Date Entered into Diary: March 26, 2011. After a day and a bit of travelling through North America to get to Jacmel, Haiti.
We left Calgary, Alberta, Canada at 0700am, being at the airport for 4.45am on Friday, April 25, 2011. Our first flight took us to Dallas/Fort Worth. This was a good flight, with no entertainment and a little sleep. I sat with one of my teammates, Kirsten and got to know her. It was our youngest team member's birthday and the Flight Attendant annouced it over the intercom on the plane, which resulted in the entire plane singing her "Happy Birthday!" We had an extraordinare Flight Attendant who blessed us in her caring ways and words.
At Dallas/Forth Worth, we had a few hours for lay over. Our luggage was all checked to San Juan, PR so we didn't have to worry about our bags. As a team we had lunch at the airport that the churched had sponsored. I had a Fiesta Salad with avacoda, cherry pepsi (made just for me!!) and a shared dessert of chocolate cake with vanilla bean ice cream and rasperberry sauce. Good thing we shared that !! It was a good last meal in North America. Good Food with Good Company!
We had a mid afternoon flight to San Juan, Puerto Rico- where we would be spending the night. This flight seem to take forever!! I was very tired as I had only slept an hour the night before and about 20 mins on the Dallas Flight and only a light doze on this flight. I was seated in the back of the plane, by the bathroom. After the first movie was over, I got to see about 65+ people walk back to the washroom and stand right beside me. As I am short and seats were low, I got to see a lot of buttocks!! I was getting walked on, bumped into and squished- but THIS DID NOT DAMPER MY SPIRITS!!! We grabbed our bags and took a cab to the Sheraton Convention Centre- highly recommend this place!! The rooms are gorgeous and well maintained! I was able to text message home to find out it was snowing and I was in 79oF weather!! I attempted to go for a swim, however, the pool was closed ( but it was so beautiful, what I could see!!) I was fast asleep by midnight, which was a good thing.
A good thing because.... we were up at 4am and at the aiport for 04.45am to get our flight to Port Au Prince. I was thrilled to find out that I was seated mid plane!! We had a stop over in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, to let some of our fellow passengers out. What a wild landing! We were shaken all over our seat from side to side and up and down!! We all were asked to deplane in order for the airline to spray the interior of the plane with what they called a toxic spray. I later found out it was mandatory operation for all planes coming into the D.R. to do. What I could see from the landing strip, the DR is really pretty!!
After thirty minutes in the plane, we were landing in Port Au Prince, Haiti! Our landing was smooth and easy. We gathered our bags after clearing immigration- which was a breeze! We were given green sheets to fill out prior which I am sure helpe ease the work load for all! After clearing immigration, we were greeted by Nader, our contact in PAP. He is a joyous, loving Haitian Christian brother, who helped navigate the team through customs and to the national domestic airport. He had to leave us for a moment just outside of the arrival station of the international airport and told us to 'stay right there'. And right there is where we stayed!! Haitian men who wanted to earn money from the 'blancs' (white folks who dont belong) kept asking us if we wanted or needed anything- one man even brought Pastor Les a cellphone and told him that the call was for him- asking about our transport needs! We followed our instructions to the key and we made it just fine!
Upon our arrival to PAP, we prayed prior to going thougfh customs. I was brought to tears as this has been a life long dream, a life long jouney to here. I have never felt so close to my purpose in life that I did at that moment.
Our short flight to Jacmel, Haiti was about 15 mins long and adventourous. We were in a 20 seater and felt the turbulance quite easily! It was bumpy going over the Haitian mountains and the view.... what a view! Words cannot describe the destruction of Port Au Prinice- the houses mid mountain- the blue green water- green vegation. Our pilot was amazing- he was able to fly us out of turbulance and resume a peaceful ride.
At the Jacmel airport, we were met by Ami and Dave- two of the full time missionaires taht work there at the Calvary Chapel Haiti Innitative. Dave is the Innitative Coordinator, aka Boss Guy and Ami is the administrative assistant/team hostess/catch all. Ami is very outgoing and cheerful- you can feel God's love flowing through her. They drove us to the team house in the offical Haiti transport system- truck beds! Once at the house, we were introduced to the staff of the house, the cook, the laundry attendant, the ministry leaders and translators.
After a quick orientation of the house rules, a quick q and a session soon developed. They had questions of the team and we had questions for them. This all helped us to understand what and how Calvary Chapel is trying to serve the Haitians. Lunch consisted of hot dogs, buns and picklis- a hot and spicy haitian coleslaw that has cabbage, carrots onions, habanero pepers and few tomatoes. Just after lunch as we were getting ready to take a tour of the CCHI property (workshops, tents, property, etc), our baggage arrived. It had to come by truck as there was no space on the our charter nor could the weight be accounted for. Once that was settled, we went out for our tour. In our tour, we went to the project site where the benches, the trusses and wood working is done. Huge tents that were donated from the Hurricane Katrina site are now being used in Haiti to hold services, conferences and meetings.
Dave and Ami drove us around the town of Jacmel after this tour. What an incredible sight- broken homes still being lived in, more than likely not safe. People washing clothes, their bodies in the river that the animals came by. This was also their drinking water. Women carry all kinds of things balanced on their heads, and they smile and wave as they "blanc" people drive by. Texaco gas station- where mopeds, scooters were all being fueled. Fried plantains cooking on the street- music being pumped out from houses and businesses. Passed a physio and psych therapy building. On the backdrop of beautiful mountains, people are living in the direst of straits.... but they still smile, still wave and interact with us as we drive by. There are NO RULES on the road... just don't be walking! The bigger the vehicle, the more right of way on the road. Horns honked, people waving each other around. Tons of scooters or motorized bikes with 3 - 4 - or 5 people on them.... these are a form of taxi. Tap-Taps are a covered 4x4 truck that have people riding along the side of the truck box - another form of taxi- named tap tap as you tap tap the side of the truck box to let the driver know that you want out.
It is humid- warm 35oC with puffy white clouds and a beautiful blue sky- totally reminded me of mid July in Ontario. The plants are all so green- flowers have vibrant white, purple, orange colors. Mangoes are ripping and coming into season- got to feel one on a tree! I was told not to pick, as it is a form of stealing- the haitians pick fruit as a form of employment. Beautiful people- wonderous land.
Stats: 48 % of Haitians are all UNDER the age of 18. French is the business language, Creole is daily language. Hot Sauce and Ketchup are placed on the table for every meal... used like condiments are in North America.
We have arrived.... ready to do God's will.
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