August Haiti Trip - Day #7 - Sunday, August 7

Our team in front of the Cheridant water building.

Prayer Partners of the Day - Jan Koerner (AKA Mom) & Maple Springs UMC

First, Happy Anniversary John! Today is the 7th anniversary of our wedding, and I could not be happier to be married to the most wonderful man in the world. We have yet to spend an anniversary together, due to our travel schedules, and now it has become somewhat of a tradition to spend our anniversary apart! He's definitely with me in spirit, though, and I am so happy to be loved by him!

Back to Haiti...

Our team split up this morning. Half stayed in Cheridant for Pere Desire's worship service, while Rollin, Linda, Steve, Jerry & I went to Trouin for worship. Pere Michaud asked me earlier this week to preach, which I nervously agreed to! Claudia let me borrow her dress, but when we arrived in Trouin, Pere Michaud asked me to wear one of their robes. It was like wearing a blanket! My respect for Olizard, Pere Irnel, and all of the other priests in Haiti just grew 100%! They preach in these robes every week, no matter how hot and humid it is!

The newest solar powered water system in Trouin, Haiti.

The service went well, and if Ancy were here to tell the story, he'd tell you that he preached well, and I translated his sermon into English! :) Michaud asked me to serve communion with him, and I felt privileged to do so. It was a beautiful service, and the celebration of the water system followed. Inside the water building, they brought in the incense to dedicate the system, and we began handing out the first cups of clean water to the community! Linda handed me the cups, and I pulled the lever for clean water. It was AMAZING! This is always, by far, my most favorite day of every installation. So many smiling faces, so many hearts leaping for joy.

Georgette, one of the community members, fixed us an amazing lunch. We had fresh mango, pineapple, avocado, occra, plantains, and so much more. We were napping in the church when the rest of the team came to pick us up an hour later.

The drive back into Port Au Prince.

The drive back into Port Au Prince.

The ride back to Port Au Prince was uneventful. We stopped by Carrefour to check on a survey, but the new well had yet to be dug. We arrived at the International Guest House in PAP to be near the airport the next morning. It was here that we said a very sad to say goodbye to Ancy. I'm used to saying good bye, and seeing him in a few weeks. This time, it may be until January when I return to Haiti again.

One last highlight of the day - a camera crew is also staying at the Guest House. They are filming a documentary for PBS called "Building a Nation is to Build Relationships." (Something like that.) They interviewed me on camera about the work Solar Under The Sun and Living Waters For The World is doing in Haiti. It was quite a treat, and I hope it does make it to television to ignite others to join the cause. (Click here to read the journalist's blog of our interview.)

Tonight we will sleep in "air conditioning" and head off to the airport early in the morning. This week went by much too quickly, but I am more ready to go home than I have been in awhile.