Until We Meet Again

8/3/10

This was the earliest morning yet - maybe because of the energy about leaving, maybe because we slept in the church - but either way we were up between 3 and 4am. Making sure everything was all packed was sorta crazy, but we got it all done and ready. This morning we had a stew for breakfast. Nice and hearty food for our downward trek. It was more like a soup and had potatoes, carrots, beans, goat meat, bananas, and these dough things that looked like fingers. It was very good. Other than packing the morning was spent just sitting and talking. I’m going to miss these people so much. It’s crazy how close you get to people in just a week. Before we started our hike down, we circled up, held hands, and prayed. I cried.. of course. I’m so thankful for everyone and all God has done this week, not only through our own group that became my dearly loved family, but also through the Haitians who also became my dearly loved family. Saying goodbye to Closiane, Madame Simon, Madame Thoma, and Samantha come next, how it was even possible I don’t know. Then the journey down began. Loaded with my guitar I started to say farewell to my mountain home. I love hiking so the walk down was extremely pleasant even though it was very hot. We had a lot of helpers who carried many of our bags for us. We waited at Kesnel’s house at the bottom of the mountain for the truck to take our bags to the airport. This was like a two hour wait since we had come down so early. But sitting in the shade for a while just chatting and chilling and playing my guitar was nice. The hard walk came with the truck, because we had to walk up to Thomassin. This was the crazy cliff-like hike that we partially rode down on the way to Grenier when I feared for my life on top of a loaded truck. Going up was much less scary, and yet a lot more difficult. But I really enjoyed it because I walked with Joe, Ivener, Austin and Hannah and we just chatted about Haiti the whole way up. When we made it up we waited for a bus to take us the rest of the way to the airport. It was packed again like the ride in, but not nearly as long. We followed the truck for part of the way then a gas run split us up, but we met at the airport and regrouped with all our stuff. Being in the city again reminded me of how extreme Haiti is. There are tent cities on one side of the street, and hotels that beat out 5-star hotels in the US on the other side. The rich and poor is separated by a mind blowing gap. The poverty in the city, and the filth because of it everywhere is so overpowering I can’t describe it. I’m just so thankful we were on the mountain all week with, though poor, hardworking, loving, hospitable, wonderful people, not these viciously greedy, cutthroat, desperate people living here. Finally we made it to the airport where we met up with Miami and he helped us get all our bags checked and through quickly again. But we had to say goodbye. Kesnel, Naime, Jeto, Ivener, Joe, and Josie all gave me a hug and we said goodbye for real. We all thanked Kesnel for all his hard work arranging everything for us and helping us and making our stay on his mountain wonderful. Then we waved as we entered the airport and that was the last goodbye. It only took us about a half hour to be boarded and headed home. I’m sitting here crying as I stare down from a tiny plane window at my beautiful Caribbean Island. I decided that I won’t say goodbye, but instead “until we meet again.” Because if God wills I’ll go back someday, and if he doesn’t I’ll see my Haitian friends someday in Heaven. It’s so sad right now but it’s reality and life is taking us different directions to minister in different ways until someday we minister together once more. This is what makes me hate traveling. I meet people, I fall in love, and I never want to leave. Every time I go out of the country I cry when I get on the plane going home because I just want to stay. My heart truly is not in the United States. Yes, I love it, and it’s my home, but I know God has given me a love for other countries. It’s when I’m out there that I feel most alive and most at home. It’s comforting because once again it reminds me that Costa Rica is where God wants me to be this year. I’m ok with moving on and leaving this place to adventure to new, because my Haitian friends will never be gone from my heart and someday we’ll meet again.