Tony texted this afternoon to say that the team arrived in Dessalines/Nan wo safe and sound with no hassle.

Unfortunately, the consul was closed today so Dixie, Asher and Louinet were unable to attempt any more progress towards getting Louinet a visa.

After arriving in Nan wo, the team visited the orphanage where Dixie and her family lived and worked from ’89-91. They have also visited friends and neighbors, including one of our sponsored students and her mom who just had a baby via c-section.

Tony says the weather continues to be mild and the constant breeze has been refreshing!

Members of the team are playing with the local kids, many being sponsored kids from the Nan wo school. A popular game we have taught them is duck, duck, goose. Except, I (Grace) did not know the Creole word for duck, nor for goose and so taught them “poul, poul, cock”… or… chicken, chicken, rooster. 🙂  Apparently it translated over to Creole just fine and the kids beg us to play it with them every time we come! And so, per request of the kids, the team has played no doubt, MANY rounds of “poul, poul, cock” today…. 🙂

Everyone is tired from yesterday’s flights and today’s 4 hour drive. Yet very early in the morning, the group will be jumping in the back of a pickup truck which will drive them a few miles to the base of the mountains. And then the hiking will begin. The trail really is very difficult, taking at least 6 to 7 hours, basically all uphill in the heat and humidity of the day with only the water one can carry since there is no clean water along the way to refill. And as a Haitian proverb reads….

Climbing to Kawo, you learn the truth of this! 🙂 You climb up one peak after another, hoping Kawo is just down the next one, Only to find out you have another one to climb…. over and over and over again, mile after exhausting mile until you are absolutely convinced your feet can’t carry you much longer. Sweat has long ago soaked your clothing, water bottles are dry. And finally. You notice the dirt slowly turning red until it is the color of brick. And renewed energy surges through you as this is your first sign that you really are getting close! Kawo is somewhere around one of the next bends and the hot, syrupy sweet coffee they always make awaits to refresh and energize your worn out body! 🙂

So…
PRAY for each one on the team as they hike tomorrow!
Pray for safety on the trail
Pray for endurance, strength, and grace for the journey
Pray for a good night’s rest tonight
Continue to pray for Pastor Louinet as he continues efforts to attain a visa
Pray that God’s will would be done on and in each member of the team and that HE would be clearly evident as they serve.

In Christ,
Grace, on behalf of the Hope in Haiti team