Yesterday we spent the morning working with some friends who are great musicians, the Gedna brothers. Their group is called "Model" and we were translating one of their recorded songs into English and reworking it to be re-recorded and added to I-tunes for sale. It was a lot of fun, and translating becomes even more difficult when you are working within the parameters of poetry, sing-ability, and word rhythms. They are great singers, however, and have a great potential to impact many people with their art.
We also welcomed several other guests, both new and old friends, and then prepared to visit Ti-Riviere in the afternoon. Our car and faithful driver arrived and we headed on our way. The way to the village included seeing all of the places I used to stop along the way to and from the main market we utilized. It was fun to see so many familiar faces, and the rate of recognition increased the closer we got to the village. Soon we recognized everyone and began to pull over to say hello to former students in my English classes, former laborers with whom we worked on projects, youth group members, and various other friends from the community.
First we went up to Zacharie's house to visit. At a curve in the main road you can turn down a steep side road that is paved with rocks. After that, when you reach the ocean, you can drive no further. From that point we had to take Lynn on a foot path. It was touching to see how much work Zacharie and others had done to make it possible for Lynn to pass. There was a small bridge built over a ravine, countless branches and roots cut away with machetes, and even piles of large rocks beside the trail that had been thrown to the side. When we reached the final incline it was too steep to push her up so Olgens, Zacharie, and Bazile picked her up and carried her the remainder of the distance to the house.
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| Zacharie and Olgens helping Lynn on the path |
After some relaxing time at Zacharie's we went back to the middle of the village and greeted people. They told us they were happy to see us, how big we are now, how life continued to be hard, and how
God has always been present in their lives. Then we walked up to the mission compound and orphanage where we had lived for over a year. It was an emotional time of seeing all those old friends and the home where we lived with our kids. At times no one really knew what to say, and there were many tears. Finally we said goodbye and headed on our way.
As we left the village we saw more friends and stopped a few times, and then we were back out on the main road among mostly strangers. I remember thinking, "something like that can only happen to you once or twice in a lifetime. It reminded me of returning home after the first semester of college...that strange feeling of returning to a place where everything seems exactly the same but knowing inside that you yourself are so different than you used to be." In the end we simply wish all those people the best, including Mission Haiti, and we hope God guides them all into a wonderful future.
Last night we again welcomed several friends and had a good time sitting around the pool talking about life, God, culture, music, Haitian proverbs, rats (in the nearby trees), and frogs (of which Haitians are deathly afraid). We haven't seen any tarantulas yet...although we haven't looked under the bed, either. Finally it was only us and Willy, the normal end to each of our days here. We gave him some of our leftover food we had from our various meals and gifts from friends (we have done this each night), and he walked home to share it with his sister.
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| Cory and Willy watching Bruce Lee on YouTube |
Another exciting day in Haiti!
May Your Adventure be Worshipful Today!
-the grimm family adventurers
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