Kafou!

Bonjou toutmoun!

Well I've made it to Carrefour and the team from Grace made it here too! Gloire a Dieu!

The last week in Jacmel was one of incredible memories and also a heavy heart as I departed. Thankfully, the church of Patrick and PP had services Wednesday and Thursday evening that I was able to attend and it was such a blessing. Wednesday night I was handed a microphone to introduce myself in front of the congregation - this seems to be a repeating pattern but every time I'm always a little caught off guard. Thursday, after a long day of feeling low and quiet and sad the service was rambunctious and full of laughter and joy and I left dancing through the streets with Jeanette and Mammi Doune (the matron of Patrick and PP's house).

Friday afternoon, I was in Carnest's classroom until PP stole me into his classroom. I will admit I much preferred this as PP's students are the most advanced and we can communicate the most easily. (I've come to recognize how much I value communication - I guess it shouldn't be that big of a surprise!)

I had written a letter in Kreyol and English that I was going to try to sign to each classroom - a letter of thanks and also one of encouragement, that though the world cannot always understand, God does. Instead, they had a surprise party planned and wouldn't let me begin to read my letter until after they had presented me with a Jacmel T-shirt, a calendar with a picture of all of the staff on one side and all of the students and myself signing "I love you" on the other, the preschool class also made me an adorable card that everyone signed. Marika made a little speech and then finally they let me read my letter while Patrick interpreted it for me. Perhaps the best part, was Patrick saying at the end that it's not a party unless we eat together and one of PP's students asked if this meant we were all going to eat the wheat and beans they always serve for lunch. We all laughed and in came the cake and sodas!! It was such a surprise and I will always cherish the time I spent at PAZAPA and in Jacmel.

I left with Carnest in a van packed full of people and luggage and a couple of hours later was being dropped off in front of the Morquettes' house. I thought my day had finally ended but instead I walked into 19 people waiting for dinner and having a
grand time while doing it. Not only were they 19 people from Xenos Christian Fellowship in Colombus, Ohio, half of them were people I had met, two days prior, at the Epi in Jacmel! They had recognized me from the photo on the fridge of the 2009 trip with the Peeles, the Morquettes, Joshua and myself. What a small world! What a big God!

The next morning, Tony's uncle and cousin came and picked me and drove me the traffic-free way to the airport, paying for parking and a bottle of water, against my insistence. Haitian hospitality knows no ends and I have never before felt so well taken care of. I waited at the airport pou kont mwe and met up with Jeff and Jude from Forward Edge and eventually the Grace Team!! That night we laid low staying in the Guest House in Grace Village, Carrefour (Kafou). Jon, an Associate Pastor/Worship Leader found a tired guitar and we sang a few songs, in English and went to bed. It was so enjoyable - in the true sense of the word, to sing in English and it has been an absolute pleasure being in the company of friends who get to experience Haiti for the first time.

Yesterday was a double header for church services but both were entirely different experiences. The first, Jon preached about the Lord's Prayer and really communicated well. For his first time with an interpreter, he really excelled and we are all proud of him, and more so blessed to have a God that is multilingual! The evening service was at a church a mile away and we crammed in, Haitian style, 20 people in a little mini-bus and drove over to another church. Jon introduced everyone, with me translating and we all sang How Great Thou Art. It was quite the cacophony of praise, but it was, indubitably, a joyful noise!
The sermon was about giving everything to God and not being half in- half out. The preacher was sweating and yelling and Frank "lost his voice for him." The team really enjoyed the service and it was a wonderful experience to see the service through "new eyes."

Today after a 5am wake-up to do devotions in the dark, we breakfasted and got to work. Beca and I "cleaned rice" with some of the women at the Lord's Kitchen and the other 5 got to work sorting through a storage room of donated items.
Talk about a practical "giving wisely" lesson. Who sends ski pants to Haiti!? And thank you, but there's no need to send expired canned octopus, we'll be fine without. After lunch we went out into the yard to help sort 470 kids into two lines to carry bowls full of rice and beans back to their families in the village. I interpreted a mini counseling session for one of the security guards and Jeff, and we all laughed quite a bit.

One of the best parts for me so far this week had been the conversations about faith and life and tough questions that I can understand 99% of. It has been so energizing already and I'm only praying now to not be too energetic for my still slightly jet-lagged, culture-shocked teammates.

Until I find internet again,

Ana