A Wait and Travel Day

Well…it has been quite a day! After a great nights sleep we got up and enjoyed breakfast provided at the guest house. The constant roar of diesel truck that emitted more fumes than you can imagine accompanied by the choir of horns provided the background music and entertainment.

Gift shop at Walls

Lynnise found a group of 4th year nursing students from Indiana and challenged them to think outside the  box of traditional nursing.

Yesterday when we left the airport, we were told the luggage would be coming in on the 0955 AA flight. Marilyn, who speaks fluent Creole, Elva, Mike and Martin head off to the airport  to retrieve the valuable cargo! It had not arrived.  The Haitian drivers felt that due to the political unrest in PAP that we should leave as soon as possible. We packed up and left the guesthouse, thinking our luggage would join us again in Cap Haitien. As we were passing the airport we got a call that our luggage had arrived.  What an answer to prayer!! 

So we identified the luggage only to find out that 5 Haitians wanted to see the contents to make sure we were not carrying drugs. In about an hour we were loaded and on our way to La Jeune.We stopped at a store where Marilyn bought our lunch of crackers and cheese and this armed guard paced at the store entrance. 
 
                                                  

  She also bought a bunch of bananas along the road - for about $1 US.

 The highway from PAP to Hinche was a great corkscrew highway that wound up and down the mountain. We travelled for 5 hours today on a road that needs to be felt to believe!

                 We crossed thru one river without difficulty thanks to the skilled Haitian driver.

 Along the way we passed groups of cows walking along the highway that were being taking to PAP to be sold. The road was paved to Hinche and money had been designated for the rest of the road but has apparently lined someones pocket instead.

  We finally arrived at our destination and were warmed greeted by the Haitian cooks and the aroma of fresh baked buns was almost overwhelming. We did some repacking to keeping only bare necessities that we will need for our stay here at LaJeune. The rest of the luggage will be heading up by truck to Gens de Nantes tomorrow, while the team will be flying on Monday. 

The purpose of the stop over in LeJeune is to explore a project we have been challenged to in possibly reopening a medical clinic here next year.  After a cool refreshing shower, we are ready  for a good nights sleep. We had 2 hours of power in the evening and it is getting very close to “lights out” and believe me, that means it is dark!!           
Posted with difficulty....Sharon