No trip to Haiti is complete without a tarantula sighting, and tonight was the night. It's typically late at night, typically in a darkened space, for some reason mostly in the sleeping rooms (seemingly always in the womens' sleeping rooms) and always comes as a shock. So, unsurprisingly, the team has opted to sleep in the portico tonight. It is a lot cooler, as well.
Last night's "camp out" was interrupted by a four hour long stretch of the hardest rain anyone had ever seen. Welcome to the tropics, right? They got a little moist around the edges as the wind whipped the rain around, but no one got uncomfortably soaked. The bigger problem was the noise. The portico has a tin roof.
An unexpected blessing from the rain was full water tanks - they are open at the top so the rain water filled them in the night. Showers tonight, even coming in the usual Guest House trickle fashion, were an improvement over bucket showers of the night before.
The team did indeed get to go back to the beach, this time at Port Salut, where they served all day - they saw 65 kids and did children's ministry there before the beach excursion. The kids looked to be in good shape - picture below.
Upon their return, they got busy sorting and repacking the leftover meds for donation to the pharmacy at Cambry. It's a general storehouse that the ESMI doctor can use and may also benefit the next medical team that comes in.
They were also able to donate a big bag of clothes and underwear to Pastor Mongerard from Savanne. He was delighted to have them for distribution to those who need them there.
There was time for a quick trip to see Daniel one more time. We have a picture, finally, below. Your continued prayers for him will be most appreciated.
The extraordinary situation with electricity and water this week gave the team a chance to shine. No one came for an easy week, and they didn't get one. Although, atypically, the week's schedule unfolded as planned with hardly a hitch, the patience and coping skills required in the physically difficult hot and sticky air were hardly "business as usual". Well done, one and all.
Some last pictures of the the team's week:
- The presentation of Jude's nets. Jude is in the middle. The team learned that he needs some surgery for a hernia, for which they pooled their resources. Hopefully he'll be on the mend and fishing in no time!
- Girls at Cambry, the Guest House location. The orphans live down the hill. These two were just having fun with the photographer!
- Waiting to see the doc at Port Salut. A good looking bunch! The lanyards around their neck are large cards with basic data and medical information gathered at intake.
- Team member Paulette gives Louinel a special gift. As this young man starts school to become a doctor (see previous update for his story), he'll treasure this gift of a stethoscope from his American friends and benefactors.
- Little Daniel, for whom you've been praying all week. He has shown some improvement with the extra care and medicine. The team pooled funds to supply him in diapers for a while.
Praise God for
- work well done,
- for spirits not easily discouraged,
- for health maintained,
- for teamwork,
- for the financial resources to share with others more needy,
- for some fun along the way,
- and for God-given opportunities to impact lives all week long.
Please pray:
- For a smooth and delay-free trip home. They are scheduled to leave the Guest House at 5:00 am EST tomorrow (Saturday), which should put them at the PAP Airport by 10:00. They will be in an air conditioned bus! Their flight is scheduled to leave PAP at1:15. Once in Miami, they will go through customs and then go their separate ways on flights to Las Vegas, Maryland, Chicago.
- For their "re-entry". The week in Haiti has been intense and immensely cross-cultural. Sometimes the world they come back to at home doesn't seem like the real one! Wanting to stay up and talk all night upon their return is common - so is not wanting to talk at all. Surely they will be physical and emotionally worn out. Pray that they bring back a sense of joy in their service to God and to the Haitian people.
This will be the last update unless there is something more to report on Saturday. On behalf of the team, many thanks for your support, for your prayers, and for sharing this adventure of faith with them.
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