A long journey but so worth the trip.

Let me start by apologizing for my previous post it was not properly edited before posting the excitement of Haiti and need to share got the better of me.

Yesterday we had the chance to see a different Haiti where the homes are large and the trees are plentiful. However apron closer look many home are unfinished or sitting empty. I hoped or dreamed that possible that these unfinished dream home were a family struggling to build it themselves step by step and that someday it might be filled with love and laughter. However we still saw plenty of home huts of canvas, tin, tarps slid into any nook. My friend Shelley referred to this a “green poverty”. these people though living in someplace with trees and flowers still had very little (little by our standards I guess). As we climbed the air became cooler and the temp dropped and the roads in some areas were nonexistent looking over the side of the truck was look straight down. When we reached the top we were greeted by many families whose children attend a school funded by a local church in Minnesota. It was nice to see first hand that the donation we make to our church and their missionaries abroad really do reach there destination. Though it was summer we still had a large group waiting for arrival. We entered and it was so silent as our team gathered in the front of the room. Many inquiring stares as to who we were and why were there. However quickly as the festivities began decorating cookies the first time for many as they didn’t know what to do with the sprinkles, fishing game with many prizes ( the kind we get at the dollar store and soon are discarded by our own children) that were received with huge grins and a quick turn to show their friends what they had received. Many of the young girls had the nails painted for the first time. We passed our new shoes to all those we could fit. Then the festivities moved outside for soccer and jump ropes. Shelley through donations was able to buy several donkeys and goats for the local families a very valuable asset.

As we boarded the bus there were many hugs and thank you for making such a long journey to see them.

A long journey but so worth the trip.

Stephanie