*disclaimer: this blog was written about a week ago when I was, actually, on a train.
Currently, I am on a train in Romania. This is the second train that I have been on in the last two days; the rides have followed three flights and a bus ride. Space these modes of transportation over a 48-hour period, and you have my trip to Eastern Europe. Keeping me company have been my ever-faithful teammates, dark chocolate Milky Way bars and my Ugg Boots. Sometimes I just look at my feet stepping over ice and praise God for these boots and how in the world I was able to fit them in my pack. I am in a good place.
Before I jump into the experience that will be serving in Romania, I want to post a final tribute to Haiti. Overall, the month was an extremely growing time for me. Ministry was stretching but rewarding as I assisted in laying the foundation for a school in Grand Goave. Living in community as a squad was reenergizing and quite simply, a ton of fun.
One morning, I woke up in my cozy tent with the idea to show a day in the life of our month in Haiti. When I think back on my time spent here, memories of being at the beach outside of our compound or hanging out in the “choukoun” with my squad will come back as quickly as my time spent in the bucket brigade. To fully tell the story of our month, I wanted to capture and share scenes that were witnessed on any given day in Haiti.
Expect to see:
- a sunrise that was breathtakingly beautiful but was only experienced twice by me and my night owl genes.
- mealtime fun with 45 other people and the work that accompanied a dishwashing load of that capacity.
- a camp of REI tents that survived a mini flood during week two.
- concrete blocks, rebar, sand and more concrete blocks.
- the beautiful faces of schoolchildren as they played with us during their breaks.
- a line of Haitian workers who could transport wet concrete twice as fast as their American competitors (us).
- Mary Eve, the outrageous cook, as she fried, simmered and danced her way into our hearts.
- glass bottles of Coke that were a like a tiny piece of heaven.
- impromptu beach dance parties with members of Team Relentless.
- a group of people who I have always enjoyed but who I now consider to be like family.
