Alo! Ki jan ou ye?
Hey! How are you?
Written on May 13, 2011. Friday in Ouanaminthe, Haiti. Setting: Writing beneath a clear moonlit night's sky in a sleeping bag & mosquito net on the open patio of the orphanage beside Misael Galdamez.
Days 1 & 2
Bombagay! "All's well" I can't make up a story this good-- only God can. And, of course, He did. This is a recap of first days I spent in Haiti-- what we did, how I felt, and some personal reflections from a redeemed sinner. Let's start.
In the beginning...
Mornings were early. Well, early is a relative term. From a typical college lifestyle of usually waking up around noon with nothing to do, waking up at 7 AM in a hotel in the Dominican Republic was like waking up in the Twilight Zone. After waking up, a quick shower, and packing to leave for Ouanaminthe, Haiti, I had a delicious carribean-style breakfast of fruits and deli meats that made Whole Foods look like the Dollar Tree. Soon after, I boarded the van that would take us to a bus stop that would bring us to the border between the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
By God's great grace and sovereignty, the team was somehow able to rent a perfectly sized air-conditioned van to fit us and all 700 lbs. of the supplies we were taking to Haiti. I took several pictures during our 3 hour drive to Haiti and you can really see the gradual transition of the socio-economic disparity as you moved further west of the Dominican Republic and closer to Haiti.
Upon reaching the border, we grabbed our supply of salami, spam, PB&J, and bread for the week and walked on foot across the border into what looked like to be Israel during the time of Moses- a sea of Haitian workers looking for opportunity in the form of an odd job or financial and edible handouts from tourists. Unsure quite what to make of the mesmerizing chaos, I took pictures of the sea of Haitians- some atop their motorcycles, others carrying baskets atop their heads all the while surrounded by a swarm of children and curious onlookers.
Eventually, we had one of the coolest experiences of riding into Ouanaminthe on motortaxis. Imagine... 14 Americans on motorcycles driving through the busy streets of Ouanaminthe. It must have been a strange sight for the local Haitians.
When we arrived at the orphanage, we were greeted by a swarm of little children- jumping into our arms, holding our hands, embracing and clinging onto our legs as if for dear life. It blew me away and warmed my heart to the core. This is what Christ must have felt like when children gathered around Him just to touch and be around Him. The hope and joy in their faces are forever etched into my memory. Their love and child like faith would have been the same kind that compelled Christ to say, "let the little children come to me, for such is the kingdom of Heaven."
Amidst their sweet smiles, these kids didn't mess around. When we were tasked to clean the walls of the orphanage and prepare it for a paint job, these kids worked wicked fast and very efficiently- often showing Misael and I up in our work ethic. In the middle of working, I drew water from a well for the first time and somehow, it felt natural and right. During the time we worked, I had a chance to converse with a man named Johnson- a 19 year old Haitian who loved Jesus and spoke Haitian-Creole, Spanish, and English. Homeless, jobless, and engaged to be married this December, his faith and passion for Christ amidst his difficult circumstances and love for the saints was highly admirable. I am confident that he understands what it means for Christ to be his greatest need and desire while allowing Him to provide for every need. His admirable faith points to a still greater God than we could ever imagine.
"Wallah Jesse!"Praise Jesus!
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