I was
tremendously blessed in March to be able to finally make the trip to the other
side of the island for a 5 day visit with Matt & Stacey Ayers & their
girls. My home church of New Bedford Evengelical church has been supporting
them for years & I was blessed to be able to hear them speak and spend time
with them in conversation a few
different times when I was home in the states but I had never been able to see
their ministry first hand in Haiti.
I had tried to make plans to visit on multiple different occasions but every time
for 1 reason or another I was unable to go. Though we live on the same small
Island in the country of Haiti
travel is not easy and to go by car it would take 6-12 hours (depending on
weather, how many flat tires, how fast the driver goes, etc.). I was so excited
when last fall I found out their was a boat that went from Ansephalor (an hour
from where I live) to O’Boy ( an hour & half from where they live) and the
boat ride only took an hour! Last minute I contacted Matt & Stacey and was
able to arrange a visit. The trip was for Multi-purpose. As mentioned before I
have been wanting to visit them, I needed a break before life got extra crazy
busy & I started taking my first Hatian therapy students, and I needed to
cross the border to the DR to renew my passport stamp for another 3 months in Haiti.
Wednesday
Morning I headed out on a Moto to Ansephalor with just my bookbag (which had
broken on the way into Haiti
so I did a quick fix with ductape) and T-man.
We waited a few hours at the beach in Ansephalor for a small wooden Haitian Boat with a motor that would take us to O’Boy. It is a beautiful beach. I quickly drew a crowd with my “white skin” and many were asking for food, $ and making comments in creole. I quickly realized it was better to pretend I knew less creole than I actually did ;-)
When the boat
arrived I was carried to the boat on a Haitian Man’s shoulders (which is always
an adventure in itself). T-Man got us
amazing seats sitting on the front of the boat. The views were AMAZINGLY
GEORGEOUS the entire hour we were on the boat. I was a little nervous about
getting sea sick but did not at all. I even saw a beautiful waterfall. Below
are a few pictures of the boat ride.
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| T-Man & Me on the boat on the way to O,Boy |
When we
arrived in O’Boy we had missed the bus to Cap Haitian but luckily T-mans cousin
is the mayor of O’boy and was able to get us a seat in the Delegates car (a
Haitian Official) car that was headed to Cap. We just had to be alright with
stopping a few places on the way & waiting (which I was fine with). I
arrived at the Seminary around 4PM (7 hour trip but 3 hours of it was sitting
& waiting).
Matt &
Stacey were having Bible Study with their OMS mission family and so I helped
T-Man get on his way (he was staying at a hotel for the night then heading back
to the mission the next morning) and I laid down for a nap. I then enjoyed the
first evening having dinner with Ayer’s family, meeting the other missonaries
at OMS Emmanuel Seminary and getting a tour of their beautiful campus. I could
not believe all the grass they have!!!!! I just wanted to walk barefoot in it
and the little kid in me wanted to lay down & roll in it ;-)
During my stay with Matt & Stacey I got to enjoy some luxeries...I got to take a shower with hot running water & could let the water run as long as I wanted...I enjoyed sleeping on a real mattress...waking up in the morning to silence (without the sound of crying children or children yelling my name...did not have anyone depending on me...no responsibilities)...got to sit in a recliner...enjoy delicious food...watch a few movies...play games, etc. BUT by far the BEST PART of my few days was spending time in christian fellowship with them...getting to know them better...hear their hearts...get to know their girls...fellowship with their mission family...I left my time with them Filled...Refreshed...Relaxed
I really enjoyed spending time with their girls Sophia & Lily. They
are the sweetest little girls. We had fun making paper chains, princess crowns,
playing princess, going for walks, coloring together, playing with their cat, having dance parties, going on a scavenger hunt, etc.
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| Lily, Sophia, & Me |
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| Sophia loves her kitty! |
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| Sophia & Lily making paper chain decorations |
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| Lily showing off her paper chain |
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| We put our decorations up |
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| Lily & Sophia making princess Crowns |
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| We then had a chocolate milk & goldfish princess party |
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| Lily made sure that we did not forget to make a crown for Mommy & their Nanny |
Another one of the highlights of my trip was getting to watch Matt & Stacey be wonderful parents to their 2 beautiful girls. It is challenging to raise Godly children in our world today and I believe even harder to do so on the mission field in Haiti. I have seen so many families allow ministry to overshadow their family. It was refreshing to watch Matt & Stacey keep their family first...knowing that is their first call of ministry was to their children. It was refreshing to see the balance they had in their ministry life. I just loved watching them interact with & love on their girls every chance they got! I pray one day if God is still calling me to the mission field when I get married & have children that I can be as good of parents as they are to their girls!
On Saturday I was blessed to visit with a missionary friend Erin Higgins who recently became a full-time missionary in Cap Haitian with Kids Alive. She is working as a kindergarten teacher & Dance Instructor. I first met Erin 2 years ago when she came for a summer & lived with a family in St. Louis Du Nord and would come visit the Miriam Center.
We took an adventure together to the Dominican Republic (DR) so that we could both get our passports stamped & renewed for another 3 month stay in Haiti. I was blessed on so many levels...first that she set up the transportation to & from and that she was willing to go with me. I really enjoyed our 2 hours in the car each way to & from the border getting to talk, catch up, talk about life in Haiti the challenges & the blessings. We enjoyed shopping at Carla's a real grocery store not far across the border. We both splurged & stocked up on some yummy food!
We then enjoyed ice cream at a gas station...A luxery :-)
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We kinda got lost...turned around...not sure how to get back to the border so we dediced to get a Moto since we both had heavy backpacks full of YUMMY food from Carla's & were carrying bags of food...Well it was quite the MOTO ride to say the least....The picture doesnt do it justice but picture 3 people on the MOTO with 2 overflowing backpacks, 1 big market bag and 2 grocery bags full of groceries....
Well just when we thought we had a successful trip...everything went smoothly we ran into so many problems trying to recross the border...at the time is was not funny as they were not going to let us back into the country as apparently we missed a step or stop coming into the country so never officially checked into the DR but had checked out of Haiti. Well they finally decided to let us leave the DR but would not let us check back into Haiti & since the whole reason we came was for a stamp we had to get those stamps...long story short...2 hours later recrossing both borders twice & paying some people to help us we made it...the picture below is us relieved and happy to back in Erin's care ready to head back to Cap Haitian after a long day but successful day!
Sunday I was blessed to be able to go to church with the Ayers (and 2 other mission families from OMS) & visit one of their seminarian students churches. It was youth Sunday at the church & the youth sang 10,000 reasons in English and then the chorus in Creole it was beautiful! After church we enjoyed lunch & swimming at a hotel that had a GEORGEOUS view. I ate my first steak every in Haiti & it was delicious! It was also my first time swimming in a pool in Haiti (well I guess I swam in a pool in PAP 4 or 5 years ago on my way in). It was so fun to watch Lily swim like a little fish and Sophia started swimming on her own for the first time that Sunday which was so fun to watch. I had so many wonderful conversations throughout the day...
Sunday Evening I helped load the Ayers IPAD with fun and educational Aps for the girls. They both were so excited but Lily was definitely most excited.
Monday morning I found her bright & early sitting on the couch already playing games ;-)
It was bittersweet leaving. I had such a wonderful time and so enjoyed some time relaxing & resting BUT I also was missing my kids. Sunday evening my transportation plans fell through & I am so thankful that Matt & Stacey were able to set up to have one of the Seminary staff Moto me to O'Boy to catch my boat. We left around 7:45 AM.
Below are some photos I took from my Moto Ride- it was very challenging to take pictures & stay safe on the Moto ;-) so not the best pics but catches a glimpse of the Beauty....
Once we arrived in O'Boy the waiting game continued...Now I had to wait on enough people to show up to sail. After 2 hours the captain came to tell me their was not enough people to sail unless I paid for 2 tickets. I agreed obviously because I wanted to get home ;-) While waiting I had fun playing with the 2 kids below...we shared many laughs, smiles, giggles. I also had a long conversation with 4 Haitian men as they drilled me why I was not married & did not have kids...and when would I get married anyway. they did not like my answer Jezi Konnen which means Jesus knows :-)
On the return boat trip I was not so lucky to get to sit on top in the front of the boat but instead I was underneath the makeshift roof to block the sun...It was it more challenging to savor the beauty surrounding me.
When we landed in Ansephalor I jumped on a Moto with someone else who got off the boat & was heading to St. Louis Du Nord. I made it back to the mission right after lunch. I took a quick nap since the kids were napping then got up & was met by happy, smiling faces....
It was so wonderful to have a few days to rest but it is always good to be HOME & love on the kids God has blessed me with. So thankful for all the blessings God gave me over those 5 days, for safety their & back and for new friends & connections that were made. I hope to visit again soon :-)
