Lovin' Logistics

This morning Ray and Joan left to return to Cincinnati. They have been very gracious hosts and very generous. They are models of how Christians can change the world, and I mean that literally. The programs and relationships that have built on behalf of the Haitian people is amazing. We got up and prayed with Ray and Joan before they left. We then waited for Jean Marie (one of the Restavek Freedom Foundation’s employees) to come back from his errands, and then traveled to the Restavek office to drop off some supplies we had brought down with us on the plane. Jean Marie was our interpreter and driver for the day.

We picked several packs of the English version of “Restavek No More” books to bring home with us from the office, and then headed to the Transitional Center to drop off medical supplies. We then spent the rest of the day, checking out hotels and guest homes, car rental rates, and preparing for a possible future SWAT team trip. We also stopped by the Hotel Montana, which fell during the quake. Many foreigners, including many Americans died in this hotel.

Traffic seemed heavier than normal as one of the roads was blocked in anticipation of the announcement of the ballot of Presidential contenders. The announcement was supposed to be made earlier in the week, but was postponed until Friday afternoon, in all likelihood, to minimize any possible demonstrations. Wyclef Jean is a popular possible candidate, but may not be on the ballot. As a result, any travel in the city tomorrow may be greatly limited.

As our week is winding down, so is our energy level in the evenings. We had funny things happen throughout our day, and we laughed regularly…but at this hour we are struggling to come up with cute stories to share. One note: it is “acceptable” at Hertz Rental counter at the PAP airport to take a break from your job, remain at your desk, refuse to answer any questions, and drink a beer. Who knew? Also, if you plan to get married in Haiti we did find a nice location for a wedding reception called The Ritz. We were looking for a particular hotel, but wrong directions sent us to this facility. Let us know if you need contact info!