Sorry that this blog was delayed. It took over 12 hours to upload pictures due to slow internet.
**
This is my first time ever traveling to Mole St. Nicolas, and man I’m already in awe!
After multiple long flights, we finally made it to Haiti where we took a MAF nine-person plane to the Mole. Getting a chance to see Haiti from above was stunning, but the scenery isn’t quite what I expected. I said multiple times “I’m not sure what I expected, but this isn’t it!” There are cacti, banana trees, and other foliage that I do not even have a name for, and it truly is beautiful.
Once we got into the Mole by means of an open back truck, that’s when the culture shock really began. The roads were bumpy making traveling slow, but that wasn’t all bad because we got to see the city as we drove through. There were people on the streets walking around, women balancing containers on their heads (how they manage to do that I couldn’t tell you!), and goats tied up on the side of the road. I wish I could explain it better in words, but I don’t know if I could.
We flew to the mole in two separate flights, so the first group reached the compound and unpacked. Then, we got to meet the orphans! It took maybe half an hour for the orphans to run up to me, a complete stranger, and start climbing all over me asking to play. Even with a language barrier, connections began to form immediately.
After our whole group was reunited, we finished unpacking the luggage that came on the second flight and then went to town to do a prayer walk. We made multiple stops at the schools, church, prison, government building, and the pastor’s house. Each stop we circled and prayed for the building, people, and concerns facing those.
Today we woke up, ate breakfast, and then played with the orphans all morning. It is so fun to get to know each child, and I am seriously shocked about how much we are able to communicate with them though we don’t speak the same language. In the afternoon one group went to a neighboring city to pass out cards for the men’s ministry, and the rest of us stayed back to help with the dance camp for the orphans who live on the compound. They are all so cute trying to learn their routine, and let me tell you what they can dance! After that we all reconvened and went back into town to watch the Our Generation dance team perform and the parade for flag day was still going on so we got a chance to see Haitian culture up close and personal.
There’s so much to say about these two days that I could never fit it into one blog post, but to answer some questions you might be asking, yes it’s very hot! Me and a few other people discussed the temperature in which we agreed the actual number doesn’t even matter because “hot” sums it up just fine. We’re all sweaty and a little bit gross, but happy nonetheless! Yes, the food is different but pretty good! Lots of beans, rice, and hot dogs, and they love spicy food! No, the language barrier is not as big of a deal as it may seem like. Hand gestures, short phrases, and the interpreters makes communicating fairly easy!
With only two days under our belt, I am so excited to see what God has in store for our team over the next week. So far, we have been acclimating to being here and prepping for the celebration nights, but from here on out we will have very busy days that lead to a good night’s sleep. God is definitely at work in this place.
-Tara Myers
***
Hello Friends, Family and loved ones everywhere. My oh my have I missed Haiti and the Mole campus! Tara summed up our last few days very well, so I won’t bore you all with more stories and details, but I will say one thing. The love, excitement and pure joy that radiates from the locals is truly inspiring, it puts you in awe. I love our group, I love this place, and I truly love our God. We cannot believe that tomorrow is Sunday, but that means that the revival downtown starts up! I cannot wait to dance with everyone, perform skits that show how opening and believing in God can save you and meeting the locals all over again!
There is so much to happen this week, some of us cannot even sleep and I think it is from the excitement of what to come, not due to the heat. I could sit here and write so much about our last few days, but the stories sound so much better in person. Just like the Grinch on Christmas morning, my heart is growing 3 times the size daily. Much love to everyone back in the states, please continue to pray for us, the locals, the Castillo family, and the mission!
Carlee Jo Coughlin
Also, I need to give a special shout out to MOMMA JENEAN, HAPPY BIRTHDAY GORGEOUS! I LOVE YOU SOOO MUCH!
**
Please feel free to leave comments. Comments will be read each night at dinner!
