Day 3: We Rejoiced in Today

We Rejoiced in Today

This is the day the Lord has made, we rejoiced in it and were so glad. We started our day in the Tap Tap driving through the streets of Port Au Prince. What sights, sounds, smells assailed our senses as we drove through some unbelievable traffic, experiencing the heart beat of the city.

We saw the wonderful Haitian people, walking, selling, working and driving. (Understand there are no traffic signs and signals and the roads are a challenge)

Our first stop was at the PeaceCYCLE, a small start up business which aims to educate and employ the Haitian people. It is eco-friendly, using recycled water plastics to make a variety of products. The employees were extremely enthusiastic and proud of their work, creating, beautiful products from recycled trash. They were using a cast iron filled with live coals to meld the plastic pieces and a trundle sewing machine to sew the pieces together.  Our team was able to support this business by purchasing many of their products, totes, bags, aprons, etc.

Back in the Tap Tap, we headed up into the hill area of Port Au Prince, leaving the main part of town, we had roads which can only be described as being great for “off roading!” We stopped at an artisan area that specialized in metal art, transforming various metals into colorful fish, birds, trees, mirrors, so many work shops, each artisan encouraging us to view their products. The workers were busy making new creations and we could hear the hammering of metal throughout the complex. They were extremely proud of their work and encouraged us to purchase a piece to take home.

The next stop was the Institut Montfort (School for the Deaf). The school was completed destroyed by the earthquake in 2010, but has since been rebuilt and is becoming self sufficient with their own farm. 

We had the opportunity to visit many of the classrooms where we were warmly received by all of the students.  They were all neatly dressed in the school uniform and were very enthusiastic to learn why we were visiting them.  They asked each of us our names and were quite amused as we all attempted to “sign” our names for them. The question asked by each classroom, “Why are you here?” and “Do you love deaf people?” Our answer was, “We are here to love you and tell you that you are loved by Jesus. “

After our evening meal, we played a game of twist with the neighborhood kids. We ended up in a “double knot” to the delight of the onlookers, which included about 20 goats!!! 

We did our evening devotions, our verse was 1 John 2:6, “Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.” It was a great way to compare what we have been doing on this journey in Haiti, to living as Jesus did. We ended by praying for the day with our prayer partner.

We also celebrated Stephanie and Katie’s birthdays with a Haitian made chocolate cake, which can only be described as “chocolate lovers dream.” 

Another wonderfully blessed day and looking forward to tomorrow and how God will use us.

-       Kathy & Joe