Haiti...

Haiti… What a wonderful place! It is such a small island in the Caribbean, and it is full of millions of beautiful people. Miraculous things happen in Haiti. It is evident that the Lord is there!So many people find this hard to believe. Who would ever think one would describe the poorest third-world country in the Western hemisphere as wonderful or its people as beautiful? It is true, however. Once you visit Haiti, you will see its beauty and know the miracles happening right before your own eyes! Although those who have never visited Haiti see this country as a place of poverty, crime and hatred, it is not! It is a land full of love, compassion and happiness. As our plane touched ground on the runway, I felt my heart beat as if it was going to jump out of my chest. The adrenalin and anxiousness I felt came from numerous precautions from many people. “Don’t look them in the eyes, don’t talk to them, and do not let them touch your belongings…” I heard these warnings over and over in my head as we set foot on the tarmac and headed for the terminal. I couldn’t help but wonder what negative thoughts the airport employees were thinking about the SIX different teams of missionaries unloading from the plane.My concerns vanished as we entered the airport. Like many small Caribbean terminals, it was clean, comfortable and safe. The employees were helpful and un-alarming. I had this feeling they all knew we were in Haiti to help; therefore, we were accepted (outwardly anyway.) Angela, Three Angels’ manager, met us by baggage claim. It was wonderful to meet her and have a Creole interpreter just in case we needed one as we shuffled our way through Customs. However, there was again no need to worry ~ Angela took care of us as she lovingly does to 46 orphans each and every day. The team breezed by Customs and headed outside. Although there were several Haitians waiting to “help” us with our luggage, we had a team of security managing our big group. We loaded our vehicles without incidence and drove through Port au Prince heading for Angel House in Petion-Ville.There were many interesting encounters during the hour-long drive. The sites were not as surprising as I anticipated. There was loitering in the streets, loud music streaming from cars and buildings and many, many happy faces. Despite the poverty and corruption I read about time and time again, the Haitian people looked so happy. Again, my anxieties eased and I was in awe of my surroundings. Mike and I learned quite a bit about what we were seeing from our new friend Jennifer. She knows so much about Haiti. I was impressed with her knowledge of this country and comforted by her love for its people. I, too, hoped to embrace these feelings before the week’s end. As we pulled up to Angel House, we were greeted by many of the employees who were happy to meet us. I could feel my heart pounding once again, but this time it was for a good reason and with good feelings. As we walked through the tall gates of Three Angels, we were only moments from holding our son Jonathan for the very first time…

…To be continued…