We are here!!!

We made it!!! All 18 of us! We have been here now for about 1 hour and are just getting settled in. I know that life is going to get crazy so I wanted to write really quick and share the "funnies" that have happened so far!

First of all---trying to move a herd of 18 people with about 54 suitcases through the airport is a trip! Praise Jesus, though, we all made it on time in Indianapolis....only Bri and Martha were "in trouble" by security. Bri packed shampoo in her carry on (for those of you who know Bri well, she was totally confused.....she thought she just couldn't pack liquids on her carry on....shampoo is a gel--so she thought she was safe...totally a Bri move!?!) Martha got in trouble for having peanut butter so it was confiscated!

No one panicked too much on the flight down--even Shelly kept her cool : ) After we got off the plane, we all waited to pick up our luggage that was too big for the overhead compartments...well, Pastor was the last suitcase that was left. Only, when he went to pick it up, he realized it wasn't his!!! He opened it up and it was full of little girl clothes!?! Someone else had taken his carry on! It had his passport, laptop, all of other important papers in it! Because he figured it out so quickly, he ran up the terminal and saw the woman and her little girl walking away. He chased after her and was able to get his back and give the little girl her right carry on. We are tried to imagine what it would have been like to see Pastor in a Hannah Montana shirt all week : )

We stayed in a really nice hotel just outside the Miami and woke up bright and early for the 7am flight. Everything went great--it is really hot down here, but I think everyone is falling in love with the place. Of course there is the culture shock of the driving (Shelly is having a cow!!!) and the poverty---but I am going to give it a day or two before everyone is absolutely in LOVE with Haiti and its people. Kristin and Phyllis have not gotten sick yet---major blessing!

At the airport---Preacher and Todd were bombarded with the "luggage help"---they just couldn't say no, so they ended up paying several guys to carry their bags....they are such softies : )

We stopped at a really nice restaurant for dinner---while we were there at the resort by the water, we heard a really large splash----Sam Ranger had fallen off the of the platform in to the ocean! Mike Smith dove right in and got him back to the platform safe and sound---everyone is okay, but Sam was scared and Mike's passport and billfold are soaked! Praising the Lord that we can laugh about it now and that nothing too serious happened!

Eddie and Madame Eddie have done some amazing work for our accommodations---it is amazing and we are so thankful! Martha, Shelby, Phyllis, Sara, Bri & Lillie have one room. Todd, Kris, Pastor & Shelly have another, Jan and the 3 boys have a room, and Sean and I are in the last room.

We are getting ready now to unpack, grab dinner, and get geared up for a busy couple of days. Everyone is "itching" to get to the orphanage. Not sure if we will get there today or if we will get there first thing in the morning.

Please pray for this team. I know that God hand picked the team that is here and He has a special purpose for each person being here. I just know it.


Can't wait to share specific stories, but I wanted to let you know that some of the "basic info" that has happened so far : )