I felt as though I had arrived home. -day 1 and 2 of Haiti

So I just got back from Haiti and I have a ton of mixed emotions. I will start from the beginning and copy what I wrote in my journal for each day. I can kind of jump around from subject to subject so I apologize in advance.

First day of trip we are driving to NYC to catch our flight to Haiti. I am doing well thus far. I am trying to be my witty self!!

(side note, I was very worried about being myself on this trip because I did not know anyone that well and usually I assess a situation first, I will get more into that later)

One of the guys on this trip reminds me so much of a friend from university. Very smart and very dry humor, even his mannerisms scream my friend. It is nice having people remind you of someone else. Its as fi they are right here with you.

I wonder how I will react when I see Haiti. When Chris just talked about it I would get teary eyed.

I am getting to know a few people, there is a girl on this trip that does not know many people either and she is really nice. I can so tell that she is a youth leader because she just gets right up in there with people. Where as I hang back a little more, which is alright. It is how I assess a situation. I observe it.

God what do you have in store for me? My future is wide open... I want to follow you. I just need some direction. But maybe I just need to move in some way.

You know me. Bring about those conversations that I need. Help me find ways to interject and be apart of the group without being desperate.

(side note, I warned you that I jump around. It is maybe a side effect of being a woman, so many thoughts running around in my head)

day 2-
This place reminds me so much of Ecuador, but obviously it is worse. These children love attention. They are precious. Living conditions where we are staying are not too bad. I really like it here. I am very excited to start work tomorrow.

God you please make one of my roommates well. She is very sick because of the heat.

This place is gorgeous it is not too hot and humid now, towards the end of day. After dinner at 3 it seems to cool down.

It is really nice that hanging out with the kids is whenever you feel like it. I can spend my time with them and then take some time away to do whatever needs to be done. It is very relaxed tomorrow will be different, work begins. It will be really nice to work hard.

I found these two days as I reflect on what I have written that I could not stop looking around me. The scenery was amazing. Though the place is quite poor, the people were far from poor. They had more joy in them than I have experienced in quite sometime. Now not all people had this joy, on the streets were people were just sitting around or walking or carrying and their faces did not scream hope and joy. But at the orphanage their was light, joy, and true happiness. I seriously felt like I had arrived home when we went through those gates. (side note, that feeling could also have been because of the immensely long and bumpy ride up the mountain on the Tap Tap, but I would like to believe it is the former.)