Home Sweet Home

We finally made it home. It was hard to leave but it is good to be back. Our last night in Haiti was relaxing. I managed to not leave anything (that I know of). Paix came in Friday morning while we were preparing to leave and I was so happy we got to say bye. He doesn't speak Enlish but we could say bye and give him a hug. He stayed with his family the night before and they woke him up and fed him at 3am just to make him eat and try to avoid his blood sugar dropping. We finally figured out that he had been given the NPH insulin and was supposed to be taking regular insulin. He doesn't know there is a difference and we thought that was the same insulin he was on the whole time. I hope that is all it was.

We arrived at the airstrip at around 820 on Friday morning. There was another team there that was leaving so we had to split in 2 groups for us to fit into the planes. Bob and I went first. Alena, Chrissy, and Benji went with us to see us off. I started crying when I was hugging them bye. Especially when I was hugging Benji. It was so bad that some lady from a medical team from Tampa was hugging me and consoling me. Benji was not crying because she thought Jenna, Stephanie, and Jennifer (mommy) were staying so she enjoyed watching the plane fly off. But they other half of the group told me that when she realized that everyone else was leaving on another plane she started really crying. That was when she realized her mommy and everyone else was leaving. But she will be ok because she is staying with Bill so at least everyone didn't leave her at once. Also, those 3 girls got to make a list of stuff they want Jennifer to bring back. That helps them cope. The lists were hilarious. Alena's list had about 20 things on it and everything had the word "beautiful" in front of it.

We arrived in Port au Prince and were shocked to find out the airconditioner was on. It was not on the previous Friday when we sat in there for 6 hours!! It also helped that we were getting used to the heat. That airport is sadly the place I believe I left my camera. I had it there and then when we got in a taxi and went to the 2nd airport it was gone. I was really bummed out!! But, fortunately I had uploaded most of my pictures the afternoon before we left. So it could have been worse. So at the airport in Port au Prince I finally got a good frisking. I two of the them but the 2nd one was worth writing about. At least it was a female both times. On the airplane to Miami I literally screeched with delight because they came by with drinks and I got a diet pepsi!! And, the airplane was so air conditioned it was cold. They gave us a snack to eat with crackers, cheese spread, raisins, and a chocolate piece. On the way to Haiti I was not even interested in the snack, but on the way home me and Jenna destroyed the snack (same exact snack) like we hadn't eaten in a month!!!! It was funny. In the Miami airport we finally split from Jennifer who was headed to Dallas, then to Kansas City. She is staying for 3 weeks and came to watch her son Jesse's graduation from high school. He lived in Haiti with them for the past 7 years but came home to do his senior year in the states. We then rechecked our bags and took a cab to a resteraunt and had seafood. Then we came back and did a little airport shopping and waited for our flight to STL. I think I came close to overdosing on diet pepsi while I was at the airport. Even though there were storms we made it close to on time. Although, the ride got so rough at one point that I felt like we were in a movie and was waiting for the oxygen masks to fall from overhead. The boys rode to the airport with Travis. They were tired but were glad to see their Mommy. I was so happy to see them. Not so happy to see the puny little mohawk that Travis gave Drew while I was gone. The worst part is Drew loves it so I guess it will stay. At least he knew better than to touch Isaac's curls.

I didn't get in bed until 230am because it was very necessary that I take a long bath after that trip. Then Travis and I looked at all the pictures I took and he was remembering things from when he was there and we were comparing notes. I slept until 10 this morning and also took an afternoon nap so I guess I was jetlagged a little. Both times I dreamt of Haiti. Thhis morning Isaac came in and crawled in bed with me and I was so tired I thought it was Benjalina (Benji). I have been trying to imagine what America would look like to someone who had lived in Haiti their whole life. It would be close to what we will think of Heaven when we see it for the first time. So many beautiful things to see, and things we never even imagined possible. I imagine it would be overwhelming to say the least.

I am happy to be home and not ready to jump back into real life. Thanks to everyone for following this journey with me. I hope that you were as rewarded, enlightened, and fulfilled as I was. I want to leave this blog with the knowledge that although there is sadness and poverty in Haiti, the Lord is very much at work there and he is blessing those people through the Campbell's work. And this experience has blessed my life.