As we circled around the bay, we got a full view of the capital of Haiti, Port-au-Prince. It was beautiful from the air, with white sandy shores and mountains in the distance. Although, most of the hills were barren and sandy erosion was evident everywhere. Soon we would see the city up close. When we had left South Dakota two days before, it was a frigid 2 degrees and the airplane required de-icing. As we stepped off the plane in Haiti, it was a windy 91 degrees...a welcome change for these South Dakotans!
We rushed to get through customs only to find a long delay in retrieving our luggage. We were more patient with the process when we realized that the delay was due to 100 bins of medical supplies being unloaded for a mission group just arriving. We followed our guide's directions to stay close to our luggage and to expect to be mobbed by hundreds as we exited the airport. Since many in Haiti make only a few dollars a day on average, they hope to earn a tip by helping with your luggage. Two men out of the shouting crowd quickly claimed ours, and Bruce gave their tip to our driver to work it out with the men. While we waited in the van, one man kept begging to Bruce through the window for money. Bruce found it hard to look away from this man's desperation and his genuine words of blessing. After a few quiet but assertive words to the bystanders by our driver, we were off to the orphanage.
