Bob journals:
Made it to church in Petit Goave - only 10 minutes away. Ride in pick-up truck with Paul, Steve, & Sal standing in the back. The Pastor of the church picked us up. Very nice church and friendly people, happy to see us. We should all take a lesson from them on how to dress for church. For people who have virtually nothing, they are very proud and dress extremely well. After church the pastor took us on a short ride around Petit-Goave and back to the guest house. Relaxed for a few hours and took what turned out to be a long walk through the town and back to the church. Many people walking around and on motor bikes, many of which serve as taxis. Again on our walk we encountered well-dressed people on the streets. Little kids would call us "Blanc". Made it back to the guest house a little after 6pm and a little late for dinner.
All around, had an interesting and exciting day.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Third Day - Sunday, May 8th, morning
Paul writes:
Just back from Church service. About two hour-plus service. Folks very friendly and outgoing. They asked us to introduce ourselves and Kissmir translated.
Could not believe how well dressed everyone was. Little girls with bows in their hair. So pretty with beautiful complexions and big stunning brown eyes. Young boys in long pants, nice shirts, and shined shoes.
Just a wonderful experience.
Just back from Church service. About two hour-plus service. Folks very friendly and outgoing. They asked us to introduce ourselves and Kissmir translated.
Could not believe how well dressed everyone was. Little girls with bows in their hair. So pretty with beautiful complexions and big stunning brown eyes. Young boys in long pants, nice shirts, and shined shoes.
Just a wonderful experience.
Second Day - Saturday, May 7th
Steve's Journal:
The day started with some relaxing at the guest house in Petionville. A french toast breakfast followed with fresh fruit. All wonderful.
Then packing to head out was next. First our bags in one truck. Then find out it was the wrong one. Bag shuffle to right one. Then load ourselves into the passenger van for the eye-opening trek to our destination for the next 5 nights, Petit Goave. So many sites as we sped by. From the destruction, to mass chaos, to beautiful sites of mountains and ocean. What was billed as a Gilligan's Island-like 2 1/2 to 3 hour ride turned into 4+ hours with traffic, political unrest, rough roads, and more. Arrival was a bit after noon.
A portion of the team ventures out to our work site, Fond Deux church. We met some of the workers, and of course the children. We were able to see what tasks were before us starting Monday. Then back to our guest house for a light lunch. Another good meal including delicious pineapple and my favorite sandwich, or one of them, PB&J.
The restless team then stretches our legs with a nice walk to the local beach. What a mix of inviting water (at least to this wandering diver) and pile upon pile of trash. Run-off really made water, at least in the bay, a tease. So walk, view, play with kids, and back to home away from home.
A short time of reflection right after dinner. Yes, another meal. Chicken, rice, veggies, and a warm cake. Full again, or still. Then personal time to relax and reflect. The team is gelling well and anxious to get to work. It is almost time. Just one day to go to church and site-see in Petit Goave...
The day started with some relaxing at the guest house in Petionville. A french toast breakfast followed with fresh fruit. All wonderful.
Then packing to head out was next. First our bags in one truck. Then find out it was the wrong one. Bag shuffle to right one. Then load ourselves into the passenger van for the eye-opening trek to our destination for the next 5 nights, Petit Goave. So many sites as we sped by. From the destruction, to mass chaos, to beautiful sites of mountains and ocean. What was billed as a Gilligan's Island-like 2 1/2 to 3 hour ride turned into 4+ hours with traffic, political unrest, rough roads, and more. Arrival was a bit after noon.
A portion of the team ventures out to our work site, Fond Deux church. We met some of the workers, and of course the children. We were able to see what tasks were before us starting Monday. Then back to our guest house for a light lunch. Another good meal including delicious pineapple and my favorite sandwich, or one of them, PB&J.
The restless team then stretches our legs with a nice walk to the local beach. What a mix of inviting water (at least to this wandering diver) and pile upon pile of trash. Run-off really made water, at least in the bay, a tease. So walk, view, play with kids, and back to home away from home.
A short time of reflection right after dinner. Yes, another meal. Chicken, rice, veggies, and a warm cake. Full again, or still. Then personal time to relax and reflect. The team is gelling well and anxious to get to work. It is almost time. Just one day to go to church and site-see in Petit Goave...
Sunday, May 8, 2011
First Day - Friday, May 6
Diane's Journal:
We are on the way to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, for a wekk with the United Methodist Church as part of a volunteer mission. I had thought about and considered the idea of going to Haiti, but I don't know if I really thought it actually possible to be a missionary until now. The group consists of 7 of us and the tentative plan (we won't know until we show up) is to finish building a church in Dond Douze which is west of Port-au-Prince and at Petit Goave. Our team leader is the pastor at the Clinton, CT, United Methodist Church and 3 others besides me are also from Clinton. There is also a fellow from New Mitford, CT, and another woman from New Paltz, NY. We were allowed one carry on and one checked bag free of charge and some have packed coloring books, crayons, soccer balls, medicines, etc. to have distributed to the various areas once we arrive.
Upon arrival at Port-au-Prince we found a small airport with one side backed by mountains. This is the first trip like this to an off-beat location for many of us and the first experiences at the airport were a little bit of a learning experience for us all. Once we find our driver, we pile into the back of a truck filled with padded seats and, with all our luggage, ride to our guesthouse in the nearby suburb called Petionville. On the way we see vendors selling vegetables and fruits by the roadside, including onions, mini limes, plantains, mangoes and tomatoes). We also pass many schools (all private) and buildings in various places and sorts -- some affected by the earthquake and some not. The guesthouse we are going to is a meeting point for other mission groups and will be the first and last place we stay in Haiti as the majority of our trip we will be working outside of the city.
We are on the way to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, for a wekk with the United Methodist Church as part of a volunteer mission. I had thought about and considered the idea of going to Haiti, but I don't know if I really thought it actually possible to be a missionary until now. The group consists of 7 of us and the tentative plan (we won't know until we show up) is to finish building a church in Dond Douze which is west of Port-au-Prince and at Petit Goave. Our team leader is the pastor at the Clinton, CT, United Methodist Church and 3 others besides me are also from Clinton. There is also a fellow from New Mitford, CT, and another woman from New Paltz, NY. We were allowed one carry on and one checked bag free of charge and some have packed coloring books, crayons, soccer balls, medicines, etc. to have distributed to the various areas once we arrive.
Upon arrival at Port-au-Prince we found a small airport with one side backed by mountains. This is the first trip like this to an off-beat location for many of us and the first experiences at the airport were a little bit of a learning experience for us all. Once we find our driver, we pile into the back of a truck filled with padded seats and, with all our luggage, ride to our guesthouse in the nearby suburb called Petionville. On the way we see vendors selling vegetables and fruits by the roadside, including onions, mini limes, plantains, mangoes and tomatoes). We also pass many schools (all private) and buildings in various places and sorts -- some affected by the earthquake and some not. The guesthouse we are going to is a meeting point for other mission groups and will be the first and last place we stay in Haiti as the majority of our trip we will be working outside of the city.
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