E-mail from Haiti
2nd August, 2010


Haiti was a real experience, a step backwards from the places we have been to before. Port au Prince is a desperate place, it felt very threatening and Johnny, who is a lovely man, was very nervous until we were out of the city. Our transport was a beaten up old pick-up truck and when we stopped in traffic someone tried to take our bags. There are collapsed buildings everywhere and massive, stinking piles of rubbish in the streets. Our trip to Les Cayes took 6 hours and when it got dark we were travelling on rough roads at up to 60mph with only one weak headlight. There were people, animals, bicycles, motor cycles with or without lights carrying goods and people all drifting across the road plus, pot holes, boulders and debris. You can imagine Lynne's face and nerves but our room was nice with a flushing toilet and dribbling shower. However, I had to kill a cockroach that ran over Lynne's foot, and did she scream. There was only intermittent electricity and when there was no fan it was so hot we couldn't sleep. 

The orphans are lovely. They have been rescued by a lovely couple of Johnny's close friends who look alter all twenty-one of them despite all the hardships they have with cooking food, the lack of doctors, no electricity or running water. We are convinced that Johnny is very genuine and he works hard with many problems to deal with in a difficult country. We stayed where he was in Les Cayes as going anywhere was time consuming and precarious. Prices for many things are UK prices, and getting around is a major issue. We left on a moped - with the driver, myself, Lynne, our suitcase and backpacks all on the back to get to the bus station.

We are now in Cuba alter 25 hours travel. Ranledis and his wife are lovely and we are staying in a nice guest house. Ranledis and his wife are lovely people and they have a strong ministry and influence here.  We meet tomorrow with a team of pastors, the focus will be increasing the number of schools of mission and how they work.  We went to their church today, met the baseball team and ate with Ranledis alter the elderly had been fed.

Colin.

www.dci.org.uk