the mountain in pictures

 the team in the tap tap

the very beginning and very easy part of the climb

 our bathroom, pretty awesome right?

 me putting together benches

 we made it up first!!!!!

The climb of my life

The morning started early. And it started how it should have, we prayed. Standing in the warmth of the early morning, I gathered with my fellow team member and 2 two ladies who would become my close friends. We prayed asking the Lord's wisdom and protection, as the words flowed from our heart a verse come to my mind " who knows but that you were called here for such a time as this." I was ready, we grabbed the packs and headed down stairs, my heart was beating strongly, I had my best hiking shoe snuggly in place and water bottles filled. Lets roll.  We ate and loaded up in the tap tap that would become very very familiar over the next few days.  Gathering up the luggage and supplies and another team took longer than planned but we were finally able to get on the roads such as they were.  In the tap tap between Hannah and the team leader from the other team we all made the introductions and began to learn about each other. I am quiet, looking taking it in, I am aware of what is around me, what the roads look like, who is the tap tap, which direction we are heading. To add the ambiance an armed personnel carried from the UN pulled in behind us. There were at least 6 machine guns, 8 guys and who know how much more fire power there was on board. Being the great, sensitive, culturally adept team we were people, much to my chagin,  started taking pictures of them. They have guns, we have cameras, who will win in a fight? Fortunatey the UN found us funny and began taking pictures of us and waving back. whew.

After about 4 hours of driving over bumpy roads, while sitting on a broken 2x12 we pulled into the trail head. The greeting was true to Haitian Style, they were reserved but there to help. They quickly and quietly pulled down the benches we were packing up, and loaded our supplies onto their head and took off. I made sure I had my two team mates in tow and we started up the hill with our guide. Our guide was a girl about 12 years old who had one of our benches on her head, and broken flip flops on her feet. This little girl is one of my heroes. I hiked up this mountain in good shoes, carrying a pack a little over half the time, drinking tons of water and eating energy rich food wilting under the 110 degree heat. This girl, undernourished, dehydrated, and in broken flip flops easily would have beat us up the hill but waited for us each time we needed to stop. Showing the Love and kindness of the Lord with out words. I will admit that toward the end of the hike she was frustrated with our slowness.

We hiked for 1 hour and 15 mins, and to my joy and relief Hannah, this girl and myself were the first ones up the mountain! Praise God!!!!  My shirt was Soaked with sweat, I was literally able to wring it out, I don't want to think about how I smelled, and I know from pictures I looked like something the dog dragged in and ate. But you know what? I didn't care, I still don't care. This hike, this trip, these muscles burning and aching,  the smell of sweat and dirt all pale in comparison to the stunned gratitude of the pastor and church members who know had something to sit on to worship the same Jesus I worship. Would I do it again? I plan on it.