So the first Haiti blog! We made it here safely from the Dominican Republic. We left the DR at 5 am on July 31
st, and arrived at our place of ministry at 11:00, I think. I stopped looking at my watch after a bit. We have been staying at a house even larger than the last one, with electricity and running water. Yay! It is amazingly hot here, though. Falling asleep in the house is basically laying on the floor waiting to pass out after you run out of sweat. Somewhat disgusting. The night before last, we slept on the roof, which was so much better.
The front of our house
We went on a tour of Port-Au-Prince, with another team that is here for a one week trip from Georgia. The devastation is not as bad as it was, but still pretty bad. It reminded me of going to New Orleans after Katrina hit. Only worse. Pretty much every Haitian I have talked to has mentioned a family member that they lost in the earthquake. Our translator took us to the tent city where his sisters live. That was kind of intense.
I realized something, walking through those tents. They have only lived there for 7 months. I know if I had been in one of those tents for 7 months, I would still be thinking “This is not my life. I will move out of here.” I saw women carrying small infants, and realized that they were pregnant when the earthquake hit. Their lives, and the lives of their children, changed in an instant. Just that fast. I’m still processing through how devastating this earthquake was for these people. This will impact generations of Haitian people.
The children here are so beautiful. Just gorgeous. I love being with them – they are so full of life and laughter!! It is difficult though, seeing what poverty has taught to them. They want to get everything they can, as fast as they can. And if they have to lie to you, steal from you, manipulate you, to do it, then they will. It breaks my heart that that is all they know. They are in survival mode. They think “I have to get what I can from this person before someone else does, and I’m left with nothing.” One of the kids yesterday tried to steal the $9 Wal-Mart watch right off my wrist.
What I have found to be really surprising is that Haiti is more expensive than Europe. We are having a bit of a problem affording food. A jar of peanut butter is $7.50 USD. There was only one supermarket in this area of the city left standing after the quake, and they have jacked their prices up so much, since they have a monopoly. So, for this reason, we have to change ministry sites. We just can’t afford to stay here the whole month. We will be going to a town about 20 minutes north of Port Au Prince to help with their school and orphanage. It’s a World Vision and Samaritan’s Purse place. We may be moving from there after one week to Mission of Hope in Port Au Prince, where another team, Transformers, is right now. God will guide our foot steps!
Also, as a side note, the team from Georgia blessed us SO MUCH!!!!!! They gave us Quaker flavored oatmeal! And grits! Andd banana chips! And Luna bars! And (drumroll please….)
A FAN!!!!!!!!! Battery operated and small. I love them. Please keep them in your prayers for the rest of this week, and as they go home. Haiti is a hard place to be, please pray that they will continue to walk in the Lord’s strength, and that they will be blessed as they go back home.
