Arrival

Well, here I am, in the northern part of haiti. It feels so surreal to be here!
The flights down went fairly smoothly.. just some minor annoying hiccups. I don't really ever want to overnight in Ft. Lauderdale airport again though. The flight from Ft. L to Cap Haitien was this little 30 seater. I ended up sitting beside this girl who, along with her husband, is the director of this little orphanage in Haiti. She's only 27, but she's expecting her first child and is also in the process of adopting 3 Haiten kids.. so it's a little insane for her right now! But it was so good to talk to her and she kind of helped me feel more excited about it and it made it feel more real.
So walking off the plane, i just smelled Uganda. it smells the same! [humid + garbage] .. but somehow.. i really love that smell! The airport was a little 1 room building with a small divider to separate customs from the rest. my bag didn't make it on that flight, but thankfully they threw it on the next flight. Haiten airlines aren't exactly as thorough as big airlines when it comes to bags...
As we drove farther and farther into Cap Haitien, I was totally overwhelmed. Just the garbage, sewage, stray dogs, pigs...the hoards of people. SO many people. And all of them hungry. It's absolutely awful. It's indescribable.
I hadn't eaten anything, so Tom stopped by this bakery and bought me a surprisingly delicious raisin bun... which i nearly lost on the ride because it was so bumpy. I can't even desicribe how bumpy. It's like having mogals in the road, so it kind of made my head spin.
Tom and Helen are absolutely wonderful, as well as their 3 kids here. They have made me feel so at home. Today was such a full day. I arrived at 8 this morning, then went to one of the children's home where a Christian Haitien couple lives with about 9 orphaned kids between the age of 4 and 11. They were adorable... and only spoke Creole. So it was a lot of face making and cuddling and awkward moments. It's just been good. I'm tired.. but i'm looking forward to tomorrow.
We are having a sunrise service for Easter with their English fellowship. Then maybe the Haiten church too. But then we are making Easter gift boxes for some really poor families that include some rice and clothes for the kids... it's so fun making them! Man, this has turned out to be long, but yet it's such a quick overview of what's happening.
Well, God has been SO faithful through this whole trip and I just really want to be used by Him to bless these people and kids. It's not for me, it's all for Him.
Thanks for praying, and i love you all!
Karianne