A mission trip is not usually described as adventurous, but most are. People think they are volunteering to help others (and they will), but there are so many rewards. And much fun.
The excitement was palpable as the 33 people, young and old, got off the plane in Port au Prince. As usual, there were many men waiting outside the terminal to force themselves on the travellers. They don't ask if they can help, they just put their hands on your luggage cart and they don't take "no" for an answer. This too made the trip adventurous.
It was a long walk to the bus, and it provided it's own entertainment. The bus, dubbed the "adventure bus" by one of the participants, surprised the group when it even started. The 70 mile trip to the Haitian Christian Mission had an accompaniment of honks, swerves, and near missed, all accomplished at the speed of light. Or that's how it seemed.
After room assignments, the group prayed and ate a spaghetti dinner made especially for them by the cooks at the mission. Following that, the rest of the evening involved sorting meds, counting them, and putting vitamins and ibuprofen in small plastic bags to be given out at the mobile medical clinics which take up most days at the mission.
This group is lucky--it has eight doctors and many nurses and student nurses. Because of the abundance of trained providers, the group will be able to treat many more people than is usually done on these kinds of trips.
Most got to bed around 11, but sleep didn't come easily for those rooms near the celebrations outside. It's Mardi Gras and many youth come to Fond Parisien for the party. Each room had a ceiling fan, so it was cool enough to sleep well. However, the electrity went off in the middle of the night, as is often the case in Haiti. But as is also often the case, it went back on about an hour later. The roosters could be heard all night long, making some wonder if they could be trained to crow in the early morning hours instead of all the time.
Sleep was important, because the work would begin the next day after church--a four and one-half hour drive to a remote village near the border with the Dominican Republic. The exciting part was the group was going to spend the night in the village--a first.
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