Adventures of a missionary on a mission trip part 3

Friday; The gang had breakfast together, then Jerry and 5 of the guys went back to work on the playground more while Dave Reed and I waited for Yves Prophete from Global Vision Citadel Ministries: http://www.gvcm.org/ to come and pick us up, so naturally after the gang left, I went back to bed for a couple more hours (my pickup was supposed to come at 12 noon) , then later Dave & I went across the street to a vender and bought a bunch of curios. I even swapped an RSM T-Shirt and a few bucks for a pack of Haiti bracelets.

Yves showed up around 2pm and we were off on a 2 hour drive out of the city and up to Mirabalais where the orphanage is. On the way I learned a little about Yves and I really like this guy and his heart, he's a good guy (Thank you Dana Hayden of Quail lakes Baptist Church for the connection). He had another guy named Scott Joahanness from Indiana who is also on the board of GVCM. We Stopped at a gas station and since I missed lunch Yves bought me a chicken machaca type baguette, I don't eat food in American gas stations, so I was really trusting Yves and God on this one. Then off we went. Another person that drives like a maniac, top speed, while talking on the phone, looking up info on another phone and driving a stick shift in the most horrible, congested traffic in the world.  Some sights on the way there:

Steet vendors everywhere

It is like this all over the city

A little ragamuffin trying to mooch some money (they were everywhere too.)

Once you gave anybody anything, you were mobbed, all these guys are trying to get something here.

We arrived at the orphanage and it was already DARK (we were supposed to be back at the hotel by 4pm, so we broke one of the rules), anyway, IT WAS GREAT! There were several deaf girls there and when they knew I could sign ASL, they were all over me. asking my name, telling me theres, they would hold on to my arms and hands leading me around the place proudly showing me where they eat, went to classes, slept and etc.

A few of the deaf children

More deaf boys

There was one little guys that was hugging me and followed me everywhere and couldn't stop looking at me. I was afraid he was gonner sprain his neck.

And look at this little fellow! I wanted to put him in a suitcase and bring him home, snot and all!

At one point all the kids got together in the church sitting on the floor, one of the staff had a very small digital picture screen that just showed pictures, and you would have thought they were watching Avatar on a plasma screen TV! they we all just glued to this tiny picture screen.

Except for these 3, they wanted me to take their picture:

After about 90 minutes we had seen everything and everyone and it was darker outside and we still had about an 90 minute drive back, we said our goodbyes, I gave them a soccer ball which again, you would have figured I gave them the Barcelona soccer team. Said goodbye to my new friend and hero Yves:

And we hit the road, it was a very windy road, and I kid you not, most of the trucks did not have brake lights, many were just stopped in the middle of the road, our driver (who spoke Spanish), drove a little calmer that Yves, but just as we got to the outskirts of Port Au Prince, a huge downpour was happening, I mean IT WAS RAINING! and the closer we got to the center of the city, the scarier it was, water was cascading down everywhere, the trash was floating by, at one point the water was up to the bottom of the doors on the truck, it looked like we were driving down a river, and now we can see the huge, deep potholes, I thought we were going to drown.

Driving through the flood

water, mud and trash washing by us, notice guy sitting on steps at the right.

But, by the grace of God and our drivers skills, we made it back to the hotel, where the rest of the group was convinced we were dead. I'd never seen a group of men so happy to see me. So an end to another blessed eye opening day. Stay tuned for part 4.