Monday, October 8, 2018

We made it! 10-08-18 Russ/Wermager Team 2

The day began before the birds were up at 2:30AM.  Feelings of excitement, anticipation, and anxiety were felt by all.  Overall, the travels for the entire team went very smooth, with no major hiccups!  Looking out the window when landing in Haiti, it was clear that "we were not in Minnesota anymore."  The landscape is absolutely breathtaking.
We were greeted by friendly faces and their native music.  The smell of Haiti is something you will never forget, it was then that it set in that we were immersed in a new culture. We jumped in our caged "tap tap" and headed toward our guesthouse.  The drive there was interesting, as they seem to have their own way of driving.  There seem to be no "rules to the road" but they still manage to make it work, this will definitely take our group some time to get used to. 
As we arrived to the guesthouse we were immediately drawn to the beauty of the vibrant flowers.  We met our guard dog Bacon, and we are confident with his ability to protect the door, we love him already!! The animal life here in Haiti is refreshing. Baby goats walking with their moms on the side of the road, roosters cock a doodling all day long, we even made a friend, his name is Rudy the Rooster and we are sure that we will become great friends throughout the week. 
The weather has been amazing, not as hot as we were imagining, which was a blessing from God. We had the opportunity to dance in the rain, and play like children, not a care in the world. God knew how many of us needed that simple enjoyment. While some of us were dancing, others were making haitian coffee. This is not just regular coffee, Haitian coffee is the sweetest most delicious coffee you will taste. The first taste is something we will never forget. 
At dinner we were asked to sum up this day in one word, our words were "beginning, perspective, surreal, surrender, trust, busy, chaotice, gratitude, and present" These words were perfect for how we were feeling and we can't wait to see what develops as the week goes on. We end the day exhausted but oh so greatful for the opportunity to be here and to see what God has in store for us.