I’ve been on this little thing called the World Race for almost two months now, and although I have shared lessons I’ve learned with my subscribers, I’ve realized I haven’t really given my subscribers any details on what life looks like on the race.
Every month is different, but here is a glimpse of life on the race in Haiti.
My day begins early every morning by waking up in my tent to the sound of the ocean which is only about 50 feet away. All I have to do is slightly extend my arm to get ready in the morning because my closet (also known as packing cubes) and vanity (also known as cosmetic bag and travel mirror) are located a mere few inches from my sleeping pad. With careful maneuvers I manage to get dressed in a tent that is only about 4 feet tall and head out of my tent to brush my teeth using water from my water bottle (because apparently water in any country outside of the states is poisonous).
My home for two months straight now
My backyard!
After a breakfast of fruit and bread, and if we are lucky peanut butter (I’m quickly learning that peanut butter is gold) me and 42 of my squad mates board a school bus, made to seat around 24, and drive to our ministry site. The 20 minute drive to the construction site is never dull. We off road drive through a dry river bed filled with trash, naked people doing laundry, pigs, chickens, goats, and so forth. As we enter the town of Grand Goave and start driving on paved roads again, I grow numb to the lack of traffic laws and speed limits as our driver speeds down the road all the while steadily honking the horn.
Our crowded bus =)
River bed, with some pigs eating trash
Every day we arrive at our ministry site alive, in fact we hardly notice the multiple near accidents that would have usually freaked us out at home. For eight hours we work in the hot Haitian sun. I was as weak as weak can get, but after a month of lifting cinder blocks, buckets of concrete and buckets of dirt, I am proud to say that my arms now show signs of muscles. Besides the muscles, I also have a sweet tan line from my leggings to remind me of my days spent at our work site.
Our work site
At the end of our day, I am covered in a nice layer of sweat and dirt, which mixed together has left mud streaks on my arms and legs. The fact that all we have is cold water does not bother me at all, because after a month of bucket showers in the DR, I am thrilled to not have to bend over to wash my hair.
After I have scrubbed my skin and I no longer smell, I am so blessed to have my whole squad around me to hang out with for a few hours. We are all half brain dead from the heat and work, but the Shochoun (where we eat and hang out) is filled with 45 people laughing, playing games, and watching movies. I love my squad, I also love that they share my heart for worship and learning more about God, so besides the movies and games we also have worship a few times a week and spend a lot of time discussing what God is doing in and around us.
The Shochoun (aka the dinning room, game room, shelter from random down pours)
Some of my bestest friends! I am going to miss them so much when we split up again next month.
So thats my life in Haiti in a nutshell. I’m tired, I’m sweaty, and I‘m far from the comforts of home, On the other hand, I’m loved, I’m joyful, and I’m living the adventure of a lifetime. God has a sense of humor by sending this weak, clean, not outdoorsy girl on this adventure, but He sure knows what He is doing. Although I don’t have my bed or all my makeup, I have something far better here. I have the ever real presence of the Lord and a community that builds me up. I find humor and joy in this adventure of mine, because I know He is transforming me as He is using me.
