Who doesn’t love a 3:00am wake up call? Pastor Mikey was on chauffer duty this morning and, believe it or not, we made it! ;) After checking in, the team settled in, grabbed a snack, and engaged in some lively conversation about our top 10 favorite types of nuts. As you might expect, it was exhilarating. Eventually though, the adrenaline started to die down and our eyes started to get a little droopy. Thankfully we only had a few more minutes left before we boarded the plane.
The flight from Des Moines to Atlanta was pleasantly uneventful and we all did our best to get some rest. The first order of business after touching down in Atlanta was finding food, and as we all know, social norms do not apply when eating in airports so we weren’t sure whether to sit down for a steak dinner, a burrito, or scrambled eggs. We decided it wouldn’t be the worst idea to treat ourselves to something a little special, different, and fun…. so McDonalds breakfast it was. As we were savoring every last bite of delicious hash browns we were keeping a close eye on the weather in Atlanta. Temperatures were dropping quickly and snow/ice was forecasted right as we were taking off. We had been praying for a couple days that the temp would stay enough above freezing that there wouldn’t be any delays or cancellations and boy did God show up! The weather stayed north, the temperature was just above forty, and we were off the ground as scheduled with only a few minutes of turbulence early on. (Our first big answer to prayer!!)
The excitement continued to build as we neared Port au Prince. As we came in to land and dropped below the clouds, the mountains came into sight alongside the bright blue ocean water. The view was breathtaking! After a smooth landing, we took the stairs off the plane, waved like celebrities to the nobody that was around, and navigated our way down the tarmac, through customs, and out of the airport to begin our drive to the WWV guest house. If you’re not familiar with what it’s like to drive in Haiti, just imagine……. well…. I think you just have to experience it for yourself. It’s exhilarating, let’s put it that way!
After arriving at the guest house, we took a quick tour and then hiked up the hill behind the house to catch the sunset over the ocean. Despite the clouds, the view of the ocean and mountains was absolutely incredible. We ate some delicious dinner and then met on the porch to do a devotion and discuss our plans for the week. The common theme: The team can’t wait to get to work, meet people, and be the hands and feet of Jesus.
The words from Sunday morning worship continue to ring in our heads and hearts:
I know a breakthrough is coming
By faith, I see a miracle
My God made me a promise and he won’t stop now
(Elevation Worship – “Won’t Stop Now”)
We don’t know what all is in store for us this week, but we trust that our BIG God is going to show up in BIG ways! Be praying for us this week that we will be able to approach every situation we face with love, grace, mercy, and humility. We’re praising and thanking God for the gift that it is to serve, love and minister together.
Okay, I think it’s time for bed. We’re all pretty tired, but also can’t wait for the week ahead. We’ll see you back here tomorrow for our next adventure!
Oh, and by the way, Jon, the tables you built last year are still standing. Great job, you nailed it. Pun intended. Been thinking about that joke for a few hours now.
See you all tomorrow :)