In Septemeber 2008, I traveled 6000 miles to Haiti's Kenscoff mountains. My mission: to care for some of the orphaned and abandoned, the sick, malnourished and premature infants of this beautiful but beleagured Caribbean nation.





Wednesday 29 April 2009

Ayiti Mwen

When I got to JKF airport yesterday, I was suddenly overpowered with anxiety. Maybe I did need a visa to get into Haiti after all. Maybe the Haitians would send me back to New York. Oh how awful it would be to get so close, and not reach my destination!

Although Christians are supposed to be able to give their fears over to God, and trust him to take care of things, and although God has consistently shown himself to be faithful to me, I couldn't shake off the worry. I sent up an apology and a plea that my calm would be restored.

I got more than that; as the aircraft began its decent and I caught sight of the rippling, chiseled mountain landscape, I was filled with excitement, and all doubts melted away.

When we touched down, the Haitians cheered. I knew they would, and it was special and wonderful to celebrate my homecoming with them.

A hot wind swept over me as I left the aircraft. And as the crumbling colour and throngs of people and rickety vehicles and garbage of Port-au-prince spilled out onto the streets around us, I fell in Love, once again with the uncontained, honest broken beauty and chaos of my Haiti.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Happy for Haiti that you're back and happy for us that we get to read about it!

Catherine said...

That is so great !!!!!!!!!!!!!! You must be sooo happy.
Catherine

nicnacpaddywac said...

Glad to hear you have arrived safely. Miss you already.

Kay said...

So happy you arrived safely, will keep updated with your blog.
Lots of love.

Cheryl said...

I definitely know the feeling of landing at the PAP airport and feeling like you are arriving at a familiar place. And when your vehicle climbs up the mountains toward GLA you get more excited. And when you pull into the yard at GLA and hear the babies calling 'hiya!' you feel like you have arrived at your second home.

May God continue to use you and bless you Susan and you once again minister to some of the most precious babies and children of Haiti.

See you in August!

Anonymous said...

I am so happy to read that you are back in Haiti and that you feel at home. We are coming down for the month of July with our family. It will be good to see you again. I enjoy reading your blog so much. Thank you for keeping up with it.