After a 2 hour flight from Miami, early this morning, we landed on the tarmac on the one runway at the Port Au Prince airport. The plane preceded to do a U Turn on the runway which was a bit surprising! We pulled up to the gate and let's just say the airport is a bit less modern and quite a bit more chaotic than the MSP airport! A Haitian band as well as many clamoring people offering to help with our luggage greeted us. The baggage area was disorganized with luggage everywhere! Luckily all of our bags were marked with bright orange ribbon. We each were able to check 3 bags and brought some from a missionary family that will be arriving here soon. We loaded up 2 big carts and headed toward the exit. Immediately several persistent gentleman began following us and asking to help with the luggage...for a tip of course. Two men attached themselves to our carts and followed us all the way to the rep from ReachGlobal holding a sign. An argument in Haitian Creol ensued and eventually we loaded our luggage in the vehicle and headed out with our driver Miguel.
The introduction to Port Au Prince was intense with many sights and sounds to behold ! Ramshackle and crumbling buildings, people everywhere, bright green foliage with beautiful mountains in the distance and the blue-green ocean on the other side were spread out before us. Tap taps are the local mode of transport with a sort of topper cage on the back of a pickup with people crammed in like sardines and sometimes even standing on the back bumper! We were amazed at the amount of stuff people could carry on top of their heads: big bags of water, 5 gallon pails and large loads of laundry! Horns on vehicles are a necessity as traffic runs every which way and pedestrians cross at will. We took in the sight of the earthquake damage to the capital building with a collapsed dome and the cathedral; it was as though it was standing still in time since the earthquake in 2010...
At last we arrived, on a very bumpy road, to our ReachGlobal guest home in Gressier. It's known as the Haitian Queen. It's actually quite nice with flush toilets, some indoor showers and electricity most of the time. We quickly made friends with Ashley and her new husband Claudy who reside there as part of the ReachGlobal staff, Dr Tom Cairns and his wife Annette and 15 year old granddaughter Nikole. There are also assorted others including local folks like Rosita who is cooking something that smells heavenly and baking bread as I type this.
I am so excited to finally be here and we are looking forward to what God has for us here. Last night as I restlessly lay in bed, I could literally feel the prayer support of so many who I know are faithful prayer warriors while we are here. What a comfort! God is good and we can feel his presence already.
More to follow...
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