First Day in Anse Rouge

Team Journal 2 
By Maria N. 

August 13 
Wednesday morning we woke up at 6:00 a.m.. After getting our belongings together we took a twenty minute taxi ride to the domestic airport where MAF's office and hangar were located. With Jason as our co-pilot we flew a twelve seater caravan to Anse Rouge. It was a beautiful 45 minute flight. 

With our bird's eye view we could see the sea-salt flats along the coast. I never knew that was how salt was made! 

The runway of Anse Rouge was made up of packed earth and gravel and the pilots had to keep an eye out for goats and chickens before touching down. As we deplaned it was funny to see a couple of kids on a donkey just walking on the edge of the runway as if it was totally normal! For them I guess it was! 

We then met with Krischelle, a missionary there, who gave us a quick introduction to the mission and a tour of the compound. The girls' rooms were quite modern, but the boys' dorm was a bit more rustic, much to Jarin's dismay. He did not appreciate the variety of exotic critters that would be his roommates; scorpions, cockroaches, geckos, and katydids! 

After breakfast we headed over to the school construction site where the guys got busy pounding holes in the walls so the window frames could be installed and the girls painted chalkboards for the new school rooms. 

After finishing the chalkboards the girls helped the Haitian women stripping lalo leaves (similar to spinach) for an hour or two. They said we did a good job! 

Just before supper we headed out to a soccer field, made up of sand and gravel, right beside the runway, and played soccer with the children from the surrounding area. It was funny to see the children come from all directions when one of them blew a whistle. We were all amazed by their skills and it was super fun! 

Showering was definitely a different experience than we were used to. The girls had a twenty second shower in a small space surrounded by flying critters, whereas the guys had two buckets and had to pour water on their heads with a small can. That concluded our first day in the Haitian hamlet of Anse Rouge! 

The Day in Pictures.  

Port au Prince from above.

The salt flats.

Caravan returning back to Port au Prince.

A typical Haitian home located beside the mission compound.

On the mission compound. Everything was unnaturally green due to some recent rainfalls!

The mission kitchen.

The girls' dorms.

One of the girls' rooms. Very nice!

Alexander chilling after his first MAF flight.

Eating breakfast.

Flowers in the desert.

A scorpion.

Jacob hard at work.

The girls painting the chalkboards.

A tasty Haitian lunch of rice and beans, plantain and picklies.

Working together we get the job done!

The girls taking a water break with Alex. It was sure hot!

Playing soccer.

Dinner time!

A katydid.

Sunset in the desert.