Day 3 October 2013

We woke up this morning excited and apprehensive about what our day was going to look like.  Although we had plans they never seem to happen the way it is scheduled.  We ate breakfast and waited for our ride to begin our journey in the city.  I spoke with our driver a few times and the time was pushed back and after four hours and lunch our transportation arrived. 

We met our driver at the gate and began the journey to Petionville to meet with our attorney.  The trip there was an experience for Maddox to see a glimpse of how every day life is for some Haitians.  It was hot today and with the humidty was close to 98 degrees.  Our vehicle did not have air conditioning and we could not roll the windows all the way down for safety reasons.  Maddox did an excellent job and did not complain one time about the drive or the heat.  The traffic is an experience in Haiti and you have to respond quickly to close calls. Jen and Maddox tend to get car sick, but they took some precautionary medication before we left the orphanage and they did great!

We arrived at our attorney's office four hours late and in Haiti that can be on time.  We had a great conversation and did not leave with any bad news today.  Jen and Maddox were able to meet both of our attorney's working on our file and finally put a name with a face.  After leaving their office we headed to IBESR (Social Services) to check on our file and see if there had been any progress.  We met with a few people and left with a positive experience. Still no date though of when he will be moving to Bowling Green--that's the million dollar question!

We began the long ride home in the sweat box and I asked the driver to take us through Cite Soleil to show Maddox and Jen where Wisbens is from.  Cite Soleil is currently the poorest city in the Western Hemisphere and we prepared Maddox for what he may see as we drove through the city. The sights, sounds and smells will be something that we as a family will always remember about traveling through Wisbens hometown.  Just last week there was a riot on the very street we were driving.

We made it back to New Life and Wisbens dad was waiting and we spent a few minutes making attempts to communicate with him.  We did not have a translator today and did the best we could to talk about how he has been doing and Wisbens.  He was glad to see us and especially to meet Jen and Maddox. We had an excellent dinner and went down to visit Wisbens and the other kids before packing for a long day tomorrow.  Jen brought fake moustaches and the kids loved them!  The only way they could see themselves was with a picture and we laughed as the kids traded moustaches.  Maddox had a great time playing with the kids and they were all accepting of him and welcomed him.  It was a memorable experience for all of us and we pray that this will be a moment that will stay with him for a lifetime. Experiencing Haiti changes the filter which you use to view the world. We were able to share with Wisbens a book that our church made for him and he loved it and looked at it numerous times before sharing with others.  While looking at the book and asking who the people were in the photos, he asked, "when are you taking me to Kentucky?"  This was the moment we have been waiting for on this trip. He wants to be with us. It reminded us of our love for Jesus and His merciful and gracious love for us.

We have a long night ahead preparing for tomorrow and will get up in the morning and try to see Wisbens off before he goes to school.  We look forward to coming back to New Life soon and continuing this journey.  Wisbens wants us back in November. We better start saving some money!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 1-2 October 2013

Sunday morning began at 2:30 A.M.   Because of anxiety and final preparations we were only able to get 3 hours of sleep.  Maddox woke up excited and ready for the long trip to finally see his brother.  After arriving at the airport and checking in, there was little time to think about our journey today before flying to Miami.  It was windy and raining prior to boarding the plane and I was apprehensive that we would be able to leave on time.  After finally taxing to the runway, it became a reality that we would be leaving for Miami and the first leg of our trip was complete. 

 

Two hours later we arrived in Miami to sunshine and beautiful weather.  I purposely planned a long layover because of my history with delays and cancellations.  We ate lunch and the excitement began to overwhelm us that we would soon see our son and Maddox's brother.   

 

We began our second leg of the journey boarding the plane for Port Au Prince and seeing the reality that we would be in Haiti soon and Jen and Maddox would finally see the pictures that I have taken over the past three years come to life.  As we descended to the airport, we began to see the landscape of Port Au Prince.  The Caribbean Sea, mountains, rivers and homes that the Haitians live in.  It was an opportunity for us all to see from a distance where Wisbens is from and to began as a family to see this as our second home. 

 

Our transportation was on time and that helped to relieve anxiety because we did not have to wait at the airport for an extended amount of time.  Our driver is someone who picks me up each trip and I trusted that he would get us out of the airport and into his vehicle safely.  As we pulled out of the airport and began the journey to New Life, I kept looking back at Maddox as he was enamored with the surrondings.  We saw many people on the streets with businesses and many who were standing as though they were waiting for a ride.  Because it was Sunday, the streets were not as congested and it made travel to New Life easier to navigate.  One of the first things we saw were the tap taps (taxi's) that transport sometimes up to 15 or more people in an enclosed camper attached to the back of the truck.  We saw animals rummaging through the trash looking for food and street vendors selling food, drinks and clothes.  Although the traffic was light it was still sporadic and sometime anxiety building as we passed slower vehicles in the wrong lane with larger vehicles coming towards us. 

 

We made it to the long alley way towards New Life and the reality of finally meeting Wisbens was here.  As we traveled up alley between homes and buildings the driver dodged people, kids playing, animals, and huge gulleys filled with water.

 

We made it to New Life safely and I could finally breathe a sigh of relief that we made it without any delays and could begin to relax.  After dinner, we got our cameras and walked down looking for Wisbens.  After asking a few kids where he was, we finally found him.  I hugged him and introduced him to Jen and Maddox.  They gave him hugs and the pictures began.  He was really shy and it took him a bit to warm up to us as this is the case every time I visit. 

 

After walking him to his room and hugging him goodnight, we walked back to our room to begin getting ready for bed.  Maddox took his first cold shower in Haiti and did a great job.  I believe the preparation of cold showers at home made him ready. he said it felt good! 

 

After an exhausting day, we woke up had a great breakfast and went to the room to catch up on some rest from the prior day.  Wisbens started back to school and it gave us time to rest up and prepare for a long day tomorrow in the city. 

 

Mad immediatly fell in love with the place because of all the animals they have running around on site.  There are baby chickens, dogs, turkeys, goats, guinea pigs, rabbits, lizards and tilapia to keep him busy while Wisbens is at school.  He is so drawn to animals and we find ourselves continously telling him to be careful and not pick them up.  He almost had some problems from a fiesty rooster!

 



It is hot today, but not as bad as it has been in past trips.  We all have done well with the heat thus far and the food at New Life has been excellent!  Jen and Maddox have been eating foods that they would not normally eat at home.  Beanie Weanies and potato salad for lunch was great.  After lunch we walked down to the orphanage to visit with the younger kids until Wisbens arrived home from school.  Maddox has been watching the kids pick up almonds that have fallen from the tree and bust them to eat.  Today was his first atttempt at cracking the shell the Haitian way and eventually feed it to Sparky the dog.  It was good for him see how kids eat almonds here and not just opening a bag that is already shelled. One of the kids asked Maddox to play a board game on the picnic table.  We have watched the kids play this and begining to learn how.  It was great to see two kids interact and neither could speak the other's language.   

 

I spent time preparing for our trip into the city tomorrow and talked with Wilna and Pastor Seide to confirm our appointments.  We will be leaving after breakfast in the morning and meeting with Wisbens dad in the afternoon.  I am hesitant about our meetings because it seems that we never receive good news.  We are trusting God for whatever His will may be although that is hard.   

 

We had a great dinner and went down to see Wisbens and have evening devotion.  We finished saying goodnight to Wisbens and headed to the room to iron clothes and prepare for our trip into the city in the morning.  I will post tomorrow evening to update on our status.