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.