Not My (Travel) Plans

Be Flexible!

One of the things we stress when we're working with people preparing to go to Haiti on a short-term mission trip is this: plans will change, so be flexible.

Everything we outline is"draft". We won't know exactly our daily schedule, the locations of our planned outreach or how the days will go until it happens.

Lots of people, especially those with Type-A personalities, aren't comfortable hearing that.

But the fact is, there is so much out of our control, and we can be delayed, redirected, refocused by many things. By bad weather. Road blocks. By a stolen truck battery. By sensing a bigger need somewhere other than where we had planned.

November trip to Haiti: Delays! :(

So when I was delayed getting to Haiti first week of November, first by one late flight meaning I missed my connection into Cap-Haitien, and then for two days by heavy rains in Cap-Haitien, it was another opportunity to live out the "Be Flexible" motto. And I haven't got some deep insight into the purpose for me spending three days in Miami, between airport and hotel, hotel and airport, airport and hotel (you get the picture).

When I eventually arrived in Cap-Haitien, on Tuesday (instead of Saturday), it was with great relief to finally be there. During the flight from Miami, the pilot announced at some point that the Cap-Haitien airport was actually still closed (because of bad weather, heavy rains, flooding the last three days) and if it didn't open by the time we needed to land there, we would be rerouting to Port-au-Prince. So when we did land, it was a great relief.

Met up with fellow OMS missionary Gwen at the departure gate, and another mission team
going to northern Haiti. When flights were cancelled, we spent some time together.   

 

Glad to be safely on the ground in Cap-Haitien.

Gwen and me, soaking wet from the walk/run from the airplane steps
to the now-fabulously renovated terminal building in Cap. 

So, there were drips of water coming through the ceiling...we were just glad to be there.

Of course, whatever I'd planned for my team's visit was, well, shot to pieces. But not to worry. They degaje'd. (NB: Degaje - essential word to learn in Creole. Means 'make do with what you've got, make the best of it'.)

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P. S. More on what we actually did do coming soon. Right now, the girls and neighbour friend are clomping around the house in my high-heels. Storly's in Haiti with a team for the official dedication of the new AM radio towers at Petite Anse - they were out today doing outreach in Phaeton in north east Haiti, working with the local church to share the Gospel and give out solar radios. Looking forward to hearing how it went.

P.P.S. It's actually above freezing here - and sunny. The frigid cold hasn't stopped me going out running though. I'll tell you that story soon too. Blessings to you for a lovely weekend wherever you are!