Remembering 9/11/01

9/11/01. I was at the hospital when the staff told me about a plane crash. Not understanding everything or why they were so upset I called back to the house to hear about the terrorist attacks. I joined the other missionaries around a TV, as were many around the world. Sometimes living outside of the culture you were raised can make one feel isolated. But that day I felt very isolated. Not because I didn't have friends, not because the Lord wasn't there, not because my family was far away... Why? Because for the first time living overseas-I could NOT go back to the USA. The boarders were closed. No flights. What if my kids had needed a medical flight or we had an emergency Stateside. Thankfully it didn't happen. But it was a hard time to be away-even with the sympathetic support of the Haitian nationals. The security I had placed in being just a few hours by plane from the USA was gone.

9/11/06

Five years later I spend the afternoon returning to the States by plane. While at work that morning I was surprised to hear Cory's voice. I had just left home to examine a couple of pregnant ladies and was planning to return home in a few minutes. He had come to let me know that my Grandpa DeWent was dying. Once again I left work and returned home. Within hours I was flying off LaGonave for the funeral. As I looked at the sea under me I though of that first trip to Haiti as a kindergartner. All three of my living grandparents accompanied us on that trip and visited us later when we lived in Haiti. I am thankful that my grandparents have visited Haiti and can visualize where we are working. They visited both LaGonave and the North. I am even more thankful for the loving support of our work by our folks and grandparents. We have not know the pain that comes with family disapproval. We are encouraged, supported and prayed for by our families. We are also thankful for our extended family in the Lord and the support found there. Isolated-not while in the Lord's love and care. [photos from hill in back of house]