Les Cayes is so far from Port au Prince - both in distance & character. One is rural, the other urban... one is small, quiet & peaceful, the other large, crowded and rough. Wherever you are in Haiti you can see the financial hardships the entire country endures but the situation is magnified in Port au Prince. One area in particular, just outside Port au Prince, is Cite Soleil. It's harsh environment belies it's "sunny" name. It is much more bleak & seedy than anywhere we'd seen. Our Dou Dou, a large Haitian native told us that even HE wouldn't go here at night.
So many people have asked me if I felt safe going to Haiti... but I believe the better question is, "Is it God's will for me to go to Haiti?" You all know the answer to THAT question is "yes". So, how much safer can I be than in God's will? I know that this doesn't mean no harm will come our way - but that if it does, God is with us - leading us, guiding us & protecting us along the way. Psalm 16:8 tell us, "I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken."
Traffic is crazy in Port au Prince! There are no discernible traffic rules - no lanes, no stop lights... just cars, people & animals EVERYWHERE! There are also "tap taps"- small pickup trucks outfitted with rails & benches that serve as a form of public transportation by cramming more people in, on top of & hanging off of the end - like a clown car at the circus. They stop anywhere in the road to accommodate more passengers. Moto taxis are also big here. This is a motorcycle that carries 2, 3, 4 people (the record we saw was one with SIX people on it!). Their small size allows them to weave in & out of traffic. They don't seem to realize their small size makes them much more prone to accidents / injuries. (Helmets? What are those???) I was so very thankful for Dou Dou's skill & experience. Even while vehicles are whizzing past us & AT us (with sometimes only inches to spare), I wasn't afraid in his capable hands.
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| tap tap- Haitian public transportation |
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| moto taxi |
We were late to our appointed meeting time with Pastor Guercy (Haitian time, remember?), but he was even later... But we are finally off to Gonaive. Pastor Guercy is Haitian, but has lived in Florida & drives like an American... no speeding or crazy passing. Although there's nothing technically wrong with this, our drive seems a bit scarier (as other cars are crazily passing us) and getting to our destination takes much longer. Gonaive is Pastor Guercy's hometown - he knows just about everyone here. We needed to have dinner, but by the time we arrive, everything is closed. So he calls a cousin with a restaurant & they opened just for us and prepared a lovely meal. (Michael & I had conch; Jason had "kabrit" - goat). Again our beverage choices were bottled sodas... (I sure pray God is forgiving me for continuing to break my Lenten sacrifice!) Then Pastor Guercy finds us lodging through another cousin... this cousin is building a nice hotel, but it is not yet ready to open. However, it only took a phone call & suddenly we had 2 fully furnished, made-up rooms and bathrooms. We were locked in securely & guarded though the night.
Before we went to sleep, we again climbed up to the roof for our nightly devotion. We debrief from the day & then Michael leads us in a few worship songs. He taught us the Haitian version of the songs we'd sung with the children at the orphanages. (Michael's Creole is getting stronger each time he comes to Haiti. He has been a great interpreter & Creole teacher for us during our trip!) Jason led our devotion & prayer time and then we closed with our "bead" ceremony. We are tired (and frankly, getting a bit giddy & silly), but it's been a long and wonderful day! Amen!
Renmen ak benediksyon!
~Laura
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