Tuesday January 15 2013

Today is our travel day, here is the last post we sent home: hello all, it is noon and we are through customs and waiting at the gate for our flight to arrive to go to Newark. next time you get an update it will be by phone in the US or in person! see ya soon. we are anxious as well.  The Team

It was a typical morning in L'Estere Haiti.  We were up early, awakened by the street noise and our excited anticipation of seeing loved ones.  We had a light breakfast and loaded luggage for the 3 hour trip to Port-Au-Prince.  True to form --always expect the unexpected.  As everyone else was ready to go the last truck arrived for Steve & I with a flat tire.  We sent the Team on its way with basic instructions in case we are really delayed -- then we waited.  The wait got longer and we soon were informed that the compressor at the tire shop was out of petroleum.  Yvon was getting a bit anxious but once again God intervened and had everything taken care of in good time. Steve, Yvon & I were soon on our way. Yvon wasted no time and we caught the rest of the team about an hour down the road.
Check in at the airport, customs and our flights were uneventful. By about 8 pm we were legally back in the US and talking to loved ones on the phone.  Some of us enjoyed our favorite foods to celebrate at the airport. For Katrina & I it was ice cream, for others coffee or sandwiches.
 It was an amazing journey.  The sites, the sounds and the smells will be a memory we will all respond to in different ways.  I don't think L'Estere ever slept.  We will be glad for a quiet nights rest with the loved ones we left behind.

Was the journey worth it?  Each will need to answer that themselves.  For me it was.  I was blessed to see God at work many places.  I was blessed to witness transformation in peoples lives. I was blessed to be a part of something that God has ordained and I can only imagine what He will do with everything we all encountered. I am excited for the day Dr. Etienne will see his first patient in the building God allowed us to work on these last 2 weeks. This is a journey that is really just beginning. God is still revealing the plans! Are you a part of that plan? Will you consider jumping on board too?

Monday January 14 2013

The final day on the hospital site, here is the Teams update: socke passe! all is well here.
after our breakfast of spaghetti ketchup and hot dogs we went out to the site to wrap up loose ends. we completed all grouting to make the walls secure while another team is assembled. it was another beautiful day sunny breezy and not terribly hot today. we cleaned up the site and returned to base camp to pack and prepare for Tuesdays return to the states. we are all tired but smiling. God is so good! we are all anxiously awaiting time with our loved ones. miss you all. see you soon!
The Team

We entered the day refreshed and anxious.  God allowed us to complete all the grouting which will secure the walls till another Team can return. We cleaned up the site and started the tough task of saying goodbye to our friends and Brothers and Sisters in Christ.  It was a day of mixed emotions.

 Notice the bed being hauled on the motorcycle.  Our Haitian friends are very resourceful!

Sunday January 13 2013

Here is the message the Team sent home today: we are truly blessed to be here and experience Haitian culture and beauty. today we enjoyed worship with our friends. it was graduation day for
some of the youth. the children, at least 70 to 90 of them, did most of the servive. they danced and sang and truly celebrated Gods love for them. the Pastors message was on Daniel and how he stood firm for what he believed.  i know this from the verses that were pointed to in my bible by a new friend. i understood no words but got the message. this afternoon was a day of rest. we went to a small private beach to relax.  the water was so salty it was efforless to lay back and float. the shade of the palm trees was a delight. we sat under them to enjoy fresh fish grilled on an open fire beside us. very tasty! today was a day that God used to restore us. Monday will be our last day working at the hospital site. I know we will complete all the tasks God needs done this trip.  Our mission will continue though. Tuesday will be a travel day. if all goes well we will see our loved ones early Wednesday morning. thanks for your prayers. all is well here.  Peace

Today was a great day, the Lord's day.  We truly rejoiced and were glad in it!  The pictures tell the story today.  We were blessed and refreshed!

 These children are adorned in new dresses that some of our Team members, from Grace UMC Shrewsbury, took with them to donate to the children. The Pastor and Deacons at the church were delighted to help distribute this gift.

 An ice cream stop on the way to the beach! Another blessing poured out on the Team!

 Our host and cook at the beach.

 Dr. Etienne's brother Yvon.  A very gracious host for the journey. He kept a watchful eye of protection over us and provided for our needs.  Thank you Yvon!

 Dinner of chicken & rice when we returned to the house that night. We ate very well all week!

Saturday January 12 2013

Saturday night update sent home: God showed His beauty in the mountains of Haiti today. They were
shrouded in clouds all day. Late this afternoon a rainbow appeared. Gods promises are very comforting!
The Team had another amazing day. They topped out the east wall by noon! we need to do interior walls and close an opening we left in the east wall for access but that is for another team. The grouting crew is about half way around the building. we should finish that monday. we porridged a section on the front wall and inscribed a saying about Jesus. we also inscribed another area MIVO LOPITAL. Sunday will be a day of rest. you might see us at the beach after our 3 hour worship. the team is tired but smiling. thanks for the prayers.

God revealed Himself to us again today!  We are in the dry season and there isn't rain in the foreseeable future.  However, He blessed us with an amazing rainbow in the mountains today! We watched as the mountains to the north were shrouded in clouds most of the day.  We truly enjoyed the break from the hot sun again as well.  As we topped out the last wall there was a rainbow that appeared between the mountains.  It wasn't there for long but we were truly blessed as we were reminded of God's promise! I have thought of Noah several times as I look at this property on Google Earth.  It is dry and pretty much barren this time of year and there isn't much around, including water. I thought about how Noah trusted God when others thought he was crazy to build a boat in the middle of nowhere--I wonder about Dr. Etienne's vision of a hospital on this site as well. I wonder if he ever gets discouraged, it has been a long journey already.  I think God gave us a glimpse of affirmation today!