Day 3 - Saturday

Written Sat. Feb. 20, 11:30 pm

Haiti.

Like any other day doing mission work in the DR, you need to be prepared to adjust to the situation. This was one of those days. The original plan was to get an early start and travel a few hours to the west to get near the Haitian border and deliver food to earthquake refugees. Instead we went into Haiti and got within 25 miles of Port-Au-Prince.

We did get an early start. After a short breakfast at Ricardo's and a quick devotion from Dan we got underway with the team in Big Pablo's van following a rental truck with most of the food we packaged on Thursday.

The first stop was the city Barahona where Sonia's friend Pastor Jack lives (Haitian). His police officer brother gave us an escort to visit two homes that were filled with Haitians recovering from major surgeries and injuries. These were difficult scenes for the team to witness. No doctors, just caring Christian volunteers using donated money. Many amputations, broken limbs, a woman with a broken back and a mother of 6 that was paralyzed from the waist down. This isn't the U.S. It is difficult enough to survive in this part of the world when you are able-bodied. We laid hands and prayed for them for the healing power of Jesus – healing power for both body and the heart.

Our intentions were to stop at a refugee camp near the Dominican side of the border and deliver much of the food. The 15 passenger van is great for a people carrier and equipment carrier with the seats removed but it is not exactly new. Well, about 5 miles from our destination going up a very steep hill on a not so gentle corner the van decided to take a siesta. It puttered for about a minute and then just quit with what appeared to be no chance for immediate revival. Big Pablo didn't seem concerned but the rest of us were. This was a major route for supplies entering Haiti and we just blocked one lane on a dangerous portion with semis trying to pass from both directions. After roasting in the sun for 30 minutes we were able to call the supply truck back (it was in front and didn't realize our situation). The entire team then jumped on top of 3 tons of food and crossed over the mountain leaving Big Pablo, his wife and the resting van behind. About half-way down the other side we suddenly see this familiar vehicle racing behind us. Somehow he was able to start the van and it's been fine the rest of the day – the Lord truly does work in mysterious ways.

The first refugee camp was run by a team of doctors associated with US Aid. They had plenty of supplies and weren't too interested in our team of Christians. We blessed them and left. We then visited a nearby church being used by Haitian refugees. We did a short worship service and passed out food and children's bibles. It was here that we met a Haitian Christian woman who thought our team could do the best good over the border.

Crossing the border into Haiti during the current crises will be something the team members will not soon forget. The chaos of people and vehicles with the many sounds and smells is difficult to properly elaborate. We have become acclimated to the living conditions in the DR but the little time we spent in Haiti today shed a whole new light on what the definition of “need” really is. It is difficult to comprehend that this is the same planet that we live in back home. This is why we do this: the love of Jesus. God has blessed us and he expects us to use these blessings for those who have none.

We continued about 15 or 20 miles into Haiti with our new guide and stopped at a Christian refugee camp that was being well-run with many tents being used for shelter. The administrator was from Florida and was grateful for the offer but told us they were well supplied and the needs were greater elsewhere. As the border was to close in 90 minutes and we had some safety concerns if trying to deliver food, our guide suggested we turn back towards the DR. On the way back to the border we blessed a Haitian church with food and then our guide took us to her village in the DR where we were able to bless an orphanage with food, clothes and children's bibles.

We then dropped off Pastor Jack at his village outside of Barahona where we blessed his church with food and bibles.

After a day of many hours of hard travel (rough roads and much dust) we are coming back with some of the food we had intended on leaving in Haiti but it was not God's plan. There are so many needs all over this island so we will continue to do what we feel is His will: feed our Christians brothers physically, encourage them in their walk with the Lord and find those who are not walking in the light and share the Good News with them.