Tears of Joy

Today starts with Papa and I buying supplies in town. Rice and such. We get to the bottom of his mountain and the chain on his bike breaks. Couldn't you have waited to break until we reached the top of the hill? The bike is loaded down with gallons of cooking oil and boxes of soap. Not the lightest of items. I pick up two boxes of soap and Papa immediately tells me I won't be able to carry them. He should know me better than that ;) Sweat dripping down my back. Too stubborn to stop. I make it to his house and make Climee (Dieudonne and Clanide's daughter) walk back down to carry oil with me. She's a fat little kid and needs to walk. We go up and down the hill carrying supplies. When all the supplies are at the top Dieudonne fixes his chain and goes to get the rice.

 He has to make many trips, but while he is doing that we have set up a nice assembly line. We measure out the rice and put the gallons of oil into smaller bottles. We put the soap, pat tomat, and bouillon in little bags and make up nice little kits of food. Everyone works diligently and happily. Dieudonne is tired from hauling back and forth but we are almost finished. We tell the whole mountainside they can come for food and they come and stand and sit in line. Papa has a list and he writes everyone's names down and how many are in their families and then he gives them food. We were able to feed 566 people today. How awesome is that! Thank you so much everyone! I leave for the giving of the food part because it feels cheesy to stand there as a blan (white) and give food. They don't need to know who it's from. I go to Numero 2 (area where they block the road to the airport) with Jacques to check on a girl with a high fever. I bring her some aspirin and talk with the family. They are super sweet. I'll be able to check on her again tomorrow when I go to the airport to pick up the medical group. Jacques lets me drive his bike. There's lots of greasy mud but I haven't killed us yet...or crashed. Driving back to Jacques' house. We run out of gas on the way. I thought I was failing as a driver but it wasn't the case. Three places we checked didn't have gas. We finally find a place. Keep in mind the gas you get in Haiti for your motorcycle isn't a gas station. It's old rum bottles full of gas sitting on wooden tables, usually under an umbrella. I buy some water and my little street rat friends find me and hug and kiss me. One little buzzard gives me a kiss on the lips and is so proud of himself. I leave my little troublemakers with Jacques to go to his house. Kati says she has a present for me. She comes out with a beautiful purse made out of wrappers from Haitian crackers and candy.

I have tears in my eyes and want to cry but I keep it together. I hug her and we jump up and down with excitement for this present. These are the Haitian people. Yes, there are the thieves and liars, but that's everywhere isn't it? For her to take the time to get me this present, for her to think of me in the midst of this peaceful chaos is humbling. I am so grateful and blessed to have her as a friend. I hold my purse and we talk about different things. She wants to learn to crochet and when I return I will bring supplies and teach her if she hasn't found someone else to teach her by then. We talk about her family. We sit on her bed because they don't have a table or chairs. These are my friends. These people make my heart happy. Rain is going to fall and rumor has it that another hurricane is coming tonight. I hop on the bike with Jacques and as we drive through the streets I let the tears slide down my face leaving streaks through the dust. These are happy tears. Tears from being overwhelmed by love for my friends here. There's no place on earth I'd rather be.
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Papa brought a mattress in my tent for me to sleep on. They were all so happy about it and so was I, until I laid down...the smell rising up from this mattress is almost unbearable. I've managed to suck it up, but tonight as I enter my tent I can smell it before I even lay down. Mildew. Sweat. Stink. So so bad. Thanks to my cousin Jenny for reminding me I packed tea tree oil. I dowse my bed and sleeping bag and life is great. The tea tree oil is a little extreme, but it's way better than the rank smell of the mattress beforehand. Praise the Lord for this tea tree oil. It's the little things :)
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I wake in the middle of the night to water pouring down on me. I laugh so hard and put the cover over my tent. The rain is out of control. I hope everyone is off the ground. I put all my important belongings in my waterproof bag and try to sleep in my damp sleeping bag. This morning consists of mopping the floor and emptying my tarp. I get 15 gallons of water out of it. Clanide is making coffee this morning which is a huge treat right now. I am very grateful. I am grateful for coffee and that I have a tent. I am grateful that I get to share this time of their lives with them.