Yes...you read correctly....Haiti!
Since we are doing the campaign for the memorial invitations, we took advantage of the fact that Haiti was holding a cultural fair...which meant that the border was open. A group of brothers were going to preach for the day.
We left at 7 in the morning and took a bus to Elias Piña...the town bordering Haiti. After the bus we had to take a concho(public transportation) to the border, where we were stopped at a military check point. They didn´t give us any trouble but the concho driver did, he tried to raise the price since we were crossing the border...after arguing for a little while (well i didn´t do any arguing, our friends who are dominican took care of that part!) the concho driver pointed and said, ´´well, just go with them, they are Jehovah´s Witnesses too´´ , we looked and there was a jeep and a small pick up truck jam packed with brothers! I was so relieved to see them! We ran over to meet them, and they gladly made room for us in the back of the already cramped pick-up....where we spent the next part of our adventure. As soon as we crossed the border we were meant by our Haitian brothers. Here we were in another foreign country, meeting people we had never met, in a language that we don´t speak...and hugging them and smiling as though we had known them for years...
There is a noticeable difference between Haiti and the DR. The roads were not paved at all...we learned very quickly to listen for cars coming down the road, since they sent a cloud of dust so thick that it was hard to breathe into the air. The people were so poor...the houses were smaller, there was more garbage in the streets. The territory was literally a hike....we had to scale up the side of a hill, through trees, down rocks, across river beds...and the sister that I was with had to wait for me to catch up...she was an older sister...so zealous!!!
Even the language is different. I expected most of the people to speak at least Spanish...but most of them didn´t. So we learned a simple presentation and preached in French-Creole!
At one point walking down the road we were seen by some local brothers, missionaries who have been serving in Haiti for 6 years. What an assignment!
When we came to a brothers house I knew that the bathroom would be clean so I took advantage of the opportunity...and asked to use it. He said absolutely and led Aubrey and I around the side of the house. When we opened the door and looked in we saw...a living room. A bed, a table, a bookcase, chairs...and in the middle of the room, a bucket. This was their toilet. That should give you an idea of the humble lives that these people live. And even so, they are so happy, and I feel as much at home with them as I would have in my own house.
By noon we were starving....and we had left our food in the pick-up truck and had to wait for the brother to come back and pick us up. Again, here we were in a foreign country, completely dependant on someone who I had never even met before. Was I worried, anxious, doubtful? Not in the least! Of course he came for us, and we had our lunch, which we decided to wait and eat on the bus, since the roads were so dusty...but when he dropped us off at the bus station we left our lunch in the truck again!!! He sent his daughter back with it for us....and let me tell you, boiled yucca root never tasted so good! Food is definitly one of those things I take for granted!
When we came back across the border it was like going back to the U.S. Paved roads..what a novelty! Toilets! Who cares if they don´t flush...it´s a toilet, isn´t it?
We arrived completely exhausted, but just in time for meeting. So we showered (our eyelashes were covered in dust) and went to meeting.
It´s all in a days work :)
Since we are doing the campaign for the memorial invitations, we took advantage of the fact that Haiti was holding a cultural fair...which meant that the border was open. A group of brothers were going to preach for the day.
We left at 7 in the morning and took a bus to Elias Piña...the town bordering Haiti. After the bus we had to take a concho(public transportation) to the border, where we were stopped at a military check point. They didn´t give us any trouble but the concho driver did, he tried to raise the price since we were crossing the border...after arguing for a little while (well i didn´t do any arguing, our friends who are dominican took care of that part!) the concho driver pointed and said, ´´well, just go with them, they are Jehovah´s Witnesses too´´ , we looked and there was a jeep and a small pick up truck jam packed with brothers! I was so relieved to see them! We ran over to meet them, and they gladly made room for us in the back of the already cramped pick-up....where we spent the next part of our adventure. As soon as we crossed the border we were meant by our Haitian brothers. Here we were in another foreign country, meeting people we had never met, in a language that we don´t speak...and hugging them and smiling as though we had known them for years...
There is a noticeable difference between Haiti and the DR. The roads were not paved at all...we learned very quickly to listen for cars coming down the road, since they sent a cloud of dust so thick that it was hard to breathe into the air. The people were so poor...the houses were smaller, there was more garbage in the streets. The territory was literally a hike....we had to scale up the side of a hill, through trees, down rocks, across river beds...and the sister that I was with had to wait for me to catch up...she was an older sister...so zealous!!!
Even the language is different. I expected most of the people to speak at least Spanish...but most of them didn´t. So we learned a simple presentation and preached in French-Creole!
At one point walking down the road we were seen by some local brothers, missionaries who have been serving in Haiti for 6 years. What an assignment!
When we came to a brothers house I knew that the bathroom would be clean so I took advantage of the opportunity...and asked to use it. He said absolutely and led Aubrey and I around the side of the house. When we opened the door and looked in we saw...a living room. A bed, a table, a bookcase, chairs...and in the middle of the room, a bucket. This was their toilet. That should give you an idea of the humble lives that these people live. And even so, they are so happy, and I feel as much at home with them as I would have in my own house.
By noon we were starving....and we had left our food in the pick-up truck and had to wait for the brother to come back and pick us up. Again, here we were in a foreign country, completely dependant on someone who I had never even met before. Was I worried, anxious, doubtful? Not in the least! Of course he came for us, and we had our lunch, which we decided to wait and eat on the bus, since the roads were so dusty...but when he dropped us off at the bus station we left our lunch in the truck again!!! He sent his daughter back with it for us....and let me tell you, boiled yucca root never tasted so good! Food is definitly one of those things I take for granted!
When we came back across the border it was like going back to the U.S. Paved roads..what a novelty! Toilets! Who cares if they don´t flush...it´s a toilet, isn´t it?
We arrived completely exhausted, but just in time for meeting. So we showered (our eyelashes were covered in dust) and went to meeting.
It´s all in a days work :)
1 comment:
Hey Sarita! It is I Cindy. This is an awesome experience!! Felicidades on not getting lost in Haiti!! It's so nice that your getting to do all these things, say hello to all the brothers down there and be careful... and please be sure not to scare anyone with the "Scratt." Mucho amor,... you friend *Cindy*
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