Earthquake Reflections-Sat. night at the Villa

After my second day working at the Diquini hospital more and more help was arriving along with additional patients. After a final visit with Jewel I decided to return to the Villa a bit earlier that I had on Friday. I awoke at 4 a.m. both previous morning as my roommates were up early to catch flights to the USA.

Again I crossed the large tent village of 40,000 people praising the Lord during their worship day. Very comforting but at the same time stirred up a longing to be with MY team. Once back at the Villa, the manager allowed me to check E-mails. After finding one that contained phone numbers for Pastor Carl I then borrowed a phone and made my first contact. A ride would be coming in the morning. I replied that I would be ready and waiting at 6 a.m.

A refreshing shower. Thankfully the Villa has a way to reverse the water from the pool and pump it into the bathrooms. The bleach smell just added to the feeling of cleanliness. After a day of seeing patients on the ground, smelling rotting flesh-bleach is good.

I found a couple of magazines to look through as I ate my supper alone. Bed early. I did move my bed away from the brick wall. Strange to the be the only American in a usually bustling guesthouse. I packed up my belongs-which my roommates and the team had thankfully added to and went to sleep.

From 6 to 8 a.m. I waited up by the pool. Praying for the patients I'd met and touched over the first three days. Thankful that I would soon be with teammates. Wondering what the day would bring. I exchanged business cards with Dr. Eddy, a 2011 presidential candidate who I met at the Villa and who had been working at the Diquini hospital as well.

About 8, I started to wonder about that ride and so once again asked for a phone, made a call. Someone is on the way. Waited some more. My phone only worked one night since the quake-I had talked to Cory [he has the same type of phone] and then my Houston roommates made several calls. Surprisingly my minutes didn't run out.

About one hour later I thankfully saw the Port-au-Prince truck pull up. Pastor Douset was driving. After a bit of discussion we decided I should bring along my things as neither of us had heard the overall plan. Then we gave Dr. Eddy and a couple of his folks a ride to the Diquini hospital. The drive to met up with the rest of the team was full of crumbled buildings, crowds, and the occasional sound of singing to remind one that the day remained a Sunday.