For all our blog friends...sorry this has taken so long to get posted. It was an intense trip to Haiti and one I highly recommend. It will take a few posts to get it all in but let's start with the first two days.

We had all met only one time prior to loading up in our Sequoia for the 12 hour drive. We were somewhere below Savannah when we decided to stop for lunch. I was headed for a Steak and Shake when Bruce (a late addition to the team) spotted the GA pig across the parking lot. I was a little suspicious b/c there was only one car in the parking lot but we figured we'd give it a try.

Sketchy, scary, a guy and his mom (the owners) that remind you of Adam Sandler in The Waterboy and we almost left. We did eat there...but revoked Bruce's restaurant picking priviledges for the rest of the trip.

After a stay in Port St. Lucie with a great host (and Grace ex-pat), it was off to the hangar for our 6:00 appointment with a WWII era DC-3!

Sunrise over S. Florida

We were able to ride in the jumpseat right behind the pilot and wear a headset to hear what was going on with the traffic around us as well as talk to them.

We had a fuel stop scheduled in Exuma. They came back while we were still in the air and offered to order us breakfast in the airport over the radio. I hadn't eaten since about 5am, so I took the opportunity to refuel too. The eggs, grits, and sausage were awesome!!! So if you are ever in Exuma and craving grits, they know how to make em at the airport!

We then make a short stop in Cap Haitien to drop off some supplies as well as clear immigration. There were a few hundred people lining the fences and filling the waiting area. There was a truck load of UN troops as well as local police. Then right behind us a Spainsh C-130 landed, backed down the ramp a little way and out jumped a dozen Spanish troops.

When we get inside, we find out the reception is not for us. Michele Martelly is supposed to arrive any minute. He is a pop star in Haiti who is one of the two finalists for President. He picked up a lot of votes when Wyclef Jean was ruled ineligible for the ballot. That's him in the pink shirt.

Then it was back on the plane for a short hop to Port-au-Prince. After a brief stop in customs and navigating a swarm of guys in red hats and plaid shirts looking to "help us" with our luggage, we arrived at our limo for the ride to Fermathe. It is an 11 mile ride that will take 2 hours.

Even a year later, earthquake damage is everywhere you look. As soon as we left the airport, there was garbage a foot deep along the road and two large pigs rooting around in it. Almost all houses had 10 foot walls with either razor wire or broken glass bottles along the top.

The streets are lined with folks selling just about anything.

There is some really nice art work to be found...

Since the eq, motorcycles have become an even more popular mode of transportation. Most of them have at least 3 riders...sometimes 4.

Sometimes busses look like...well...busses...

...but a lot of times they look like this.

Seems like I heard there are still over 1 million people still living in tarp tents. The tent cities are easy to see and line much of the public spaces...parks, vacant lots, and just along side the road. There is a huge UN presence in Port-au-Prince.

We were glad to see that we were sleeping under a real roof and surrounded by 4 walls.

However, Haiti is a country of two very striking extremes. The poverty is very real and encompasses almost all of the population at the same time it is set in some of the most beautiful geography I have ever seen. This will be more evident in the next few posts.

Haiti - Here we come...

The Team...

A few months ago, I caught wind that we might have a chance to go to Haiti. I called Charlie to tell him that there may be a trip for him to consider. As soon as I said "Haiti," he immediately responded "Yes!" And began asking questions...the only problem was that I had no answers. No kidding, he called me every day for like 10 days straight pumping me for more info...I had none.

This is Grace's first trip to Haiti. There are five of us from Greenville and Mike (our friend and missionary in Eleuthera) will join us down there. At this point, we know we will be doing construction, we know everything is supposed to be taken care of, and that we have a 50 lb luggage weight limit but there are lots of unknowns.

We do not know what we will be doing specifically, where we will be staying, what the food or sleeping arrangements will be like. We will be in the Fermathe area just outside of Port-au-Prince but that brings questions as well.

Cholera is supposed to be rampant but as long as we stick to bottled water we should be fine. Oh yeah, and I injured my back last week helping my father-in-law cut trees in his yard. A few days rest should be sufficient but that is hanging out there as well.

I am looking forward to several parts of the trip but a highlight will be getting there and home.

We should be flying a WWII era DC-3!

For the prayer warriors...please be in prayer for our teams health, safety, productivity, and most importantly that we are sensitive to the Lord's leading. We are not sure what we will see or experience. I will not have my laptop but will take good notes and update the blog when I get home.

Go to sleep Charlie...we leave tomorrow!!!

I have had a few folks ask about the purpose of the work we did in Nicaragua. Mike did a much better job of stating the purpose...to see his comments and see other pictures, click the link below...

http://gracechurchscpastors.blogspot.com/

Saturday - The Finished Product & Commissioning

Saturday morning we knocked out the rest of the major items. While we did not get everything painted, we did complete far more that we expected to. When we added it up, 5 guys worked 80 hours each over 6.5 days.

We added a small wall creating a cubicle (left edge of the photo), and closed in the end of the main room creating a bathroom and storage area. We also walled off a door that used to lead to the apartment next door.

-Before-

-After-

...closed in a conference room and made a second dorm room.

-Before-

-After-

This was just a blank empty room. After finding the plumbing, we added 2 walls, headers, plumbing, and created 2 showers and another bathroom.

-Before- (actually in progress)

-After-

...and the crater...

-In process-

-After- (a few shots)

This is where we moved the wall out a couple of feet to accommodate the shower and toilet.

The finished product...

What is that lighter colored tile you ask???

Mike had the idea of adding the state of SC...

...and Bob thought the Grace logo would be cool...

...and with all the time we spent in that bathroom, we figured it was worth it. So I broke out the metabo (what the Nicaraguans call an angle grinder) and after a few attempts, we had something worthy of publishing.

We also tackled other wiring, plumbing, and tile projects.

After we finished grouting all that in, it was time for a little R&R. Our host took us to lunch at La Finca. We sat in the rooftop area where there was a great breeze blowing. It was an awesome meal and good celebration of the week.

The view from our table.

Yes...it was an all guy trip and there was plenty of competition and testosterone flowing. So when Fabricio ordered Huevos del Toro as a part of his meal, we all had to try them...except for Bob (who runs a cattle farm). He has had plenty of experience with them and had no desire to eat any.

We also had a great view of a poster that is seen all over Managua.

Then it was off to the market to get souvenirs. I had to sent a shout out to the Gamecocks I know. These are baskets wrapped in real chickens. It was a little scary.

Fabricio helping grill dinner...yes, that is an old steel wheel held up with rebar legs. There is plate in the bottom to keep the charcoal from falling through the holes.

A Nicaraguan BBQ sauce holder.

The commissioning service...Mike is sharing about the week, what he has been learning, and what the Lord is doing around him. Everyone brought their families and a few other other Christ for the City missionaries came for the event.

Fabricio's son (Audiel)...looking forward to seeing my little boy!

Friday - Final full work day.

No real shots of Friday...It was spent grouting, laying tile in the 3rd bathroom, and trying to get odds and ends finished so we could be finished as early as possible on Saturday. Finished shots tomorrow.

Thursday - Moving Day and Phoning home!

Thursday...moving day! We have 2 days to go and a lot of tile to lay. We are all starting to slow down a little...backs, knees, and shoulders are starting to get really sore. Breakfast is accompanied by Aleve or ibuprofen.

Nate and Bob got all the knee work laying tile. Most of my day was spent in this position...marking and cutting tile and feeding it to the guys.

Bob had the right...

Nate had the left...

...at the end of the day, we had 2 nice new showers.

...and 5 really tired guys (this one's for you Charlie)!

The rest of the story.

Another highlight was getting to call home. Skype is a wonderful thing! I talked to Steph and Zac for about 30 minutes. Steph said that on Monday morning Zac wanted to know where I was...so she printed off a map. She put Zac, Olivia, and herself on it at our house and me on it in Nica (that's me with the hammer). She said he can't wait to show it to everyone that comes by. After we talked awhile he said, "Daddy, I'll put on my Nicaragua shirt and come get you." He was referring to the Nica baseball shirt that bought him 3 years ago...and that FINALLY fits. That will make a Daddy smile!

For those of you following daily, we lost internet access after this. So the rest of the posts I had to update after I got home.