Our final day in Haiti

Our work is done, but we still have our goodbyes to say. Well, we actually have one job to complete - organizing the items we are leaving behind.

A decision has nBeen made that we will not distribute the donations we brought down ourselves. We have clothes - some new, some that our children have outgrown - shoes, toiletries medicines, school supplies, etc. They will be left in the control of the camp leaders to disperse at the proper time to those most in need. To distribute them ourselves would cause pandemonium, not the way we want to end our visit. We spend some time reorganizing everything and labeling boxes. They will be picked up just before we leave

Even without our donations to distribute people are now asking for things - our hats, our sunglassses, our shoes, our watches... We are also asked for money, our email addresses and phone numbers. But hardest of all are the hugs from the children. Some of them cling to us like life rafts. After we leave the camp they come and hang on the gates of the hotel until they are chased away by security.

We load ourselves and our luggage on to a bus designed for a group half our size. Packed in like sardines we watch the driver get on with a cell phone in one hand and a beer in the other. At one point we have to cross 6 lanes of traffic with no traffic lights. We cheer when we get across safely. The airport has 4 security checkpoints with stays and a passport check at each one. We split into two groups once we arrive as some are flying home via NY and some via Miami. In Miami we split further when it is discovered that there is space on and earlier flight to Chicago. Those still together have a dinner of burgers and beer.

At O'Hare we each head to our cars. I had arranged a car service to pick me up as it is nearly midnight. They have sent a limo. It is a surreal way to end this trip.