Appreciation

What a different experience the second trip to Haiti has been.  Better and different in many ways.  Knowing what to expect really changes the experience.  The lack of sleep on the first day was anticipated.  Instead of focusing on my own experience as a team member, I focused more on the experience of the team.

Gone was the intense fear of the unknown.  Fear had been replaced by knowledge and a sense of preparation.  The airport and chaos of tap-tap travel was not nearly as daunting.  But, do I risk loosing a spiritual part of my journey because some of it seems familiar.  It is difficult to measure.

Incredible, visible progress has been made in Haiti.  Tent cities remain, but in many places clearing of the tents had happened.  There we significantly fewer tents than in June.  Also, the cars had been cleared from the streets.  In June, abandoned cars were everywhere.  Today, tragic was still crazy, goats tied to the front of cars and all, but much more manageable.  I'm looking forward to seeing more tomorrow during the day.  While January's temperature is much better than June, the sun goes down earlier and we lose vision.

But, maybe the difference I'm experiencing on this trip is a change in what I'm seeing.  Now the fear of the unknown has been replaced by the warmth of relationships.  Seeing Tom and Sarah at the guest house was like a reunion.  The relationships seem more important. 

On the flight in, a man who spoke only creole and was from Carrefour, where I went on the first trip, asked what we would be doing and who we were.  Building a church and school cooind for the Methodist Church.  Thank you.  I appreciate you he said in Creole.  I could think of no greater blessing in our arrival than a simple, unexpected thank you from someone who appreciated that we cared.