longest day ever!

So much happened yesterday that I could blog about for the next two hours and not tell everything. I felt last night at 8:00 that I had lived enough in that day to last for about a week! A few highlights . . .

Miami airport wanted to charge us thousands for our overwieght bags and extra luggage (14 extra bags). After pleading, praying, and waiting, they finally decided to only charge us for 7 extra bags and waive all overweight fees. Praise God - all of that money is now in Emmanuel's hands to reimburse him for the food he bought which we will bag and give at the clinic.

When we arrived in PaP, it was a madhouse trying to find and count all of our bags, which we did, then negotiate a price for help into our 3 vehicles that were waiting for us outside the security gate.

It was very stressful because I could not drive my cart very well (I think it was broken) and needed help, but we were not supposed to let people on the street help us because we had already negotiated to pay a few men to help us. But one man did have to help me and I did end up paying him a few dollars. Another man kept asking for money too, but I let someone else on my team tell him no. "No pay" she said. I wish I could have given more and let more help. I had to fight back tears when I escaped into the sweltering 15-passenger van.

After a frightening journey through the hectic and rubble-strewn "streets" where we saw so much devastation that was still so shocking, even after viewing all of the pictures from our media, we finally arrived at our hotel. This too is frightening. One building is reduced to nothing more than a pile of rocks, another seems to be teetering on pillars that are left at sick angles (which I have to walk past each day to get to the street), and the last is in good condition, where our rooms are located. The room is fine, nothing special, but I come to realize I might as well be staying in a palace in comparison to where everyone else in the nation is sleeping. A boy tells me today that he wants a tent for his mother who is too frightened to sleep in the house.

After dropping off our personal items, we headed to the mission to sort and unpack our luggage contents and ministry supplies. Medicine, clothes, toys, crafts, etc. Then I got to help pack some food bags in a sauna of a room that held sacks and sacks and boxes and boxes of food and had about 12 people as well. I think the room was the size of Josiah's bedroom. (Crowded much?)

After this I got to give Kori's sparkle jeans to a sweet little girl named Jennifer. She hugged me and kissed me and said merci several times. Today she is wearing them and I took her picture. Can't wait to show you, Kori. She is so special. She likes to give me hugs, even today. I showed her a picture of both Kori and Josiah and she wanted to keep it. I might give it to her before I leave, but I'll keep it for now to show everyone else.

I was also able to give out many of the Bibles I brought to the older girls here who lost theirs in the collapse of their dorm. They were so thankful and insisted that I sign each one. I wrote a prayer and Psalm 20 reference because it has become my prayer for the trip. What a privilege to deliver God's word to hungry hearts!

We had an organizational meeting and then headed back to the hotel to sleep. I slept well once I went to bed, but got up early because I was anticipating my meeting this morning. I'm so very anxious and I need to get off for now and pray for God's will and favor.

Love from Haiti!