Take me to the countryside (10/15/12)
I’ve always considered myself a city girl. The hustle and movement of city living energizes me. The constant flow of living and the overwhelming amount of people excites me and seems so appealing. It wasn’t until I spent a day in the Haitian countryside that I was able to realize that countryside isn’t so bad either.
Yesterday, our morning started at 4:45am. We were going to our translator, Watson’s church, where he also serves as the lead pastor. He told us to be dressed and ready at 5:30 am. So we were. No Watson. Annie called him to see when he would be arriving and he apologetically said he was running late. He told us it would be best to meet him at the main road. So we walked a mile up the road to what we think is the main road… we were wrong. Apparently there are two main roads in Carrefour and we happened to be at the other one. Instead of aimlessly walking around trying to find the other main road, Watson told us to meet him at the house, so we walked a mile back to the house. When we got there Watson was waiting, and we walked a half a mile to the bus stop. It’s safe to say we got our exercise for the day. At this point it is 7:45, I am dripping with sweat in my long dress and I am not so thrilled about continuing this adventure. We make it to the bus stop, which is packed with people. We make it to our designated tap tap and we are introduced to Watson’s wife and 11 month daughter. After waiting patiently and some cohesion from Watson we were able to leave for the countryside. The time was 8:30 and church starts did 9:30. Did I mention the drive was two hours away? Fortunately the speed limit, or driving on the wrong side of the road isn’t really enforced in this country. So we made it there at 10.
When we arrived my attitude had changed completely, I was ready to worship and meet Watson’s congregation that he has spoken so highly of. When we walked in the church, we were greeted by an accordion player (one of my favorite instruments) and the beautiful sounds of people praising the Lord. The Church was beautiful. It was very open and decorated with flowers everywhere. Earlier in the week, Watson had asked us to preach. So after worship 3 of my team members preached. I feel that they did a great job and the church seemed to enjoy it as well. Often after a major point they would say, “Amen” or “Merci Senor”.
After the service we were bombarded with church members. They were so warm and so excited to meet us and shake our hands. There was one church member, who we also discovered that she was an elder invited us to her home. She has prepared this huge feast for us. We ate so much and really enjoyed our time with her.
The whole day was so relaxing. The people were so hospitable and inviting. They hugged me and looked me in the eye. I almost felt as if I was back in the Dominican Republic. There was something special about the countryside. It was as if I could breathe deeper and fully unwind. On the drive back, the sun was setting and it just illuminated our surroundings. It was so peaceful and I felt the presence of the Lord in this country. Overall, I had a fantastic day and was thankful to have that experience.
