Back to Reality...Well, Not Just Yet!

After we said our final goodbyes to the island of La Gonave, we quickly said hello to the mainland! We landed at the small airport in Port-Au-Prince and said a prayer of thanks for a safe flight! As we were walking through the small terminal, I realized all too quickly that we were being thrown back into reality. Even though we were still in Haiti, it was obvious that we were not in Lotore anymore. There were televisions blasting, car horns honking, people yelling; stimulation overload!

As we were exiting the airport, we saw Gary (our driver on the mainland) waiting for us. It was nice to see a familiar face in the sea of chaos. Gary had his van ready, but with a team of 14 he thought we needed two vehicles. Gary was trying to get another taxi for us but we told him to now worry about it. So, the entire team. Fourteen of us (well fifteen if you include Gary) piled into ONE vehicle. Now this was in a 10 passenger van! On top of that, we all had our backpacks with us as well! We were a sight to see! We didn't think anything about us all stuffing into one van with absolutely no leg or breathing room! This was what we were used to. It was actually quite humorous to think that merely a week ago, half of us were in this exact van. While the other half were in another taxi! Saying that we became close over the past week would be an understatement.

We left the airport parking lot and started driving through the streets of PAP. I almost started to cry! We were driving on a paved road! No rocks/boulders, bumps, ditches. Nothing but flat, smooth pavement! I was so excited (so was my bottom)! Not only that, but we had A/C! Yes, a nice cold breeze blowing in my face! It was glorious! A/C and paved roads may not seem like a huge luxury to most people, but I know that I will never take them for granted again! I also will never complain of another pothole again! (If for some reason I do, please remind me of this post!)

After a short drive through the streets of PAP we arrived at our hotel for the night, The Hotel Montana. Now I had no clue what to expect. From everything we had experienced so far, nothing was extravagant or luxurious, until now! We pulled up to the hotel and it was absolutely gorgeous! I was blown away! This place was like an oasis in the middle of the desert!
There were stunning plants, beautiful handmade wooden furniture, breathtaking sculptures, and vibrant paintings everywhere! It was so large that you could easily get lost in all of the little nooks that were tucked away throughout the hotel.

Outside of Hotel Montana

As we walked into the lobby, I immediately felt out of place. This hotel was frequented by dignitaries and celebrities. And here I was a dirty sweaty mess and not in the usual attire I would be wearing in such a nice establishment. Also, my feet were still stained a nice orange/red clay color! Lovely!

The Lobby/check-in area. Notice the wrought-iron wall that was open to the elements! Gorgeous!


While we were waiting to check in, a couple of people went to the bar area and were able to get a coca-cola on ice! It was a nice refreshing treat!

The beautiful lobby, chandelier, plants, staircase!

While we were checking in, Pere Soner arrived with all of our luggage. He took all of our luggage on the ferry bright and early this morning and traveled with it all the way to the Montana! What a great man! Our poor bags looked out of place as well. They were all dusty and damaged! Not comparable to the Louis Vuitton bags right next ours!

The Hotel Montana's logo in stained glass.

Laura and I were roommates! We got checked in and took an elevator to our room! It was so lovely! We had two double beds, balcony, bathroom with shower and toilet, television, air conditioning, even an ironing board! We quickly put our stuff away to return to the lobby. A few of the team members wanted to go into town to visit a cathedral and do some shopping.

An example of one of the colorful rooms!

Pretty nice huh!

Terrace overlooking pool area.

View from our balcony overlooking the main patio with huge oak tree and pool.

Gary drove some of us to the cathedral. It was huge! There were multiple murals and an enormous organ. It was absolutely beautiful!

We were able to wander around and explore all of the intricate details in stone work and paintings. It was truly exquisite!

Once we were done touring the cathedral, we were taken next door to a little gift shop. They had such a wonderful variety of things like canvas paintings, metal work, wooden carvings, jewelry, and other nick-knacks. One cool thing about this store, was that all the proceeds went to the churches school! We were on a time limit, so I was running around like a mad woman to make sure I got everything I needed/wanted to bring home. Once we got all of our souvenirs purchased, we hopped back in the van to go back to the hotel for lunch.

We had reservations at The Panorama, the hotel's restaurant. It was open to the elements and had the most spectacular views of PAP!

Looking over the balcony down into the restaurant. Yes there is a pond in the middle! How cool!

These were the views from our table! Can you believe it!

It felt like we were on top of the world!

Ed was not feeling very well so he skipped lunch. The rest of the team sat down for a fabulous meal. I enjoyed a club sandwich and french fries! Those were the best french fries ever! On this club sandwich they put an egg on it! Different, but good!

As everyone was enjoying their meals and stuffing their bellies, I started to drift off to sleep on Brewster's shoulder! Poor Brewster! I was so exhausted. I decided to go up to the room to try and take a nap.

Stunning hand carved furniture.

My favorite painting in the hotel!

Once I got back to our room, I decided that I could not waste such a beautiful, hot and sunny day inside! I changed into my bathing suit and went down to the pool area. I figured that I would at least get to spend time outside, even if I was asleep!

When I got to the pool, a few of the other team members were already there! It was nice to just relax/decompress, enjoy each other's company, swim, and spend time outside in awesome weather! I totally passed out on the lounge chair! I think I drooled some!

When I woke up, I didn't remember where I was. I felt like I was in a dream. It was so crazy to think that just a few hours ago, we were in a totally different world (but still in the same country)! I started feeling very guilty. I felt so horrible that I was swimming in a pool, eating a hearty meal, sleeping in a nice cozy bed with air conditioning, having all of these wonderful amenities and luxuries, when I knew that so many people (not very far from me) were suffering so horribly. Some veterans had prepared me for "re-entry" back into the real world and how hard it might be for some people. I guess this was my first dose of re-entry reality. It was a very hard pill to swallow, but I knew that I had to continue on with my life. I was somewhat relieved to know that my life was now changed and that I would continue my trips to Haiti. Even though I was leaving Haiti physically, this wonderful place will always be in my heart.

Once I completely woke up, I returned to our room and got to take a HOT shower! Oh my goodness! It was amazing! This was the first time that I was able to REALLY wash my hair and body for an entire week! As you can imagine, I totally enjoyed it! I took my time showering and getting ready for our final dinner that night. While I was getting ready, the sun was setting and I was able to get these beautiful pictures off of our balcony.

I left our room and headed down to the hotel boutique to buy a few more souvenirs to bring home. Then I met the rest of the team under the big oak tree on the patio for a cocktail hour before dinner. It was a nice night under the stars and seeing all of the lights shining bright down in the city. Ed was feeling a little better and came down from his room for dinner. Frederick and Dr. Flanagan joined us for dinner also! It was so nice to have the opportunity to meet Dr. Flanagan, as I had heard many stories about him. He brought his adopted Haitian grand-daughter and her mother as well. The two ladies spoke no English, but we had Frederick and Dr. Flanagan to interpret for us!

We ate dinner at the Panorama. Again, the food was awesome! I enjoyed the salad bar (yeah veggies) and a pasta dish! It was a great dinner and time for fellowship! We laughed so hard and had some fantastic conversations! After dinner we all shared some delicious desserts. The evening was so great and I didn't want it to end. When we scraped the last plate clean and drank the last drop out of the glass, we decided to call it quits for the night. We were able to get one last group picture by the pool! I can't believe the trip is almost over!

The awesome team!

Coming Up Next...Almost Home

I'm Leaving On A Jet Plane

Tuesday, October 14th, 2008: Day 6

Mandy came into my little room around 5:30 am and woke me up. I did not sleep well last night. Down here in Anse-A-Galet, it is much hotter and there is so much more noise. I definitely slept better when I was in Lotore! How can I complain though, I had a bed to sleep in. A roof over my head. Food in my belly and access to bottled water! I am beyond blessed!

I got dressed and ready for the day. Today we were flying from the island of La Gonave back to the mainland/Port-Au-Prince (PAP)to spend the night. Our flight was supposed to leave at 7am ,so we had to have all of our bags/supplies loaded up in a truck so they could be put on the ferry that was leaving at 6am. All we kept with us were our backpacks.

We had a short breakfast of peanut butter and bread, coffee, and cokes! We then said goodbye to everyone else at the compound. We all loaded into the ambulance. That is 14 passengers, plus our driver Arturo! We were a sight to see! We were like the clowns crammed into the tiny clown car!

We drove out of the gates and through the streets of Anse-A-Galets. Of course the ride was bumpy, but we have become immune to it now. It is second nature!

We arrived at the "airport" terminal....

Here's the runway...

When we got to the airport, I expected our putt-putt plane to be there waiting for us. It was no where to be found! I was told that out plane might show up! What...it might? Ok, so we just waited. Just go with the flow!

We were able to appreciate our beautiful surroundings, and the view was spectacular. We were overlooking the water with sailboats and the beautiful mountains in the background.

Matt was being adventurous and went exploring.
Cynthia, Chris, Julie, Mandy, Chris, Leslie, Brian, and I waiting at the airport.

Our "ground crew" consisted of one tiny old Haitian man. He had to be over 70 years old. He wore an orange reflective vest and waved a little Haitian flag. He was cheerful and so excited to see us! He hugged and shook hands with all of us. You could tell that he took pride in his job. He was absolutely precious! I wish I had a picture of him...darn.

It didn't take too long for our plane to arrive. We all loaded up and were distributed in the plane to make sure the weight was balanced. This time I was not nearly as scared or anxious to fly. I was some what prepared for the flight.

As we took off, I glanced out the window to look down at La Gonave. My heart sank into my stomach and it took so much effort not to burst into tears. I was not ready to leave. I was overwhelmed with emotion and was shocked at how I fell in love with this place. It is said that Haiti is the country that the world forgot and La Gonave is the island that Haiti forgot. I know I will never forget this beautiful place!

It was heart wrenching to watch the little island get farther and farther away; knowing that we were going home, and we were leaving people that did not have one. Knowing that we would be eating a wonderful meal later, and that we were leaving people that didn't have enough money to feed their children. Knowing we would be able to drink water out of our spickets at home, and that we were leaving people who were dying of thirst. Knowing that we had jobs to get back to, and leaving people who don't make more than $ 2 a day.

As quiet tears streamed down my cheeks, I said goodbye to the island. The place that opened my eyes to new things. The place where I learned so much about myself and what I was capable of. The place where I developed amazing friendships. The place that strengthened my faith and relationship with God. The place that changed my world forever. Good bye La Gonave.

Coming up next...Back to Reality

So long, Farwell...

After we finished our awesome swim, we loaded back into the ambulance and drove back to the compound. When we arrived at the compound it was just about dark, so the generators were in full gear. Everyone was busy trying to pack up all of their stuff now, because we had to have all of our bags ready to go before we went to sleep.

Before I knew it, it was time for dinner. Tonight the ladies prepared a feast! We had a huge spread of food and it all tasted so good! I had rice with veggies and beans, fried potatoes and plantains! This dinner was bittersweet. It was our last night on La Gonave and we all knew that our mission was complete. We all realized that this might be the last time that we would all be together at the same time again. On the same note, we were excited to go home to see our families.

After dinner, our interpreters returned to say goodbye. We all exchanged phone numbers and email addresses in hopes of staying connected. Hugs were given all around and a few tears were shed. These men were a part of our team, our family. We would not have been able to do what we came to do in Haiti without them. I will truly miss Webster, Dens, Bob, and Jean Louis.

Webster

Webster is a wonderful man! He has such a gentle and caring soul. Webster truly cares for every patient he sees and treats everyone like a family member. Webster is a hard worker who doesn't quit until the job is done. He loves working with Mandy and helping all of his Haitian brothers and sisters. He is one of the kindest persons I know.

Bob

Bob is a jokester who keeps everyone laughing. No matter what the scenario, he makes sure everyone has a smile on their face. He is also all about getting the work done and will help anyone to get the job accomplished. Bob might be a little hard and sarcastic at times, but he really is a big teddy bear and has a great personality!

Dens

Dens has such a sweet spirit. He is a quiet man but speaks volumes through his artistic abilities. Not only is he fluent in English, Creole, French, and Spanish, but he was self taught! Dens is so knowledgeable, loyal, and kind! He has been a translator for almost every single mission trip our group has been on!

Jean Louis

Jean Louis is a man that is willing to do whatever it takes to help people. While we were working, he was pulled in every different direction and never complained once. Jean Louis is a patient and kind man who stops at nothing to make you happy. He might have a hard shell, but once you get to know him, he is a big sweet heart.

Once we all said our goodbyes and got one last group picture together (which I don't have. I don't know why), it was on to our last devotional which was lead by Mandy. We met on the porch of the rectory. We opened our devotional in prayer and then Mandy asked us what was the most profound thing God had done for us on this trip. Each person shared their story. It was so cool to see how God used each of us in different ways. Each story ended up having something about how close we all had become over the course of this week. I felt the same way.

I was very emotional during my time to talk. If you have ever seen me cry and try to talk at the same time, you know it is pretty scary! I wasn't able to say everything I wanted to say because I was a blubbering mess! I was sad about our team "breaking up" and going our separate ways once we returned home. I was also sad about physically leaving Haiti for fear of losing my Haitian lifestyle/mindset. Things just made sense to me here. Things just seemed so much simpler and raw in a way. Being here made me realize what is truly important in life and I was afraid that once I left, I would lose it. I felt so much closer to God while in Haiti and I was terrified of not having that when I returned home. It's amazing how I was taken out of my comfort zone but ended up feeling more comfortable than ever! I know it might sound crazy, but it's true!

It's amazing how a few days ago, we were 13 individuals starting a journey together. Now, we are leaving Haiti a family of 13. I love every single person on this trip, and I am so blessed to have befriended them. I have had such a wonderful experience that words can never fully explain. I have also had so many opportunities to see, try, and do new things that I would not have had elsewhere.

Once all the tears were shed, we ended in a long prayer of thanksgiving and for safe travels tomorrow. We all hit the sheets early so we would be ready to catch our plane at the "airport" at 7am.

I slept in my own little bedroom again. It's amazing how different this room/bed is now compared to my first night here. After staying in Lotore the past few days, I now felt like I was staying at the Hilton! I got to sleep on a bed! With a pillow! I had a window! With glass! We had a toilet! The kind that flushes(with exceptions)! We had a faucet and shower! With running water (remember, don't get it in your mouth though)! It was a great feeling to have all of these things again (even though we did okay without them)! However, my mind was never far from the Haitian people. Some who have nothing, literally.

My nightly prayer from my journal: Thank you Lord for revealing to me that I am capable of doing anything. Thank you for calling me to do you work and serving your people. Even more, thank you for giving me the ears to hear your call. Thank you for every single person on this trip. They have all impacted my life in ways they will never know and I am so grateful for them. Thank you Lord for this wonderful and eye-opening experience. I pray for continued safe travel and for all the Haitian people in their everyday endeavors. Thank you Lord for all of your magnificent and bountiful blessings!

Coming up Next...Let's Go!

You've Got Mail

I have forgotten to tell you about one very important thing. Every single day I was on our trip, I received mail! Real mail!

From the moment I stepped on the plane, to my first morning in Lotore, in church, and my last day in Haiti, I received some form of mail from home. Before I left for Haiti, my mother secretly wrote notes, cards, and letters for me to receive every single day I was away. I know. She is so adorable and sweet! She packed my first card into my carry-on backpack so that when I opened my bag on the plane, I had a farewell card to read to send me off!

She was so sneaky and gave all of the other envelopes to Mandy. Mandy was my Haitian mailman (or lady, whatever) and I didn't even know it! My mother dated each envelope with the day Mandy was supposed to give it to me. So each morning I would either wake up with my mail on or around my bed or, when I left a room and then returned, a card would miraculously appear! It was so fun and I loved it! Every day I looked forward to opening my mail!

Some of the notes were silly and made me laugh and others made me cry. The letters made me feel so loved and special. My mom also included scripture and insight from her trip to Haiti on some of the cards. Every day I was able to get a little piece of home, so that was awesome! I am sure it helped me not get homesick also!

My sister even joined in on the action, so I have gotten lots of mail. I have saved every single piece of mail and will forever cherish each one!

Thanks to all who have sent me mail in Haiti! Special thanks to Mom and Angela!

How bout a dip?

Not too long after we arrived back to the compound in the ambulance, the big truck rolled in right behind us. We unloaded all of our bags, boxes, and supplies and took them to their designated areas. The interpreters left the compound so they could go home to see their families. They planned to return later in the evening to say good-bye.

We were all relieved to be on stable, non-bumpy ground at St. Francis Church in Anse-a-Galet! Everyone stayed in the same area/room as we did on our first night here. The girls were in the rectory, and the boys were in the dorms over the school.

As we were unpacking and re-packing our bags (which were filthy and covered in red dust), we were told that some local woman were setting up a little market for us to buy souvenirs! The ladies set up their handmade crafts, jewelry, and embroidered linens. Duns (one of our interpreters) also came to sell some of his amazing paintings. There was a gentleman who brought some huge and absolutely gorgeous conch shells to sell to us! I got some cool things to take home to my family and also a few things for myself.

After market, we had the opportunity to go swimming! I changed into my bathing suit and we all piled into the ambulance, again! Dave decided to stay at the compound to go through all of his stuff and take a little nap. Frederick was able to join us though, so that was nice.

Arturo drove us through Anse-a-Galet and down to the coast. It was interesting to drive through the streets and to see how different things were down here compared to in Lotore. There is so much poverty here and it is incredibly dirty. I was shocked at the amount of trash there is, and it is everywhere! The surroundings in Lotore are much greener and lush with trees and shrubs. Don't get me wrong, Lotore still is very poverty stricken, but I think it is beautiful.

As we got closer to the coast, I caught a glimpse of the water. It is absolutely gorgeous! It's totally Caribbean! I know that Haiti is located in the Caribbean, but where we have been and what we have been doing did not seem like we were on a Caribbean vacation at all!

Even as we were driving along the water line, I was surprised that the water was so calm. Not only that, but also how much trash there was along the beach! I was thinking in my head, "I'm not swimming in that!". Arturo continued driving us to a more remote and cleaner area, so all was good. I was shocked to see that there really wasn't any sand at the beach! The beach consisted of smooth stones and conch shells!

Some of us started gathering stones and shells to bring home while others just dove straight into the water. It was just starting to get dark when we got there, but we still had enough light to see the absolutely gorgeous view!

See how clear the water is! Absolutely spectacular!

We had to wear shoes into the water because of the slippery rocks, sea urchins, and possible glass. It was an experience for me walking into the water and trying not to fall!

Once I actually made it into the water (without falling), I submerged myself in the salty, cool, clear water. It felt amazing! I bet you could see all of the dust and grime floating off of my body! It felt so good to just swim and float around. We all were acting like we just won a prize and felt like kids swimming. We were so excited!

Laura even brought some shampoo with her and was passing it around to everyone so we could wash our hair! It has been a long time since anyone has had the chance to wash their hair or be completely immersed in water! We all loved every minute of it! Thank you Lord for this awesome experience!

Before we knew it the moon was coming out, so we had to pack up our little beach party and head back to the compound. But before we left we were able to get some pretty cool pictures!

The swim team!

Left to Right: Chris, Frederick, Leslie, Brian, Laura, Brewster (back), Cynthia, Matt (back), Me, Mandy, Billy (back), Ed, and Julie

The ladies under the moonlight.

Leslie, Laura, Me, Cynthia, Mandy, and Julie having fun!

Coming up Next...Time for Goodbyes

Last Day at Lotore!

Monday, October 13th: Day 5

I had a great night sleep and was the first girl to wake up this morning! I am not a early riser, so this is a big deal. I woke up at 5:15 am! I stepped outside our room and took a deep breath, enjoying God's beautiful creation. I am in awe of the beauty here! This place is so unbelievably beautiful. Some people have said that God has forgotten about Haiti, but I know now from being here that this is far from true.

I got dressed, packed my last minute stuff, and rolled up my sleeping bag. While packing, I started getting sad. I knew that we would be leaving soon. Too soon for me. I have not even left Haiti yet and I am already missing it!

We all gathered for breakfast and enjoyed our last meal in Lotore!

Everyone is bright-eyed and bushy tailed this morning!

Chris and Brian joking around.

Everyone got a good night's sleep, so we all were in a good mood!

The topic of conversation this morning was how well did everyone sleep last night with all of the new arrangements. Brian got a very restful and undisturbed night's sleep. Sadly, I cannot say the same for the other guys. Last night as Matt and Chris were resting happily with Brian now out of the room. They were awoken to snoring, again! Chris got out of his hammock and searched the room for the culprit. He thought it was Ed so he shined his light in Ed's face and woke him up to tell him to be quiet! Poor Ed. So Ed turns over on his side and Chris goes back to his hammock. As Chris was getting back in his bed, he heard the snoring again! He then realized that is was not Ed that was snoring, but Dave! Chris decided to give up after that! Poor Ed was woken up for no reason and accused of something he didn't even do! Of course it was not funny at the time, but when the story was told at breakfast, we were rolling with laughter!

Cynthia's air mattress survived the night and was fully inflated in the morning! She slept on a cloud! Laura did not fall out of the dental chair, so that was good!

The ladies made a special breakfast for us this morning. We were a little unsure and didn't know what it was. It looked pretty harmless, so I tried some first! Yeah, a huge step for me. I know!

It was like a porridge or cream of wheat. It was a thick consistency that had a slight sweet taste to it. I don't think we ever found out what it was made out of, but it was pretty good!

Ed obviously was very excited about it!

During breakfast Brian said, "Carrie, we have to find you a goat so you can get your picture". I couldn't believe that I almost forgot and that Brian actually remembered! I went with Brian outside, put on some gloves (you never know what kind of diseases these animals may have, no matter how precious they are!) and searched for a baby goat. Those suckers are fast! Brian finally grabbed one and handed it to me. He was bleating and scared, poor thing! I repositioned him and Brian took the picture!

I am so excited I got my goat picture! Thanks again Brian!

Before we knew it, there were tons of people waiting to be seen. We were scheduled to leave at noon to return to Lotore, so we had to get on the ball. We all manned our stations and assumed our positions!

Before we got started, we noticed the children playing in the courtyard. They were playing/dancing in a circle and holding hands. Leslie joined in on the fun!

Laura had the opportunity to give a donkey his vaccination!
Go Laura!


Me and my friend/interpreter Jean Louis

We had a very busy morning and saw many patients. I saw one man who had a nasty cut to his finger. You could almost see the bone! I irrigated and cleaned it as best I could. I called Matt and Chris over to look at it and to see if they could stitch it up. They said that they couldn't put sutures in it because the wound was too old. The only thing I could do was clean it and put a dressing on it, so I did. I gave the gentleman an antibiotic and some supplies so that he could do some dressing changes at home. Even though this was a very minor situation, it felt really good to physically treat this man and get my hands dirty, so to speak.

We finally finished seeing all of the adults. We then moved on to the school children and performed well child checks. Mandy, Billy, Matt, and Chris saw all of the children and then they came to me to get stickers and t-shirts. Mandy was given a ton of t-shirts that were left over from the Murrells Inlet "Blessing of the Inlet", so we were giving them out to the school children!

Our little patients sitting and waiting so patiently!


All of the school children lining up to be seen.


Aren't they so funny!
This little girl was so sweet!

While I was sitting next to the windows, little girls would stick their hands through and I would paint their finger nails! I brought some nail polish with me, but never had the chance to paint any one's nails until now!

Aren't their nails so pretty!

I didn't have the chance to do very many nails, but I did give the polish away to the little girls.

After all the children were seen and all the t-shirts were given out, we were able to gather all of the children together to get a group picture!

Rounding up the kids!

The school children in their new shirts! Look closely,part of the team gathered in the back!

Looks like a storm is brewing too!

I was blown away by the children. They were all so well behaved, never complained, cried, or fought with one another. Some of the American children need to come to Haiti to learn how to behave!

Before I knew it, the big truck was here and we were packing up all of our stuff. The big truck was loaded up quickly and the majority of our team wanted to ride in the back rather than in the ambulance. I guess they thought it would be an easier ride. I however was totally happy to ride in the ambulance (really a Toyota 4 Runner, if you were wondering). Because so many people were riding in the big truck, I was able to sit in the front seat all by myself. Of course Arturo was driving us!

As I got situated in the front seat, I turned around and noticed that I had an audience!

I think this picture is so cute!

Matt, Cynthia, Chris, Webster, Mandy, and Jean Louis riding in the big truck!

Laura rode in the big truck and was able to get these pictures.

Cynthia, Matt, and Chris.

Laura, ready to ride!

Let's go Leslie!

Before I knew it, we were pulling away from Lotore! I can't believe that our trip is over and we are on our way home already! The big truck was in front of us so the ambulance was stuck behind them. We could see everyone in the big truck, and they had a full load!

This one guy had to hang onto the back of the truck standing the whole time!

As you can see in the picture above, the big truck is open on the top and very tall. As they were driving, all the people in the truck were getting beaten by tree branches. They kept having to duck and dodge all the branches! From the ambulance point of view, it was really funny to watch. Especially because people thought it would be so much better in the big truck. Sorry, but it was funny!

We finally got a chance to pass the big truck and Arturo took off like a bolt of lightning. Well, maybe more like a fast turtle. Anyway, we got a huge lead on the big truck!

What a beautiful mountainside!
I gave Jean Louis my visor to keep. So he is now doing some free advertising for my Brother-in-law's landscaping company! I don't know how in demand landscapers and irrigation systems are in Haiti though?

A house on the side of a cliff!

Webster, Julie, and Mandy crammed in the big truck!

So as soon as we got our lead on the big truck, what do ya know, we got a flat tire! We all bailed out of the ambulance and Arturo kicked it into high gear. He was like a one man NASCAR pit crew! He changed that tire in record speed! At least it felt like it! Well the other men did help him, but still he is a machine!

While I was using my "girl card" and being useless, some little children came running up being curious. They started yelling "blanc, blanc"! They were so excited to see us. I waved at them and they came over. They were so cute and funny! They would come over to me very slowly and cautiously, like tip-toeing. Then they would reach out their hand to touch mine so slowly. Then they would quickly tap my hand and run off laughing and screaming! They were so hilarious! I felt like I was a circus side show!

Before I knew it, the tire was changed and the guys were yelling at me to get in the truck! As I was jumping in the ambulance, the big truck came barrelling around the corner! Arturo kicked it into gear and we were able to stay in front of the big truck! We were able to gain our lead on the big truck again. Before I knew it, I couldn't even see the truck again.

The trip down the mountain was long and bumpy, but also sunny and beautiful! I had taken Dramamine before we left and I actually started to fall asleep a couple of times! Can you believe it! I was able to get a couple of pretty pictures though.

God's beautiful masterpiece!

On the drive down, Ed kept trying to take pictures of the "road" to show how bumpy it is. For some odd reason though, in every single picture he took, the road would look completely flat on his camera screen! We have no clue why that was!
This one I took turned out pretty well, don't you think?

Before I knew it, we had arrived back in Anse-a-Galet! We drove in the gates of the compound at St. Francis church and parked. It was so nice to be "home". I was totally exhausted, sweaty, and covered in dust! It was a good day!

Coming up next...Last night at the compound