children that they sponsor who attend the Village of Hope school. It was very touching to see them meet, talk, and get their pictures taken together!

I had planned on posting some pictures of our adventures but that will have to wait until tomorrow! Thank you for all your prayers as we complete another mission trip to Haiti. Continue to pray for the Village of Hope School and the Little Children of Jesus Home, as well as our team as we adjust to being back home.