29 March. Visit to Ravine Trompette-Part 1

OK so you want to come with us to visit a church. Well Ravine Tropette is having their Harvest Festival today so come along. But first you should pack up for church. Because this is by blog you will miss the bumps of the ride but use your imagination. You'll also get the 11 hour experience in a few parts.

The white layer is clouds in a valley.

Up and ready to go by 6 a.m. Looks like some sun today-but cool enough at the moment for a sweater. I have my bag packed and here is the list for Sunday travel:

• Bibles-kids have English, I carry Creole and Cory French. We also have our Creole song books-the churches don't have them.



• Offering and our Harvest Festival envelope with offering
  

• Camera with extra batteries. Today's trip will take us on a new road. Always travel with the camera on your lap or you'll miss interesting shots.

• Toilet paper and hand sanitizer-always travel with these items here or you'll wish you did.


• Water bottle.


• Pillows. Because it is more than a couple hour trip. These are used to protect my knees from hitting the door or for if the kids need to nap on a shoulder.


• Hats. Often we end up walking around the church, school or town a bit. We have seen a few jails, health centers or locations of interest. Also my head covering for church.


• Note book and pen in case I want to take notes.


• Tapes-for the truck. We inherited tapes from past missionary children of Christian radio programs. These are good when traveling for hours in the car-Adventures in Odessy, Children's Bible Hour, Jungle Jam or Ranger Bill.



• Phone and card. The pastor called us 2-3 times to see when we were going to arrive. Generally we travel with both our phones but I forgot mine today.


• Few medications-Tylenol, Aspirin, Pepto Bismuth Pills, band aids. In case.



• Those who want to go with us. Forgot the board that sits on the back wheel wells as a bench. Had to go back for it. Today we only had four men making the trip. One works part time and doesn't know the Lord yet. We keep praying for him.

OK we're off. Cory, Anna and JohnPierre in the front seat. Eli, Onex and I in the second seat and the others in the back. Only 6:15 so we're not doing so bad. Mountains, clouds, rivers, paved roads, block roads, rock roads, dirt roads and river crossings is what you'll experience the next few hours.

We disagree about the number but we crossed close to 8 small creeks or rivers-3 of good size. Very different than on LaGonave with NO rivers. The air is cool and misty. Must of seen hundreds of orchids-white, purple and yellow.

This large tree is a Mapou-thought to have spirits living in them by those who follow Voodoo. Thankfully Cory is a very good driver and slow. You don't want to take your eyes off the road with no guide rails or signs warning of danger.

Pilate was the church we were to visit last week but because of the rains the rivers made us put off the trip. We are thinking maybe in August as a 'short trip' to break in our new young couple. This is the 2 hour mark.

We stopped off at the parsonage where they had prepared breakfast for us. Haitian spaghetti, some tomatoes, beets, cooked carrots, lettuce and grapefruit/lime juice. After a bathroom visit we headed off to church. It is now about 9:30.