Feb. 23rd...another "different" day

What an exciting and "different" day today was. With Bill and Lauri's help, and the help of Vero and others, the dorm was ready for our team. We went from raining and chilly to very hot and humid...much to my dismay.

It all started with word that we would have 5 (YES FIVE) planes today. And almost all of it was people. Okay, we can handle this right? Well, sort of! The people were definitely NO problem. The planes, although close together, weren't really the problem. It was all the little "things" that we normally don't have that made this a hard day.

As a down side to this, we heard this morning that there was another quake in Port au Prince. (And reported another 22 died). Our hearts and minds are having a really hard time accepting this. These quakes and aftershocks keep on coming...they should be done by now. Even those refugees who are up here refuse to sleep under a roof...so they are out on the ground in the rain, because of fear. Please keep praying for the people. First losing everything they have, then facing the fear that they will also lose their lives with another quake...it's just overwhelming for them. So, we headed to the airport with heavy hearts.

I had been sick the last couple of days...not sure if it was sinus or just a bad cold, but enough to make me stay in bed most of the time. This morning, I thought I was over it...and did pretty good. UNTIL....running from plane to plane trying to keep people straight, and keep their luggage straight and keep the cargo right...it was all a huge mess, and really had me going. Then all of a sudden, I melted down. I was drenched in sweat from head to toe, and having a hard time not passing out. Needless to say our team was great and wanted to help in any way they could. But we had to wait to clear our baggage and boxes that they brought. Thanks to the help of Pastor Saintil, we were released to go, without duty....PTL. I knew I couldn't drive. And everyone knows, NO ONE else drives my truck. Don finally found Cequer and asked him to drive me home. He did a GREAT job. I was drinking water like mad. And by the time we got back home, I was feeling a LOT better, so it must have simply been dehydration. And I PREACH to teams about drinking and not letting your body dehydrate. Well, I learned that I have to listen to my own words.

Our team is great. They have things already planned out and ready to go for tomorrow. An added thing here, tomorrow we also are going to inspect our container. (BIG PTL) Some of the team is going to help us, some out to the IDADEE property and some to work here on welding. Should be a busy, interesting day. Let me put another note here, they have a great cook with them, too. Rosie is doing an awesome job already. (Maybe I can keep her??? Guess her family wouldn't like that).

While at the airport, the director came and gave me a hug. He has not only 12 of his family moved up from Port, but now he has close to 20 people (I think), living in his yard. He had no idea how to care for them or to help them. We gave him one small tent, and some food to help out a little. Well, today he came and was so thrilled. He said everyone said to tell us thank you for the help, they were so thankful. He is hoping now he can get some help from other places, and maybe try to find places for these people to live.

A friend from Pennsylvania shared our need for tents with her church and already has four of them on the way to us. What a blessing those will be for the families who are sleeping in the rain. The people who are afraid to sleep in buildings will gladly sleep in tents, since there is nothing to fall down on them that could kill them. This is a temporary fix until they can overcome the fears they have. It may be a LONG temporary fix, though. But it's housing for them anyway.

The problems these people are facing keep mounting. We really have to totally depend on the Lord on how best to help them now. I don't think any of us, you or us, can imagine what they are facing, physically, emotionally and spiritually. We have seen some of what the Lord is doing in the spiritual way... and we continue to praise God for what He has, and IS doing in lives. Now it's on to the rest of the situations. Keep us, and especially THEM in prayer. This will be long and drawn out. And Divine guidance is desperately needed.

I'm making this a short note, since tomorrow will be very busy. And I HAVE learned my lesson and will keep water with me wherever I go. This team will make sure I do that, of that I'm positive. I love the attitude of the group. They are so upbeat and positive. We have some new people on the team and they seem just as upbeat and excited as the "old timers". (Some of those "old timers" are in their teens!!) We've been so blessed with Bill and Lauri and now added blessings. But when they leave... we will feel the loss greatly.

For tonight, our prayer is that you will keep Haiti, it's people and the whole situation in your prayers. Our God will hear and answer those prayers. Have a blessed day and keep Jesus at the front of all you do.