Team Report: Mission Haiti Third Church Pella, Iowa & HELP (Haitian Education and Literacy Program)
Submited Bev Brand
On Dec. 1, (Wed) 2010 two groups left Iowa for our one week
mission to Pignon,Haiti. Because space was limited on
MFI, one group of 7 went via Fort Lauderdale/Ft. Pierce
on MFIand the other group of 7 traveled to Miami/
PAP and on to PGN via MAF.
Both groups managed to land at the Pignon
airstrip on Thursday afternoon within minutes
of each other even though both groups
had delays at various airports!
We greeted old friends at the airport
and were soon whisked away by hospital
vehicles and by Jared Nikkel
to our accommodations in the Minnesota
House. After settling in, touching base
with the Nikkel family and Jordyn,
their live in tutor, Jared took
us on a brief walkingtour of the
area and brought us to the hospital
for a meeting with Evenel to plan our week.
The most noticeable difference entering Pignon
was the new paved road as we crossed over
the bridge and the many houses that
are being torn back to make way for more
road construction. We watched them lay
the first brick underlay at the “city park”.
It had attracted many onlookers.
Actually,the street to be paved
looked like a “war zone” with the
fronts of all the houses on both
sides of the street being torn off and
people sitting inside on broken
stairways, mattresses exposed and
general disarray. We asked if the
government was doing anything to
help repair the houses and the people
said “no”. They seemed to be upset at
the devastation but excited about
the new streets. What we did witness
were motorcycles and trucks driving
very fast on the new streets totally
ignoring the intersections–
I’m hoping this doesn’t mean more
injuries and even casualties
because of lack of traffic signs
and traffic control. Hopefully safety
considerations will also come with progress.
Friday was spent painting and cleaning the doctors
and nurse’s quarters in three locations.
By the end of the week there was
fresh paint, bathrooms were
cleaned and repaired, new screens
and tile in place in two locations.
The old operating room also
received a fresh coat of paint.
Monday through Wednesday mornings were spent at
Morningside, Salt & Light and Bouqueronne Schools
updating information for students on scholarship
and taking updated photos to put on their records.
We also processed new applications and took photos.
Edmond Joseph accompanied us and was tremendously
helpful. He also located 60+ students in
the village that needed photo updates.
We checked on and updated files for
over 600 students. One of the families in
our group also did an afternoon
Bible Story time at the library with
about 20 children. They later organized
some games for the growing group of kids
at the soccer field next door. Wilkin helped with
the translation and craft activity.
Our last day in Pignon, some prayed
through the hospital and grounds,
visited the cholera clinic, helped
with the feeding program at the hospital,
some climbed the mountain and
prayed over Pignon, others said goodbye
to new friends and families,
a few went to help at the orphanage
and the restfinished up last minute
details at the doctor’s and nurse’s
quarters. Jared and Stacey Nikkel
were very helpful in having all
supplies and materials ready and
also showed us around the market, the river,
sang with us at the hospital two evenings
and joined us for “devotional time and
crazy games” at night.
We enjoyed a “royal feast” with the hospital
staff and Nikkels on the eve of our
departure. All in all – the food
was excellent and very plentiful, the accommodations
were great, everyone was extremely helpful
and we only had a minor bout or two with
the usual diarrhea!
Everything went very smoothly until our day
of departure when we were informed
the airports at both Cap and PAP were closed
due to riots over the election results.
MFI was not able to get
in until the following day (Friday)
but did have room for 8 to leave.
So half our group headed home, the
other 7 stayed and on Saturday another
MFI plane was to come at 11:30am.
One MFI plane broke down in CAP so we
had to wait for a second plane.
Do you know how many times you can walk
around the grass airstrip in 5 hours or
how many hands of UNO you can play
under the tree at the airport!!!!
At 4:00 we boarded the plane for Cap,
made it to Cap, went through
immigration and reboarded.
As the engine revved up the pilot noticed
something wrong and shut down the plane.
After a 45 minute wait under the wing
the pilots announced we were not going
to be able to get out of Cap that night.
So the pilots made arrangements for us to
stay at a mission compound in Cap
and we all loaded a cargo truck,
hanging over the sides and headed out
for our 6 mile trip through Cap to
the compound. To say the least,
it was very interesting. Picture 23
“blancs” on the back of a truck in the rain!
People everywhere! After 7 of us were
transferred into a big van in the middle
of Cap the rest headed on to one compound
and the 7 from our group to another compound.
We stayed the night in two missionary houses,
they fed us and took us back to the airport
at 7:00am the next morning. (Sunday)
The pilots were trying to fix the
plane and wanted us there early in case
they announced the results
of the run-off election and there were
more riots. So we spent until 11:30am
at the Capatian airport waiting for the
plane to be fixed. It finally was and
we loaded and took off for Provo
(Turks and Caicos)where we refueled.
Got back on the plane, engine revved up at the
end of the runway and the same thing happened.
The pilots announced it was the same
problem and we could not fly. So we were
unloaded, went through immigration and
were taken by shuttle to a restaurant to
spend the afternoon while we waited for
another MFI plane to unload cargo in PAP,
then Pignon, refuel in Cap and pick
us up. By that time is was almost 5:00pm –
but the second plane did arrive,
they transferred the seats into the cargo
plane, reloaded our luggage and we were off.
We had to make one more refueling stop
in Exuma and then on to West Palm Beach
arriving at 10:30pm. It was 29 degrees when
we arrived but we were all thankful
to be back in the good ole USA!
We are so thankful for the efforts of MFI
to get us all back as American
Airlines cancelled all flights out
of PAP for another week. A three day
delay didn’t seem so bad. Our travel
insurance did not cover the extra
cost as they said political unrest
was not covered – so be careful not
to fly around election time in Haiti!
We continue to praise God for the opportunity
to serve in Haiti and are looking forward
to our next trip – God is good and He is faithful!!!!
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