Day 1- 3

My name is Nick Sibley-Jett, and I am 19 years old and live in Connecticut.  I attend the Congregational Church of Eastford and this year our Youth Group decided to spend a week living in Haiti.  What an unbelievable trip it’s been, and we’re only on day 2 of our 7 day journey!  We partnered with an organization called Children’s Lifeline Ministries, and they have been outstanding in taking care of all of the details that have made this trip so far unforgettable.  Day one of our journey began when we landed in the Port-Au-Prince airport.  Within about a half hour of landing, we found our guide, Ray, and the director of Children’s Lifeline Ministries Donald -------.  Our transportation was an old school bus and we headed out from the city on very bumpy, dusty roads.  Our first stop before arriving at the village was at a deserted plain that had because of the earthquake become a mass grave for hundreds of unidentified Haitians.  It was truly sobering to know that hundreds or perhaps thousands of Haitians were buried there.  Sunday began with a church service where we worshipped with Haitian locals.  Despite the conditions that they live in, they praised God with unrivaled passion.  We joined in the worship by singing two American worship songs which the congregation loved.  After church we toured the capital, Port-Au-Prince.  The conditions there were unbelievable; garbage everywhere, the streets still dusty and much of the capital still recovering from the earthquake nearly 18 months ago. We stopped in front of the National Palace, and it was now abandoned and largely destroyed.  A local street vendor who we talked to took us for a tour of the tent city across from the Palace which used to be a park.   We were amazed at the stamina of those who lived in these cardboard shacks.  Monday we finally began the project would be working on for the week.  An orphanage nearby by that is supported by Children’s Lifeline doubles their church as a school for the children.  The roof on this building leaks so badly that when it rains (and it rains quite frequently) school is cancelled.  Our main task on Monday was to take down the roof completely.  Our task for the rest of the week will be to rebuild the roof on the building so that the children can attend school rain or shine.  We are tired, but are feeling content because we know that the work we do here will mean the difference between whether a child gets an education or not.