Water, water, and more water!!

Hello friends and family!! Day 3 in Haiti started out with another delicious breakfast made by the Haitian ladies here at the guesthouse.  We have been spoiled with yummy food thus far which we are extremely grateful for!  After breakfast we took a short walk up the street to a local artisan market. Such crafty, creative, and beautiful items to pick and choose from!  This is how many Haitians make a living, so it is important that we make purchases so they may support their families.  Our shopping time was short and sweet though, as we had a big day to attend to!

Today was our first water truck day!!! Throughout our stay here in Haiti, we have two days planned as "water truck days".  What is a water truck day you ask?  These days are VERY special, eventful, exciting, exhausting, and extremely important for the Haitian people. On these special days, we make three stops within Cite Soleil to deliver water to the residents.  We are accompanied by a full water truck with each stop. Each truck holds 3,500 gallons of H20!  Can you imagine how much of an impact this makes for the Haitians???  The water in Haiti is extremely polluted and not safe to consume.  Drinking the water here in Haiti can and most likely will cause serious medical problems. Providing the Haitians with safe, drinkable water is life changing for them.  As we arrived to each stop, the Tap Tap was immediately surrounded by excited and happy children with huge smiles on their faces who could not wait to greet us!  Water truck day is not just about the water....it is also a big day for the people in Cite Soleil who often feel forgotten and helpless. Showing them that they are NOT forgotten is a big priority for us.  Besides filling and carrying water buckets, we also spent much of our time loving on as many people as possible.

While in Cite Soleil, we also had the opportunity to tour the new Hope Clinic which recently opened in January of this year.  This clinic is owned and operated by Healing Haiti and staffed with two physicians, two nurses, a receptionist, and a dentist!  An initial office visit will cost 50 gourdes - which is equivalent to $0.58 cents in American money. A follow up visit will cost 25 gourdes - which is equivalent to $0.29 cents in American money - CRAZY!!! This is a flat fee which includes the cost of medications, labs, and any other testing that may be needed. Praise God for Healing Haiti and the difference they have made in the lives of the Haitians!  Located right next to the clinic is a new church which is now available to the people in Cite Soleil. 

After this long day, we returned to the guesthouse to a homemade Haitian meal.  We spent the evening relaxing, socializing, and learning how to Salsa dance!  Our trip has been so amazing thus far. We are so blessed to be here serving God and the Haitians, all while creating beautiful memories along the way.  Tomorrow is a new day and we cannot wait to see what God has in store for us!