Each night we have dinner at the mission, and then we walk back to the hotel. It’s easy to know when to go to bed and when to get up each morning. During dinner it gets dark, so we walk back together in the dark. We go into our rooms and go to sleep, no tv’s, no computers, no phones. We’ve been really tired so going to sleep at 7:30 or 8 is pretty easy. Waking up is easy too even without alarm clocks. We have Haitian roosters who have no sense of time. They have serious melatonin deficiencies and need their 24-hour clocks reset. These roosters crow any time day or night. They are particularly fond of the wee morning hours.
Today is Sunday and we awoke to the pre-dawn crowing of Haitian roosters. Breakfast was a little later at 8. Then we went to church at 9. The people meet at the pastor’s house, actually in the courtyard which is covered and enclosed. All of the service was in Creole. Many songs were sung acapella, some familiar, many not. We recognized Amazing Grace, No, Not One, and Calvary. Adrian was able to sing these songs in English. It was moving to hear the people praising God and the pastor preaching the Word in Creole. It was also very hot!! We have done some serious sweating while in Haiti. Near the end of the service we lined up at the front to have communion. The view of the ocean outside the window, the broken cracker, and the wine, yes wine, made for a memorable communion.
After lunch, we went back to the fishing village by boat. It’s a three hour walk. We let the guys go with us this time. It was a slow ride, perhaps due to the engine malfunction or the weight of the occupants. We drove slowly and close to the coast where we could see the coral rock formations, caves, undercuttings, and giant rock fractures. When we arrived at the village, the villagers seemed a little surprised to see us. We took pictures (actually we have done precious little that hasn’t been well-documented) of the primitive village and people. This is a remarkable place surrounded on three sides by mountains, huts made of sticks and palm branches. It is like going back in time. They live entirely off the land and have to bring in their drinking water. The villagers were hospitable and led us to a shady spot behind the huts. With Pierre’s help, Becky talked to a group about Jesus and His dying on the cross for us. It was a beautiful moment. After the trip back, we rested. It was Sunday after all; we didn’t work and we didn’t go to the beach.
It’s time for dinner and the end of another really great day.
Penny
Thanks for sharing Penny and as well as the others. It sounds like you had a true day of rest and experienced an unforgettable day. God bless.
Keith
Penny,
I am truly enjoying reading the blogs that each of your are writing. It’s exciting to log on and see the work that you are doing and the work that God is doing in the lives of the Haitian people as well as in your lives. Teresa and I also see such huge smiles on all of your faces and we commented how happy you guys looked despite plenty of work, hours and heat, but we know it’s because of how God is using you all. We are so happy to see the glow in our little girl Christine’s eyes and can’t remember seeing her this happy in a long time. Praise be to God.
Greg Bosch
Penny,
I can relate to your blog! The rooster would wake us at 3am every day! Wait until you get home, its weird not hearing the roosters!
I love hearing you talk about the fishing village. I was with the first team that went there. It truly was a humbling experience. See if the kids will sing a song for you. We learned one and sang with them. Pierre can teach you, he will remember. I’m not sure if the mailbox is up but we had the children write letters to God and some of the adults joined in too. This was so amazing. None of them asked for anything, they were thankful for the mission and the blessings God has bestowed upon them.
Write down everything you see, hear, smell and do. When you get home you will be thankful you did!