Yesterday might have been one of the most trying days I have
ever had in Haiti. We were working
to get up North and we were under the immersion that we were going to get the
bus at 9 and get up to the North by 4.
Nothing went like that. Our
bus started out to be an hour late and about an hour into the ride many of us
hear and could see that the bus was not ok, it would slowly creep up the
mountains. It took us about 4
hours to cover 2 hours of driving.
We got to the half waypoint to be told that out bus was not ok for the
rest of the trip, to which we sat for 5 hours for another bus to come find
us. During the morning Ryna said,
“Just think of it as a marathon.”
To which I said, “Ok, we are on mile 17.” She laughed and said, “Leah we are on mile 13.” Hhahahaha, what a let down, but she was
so right. We were only at mile
13.
The next bus arrived at 5 and we boarded up to find that at
least in this bus there was airflow of air to keep us cool. We were at mile 15 at this
point…awesome! In the first bus we
had not airflow and the Haitians were convinced that leaving the windows closed
was a great idea. To this Ryna,
myself, and Megan almost passed out.
Actually an older man on the bus did pass out and there was a moment in
which many freaked out that we were not ok. They got him awake, but that just gives you a piece of how
hot and suffocating it felt on the bus.
Mile 17. Second
bus, we are on our way, the road gets worse, dirt road in which you feel like
you are on a roll coaster. At one
point we hit a bump and pretty sure I got a foot of air…hahaha, O lord….it is a
moment that always test your patience, stomach, and head. We weave through the mountains, the
valleys, it is beautiful. The
country is absolutely beautiful.
Breath taking at moments.
We were able to see the sunset and it might have been one of the neatest
sunsets I have ever seen and maybe the most peaceful moment of the day. Mile 20, we have arrived in
Port-de-Paix…thank you Jesus. We
have all our bags, our stomachs still feel good. Mile 21, we hire a car to take 5 people and 8 bags an hour
into the mountains. Mile 22, we
get about 5 minutes into our drive, to which we stop in the middle of the
street and our driver leaves to go find a part for his car. Right about now, I am loosing it. My patience has left and I am annoyed. Megan, has such an amazing
attitude….Lord, she has been a gift to Ryna and I. Her joy and spirit has been refreshing in the midst of chaos
and struggles. She just smiles,
love it every time. Mile 23, our
driver returns to fix car and we are off for a slow drive. (The back windows do not role down and
Leah and Ryna are suffocating once again)
Mile 26, Thank you Jesus we are five minutes from the house. I can feel it, it is so refreshing that
we are so close. Mile 27, we round
the corner to find that the gate is LOCKED. Hahahhahahah, O that is icing on the cake. There is no one to open it for us so we
all unload to carry about 350 pounds of equipment by the moonlight and our
headlamps. Mile 26.2….we walk
about .2 miles to the house to find the smile of Joanne a nurse that is staying
there. Mile 28….we chat and catch
up to be told that the water is very limited and we need to be very careful and
quick with showers, water to drink, and toilet
flushing….hahahahhahahahahahahaha…O my WORD, are we serious. The day was amazingly difficult; to
this we all woke up and laughed.
Mile 30….we unpack and climb into bed. Cram those earplugs in our ears so that the sound of
roosters doesn’t wake us at 2 o’clock and we are asleep. Hahahah, what a day….all in a day in
Haiti.
Yesterday at mile 15 I asked the ladies if there could have
any three things what would it be?
Leah:
Ice coffee in a 5lb bucket
Ice cream
And sitting in a cold basin
Ryna:
Ice coffee
Her own car to drive us up North
Ice cream
Megan:
Her sister to entertain her
M & M ice cream
Hair dye so that she could be entertained
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