Epilogue

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Welcome to those of you viewing our blog for the first time, you might want to go back to July 2nd and work your way forward.  There's a great video summary of the trip on YouTube.  Click HERE to check it out.

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This morning we were up at Oh-(my gosh)-500 with the roosters.  After a warm send-off from John and Debbie, we headed to the airport without too much traffic to dodge.  We got through the three levels of security in good time to have "kafe" at the coffee shop.  While we reflected on our trip a bit and played a few games of Crazy-8s, we noticed the flight time change by a couple of hours.  By the time we took-off we knew we weren't going to make our connecting flight to L.A.X.

As it stands, we get to spend the night in Miami, where it was raining when we landed :( but we did get to have a nice dinner at the airport hotel.  Our waiter?  A haitian.  I impressed him with the little bit of Creole I know, like "mwen renmen paye ak kat kredi" ( I would like to pay with a credit card.)  Jana also found a book that was recommended to her at the Borders here at the airport, so we're making the best of it.

We also got to have REAL SHOWERS with lots of hot water.  Woo-hoo!

This was the last photo that I took in Haiti.  It's an odd photo considering the many beautiful scenes and amazing people that we encountered.  Here's the story...

A few days ago I noticed that my glasses were scratching me when I put them on.  It looked like I had scuffed one of the rubber end-pieces on one of the arms.  That night at about 3:45 in the morning I heard my glasses fall.  They had been placed (as they had every night) on the adjacent empty bunk bed.  I turned on the light and couldn't find them anywhere.  I prayed that they would turn-up in the morning and went back to sleep, hearing every miniscule sound that might be the intruder who was dragging away my glasses.

In the morning I found my glasses on my own bunk, behind my head - on the other side of the mosquito netting.  Both rubber end-pieces on the arms of my glasses were further "scuffed" or what I now knew were gnaw-marks.

The trap was set, and the glasses more carefully stowed.  The next morning the trap was still set but missing the spicy Haitian peanut butter.  We then changed tactics and tied an almond coated in spicy Haitian peanut butter to the trigger with dental floss, so that he would have to tug on it and spring the trap.  The next morning the trap sprung but somehow the rat had escaped.  Last night the trap was set and everything was ready for a perfect execution, but the rat didn't show.

This made me think about the spiritual situation in Haiti.  Slaves brought to Haiti by the French brought with them Voodoo traditions from Africa.  Those traditions run so strong in their culture that even those claiming to be Christian have deep seated fears of snakes, rats, curses and Voodoo practitioners.

Whether you believe in the devil or not, since the garden of Eden, he's been gnawing at people's souls.  He is a thief, liar and trickster who evades capture and drives fear into the heart of man.  This is one of the most the most severe dangers affecting Haiti.  It's not a quaint part of their culture, it's a powerful force keeping Haitians oppressed and in darkness.  As Foursquare Haiti continues to shed light on the dark forces at work here, a new generation of Haitians will have hope for a future.

I now know how to pray for the people of Haiti.  That they will escape the fear and dark-forces that keep them from claiming the freedom that their forefathers earned them.  And that they will embrace the light of Jesus Christ.

I look forward to returning to Haiti.  I enjoyed my time there, and I have an idea of how much more needs to be done to encourage Haiti to rise up in the power of the one true God.

Bandye beni ou (God bless you.)