Today was an incredible day.  We rose to beautiful weather, ate breakfast as a group, prayed together and embarked on what would become a life changing experience; at least for me.  Our mission for the day was to deliver water to parts of what is considered Haiti's poorest neighborhood, Cite' Soleil.  We boarded the Tap Tap and made our way through the rough and skinny streets of Haiti to meet up with the water truck.  Upon arriving, we found the water truck with a dead battery.  I have found the Haitians to be incredibly resourceful and within a few minutes, our drivers/ chaperones had the water truck running and we were on our way.  It wasn't long before we stopped again due to a large rock becoming wedged between 2 of the dual tires.  Unsuccessful in getting it out, we chugged along with what felt like a flat for a few miles until a loud bang against the floor of the Tap Tap signaled that the tires had released their hold.  Fortunately, the courageous motorcyclist following closely behind us reacted fast enough to get out of the way.

Matthew 25:40 The least of these.

As we entered Cite' Soleil, the atmosphere quickly changed.  The streets were crowded and our awareness rose.  As we arrived at our first water drop of the day, the children seemed to attack the Tap Tap and a line of buckets formed in the street.  As we opended the back doors, a flood of emotion, love, desperation and poverty filled the air.  Before our feet hit the ground, the children were grasping for affection.  We were mobbed by beautiful, yearning faces that caught me off guard.  It took me a few minutes to collect my thoughts as I struggled to attend to the half dozen children that were treating me like a jungle gym.  I was drowning in emotion as I tried to take in the scene.  After a few minutes, I pulled it together and began to embrace the moment.  The Haitians are anxious for fresh water so the hose immediately gets hooked up and buckets start to get filled. Some of us were able to jump in and help distribute water; I had other commitments.  For our time there, which I'll guess at an hour and a half, I had anywhere from 2 - 6 children begging for affection.

This was arguably one of the poorest areas of Haiti; the sights, smells, wounds, and need is unforgetable. When the truck was empty, we took a walk which ended by the sea shore in an area that is part garbage dump, bathroom and graveyard.  It was a scene that I couldn't imagine and one that I will not describe in detail.  One of our crew, Wilson, brought the children together and they broke out in song celebrating life and God.  It was sureal and beautiful and a moment that I will never forget.

Written by Bill