LaGonave Trip and Visit

Give us a ride? Nope.

Sunday started early with loading the truck and heading South. We called while traveling to make sure that the public boat left that morning. Traffic remained very light being a Sunday-no school or business traffic.

We dropped the truck off at the Irvine's and attempted to catch a public truck to the boat dock, but the trucks zoomed by, either full or not understanding that 4 foreigners really did want a ride. So after a few minutes we loaded back into our truck. Cory dropped us off, turned around and raced back to Irvine's. He then thankfully caught a pubic pick-up.

A bit of anxiety as the boat motors revved up  and the boat men kept asking me to call Cory to tell him to hurry. When I received the tickets they told me they would wait...and really I don't think they only waited for him as at least 10 people got on after Cory and we didn't leave for another 20 minutes or so.

Sunday afternoon we walked around town and visited several old friends as well as the poor house, market, Eli's favorite walking destination as a child [a CAT machine he could climb]. Enjoyed a nice visit with Mme. Felecien and daughters.

 Supper with the rest of the missionaries, some we met for the first time while the others it had been over a year since we last saw one another.





 Enjoyed some songs and homemade ice cream after supper.

 Monday morning we continued to visit folks and sites: hospital staff devotions, Mme. Arnold's house [she adopted twin boys that lived as brothers in our house for 6 months when I was a child before the Haitian government told us we could not adopt them]. Mme. Geles was her younger sister.

Then we walked down to Jontiny's house, the sea to look for sea glass, then the building sites of new guest house and hospital and the WISH garden.

After lunch I thankfully collected two boxes of surplus hospital supplies for the Fauche clinic and then we attended the funeral.

A lovely celebration of a wonderful lady's life and a powerful sermon.



Then we joined the crowd that walked with the casket to the graveyard. More visiting over supper and packed up for home.

Tuesday morning we remembered past trips while crossing the sea on the mission sail boat.

Despite a large plastic tarp we all ended up with far fewer dry spots that wet.

Thankful, selfishly, that the fish bit thought the fishing line taking the 6 inch lure with it rather than having to share the space below my feet.

Thankfully we used Irvine's home to change into dry clothes and a bit of drinking water to take off a bit of the salt that covered glasses, hats and skin before our 5 hour drive back home. 

My phone decided to take an extended vacation and remained behind on LaGonave. So we will share Cory's phone until mine can find a ride to the mainland and then up north.

Lots of memories. Thank you for your prayers. Please continue to pray for the staff and Mme. Geles family.