Quiet Again

Well the day started early as the Crossroads team loaded up and headed off to the airport at 0530hrs this morning.  The trip was unremarkable except for two incidents after they were dropped off.  Firstly we ended up having to get some construction materials, and after not finding them at the nearby Eko Depot, we headed to the other, East side of PAP to go to the MAC Depot.  This area of the city is right next to the US Consulate, an ex-President's mansion and some spiffy-looking neighbourhoods.  There's even a new outlet mall across and up from the consulate, talk about not looking like the Haiti I've come to know.  Wow, I think I had reverse culture shock standing in the aisles of MAC, an exact duplicate of a large, fully-stocked Home Depot right out of NW Calgary.  After picking my jaw off the floor, and side-stepping all the Americans shopping there, we picked up a couple of items, including 8 shovel handles we've been trying to get for weeks, then started back home.

Once home and after lunch, the driver of the 15-passenger van, Yvonne asked to show me something, so I followed him outside.  He then proceeded to describe the massive tire blowout he had on the return trip, after dropping off the team.  I once had a tire blowout myself, on a busy freeway with tons of big rigs east of Houston, but nothing like this.  Looks like the whole side of the tire cratered.  Praise the Lord none else was inboard and he was able to control the wobbling vehicle and get it off the road.

Crossroad's last day was yesterday and it was special in several ways.  Firstly all of the school kids came out and presented a song they had been taught, which was a special blessing to many in the team.

Secondly, after prayerfully passing goats on to 3 needy families, the team members that didn't go to the beach were able to go to a nearby community to distribute the remaining rice that had been previously purchased.  This was especially meaningful to the participants as they were able to go house to house and individually pass over the rice sacks and say a quick blessing .  The community seemed to be thrilled and the distribution went off very well.

The rest of the final day was spent re-digging holes filled with mud from Tuesday's rain, documenting Battery instructions and making each other bracelets from left-over beads and crafts, prior to packing everything up in the evening for the return trip home.   Each, I think touched deeply from their interactions and experiences here.

Now its quiet again, at least relatively so, just the background hum of the construction crews outside and the banging and clattering from kitchen and meal preparations in.  Another change-of-pace for a few days before the next team arrives next week.   Ahh... I think I like it!