So, a team that's been here for some time volunteered to watch our kids on Saturday so Jay and I could go out on a date. We hadn't been out for any date time in two months. Well, originally, they offered to watch our kids and the Elliott kids, but Aaron Elliott had three airport runs that day. Then, the team had to do some catch up work so they couldn't watch our kids. But Anna said she'd watch Fedlaine. But then, we didn't have a vehicle. Then the team offered to do the airport runs so that the four adults could go out on a date with the NVM truck. But Aaron thought he should greet the teams coming in. So around 10am, Jay and I decided we would go and then we'd watch the Elliott kids on Sunday so they could go out. I began to have hope that we would actually go.
But then, Pierre needed us to go with him and a team to help pick up 100 chickens...just "around the corner". Well, long story short, after 2 stops, we still didn't have the chickens. Got to the chicken place only to discover they didn't have anyway to send them with us...unless we wanted to drive back with 100 chickens on our laps. The whole time, I'm just trying to be patient and have a good attitude. But then, they decide they will need to drive both trucks back to NVM to put chicken wire over the top of the truck beds for a "cage". BOTH trucks needed = NO date transportation = ME feeling like crying. Pierre came to the rescue...he offered Dianne's driver and vehicle. So we dropped Dianne off at home and we were off!
Walton, Dianne's driver, was so great. He drove us to Petionville, where there was a open-air market. Unfortunately, the first place we got out and walked didn't look good. The produce sat on the ground next to trash and charcoal. I couldn't bring myself to purchase any. Then, Walton drove us further down and found a wonderful group of ladies, selling produce. Wonderful, but very assertive ladies. As soon as I stepped out of the truck, they were all over me, trying to put mangoes and oranges in my hands. I kept saying that I wanted to look up and down the stalls, but the ladies on our side didn't want to lose my business. Between Walton and I, I bartered a little, but walked away with grapefruit, oranges, pineapple, avocados, and bananas. After I finished paying, the ladies were very social and wanted us to take a picture with them. So fun!
Around the corner was the Haiti "superstore", Giant. Giant is two stories full of overpriced food- much of it American. We're talking $9 for a bunch of broccoli, $12 for Jif peanut butter, $12 for strawberries, and $25 for a Rubbermaid tote. I did splurge and bought 8 apples for about $12. We really miss apples and grapes...those are outrageously expensive.
After our little shopping spree, we were planning to go out for dinner. The first place that was recommended was closed because they were having a concert. They recommended another restaurant, but when we drove by, it looked closed. We headed for another restaurant that was near the airport, but I could tell Jay was getting tired and just wanted to go back. Traffic was bad and driving at night is not Jay's favorite. He made a last ditch effort and called Pierre, who directed us back to the restaurant that looked closed. They were just getting ready to open. We did it! We actually sat down and had a wonderfully quiet dinner. We had fried Haitian chicken as opposed to fried US chicken. (Haitian chicken comes from Haiti and tastes way better.) I was so happy...then we got a call from Pierre telling us that the truck we were driving didn't have working headlights... Ha! Again he rescued us. We finally made it back to campus. Left at 2pm and got back around 8:30pm, very revived.
Thanking the Lord that I held it together during all the times it didn't look like the date was going to happen. Thanking the Lord for the time He gave us to spend together. Thanking the Lord for Jay and that we still laugh and have fun together.
But then, Pierre needed us to go with him and a team to help pick up 100 chickens...just "around the corner". Well, long story short, after 2 stops, we still didn't have the chickens. Got to the chicken place only to discover they didn't have anyway to send them with us...unless we wanted to drive back with 100 chickens on our laps. The whole time, I'm just trying to be patient and have a good attitude. But then, they decide they will need to drive both trucks back to NVM to put chicken wire over the top of the truck beds for a "cage". BOTH trucks needed = NO date transportation = ME feeling like crying. Pierre came to the rescue...he offered Dianne's driver and vehicle. So we dropped Dianne off at home and we were off!
Walton, Dianne's driver, was so great. He drove us to Petionville, where there was a open-air market. Unfortunately, the first place we got out and walked didn't look good. The produce sat on the ground next to trash and charcoal. I couldn't bring myself to purchase any. Then, Walton drove us further down and found a wonderful group of ladies, selling produce. Wonderful, but very assertive ladies. As soon as I stepped out of the truck, they were all over me, trying to put mangoes and oranges in my hands. I kept saying that I wanted to look up and down the stalls, but the ladies on our side didn't want to lose my business. Between Walton and I, I bartered a little, but walked away with grapefruit, oranges, pineapple, avocados, and bananas. After I finished paying, the ladies were very social and wanted us to take a picture with them. So fun!
Around the corner was the Haiti "superstore", Giant. Giant is two stories full of overpriced food- much of it American. We're talking $9 for a bunch of broccoli, $12 for Jif peanut butter, $12 for strawberries, and $25 for a Rubbermaid tote. I did splurge and bought 8 apples for about $12. We really miss apples and grapes...those are outrageously expensive.
After our little shopping spree, we were planning to go out for dinner. The first place that was recommended was closed because they were having a concert. They recommended another restaurant, but when we drove by, it looked closed. We headed for another restaurant that was near the airport, but I could tell Jay was getting tired and just wanted to go back. Traffic was bad and driving at night is not Jay's favorite. He made a last ditch effort and called Pierre, who directed us back to the restaurant that looked closed. They were just getting ready to open. We did it! We actually sat down and had a wonderfully quiet dinner. We had fried Haitian chicken as opposed to fried US chicken. (Haitian chicken comes from Haiti and tastes way better.) I was so happy...then we got a call from Pierre telling us that the truck we were driving didn't have working headlights... Ha! Again he rescued us. We finally made it back to campus. Left at 2pm and got back around 8:30pm, very revived.
Thanking the Lord that I held it together during all the times it didn't look like the date was going to happen. Thanking the Lord for the time He gave us to spend together. Thanking the Lord for Jay and that we still laugh and have fun together.
