Day One

Today was our first day out in Haiti. We woke up for another amazing meal and then got ready to head out to the water trucks. I wasn't feeling well when I woke up this morning, but after a few prayers from my amazing family and friends I felt great. Saying today was an amazing day would be an understatement. It was absolutely life changing. My heart is completely broken, but at the same time I'm glowing. These people have nothing...but they have a love for God like no other. The children are all absolutely beautiful. Dirty dark brown faces with bright white gorgeous smiles. They LOVED all of us. Most of the day we had a toddler on each hip and others holding on each of our belt loops. They just wanted to be close and to be loved on. It's such an overwhelming feeling to feel so important and admired by someone you just met. They want to hug you. They want to know your name. They want you to "photo me" ( take their picture). They dont know english but they say "HEY YOU!!" and then tackle you with hugs and kisses. I gave a little girl a bobby pin from my hair and she thought it was the greatest gift in the world. We jump roped, taught the hokey pokey and just spent time and played with them. I personally wasn't able to help out much with the labor of the water truck because of my hurt hand, but it was an incredible feeling to watch my team mates. Just like Lynn said at the dinner table, we all just work perfectly together! The driving here is crazy! A few of us got to hang off the side of the big water truck and it was quite the experience. No one acknowledges stop signs or oncoming traffic here. They just honk and fight for their place....so needless to say hanging off the side was pretty exciting. I can't really even put into words how these people live. They are surrounded by trash and sewer. Little boys that are probably around 7 or 8 wear too small of t-shirts and are naked from there down. Little girls have tattered dresses and none of them have shoes. Their clothes are either way too big or way too small. I followed Steve while he carried buckets of water and we got to see inside one of the homes. Families are basically living in dirt closets. They have trash and sewer surrounding them. Pigs and chickens just grazing around freely. I personally had two life changing experiences....one which broke my heart and the other that put it back together. The first, I was spending time with the children and a grandmother approached me with an infant. She handed her too me and started telling me something in Creole. Then she started to try to leave... She wanted me to keep her. If my team members wouldn't have taken her from me and took hold of the situation I would have no doubt came home with that baby. That's when the tears really hit...I had to walk away. Not long after a little girl in a ripped up Cinderella costume came up to me. She loved on me and held my hand and wanted me to meet her friends. Then she wanted to get on my back... So I let her. We started walking around in circles and that precious girl did the most amazing thing.... She started singing in my ear.. Still on my back..."glory to God, glory to God, glory to God, Forever!" the sweetest voice I've ever heard. So we sang all the way back to the water truck. I think everyone in the world needs to step back and think about what I just said... This little girl in a ripped up halloween costume, with no shoes and no running water loves God that much. She was so happy and loving every minute of my attention. .... I mean we sit in the drive thru of fast food restaurants and gripe if our food isn't served immediately, while these people may not have food for days and they are still SO happy and in love with God. Wow....that's my word of the day....wow. Wow to how they live. Wow to how beautiful they are. Wow to God answering my prayers and making me feel better so quickly. Wow I'm so lucky...I don't deserve what I have.... And wow God is great. Love you all!

Alexa