6 a.m. - Wake up!

6:15 a.m. - Breakfast and another early day on the work site!

7:10 a.m. - Get to the church and start talking down the scaffolding around where the columns have already been poured. This meant talking out all of the nails. I did have one nail go through my shoe and I did feel it and was able to stop my foot before it went into my foot. J After that things slowed down. We got more water out of the well for the concrete. After that I went up and watched and listened to the kids. You can really see and hear the excitement they have for the Lord. With only 50-60 kids they have more volume when singing than I think I have heard from any of the churches I have ever been to.

10:30 a.m. - They are ready to start pouring concrete. The Bucket Brigade is called out!

12:15 p.m. - Break for lunch after the current batch of concrete runs out! During lunch Jim H and I get together to plan out Saturday night devotion. It only took us about 10 minutes and looks to be interesting.

1 p.m. - We got out all the boxes that we had brought and started unpacking things and sorting it all out! We sure brought a lot of stuff, but you know they will be able to use all of it!

2:25 p.m. - Go back out to the site for more of the bucket brigade.

4:15 p.m. - We are finally all done with the beams. Today would be the last day on the work site for some of us. Tomorrow we will be going to Jacmel for the day. The rest will be going back to the site to help put up the framing for the actual roof. They hope to get as many rooms framed as they can. The biggest limitation that they will have is the shortage of building materials.

6:30 p.m. - Dinner. We had dinner at an odd time because we were waiting for the three team members who had gone to attend the high school graduation of James, the young Haitian who has been helping us with translation.

7:45 p.m. - Devotions in Pastor W's room since it was raining out.

8:45 p.m. - Go back to the room and work on taking Kim's picture off the frame and then dismantle the frame so we can fit it into our suitcase. That way we will not have to worry about it accidentally getting ripped. One thing is for sure: it looked kinda flimsy, but boy was that a challenge to get apart without ruining it!

9:45 p.m. - Start doing some more laundry.

10:10 p.m. - Get in bed and catch up on this journal.

10:30 p.m. - Go to sleep!!

Note: All day today I have been having problems. Went to the bathroom at least 7 or 8 times, did have diarrhea in the afternoon and evening. I think I might have drunk some of the well water at the site.

6:15 a.m. - Breakfast and got water for the trip to Jacmel.

6:50 a.m. - Finally we are leaving. There are 7 from our group (Lori, Kevin, Tad, Howard, Willi, Kim and myself) plus James and Duory.

9:15 a.m. - Arrive in Jacmel. The trip here was breathtaking and some of the sights were indescribable.

While we were sitting in the car outside the hotel I had an elderly Haitian woman come up and start talking to me in Creole, asking if I know Jesus and could I give her money for food. We were told under no circumstances were we to give out cash to anyone. Word gets around fast and before you know it you will be surrounded with other people wanting a handout.

9:45 a.m. - Get to the beach. We played a lot of Frisbee in the water and also got about 300 yards or so out where there was a sand bar that I could stand on. We also got to try Haitian coconuts - not bad, but I have had others that I liked more.

1:20 p.m. - Leave to head back. Lots of little stops along the way, lots of photo opportunities. When we got back into Port-au-Prince we ended up taking a detour through a really poor part of town because of a traffic jam on the highway. We twisted this way and that through several different areas of town. It was very educational. We did get to go by the Presidential Palace - it was a really nice building!!!

4:30 p.m. - Finally arrive back at the hotel after a little more than three hours in the car. Both Kim and I were really starting to feel the sunburns we had received. Her feet and arms; my back, chest and arms. Kim waded in the ocean while I was actually swimming - fun, but a big mistake.

After showering and a coat of Aloe Vera lotion, we got ready to go out for dinner at Pastor K's house. Of the group that went to the work site today, several of them ended up getting sick. So they had come back to the hotel about 11 a.m. Some of the ones who were feeling well decided to go up to the Baptist mission.

7 p.m. - Leave for Pastor K's house for dinner. Rode there in the back of a truck. Boy, was that an experience!! Haiti at night - and riding in a vehicle that really allows you to see, smell and hear what is happening. Dinner was a mix of Haitian cuisine. Jim H and I gave the devotion - I used the juggling devo that I have used before.

9:10 p.m. - Head back to the hotel. We took a bit of a different route. It was really interesting. It was a Haitian market that was still quite busy.

9:20 p.m. - Arrive at hotel and meet in Pastor W's room to practice for tomorrow as well as assign staff member names for thank-you notes. Go back to the room and start packing.

10:30 p.m. - Go to sleep.

7 a.m. - Get up and go for breakfast.

8:30 a.m. - Leave for church again in the back of a truck (Pastor B's). Church started at 9:20 a.m. and went until 12:10 p.m. There was a lot of singing and during Pastor W's sermon we had the dedication of the new building. It was also at this time that we sang the song written by James. It went fairly well.

12:15 p.m. - Set out tools and clothes for the workers. Hammers, levels and tape measures went quickly. It was interesting to see how they divided things up amongst themselves.

12:45 p.m. - Head back to Kinam for lunch.

2:20 p.m. - Kim and I head out to the market to see if we can get some sandals. It was a very nerve-wracking experience. We ended up getting into an area where it was kinda questionable. We were not able to communicate and these people did not speak any English, unlike those who sold the more craft-y items. We quickly decided to head back to the hotel. We made it back without incident. A little while later we went out again, this time with six others. It was a much more enjoyable outing. We did get a couple of nice small paintings. Got in the pool for a while when we got back.

6:30 p.m. - Leave for Pastor B's house for dinner.

8:45 p.m. - Head back to the hotel for devotions and final instructions for heading to the airport.

10 p.m. - Sit around and eat leftover cake and other snack items and talk. A couple of us thought about swimming but decided it was too cold.

11:30 p.m. - Head to bed.

Note: It is hard to believe that we are getting ready to go home. In some ways I do not want to go back, but at the same time I am looking forward to getting home!!! It has been a long week and I am quite tired.

5:45 a.m. - Get up and get everything together and check through the room to make sure we have everything.

6 a.m. - Go down for breakfast.

6:30 a.m. - Cars arrive to take us to the airport. Pack cars with luggage and people.

7 a.m. - Leave for airport - finally!!!

7:45ish a.m. - Arrive at airport and start the process of checking in.

8:45 a.m. - Got through customs and are waiting upstairs in the airport. Last-minute chance for shopping. Lots of alcohol is available, 43% proof is the min.

10 a.m. - Start loading the plane.

10:35 a.m. - Final preparation for departure. We are on a large plane this time. 8 seats across and it is a full flight!!

12:45 p.m. - Arrive in Miami. Sat on the plane on the field for a short while since there was still a plane at our gate. Got through customs without any problems. Once we were through customs we found a quite spot and had devotions. Lyle then bought everyone who wanted a burger from Burger King. We were all in high heaven.

5:20 p.m. EST - We board the plane for St. Louis, where we will be meeting up with my mom!

8:30 p.m. CST - Arrive in St. Louis. My mom was not at the gate. Got a message over the loudspeaker to go to an information booth. Got her number and called her. She was not going to make it to the airport. While waiting had the chance to talk with Pastor W about his Call and his ministry at Christ as well as many other things.

? p.m. - Finally got on the flight back to Omaha. Was a bumpy ride as we got closer to Omaha. Arrived safely to find our luggage had arrived on an earlier flight, but we had enjoyed the time we had in St. Louis. We had people there who picked us up and drove us back to Christ Lutheran Church. Saying goodbye was hard as the group had really kinda become an extended family and we developed close friendships.

Note: This has been a trip that I most definitely will never forget! It was most definitely Life Altering!!!

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