Day 4

Today, we drove along the busy streets of downtown with the many cars, people and horns honking. As the team chatted on the tap tap, we noticed the landscape change to rolling hills, with shacks overlooking the beautiful Caribbean.

Our first stop was the mass grave for the hundreds of thousands of people that died in the devastating  earthquake  of 2010. To have to face that kind of tragedy, you really have no choice except to keep moving. You cant help but feel the strength of the people, who had to overcome this travesty and forge forward. In fact, strength seemed to be the undercurrent that continues to sweep through the country and in the veins of the people.
As we left the grave, we came to a quaint town called Tintanyen, there we were welcomed by the big smiles, hugs, and kisses of the elderly men and women who lived in their small cement block homes.
 at each home, we sat and pampered these Haitian elders. How humble they were, as they sat allowing complete strangers to wash their hands and feet, and massage their arms and legs. How vulnerable they must have felt, and yet they sat there, honored and loved by people that were their brothers and sisters in Christ.
At the end of each visit with each person, you couldn't help but feel the peacefulness of the surroundings. The cool breeze, the big shady trees, and the many butterflies that floated around the homes of concrete. Each person had a joy and calmness about them. Through our translator, we were able to hear the word that emanated from each one..a common denominator that came through to pierce each of our hearts. The word was Jesus. He gave them strength..He gave them joy..He gave them peace..He gave them hope..and He gave them beauty from their ashes.