Van Ride

For 17 girls here in Haiti, a ride in the gro machine gri (big gray van) is a pretty big treat!  It is not so much about "getting the best seat", it is about the actual van ride.  You see, the girls can basically walk everywhere they need to go so a ride in an air-conditioned vehicle WITH music is a big deal!  Well this past Sunday we took a ride in the gro machine gri to see how much all the rain had impacted the city (it wasn't just 2 days off from school).  Initially there was a lot of chatter in the van, but as we drove through a tent city nearby it became still as the girls took in the reality of mud and wetness everywhere they looked.  Mind you this was 2 full days after the rain had stopped.  From there we drove to Riviere Grise that had risen higher than I believe it ever has before.  Many of the girls were too afraid to get too close to the water which I could understand as it was still raging and moving fast.  We made one last stop in Canaan where we walked around and greeted people in their homes.  This time we did not bring anything but ourselves, a prayer and song, but we hope it brought encouragement to those we spent time with.  Many if not all of the girls fell asleep on the ride home - which as a side note, I wondered how in the world they were able to do as I drove over the bumpy roads of Haiti - and I was grateful to have the time to process all we had seen together.  Each day we have so much to be thankful, for not the least being a 15 passenger van (yup, you read this right - 17 girls + 3 adults fit "Haitian style" in the van!).  Our time together felt like "family" and was special.  It made me miss time with my awesome nephew and two nieces in NY, but I also know they are loved and cared for by my brother and sister in law whereas the girls that HUG has made a part of their family really needed an adult to love and care for them and for this I am thankful to be here.