When I left you last week, I had just come off an amazing confirmation of God’s will and an uplifting worship service. Last Sunday night, we decided to go out to eat at a restaurant in Cayes called The Meridian. It’s actually a hotel with a restaurant inside. I made my little video that I posted last week while waiting for the Val to place our food order. When you dine out in Haiti, it takes a little more effort than just driving to the restaurant and ordering. It takes time, multiple phone calls, and a careful selection of locations. We had a wonderful time with good food and company…in the dark. At the Meridian, the generator for the dining room doesn’t start until seven. We were eating just a bit too early. Nevertheless, a lovely time was had by all!
Monday dawned clear and bright with the knowledge that our long overdue sea container had left Port-au-Prince and was headed toward Cayes! We would be unpacking it in the morning. Unfortunately, by Tuesday, tropical storm Hanna had swung a little too far south pushed by the winds of hurricane Gustav. It was absolutely pouring, and the water was coming up fast. In fact, Jan had gone into Cayes to help guide the sea container down our road and got trapped by the waters. Thankfully, he was able to pull his truck to higher ground where it would be safe. Stuck where he was, Jan enjoyed some Haitian hospitality on one of their front porches and watched the waters rise. Eventually, he abandoned his truck and walked back to the compound. Tuesday noon, we all piled in the vehicle with the highest clearance, Big Green, the construction truck they use for hauling lumber, cement, and people, and went out to look at the water. It was absolutely stunning. The Haitians were calling it a 100 year flood. I took a few videos of the devastation. We passed our sea container about 1.1 miles from our home where it sat beside the road waiting for the waters to go down.
It was still raining Tuesday afternoon, but lo and behold, the sea container pulled into the yard that evening! It took a great deal of effort from some very dedicated men, but there it was! It was decided to unload the container at eight the next morning, come rain or shine. Thankfully, it was sunny and HOT on Wednesday, and that sea container got unloaded. It was like a community party in the Gutwein’s yard! I counted ten trucks at one point, all loading up their precious cargo shipped across the sea. Fabric, beds, two four-wheelers (each a bright cherry red – one each for Sheila and I!!), bags of rice, a trailer, desks, boxes and boxes of household items, on and on and on. When it was finally empty, there were three boxes left with my name on them that I knew I hadn’t packed. I thought that they were probably for the Childcare office, but I wanted to make sure. It my utter astonishment and delight, my friends and family had packed wonderful care boxes. It was like Christmas! Actually, it was better than Christmas because it was a total shock. Thank you so much! I literally fell apart for a while and embarrassed myself in front of the Gutweins, but I was just undone by their kindness and love. Thanks again!
Thursday, I went back to work, the Reinhards made it back (praise the Lord), and the Gutweins said their final goodbyes. At 6:30 AM on Friday, we had breakfast with the Gutweins and then took them to the airport in Cayes. We waved until we couldn’t see the plane anymore. I’m going to miss them so much. Have a wonderful time in the States!!!
Sheila and I took some time on Friday night to make a market list out for our new house lady. Thanks to a local missionary who helped us translate, I think we’ve got a good system in place for fresh food. Here in Haiti, the missionaries always send their house ladies to go to market for them. They can get the best deals, know which stands carry the freshest produce, and recognize a fair price. We can go to the grocery stores where the items are mark with actual prices, but the market haggling is left to the professionals! Friday night, I was able to talk to some of my family and friends, and that lifted my spirits and encouraged my soul. I also encountered my first real Haitian spider. Check out the video.
I made Saturday a workday. In order to update some of the programs at the office, I needed to be alone and have them all to myself. I started at 9:45 in the morning, trying to download a new Quicken program. You know those little download boxes that give you an estimated time to complete the download? Well, I one point I glanced over and it was reading 15 hours and 35 minutes. Now, that’s a slow Internet connection! Thankfully, that first download only took 4 hours and not 15. Beth Newton, a missionary and nurse practitioner, stopped by on Saturday and invited us to visit the Torbeck church with her. Sunday, she picked us up in her own version of Old Green, and we worshipped together with Pastor Jonas and his congregation. A lady shared her recent conversion story from voodoo to Christianity, and I was deeply touched. Tim and Joan Reinhard stopped by for some conversation and cappuccino (compliments of my dear family) on Sunday evening, and I felt so uplifted after talking with them. Here is a family that has experienced a cross-cultural transition and lived to tell about it!
I’ve been in Haiti a month, and I can honestly say that it has been the hardest four weeks of my life. This transition is so huge and all encompassing – new culture, new language, new job, new roommate, new community, new worship styles, new food, new weather patterns to deal with, and a new appreciation of the spiritual warfare that is just beyond the skin of this world. I am fully convinced that it is through the power of your prayers that I can remain faithful. Thank you for praying and providing me with a protective shield. God bless!!
I did take pictures this week. Enjoy!
http://picasaweb.google.com/aheartforhaiti/Sept2008I
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