I am trying to recreate the trip by day, from memory, as I did not have anything but my iphone on the trip and it was just too hard to try to post with that. Maybe I do need an iPad after all. HA!
Our flight was departing O'Hare airport at 5:30 am and with all the crates and boxes of supplies we were bringing along we had to meet up at 3:30. I set my alarm for 2:30(!) (seriously, 2:30 as a wake up time, that just feels wrong) and my car was ordered for 3:00. We all got there and went about checking in and it was chaos - I never have been fond of traveling with large groups as I like to get through the airport as efficiently as possible, but I just had to let that go for this trip. We flew through Miami and had two uneventful flights - the best kind.
There are 31 of us on this trip, 3 parent child pairs and the rest adults. All fairly to insanely seasoned travelers. This helped a great deal - nobody really needed any hand holding. Our group ranged in age from 15 to nearly 80.
We landed in Porte-au-Prince at an airport that looked like something off a movie set of a third world country. There were letters missing from the sign on the runway side of the building. Immigration was dark and dank and teaming with people, although not apparently not nearly as crowded as the day before. Offers to help us with our bags were shouted at us from all directions, but we were assured before our arrival to ignore them or politely refuse as our local guide and trip leader had made arrangements for all the help we needed. We passed through customs very quickly and made our way out to a broken down school bus. Our local guide was passing bribes as we went to smooth our way through.
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Once on the bus we drove not directly to our hotel, but through the streets of Porte-au-Prince to give those of us who had not been before a glimpse of the current state of the country. There are still buildings laying in half ruin. There are piles of rubble laying on the street. The presidential white house is a ruin as is the former cathedral. It is unbelievable how much is still uncleared away 16 months after the earthquake struck. It is unbelievable how few cranes and how little large earth moving equipment you see. Most of the clearing and construction is done by hand. Tent cities are everywhere ranging from small patches of grass with 8 or 10 tents, to one large tent city with over 10,000 inhabitants. The playgrounds, baseball diamonds and soccer pitches that may have once existed for the children are now providing space for tents and there is nowhere for the children to run and play except for on the ruble piles.
After our bus tour we visited the orphanage that members of our church visited 6 months ago and where they helped to build dormitories for the children. We played with the kids for a while. One of our members discovered a little boy with a baseball and started a game of catch. A few of us joined in tossing a ball while others sat down to draw or play games with the children. There was one boy who showed remarkable ability with a ball - he could catch anything and throw with extreme accuracy. Chris demonstrated to him how to throw with his right hand but getting his left foot forward and to follow through and the kid picked it up immediately. It was impossible not to think of him playing little league in the US, or even in the Dominican Republic getting picked for one of their developmental programs.
Finally, we arrived at our hotel - an island of normal in a land of the surreal, at least to our world view. A bar, a pool, air conditioning (for part of the day, at least), electricity, etc. We settle into our rooms - packed 4 and 5 to a room as a group of doctors and dentists extended their stay due to great demand for their services in the area. The tent city where we will be working is just across the road and we walk over after we have a chance to settle in and we are united with our forward contingent who had arrived the day before and was already at work clearing and grading the area where we will be laying the foundation for a new classroom. We also meet Simi, the leader of the camp and some of the children who come running to greet us. Many of them remember the members of our group who were on the last trip in the fall and they squeal and hug them. One thing you are struck with immediately is how clean and neat the children look despite the dirt and grime all around them. And the smiles - children can find joy, even in the midst of a tent city.
We return to the hotel for dinner and get an update on what has gone on that day and discuss our first impressions. It is good to hear from those who were there in October that despite what we are seeing, there is progress since that last trip - more buildings are down and the lots cleared, there is less rubble in the streets. At 'our' camp there were 204 families in October and only 89 remain. People are finding homes in rebuild buildings, or are relocating - to the countryside, or getting out of the Haiti via family in other countries.
We turn in early having been awake for over 18 hours. We sleep soundly knowing the hard work starts in the morning.
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