Brittany shares about the Nutrition Centers in Haiti.

Today we've started to pack out bags and clean up as we prepare to leave. Many feel tore between wanting to leave and wanting to stay and do more. yesterday, we have the wonderful privilage of distrubuting food. (thank you to those of you that prayed for no rain it was on of the hottest days yet!) We were able to feed over 20 families for a week and all it cost was $150. Many US families spend that in a week just for a family of 4 or 5. The 5 house we went to was locked no parents home. When the door finally opened there were 4 malnutrition girls standing there ages 4-12. JeanJean told us this is really bad, the girls are left alone for hours on end and not feed. We left with them bags of rice, beans and cooking oil, most of us on the team were so moved we handed over our trail mix for the girls to eat right away. JeanJean said he had spoken to the parents before about the girls attending the nutrition center but they declined. JeanJean went back this morning to speak to them again, asking them to send their kids. This afternoon I'm pleased to say they all showed up and ate at the nutrition center and they each recieved a pair of shoes.


This morning we woke early to head down to the river and baptise a few people from the team! What an awesome exxperience... more photos to come.


We had another clinic this morning and treated another 30 people. Kristie does such a wonderful job working with these people. Her pharamancy always needs new supplies, but everything seems to come right when it is needed.


Yesterday we had our last VBS... what they didn't tell us about this one as that it was basically 80 two year olds! yes, you read that right 80 2 year olds! So come 11am it was melt down time followed by nap time. It was a true joy though to be with these little ones and hold them as they slept. At the end we gave them all of our remaining shoes... which were all small shoes. So it was prefect.

Before Lunch today we went and prayed for Andre a witch doctor. He asked us pray for him and to keep praying for him. In voodoo you sign a contract and if you break it before your committement is up their is fear that someone will kill you. Fear is a big thing here. We explained to him that Christ has already paid for his contract in full by his Son. JeanJean was telling us that fear is a HUGE thing here. So we ask you on behalf of Andre to pray for him, pray that God will break the strongholds in Andre's life that he will trust the Lord and not fear.


We ask for your prayers again as we travel back for safety. We also ask for you to pray that we hold on to what God has taught each of us here, that God uses each of us on the team to share this journey we've been on and what He is doing here in Haiti.


PS for those of you wonderful people that are picking us up at the airport: American Airlines arriving SFO at9:59pm from Maimi (sorry don't recall the fligt number)

Today was a busy day! We had VBC with around 100-120 kids, followed by shoe disturbution and clothes. We found out today that it is a requirment for all kids to have tennis shoes to go to school. Often times kids dont' go to school for one to two months due to their parents not being able to afford to buy tennis shoes. What a blessing not only these kids but for the parents. We meet with the Haitian board for UCI this evening and they said that they have parents coming up to them saying "thank you for the shoes" all the time now. It's amazing how God provides!

For the past two days we have had some very heavy afternoon/evening rain showers. It down pours for 3-5 hours straight. If you can pray because of the rain we have been unable to go and distrubute the food we have to give out. Please be praying that tomorrow and thursday between the hours of 3-7pm it stays dry, allowing us to go and deliever not only food but prayer to these people.

Thank you each so much for your prayers! Keep them up!

Enjoy the photos that will give you a glimps into what God is doing here! If you have it I suggest looking at the photos with the song "mighty to save" on as it seems to be our theme song here, we keep getting asked to sign it every where we go!

ps: on Thursday morning Elise & Tracy & Christe and others are going to be baptized in the river! The men's chore are joining us to sing, along with the local pastors and community! Photos to be posted!







VBC - Crafts




VBC - Drama time!





VBC - Sports Duck Duck Goss aka drip drip squeez

Well, this has truly been an amazing trip so far. We're all being eaten alive by mosquitos - thank God for our malaria medicine. We built walls for a house for a family who's mud and stone house was in a state of great deterioration, and we mixed and poured a concrete floor for another family who's children have suffered greatly from parasite infestation and disease. It's amazing to see how the community pulls together to help one another. The truly amazing thing is that just four years ago, that would not have been the case as this area was dominated by voodoo and fear. What little resources the people had was extorted from them by voodoo witch doctors under threat of a curse. Now, the people sing and laugh and come out to help and support one another. It's an amazing transformation! One local resident who left the area and moved to Port au Prince for work a couple years ago could not believe the transformation when he returned.

As others have already mentioned, we left at 4:30am for a strenuous hike to a voodoo cave in the mountains where sacrifices are still performed - bones and a skull from the most recent sacrifice still present. The entry to the cave was guarded by a couple of Pythons (or Boas), but they were too high in the tree to catch - those who know me know I tried. Anyway, we went as deeply into the cave as we thought safe given the slippery muddy bat gauno covered surfaces - it's rumored to go all the way through the mountain, but we chose not to find out. We then prayed through the cave before starting our hike back in the blistering heat of the morning.

We spent Saturday afternoon with a local youth group and had a great time putting on activities for the local kids (anyone 13-30 years old). There was a torrential downpour during our time with the youth group, which today we learned destroyed the former home of the family who we were building a new home for (we helped build the walls).

On Sunday we attended two church survices - one in Pignon at the church JeanJean grew up in, and another at a new church the Mompremier's started only 6 weeks ago - attendance was at least 300 which was amazing. Brooks delivered a brief message which was very well received.

Today we ventured to market, poured another concrete floor for a "dirt poor" family to help them overcome the constant illness and parasite infestation their children are suffering, sorted our craft supplies for the VBS programs we will be doing over the next 3 days, and provided a medical clinic for locals - we served 45 people today - we just wish we had more medication to serve more.

Anyway, we're about to deliver food to starving families, so I need to sign out. The sky is rumbling with thunder so we may get drenched. But a little inconvenience is nothing compared to the need here. We're honored that we get to help those who's needs are so much greater than our own. Thank you for your continued prayers.

Balloon game with the youth group!


Nutrition Center


Group shot before church this morning.


Watching Yesterday's rain storm from inside the worship center

Tracy and Elise here! Hey family and friends, we are adjusting to life here in Haiti very well. We're super sweaty, no makeup and our hair has seen better days, but we are LOVING it! The food is awesome. We have discovered the yummy Haitian treat, spicy peanut butter and we are bringing some home for you! You should see us at night in our bug nets, that are sealed shut, no bugs allowed. Another day taurantula free, in our room at least.

God is doing amazing things here! Last night we met an ex witch doctor (Zourel)who told us his testimony. He shared with us about how he came to know Christ and how he used to live in darkness and now he is sharing his faith with other whitch doctors. Yesterday, we played with about 60 kids at the food distrubution center. The room was full of laughter as we played with balloons and crafts. They are so amazing and joyfull little kids! We are going to miss them. We (tracy and I) painted 3 benches for the worship center yesterday! We feel like so much was accomplished, the other part of our team worked on a house and laying cement! yey.

Today...was eventful, even though it's only about 12:30 right now. We started off our morning at 4:30am!! (yes, that's 2:30am at home) with a hike to a bat cave. This was no easy hike. It took us about 6 hours total. The scenery was beautiful, green mountains, corn fields, and grass so tall it was above all of our heads! We saw some baby goats and cows. We stopped to rest, eat and gaze at the view over the whole city of Pignon. Then we arrived! At the mouth of the cave there were 2 boa constrictors curled up in a tree. AHH!!! They didn't come near us, thank goodness! The whole inside of the cave was covered in guano (bat poo) and we needed flashlights just to see our way. There were bats flying around our heads. So then, I (Elise) decided to venture deeper into the cave with others. To get to the next area, we had to JUMP over a muddy/guano filled pool. Thankfully i made it...on the way there...on the way back, I wasn't so lucky...I jumped and my left foot sank THIGH DEEP into a hole of guano. Yes, that is the picture you are seeing above. My bat poo covered leg. On the way down the mountain, Tracy had a little spill into a bush when she lost her footing on some loose rocks which is nothing new for her. Into a bush she went and her pants got a nice big hole in them. It was more of a tipping over then a fall really.

Other than that, we are doing great! Excited to see what God will do through our team. We LOVE and miss you guys tons, and we are loving the letters. Until our next update! Tracy and Elise, signing off.
LOVE YOU!

Hi, Cambri again.

We just had our evening devotional. Some are still worshipping, some have moved on to getting ready for bed... and some are blogging.

This evening's devo was led by Ms. Tracy Buchanan who shared with us the first of a series of noted her mom wrote for her to read on the trip. She wrote about how we will be seeing many things that we have never seen before. She compares it with a thought form the book "Crazy Love" in which the writer talks about all the different kinds of laughter. "What a cool reminder," Tracy's mom writes, "of how creative God is!"

Indeed, we have seen many beautiful things. Here are some of the favorites of the team:

1. Everyone here laughs. In spite of the language barrier, our team has used the universal languages of laughter and play to connect with this community. A moment Garth shared with us that he says says blessed his heart was when we were playing with the kids from the nutrition center in the worship center. Some were running around with their balloons, some were tossing beach balls around, but all 30 children were laughing.

2. Today, one of the projects we helped with was the building of a house of one of the men who built Zouel's (the former witch doctor's) house. Again, only two of the men were being paid to work, but about seven gathered to volunteer their time. We shared some laughs with them as well :)

3. When serving the children in the nutrition center, there was absolutely no shoving, pushing, or bickering for who went first. Indeed many of the kids helped pass out the bowls and plates. We sat with them and watched them interact- for instance, one girl helped her small brother eat his meal, blowing of the steam so that it wouldn't be too hot for him. Many took a few bites and packed the rest away to share with their families.

As we shared these stories and others with one another, Kristi shared with us a thought that makes these so much more precious. She told us about how once in this area, one could always hear the chanting, singing, and drum beating of voodoo rituals. Haitians would say that nothing good came out of this area. Praise God for the work He is doing here that such love and joy, evidenced in the constant laughter of the community, is alive!

As a close to the evening, Zouel shared with us his testimony. It was such a blessing to hear about how Christ's love changed his life. Before shaking everyone's hand (and receiving a few hugs) we asked how we might pray for him, and he asks that his six children don't remember what he used to be like. Please keeps him and his family in your prayers.

Tracy's mom shared Isaiah 30:17 with us: "Your eyes will see the king in all his splendor, and you will see a land that stretchs into the distance."

We have truly seen God's greatness and as we sang tonight "greater things have yet to come and are still to be done in this city." Praise God!

Well, the adventure has begun! It's been 37 hours since I've had any sleep so I'll try to keep this brief.

The team got off to a great start and lots of laughs as I was selected by the TSA for screening/searching as we went through security in SFO. Incriminating pics to come. Thankfully, no cavity search was required. :) We flew through the night to Miami and met a team of folks from the Santa Rosa area headed to the Dominican Replubic to build homes for the poor. They were taking a total of 50 students, although I think the majority of them were on another flight or were there already. None the less, it was encouraging to meet others who share our heart of compassion and were going to serve our Haitian friend's neighbors. A few of us also had the pleasure of meeting a woman who is an evangelist from Brooklyn, NY; she was born in Haiti and came to NY to serve the Lord. And now she was taking a team back to Haiti for a project, and to visit her family. Again, it was a great encouragement to meet our fellow brothers and sisters and share our stories.

We arrived in Haiti without incident, although collecting our luggage from baggage claim was an adventure - many of our bags lost their bright blue laminated WestGate tags intended to ease identification so, it took a while to identify all our "team" bags - most of which happen to be black, like just about every other suitcase going around the carousel at luggage claim. We ventured into chaotic, crowded, bustling city and took a brief but exciting (what traffic laws?) bus ride to another airport to catch our flight to Pignon, which was another adventure in itself. Did I mention chaotic and crowded? Well this is Haiti and that describes the small airport we arrived at for our puddle jumper to Pignon. Our flight out was delayed, and then further delayed when the airline informed me they could not take all of our luggage - this after they assured me they could take all the luggage we checked and had already sent a chartered cargo flight ahead of us to take additional luggage/supplies beyond our weight limit for this flight. So, we spent 4 hours there waiting for a larger plane that could take our entire team AND all the checked luggage.

Despite the heat and general fatigue of most of the team, it was an adventure. Brooks broke out his guitar and immediately became the center of attention with a number of the men working at the airport. He let one of them play and they bagan singing praise songs in Creole. Then, despite the language barrier, they tried to teach him how to share the gospel story with his fingers. Very cool. Others played an exciting game of Yatzee with microscopic dice on the floor, while still others managed to doze in and out of sleep waiting in the one room terminal.

The flight from Port au Prince to Pignon was uneventful, but hot and a little bumpy. This is a beautiful country from the air. We enjoyed a bumpy landing on a grass landing strip and were warmly greeted by our hosts, JeanJean and Kristie Mompremier. It was great to see them again! The drive from the airport was only 6 miles on Haiti's Highway #3, but it takes about 30 minutes because it's a dirt road; a rutted unmaintained dirt road. But everyone enjoyed the ride standing in the back of the pickup truck taking in the sights - try that in California and you'll get a ticket, or thrown in jail. Did I mention this is a beautiful country? It's even more beautiful from the ground.

We had a wonderful meal of rice, black bean sauce, pork, and fried plantains, then took a walk to see the new home Team 1 built for a former witch doctor. We couldn't believe how much they accomplished. Tomorrow we will begin our projects and I'll post further updates. Right now, those on our team who haven't passed out from exhaustion are enjoying some lively worship. It's good to be here, and we're anxious to see all that the Lord is going to do in the coming days.

Please pray for continued good health, safety and protection for our team; that lifelong bonds of friendship would be formed, that we'd be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit, and that the Lord's will would be done.

We bring you [somewhat] LIVE coverage from Pignon! Cambri Love reporting.

Praise the Lord, Elise Gire made it in one safe piece. (She says "Hi Mommy and Daddy!) The rest are questionable. [for those worried family members, just kidding :)] Actually, everyone made it without sickness, although bouts of fatigue and sore anatomy swept the party.

This just in: we just had our first tarantula sighting! One unlucky individual was outwitted by one sneaky arachnid who made it into the bunk before reinforcements were put up. It took a leap at its prey... And Dave just screamed and ran. But it's okay, he warned us this might happen.

In all seriousness though, we're safe and so excited to be here! After arriving, we were fed a delicious lunch (soon to be chased by a dinner of popcorn and brownies!) and were able to make the small walk to the house team numero un (workin my high school French skills) began for the former witch doctor. Did they mention they finished it!? Yeah, we were surprised as well! Kristi says that there was an amazing support from neighbors who came just to help as they would be helped if they were in need. It was starting to get dark just as we got back to the compound so exploration ended and fellowship began.

So I'm off to possibly get beaten in Go Fish one more time by two seven year olds. Everyone says good night! Tomorrow starts bright and early with a 430 am prayer time!! Stay tuned!

We have all safely arrived in america. We are waiting for our final flight to SFO #1705. We will arrive via America Airlines at 10 pm. We look forward to seeing family and friends. Our prayers are with team 2 who have just begun their grand adventure. Bonjay Benny Yu :)

In a little less than 8 hours Team 2 will be boarding a plane at SFO bound for Haiti. Some where between here and The Mompremiers the two teams will pass each other. In fact the flight Team 2 takes into Haiti is the same flight that Team 1 leaves on. Tomorrow, July 16th is a day we ask for your prayers for travel safety and protection. Pray for Team 2 and all the team luggage that it all gets there safely and in one piece. Please be praying for team 1 as they re-enter the US that the revelations of God's love for them and the people of Haiti is not lost. For Team 2 as they enter the only 3rd world nation in the North America that God prepares their heart, their minds, and their bodies for the work He has prepared for them there.

Thanks for your prayers!

It is with a mix of grieving and excitement that we will head for home tomorrow. Many would like to stay longer (don't worry - it is not an option at this point :). We look forward to seeing our family and friends, but will miss our new friends and colaborers in Christ here.

Joel met with these pastors for two days. They come for two to three days a week, walking as far as 15 hours away, in order to learn more about the Bible. They work for the gospel for little pay and much persecution, but have a great joy for the Lord.

Debbie helps some kids out at a vacation bible camp. At the end of the one day camp the team gives each child a new pair of shoes. For some kids it will be the only pair they have. For others it will mean the will have shoes that actually fit.

Here is some of the team posing with some cooking oil we handed out to folks in the community. Besides the oil we handed out bags of rice and beans. Food is already scarce here, but July is the worse month because of lack of rain and the harvest doesn't start till next month. Our visit for many folks was the difference between eating and starving.

This is the home that we helped to build here in Haiti. We hauled the rocks you see in the walls by hand. They were dug right out of the ground. This new home belongs to Zouell. He use to be a witch doctor. He shared with us his testimony of how he use to scare and trick people into giving him their money. Now he is one of the greatest evangelists for the church.

Wow - where do I start?! I'll start by saying we are all doing well and are healthy! :)

When I first got here I could not stop thinking about how lucky I was to live in the US and have all the things I have. On the third day I spent time with Haitian women during a bible study led by Cathie. It was incredible to hear their stories and how Christ has changed their lives and the community around them. God opened by eyes and in an instance I was able to see all that they have, how blessed they are and how rich they are in the their relationship with Christ. It far surpases any thing I've seen in the U.S. Their spirtual wealth is abundant and leaves me speechless.

The other night we delivered beans, rice and cooking oil to homes. We prayed with each family we delivered food to and I was able to pray over a former witch doctor. It was so so incredible to hear his testmony and how Christ transformed his life. As we came to another house a lady shared with us that she had just ran out of food and had no idea how she was going to feed her children and then we showed up. They have to depend on God in ways I have never had to and it is so beatiful and moving to see the faith they live by and it is such a gift "to be the blessing."

I could go on and on but will leave it at that. Thank you ALL for your prayers. Please keep praying for our team, that God will continue to use us to touch their lives and open our eyes to see Him more clearly.

Blessings,
Loriann

Lyn and Troy are helping plant some trees. The only fuel available in Haiti is wood and charcoal. Haiti is suffering greatly because of deforestation. Part of the work the local churches do is to help the community replenish their natural resources.

Chaz is spending time with a small child at the nutrition center. We spent one afternoon playing and doing crafts with the 80 kids who have been saved from starvation. Through the nutrition center they get one meal a day for four days of the week. It's not ideal but it is enough to keep them decently healthy. There is just two many kids in need to do more. Between 5 nutrition centers they are caring for over 250 kids. They could easily be caring for a couple thousand if they had the resources.

Anthony brought some power tools and with the help of a generator is helping them build some the benches they need for the almost 400 people now using it on Sunday. There is no Home Depot to buy wood. The wood is fresh cut and smoothed by hand saws. Needless to say the locals are having fun with the new tools.

Bonswa!

Much love coming to you from Haiti!

First off, thank you for all of your prayers. Keep them coming! Recently we have had a few members of our team get sick, so please pray for healing.

Man, I thought I was sweating a lot down in SoCal... the heat there is nothing compared to the humidity in Haiti. People keep asking me if I just got out of the shower, when in reality I just finished tying my shoes and was sweating from that...LOL.

These past few days have been amazing! I can't even start to explain how God is moving in our group & the local Haitians around us.

So, for those of you that know me. Know that I am not a morning person, at all. But I had the opportunity to lead a 4am service this morning. That's right, I said 4AM! Every Friday morning people from the local community meet under a little straw hut gazebo to praise God & to hear God's word. I taught on John 13, Love & some personal things that God was challenging me on. It was different having a translator, because I could only speak one sentence at a time then had to wait for it to be translated into Creole. I think that I preach better when I don't have too much time to think, because it forces me to depend on the Holy Spirit to speak through me more & not get my own human-self adding stuff that doesn't need to be said. It was such an amazing time just worshipping God that early with people that are just crazy for Him.

Most of the rest of the day was spent riding on an ATV through the country side to go help teach an art class to some local kids. Although a few of us did continue to help build a new house for an ex-witchdoctor. Let me tell you... those Haitian men can work HARD. They put me to shame, I gas out after 10mins working under the Sun.

I'm really excited for tomorrow. I have an opportunity to teach martial arts & self defense to the on-site security guards. Boo-ya!

It rained tonight during dinner, which was such a blessing. There was a cool rainbow & the lightning here travels horizontally. Oh, and we had fried chicken & mashed potatoes for dinner, yum yum, I was in my happy place!

Tonight we had the Haitian Church board members come over & explain how they view ministry & what God has been doing out here. It was so good to hear these men of God talk about how they just want to further God's Kingdom & how God has guided & blessed every step in the process. I wish there were more men like them in this world.

Well, it's about that time for me to go get ready for bed & let the mosquitoes dine on me. Let me leave you with one of my favorite quotes by, John Keith Falconer: "I have but one candle of life to burn, and I would rather burn it out in a land filled with darkness than in a land flooded with light."


Peace, Love & may God bless you,
- Chaz

Already there has been so much going on that I didn't want any of our friends and family to miss out on it! We are all alive and well in Haiti- some of us learning to be more alive here than perhaps even in the States. There is something about this beautiful place- the simplicity and honesty of the tropical countryside & its people- that just gets under your skin, cutting through the the superfluous things I spend my mind on in the States. When we first flew into Pignon, I was surprised to feel "home". I saw many familiar faces and am surprised at how my modge podge of communicating in creole, french, spanish and English is all coming back quickly. With an eagerness to match or even surpass my own, my old and new friends are trying just as hard to communicate with me.

I have had two days and three classes so far with the boys art club. Yesterday I arrived to hugs and blushes as I was reunited with the boys and surprised to see how much the club has grown. Wilnot, one of the boys, brought me a large painting of a huge house (by Haiti's standards) and in little letters it reads "Trinas House Haiti". Think he's trying to tell me something? There are no locks on the doors, he tells me, because everyone can just come and go out of my house. Barb and some of the boys started to pick out their bedrooms! A little later a woman came to visit with a just born baby. The mother was mentally insane so this woman had taken it until it could be decided where he should go. I asked if he had a name and they said, "no, would you like to name him?". Oh man, I was absolutely floored- name a baby and give it an identity it will carry with it for the rest of its life? I thought about it for a few minutes and named the little garson "Dieu Bon Andre"- "Dieu Bon" means "God is good" in Haitian and "Andre" after my dad (Andrew). Never thought I'd be naming someone else's kid after my Dad! Why did I pick that name? Well, I was preparing for my devotional and was reflecting on a quote by John Piper that says "Missions exist because worship doesn't". My friend wisely told me that it is not my purpose here to change things, my purpose is to lead people into a deeper worship of God. I hope this will give little Dieu Bon Andre a good start... I think it may be the coolest thing I have yet done. My first afternoon in Haiti and already I have a house and a baby! LOL! I feel more like a woman already! =P

I have started the boys on very simple excercises like drawing animals or still life objects from shapes. What I'm learning is how literal the culture is here. It is hard for them to think in abstraction, as all their education is rote memorization,and hard for them to step out with their own artistic voice as their only artistic training has been to copy the marketplace and tropical scenes the tradesmen sell in the big cities. I am giving them excercises to find their voice and examine how they "see" (sometimes with our eyes, sometimes with our heart, head, imagination, spirit, etc...). Today Chaz gave his tired muscles a break after spending a day as a rockstar hoofing heavy limestone rocks in the heat to build Zouel's house with Anthony, Don, Nai Wei & Lindsay to be my "assistant" and was quick to share with them how what they are doing reflects being creating in the image of a Creator God.

We got to give Wilnot his guitar this afternoon, which was no small thing after the Tortuga Airline debacle (I was in tears and about to give up my clothes to make sure he got this darn guitar!). I have not seen him show that much emotion. He began to play it beautifully and we know we have already given him something to lead him into deeper worship of God that will bless others.

Well, what else can I tell you? The Mompremiers now have stocked the dorm with flushing toilets and mosquito nets and Lindsay, who has what we've been calling the "princess net" found a new friend last night- a tarantula! The nets can keep out these bitty mosquitos, but how in the world did that sneaky tarantula get in there? Oh my... Chaz came to the rescue and took it outside.

Some of the team has been working on projects: painting the doors of neighboring houses to protect them from rot in the hurricane season, painting and stenciling in the worship center, Anthony has been leading the locals in creating benches to sit on in the worship center, Zouel's house nearly has its walls and roof on after only TWO DAYS, and we had our first nutrition center assessment. It was AMAZING to see the Josefs (the kids who JeanJean and Kristie had seen eating ashes) because they are so BIG praise God! They had energy and were running around keeping up with all the other kids. It was just incredible to see! The King kids even helped sort all the vitamins and pills today for Kristie and Cynthia helped her weigh and assess the children.

There is much more to say- God already is doing amazing things in our hearts. I'd say we still need prayer that God will transform us and lead us in leading others into a deeper worship of Him.

I've re-fallen in love with Haiti & its people and the space to hear God's voice.

We are all here safe and sound. However, we have defintely entered a different culture. Things went pretty smooth on the red eye to Miami. We knew something had changed though when we sat down at our gate to wait for our flight to Port-a-Prince. We were surrounded by folks who looked different than us and spoke different than us. When they announced that they were boarding everyone went rushing toward the gate It was a little chaotic. It took about three times as usual to get everyone to find and stay in their seat,which really wasn't a big deal because the plane left one hour late (we had definitely entered Haitian time).
The flight went well until the very end where the landing was a little rockier than usual, but for the Haitians that wasn't a big deal as one lady had decided to get up from her seat and walk down the aisle as we were landing. She had made her way right up to the stewardess when the plane touched down. Needless to say most everyone was up and getting their things before the plane had stopped and the "fasten your seat belts" sign went off. The crew didn't even bother asking people to sit down. We were in Haiti now.
It was hot out but there was a decent breeze blowing so it wasn't to bad. It took almost another 45 minutes to hunt down all of our bags. They took a long time coming and some seemed to be taken off the luggage belt and set aside for no apparent reason. We were in Haiti. We then fought our way through the hundreds of taxi's and luggage handlers to the bus that would take us 15 minutes down the road to another airport where our charter flight was suppose to be waiting. Of course we had to rehaggle over the price and wait for them to be ready for us. When we finally were ready to leave they informed us that we had too much luggage and couldn't take it all. At this point we just chuckled, after all we are now in Haiti. We finally negotiated that all our personal bags would make the flight and the rest would be trucked to us the following day.
We got on a small hopper plane (It had 18 seats but because some of the luggage had to go in seats, the King kids doubled up in seats). We finally landed on a grass landing strip about 4 hours later than expected. One rocky bus ride twenty minutes up the mountain and we were home. Everyone is in good spirits and looking forward to a good nights sleep. Who knows what adventures tomorrow might bring. After all we are in Haiti :)

Our adventure has begun. We got all 18 of us to the airport and through security. We are short a couple of tools but all and all we got through smoothly. So far the plane looks like it will leave on time. Everyone is excited about the trip and hopeful that they will be able to sleep on the plane as we fly through the night. A note for team two: check in at American Airlines domestic flights :)

Haiti was a great experience and has had a profound impact on my life. One of the challenges was to translate that experience to those close to me, especially my family. So I am returning to Haiti this year, but I'm not going alone. Lyn will be going with me along with our four kids Brittany (9), Jesse (7), Hailey (7), and Troy (6). I'm sure it will be a different experience than last year, but I am hoping it will be just as profound. This time though, it will be a family experience. Please pray for us. You can follow our family journey on our blog site kingfamilygoestohaiti.blogspot.com