One minute I'm up, the next minute I'm down. This morning, I had a chance to visit one of my girlfriends. She was the first girl that I became friends with that spoke English when I lived here. I always think of her as my saving grace - she helped me to feel normal by having another female to talk to about life. Now, I wish I could be her saving grace, and help her life to feel normal again. After the earthquake, I checked her facebook page daily to look for any sign of life. Was she okay? Was she in PAP when it happened? Is her daughter okay? God please let her be okay. Finally, someone posted that she was alive. Then, she finally had a chance to write to let me know she survived. Today, I saw her for the first time in 3 years.
We teared up when we saw each other through the gate. After they opened the door to let me in, we hugged for what seemed like forever. We found a place to sit, and instantly, we were talking about the earthquake.
She was in a house for bible study when it happened. She said it was a bizarre feeling, and no one understood what was going on. The building collapsed, but they were all able to get out safely. She talked about the first night. Sleeping outside on the street with thousands of other people. Being afraid to let her 6 year old daughter fall asleep in case she didn't wake up. Looking for food and water. Knowing that her house was destroyed and wondering what she was going to do for a place to live. Thankful to be alive but not understanding why this happened to Haiti. Why God? Why?
As we approach four months since the quake, it seems as people have learned how to live in the changed atmosphere. Haitians just pick up the pieces and adapt. Tents everywhere. Rubble and broken buildings alongside perfectly safe buildings. You look down this street and it looks normal, and the street next to it is a mess.
Today, Evens, Ernst and I headed north out of PAP to go to the beach. There were tent cities everywhere. On one hand, it's great that these people have a place to be protected from the elements. On the other hand, it's hard to imagine living in a tent because your house is completely gone. The devastation is widespread, and there we were heading to the beach to enjoy ourselves. You can't help but feel guilty. One minute I am laughing and smiling, and the next minute I am staring at an countryside filled with displaced Haitians. Everywhere you look, it's like roller coaster - reasons to be happy, reasons to be sad, laughing, crying, being relaxed, being anxious, one large emotional ride. I just can't imagine having my life turned upside down in minutes . . . there are no words to explain what I see with my own eyes here. Just no words.
So with that, I will say good night. My writing is just not flowing tonight in this entry. Be assured that overall, it was a good day. We made it to the beach in the late afternoon (took us over four hours to leave the city - talk about Haitian time ;) to swim, enjoy the sun, eat fresh red snapper, and watch the sunset over the water. It was beautiful! I am now safe and sound in my accommodations for the next two weeks in the mountains above PAP near Kenscoff with cool nights for comfortable sleeping.
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