bon voyage

Very early tomorrow (Monday) morning (3:00am to be exact) our team will unite at Logan Airport in Boston to travel together to Port au Prince. We have a layover in Miami where we will likely consume our last American meal before taking the 2 hr flight to Haiti. Flying into Port au Prince is a familiar experience for me, but many of my teammates will encounter the warmth, strange smells, and hustle and bustle for the first time. Once the cabin doors open we will be slammed in the face by the hot Haitian sun and heat as we disembark and walk outside to the terminal and customs. Next we will attempt to stick together to get through customs and baggage claim. In the baggage claim area we will be bombarded by cheerful helpers who would all like to carry our bags for a small fee. We will gather all of our luggage before heading out of the airport, new Haitian helper friends in tow, to meet up with Pastor Rigaud and Jacnel, our friends and drivers to the orphanage. Some of us will ride on top of the luggage in the truck to inhale exhaust fumes and take in a glimpse of Haitian life. At the orphanage we will be greeted by the wonderful staff and all the children who can't wait to play and give hugs to the new faces. Looking forward to watching my teammates take this all in. We will post news of our safe arrival tomorrow night.
With hope for unlimited energy, patience, and gratitude, Amy Garland