Jim, Don & Ken’s Trip

February 6, 2010 Posted by Jim Steer

Jim

Jim’s trip started on Saturday as he had to retrieve his suitcase that had finally arrived in Vancouver from the first trip. Did the laundry from the case and repacked the case to return to the coast on Sunday after church for the morning flight on Monday.

The flight went well, Vancouver, Toronto, and Ft Lauderdale where the three of us Don Huxter, Ken Huxter and I met within twenty minutes of landing. Mine & Don’s cell phones didn’t work once we got to Florida. We chatted for a bit then decided to pick a hotel for the night and try to get some sleep and book a flight to the DR if mission flights weren’t available.

~Jim

Don & Ken

This is Don and Ken. We met some very helpful lovely people on our way from Newfoundland. Don is from Springdale (Karen’s hometown) and Ken from Steady Brook. We were up at 4AM, our brother Dr. Bob Huxter picked us up and took us to Deer Lake Airport. We spent 5 hours in Halifax and 5 more In Montreal airport. We met a very super person in the name of Alida who works for Air Canada we had time to chat and she was very impressed that we were going to Haiti to help. She was a very sweet lady and really wanted to help. Later she searched the airport to find us to tell us we could go to the Air Canada Lounge for use of phones, computers, food etc.

As we were heading to the plane we were paged and Air Canada moved us up to first class just because we were going to Haiti. Haiti was very strongly on the minds of everyone we talked to, we were so proud of these wonderful people who poured out their love to us of the people in Haiti. It made us feel great to have the blessings of all the people.

Leaving San Juan

We lay down for about 3-4 hours in our hotel room in Fort Lauderdale, then got up and at it. We had a quick breakfast and tried MFI and Agape with no luck as nothing was scheduled to go in before Friday. By now we couldn’t book a flight with the site Ken was using because they didn’t book for the same day you were flying but we noted the airline they were using and went to their website. There we could book a flight leaving early afternoon to San Juan, Puerto Rico and after an hour and a half layover on to Santo Domingo DR. So off we went and arrived in DR about 6:30 local time. Once we left the US none of our cell phones worked, Ken’s prepaid calling card didn’t work and his 800 number didn’t work. We had no computer accept except as noted and felt pretty well isolated. We weren’t expecting a welcoming committee but read the signs as we walked by just in case.

Nobody we could find in the airport could speak English and it took us a while to find the UN office which closed about a half hour before we got there. We wandered around till we found a person in scrubs who spoke English. She was with a medical team who had just left Haiti and were on their way home. We found out the airport we needed to use for the UN flight was a couple of hours away by taxi and other than this lady, and one other from Haiti, no one in Santo Domingo knew where it was.

As we were trying to decide what to do we heard a voice saying Jim Steer, Don Huxter, Ken Huxter, we turned and there was a fellow looking at us holding a sign with our names. On the other side was a sign we had seen coming into the terminal over two hours earlier (Pastor Paul) and Ken had remarked he knew a pastor Paul Wellwood but we never thought anything about it as no one knew we were there, or so we thought. Gedeon was one of the guys, who persisted in looking for us until he found us because Pastor Paul Wellwood had a contact in Santo Domingo. We didn’t even know Pastor Paul even knew we were on route to Haiti. It was welcome sight, having someone call out our names where we were so frustrated and tired trying to find out how to get to the other airport where the UN flight was going into PAP the next day. They took us into their arms and looked after us all the way on that long adventure to PAP.

Our greeting committee

Apparently someone in Ken’s family had called this Paul guy who knew this Spanish speaking group (Assembly of Christian Churches) was in DR and going into Haiti the next day and asked them to look after us. I was a bit sceptical at first because this is how kidnappings happen but one of them handed Ken a phone and is was his friend Paul on the line who reassured us that all was ok and they would see us safely to PaP. We thank God for the persistence of Pastor Gedeon Aybar and Their Bishop, Rev. Abelardo Batista to keep looking for us until they found us.

They asked if we would like to stay in the same hotel they were in and we agreed that would make sense so by the time we had done some running around and got a bite to eat and went to the hotel it was about 1 am again. They said we had to meet in the lobby ready to go at 5:30am. We slept as fast and hard as we could but 5am still came way too fast. That was in the town of Bani in DR. I should have known better. Getting there that late the bus didn’t get back to pick us up until about 7:30 putting us two hours late already.

Then once we met up with the convoy it seemed to stop about every 10 minutes for some reason or another, including taking on more supplies, pee breaks and breakfast. We were travelling with two large and very overloaded Daihatsu trucks, an SUV and a 15 passenger van. Then one of the trucks blew a tire on the inside dual which slowed us down until we found roadside tire “shop” that could repair it.

By now it was already passed the time we had emailed Karen that we would meet her in PaP and although we tried to call HATS we either couldn’t get through or someone would answer and say wrong number. When we arrived at the border the UN was making everyone take malaria pills and get tetanus shots if they didn’t already have one. All of our friends from the Hispanic church had to get pills and shots, Don, Ken and Jim didn’t. So while we were waiting we convinced someone in the UN to let us send an email and we hoped that Karen would get it and be able to contact whoever was picking us up to let them know that we were running late.

One of our Pastors on the bus was a government employee in the DR and he got our passage though the border expedited and we didn’t even have to talk to Haiti immigration. Whether or not they paid our fee they never said anything. In fact the head of their denomination (they called him Bishop) was so generous, he paid for our supper, and provided some DR money in case we needed it on our way back out. We offered to give him the equivalent in American (about $60.00) but he wouldn’t take it and said to keep it for our return trip in case we have to travel thru DR again. They were so generous, loved to laugh and sing, it was really an enjoyable trip even though we didn’t understand a word. Only one on in our van (Gedeon) spoke good English and one other spoke a little. Bishop spoke some as well but was on another vehicle so most conversation was in Spanish.

One of many Tent Settlements all over PAP

Travel through Haiti was slow and it got dark on our arrival to their mission. We dropped most of the guys at their mission then Gedeon and a guide took us to where Karen and Luckner and Daniel, the police escort, were waiting for us. Karen looked very relieved to see us and we were soon on our way to Deschappelles. Other than being dark it was uneventful and we were in the compound by 9:30. Very hungry and tired, but ok. There was lots of food left from supper that Martha prepared and we didn’t mind it cold. Our total vehicle trip from Santo Domingo was a total of 14 hours. It took all 3 of us a total of 3 days to get here. Let’s hope next time will be shorter and faster.

~Don & Ken

Karen

I received an e-mail from Jim late Tuesday night saying they could be picked up in PaP around noon on Wednesday. I could not see how they could possibly arrive there by then, but figured – okay then noon it is. Luckner and I were so glad to know they were arriving on Wed that we were willing to go anywhere at any time so we could get the three muskateers home to Deschapelles with us. We had already put the word out that we were changing the day of the funeral for Serlande from Thursday to Friday so they could be with us.

At 7:30 a.m. Luckner and I, along with Daniel our police escort, left for Pap. We were at the designated drop off site – PaP Police Academy – at the designated time, noon. We figured we had to be nuts to go there on time. I, however, kept saying “We can’t have three ‘blan’ men standing around in the hot sun on the street of PaP, even if it is in front of the Police Academy. Well, we were there at noon and they were there at 6:15 p.m. We had tried everything possible to track them down, to know whether or not they really were okay. Kidnapping was a real possibility in our minds. I called Dickie back at the mission several times, but he had heard nothing. I did manage to get through to musketeer Ken’s better half after our first three hour search for them. Shortly after that I got to speak to musketeer Jim, and found out they had finally arrived at the border. After that, and only after that, were we able to relax. The last three hour wait was a lot easier to get through. Anyway, we all arrived back home to the mission 9:30 p.m. for which we were all extremely thankful.

~Karen

About Jim Steer

I first visited Haiti in 1989 and felt God drawing me back there in 2009. After speaking with Karen I was added to a team for 2010 and have been returning regularly since. I felt I had something to offer the mission but soon discovered that I received much more than I could ever give. God has blessed me so much through all the people I have met there, especially the children. The country is beautiful, the people a delight and the time at the mission flies by.

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Testimonials

After years of thinking about it and months of planning for it, it seems strange that our time in Haiti is over. We have been asked by a few if it was like we expected. Well, no. I’m not sure what we expected, but our minds could not have fathomed what we have experienced, and we can hardly believe that our 3 month stay has come to an end. HATS really became home away from home for us. We knew we would enjoy getting to know and spending time with the kids but we had no idea how difficult it would be to leave them. They sneak in and steal your heart without you even knowing it. We have left a piece of our hearts in Haiti and can’t wait for the day when we can return.

Mike & Nicki White
HATS Visitors
Amazing organization! Had the pleasure of visiting twice, and can’t wait to go back again someday. God is doing some wonderful things at HATS!

Jess MacDonald
HATS Visitor
This week has been amazing – one of the best weeks of my life thus far, hands down. I can’t really think of any other experience in my life that can even come close to comparing to this. Though my visit here was short (too short), it has been incredibly eye-opening, and life changing. I will never forget the people I have met here, or the things I’ve gotten to experience! Most of all, I would like to say how remarkable it is to see first-hand the amazing work God is doing here. I am behind this ministry 100%, and will continue to support it. I am so, so blessed to have been given the opportunity to come here, and I am REALLY not looking forward to saying goodbye to the children tonight. My heart sinks just thinking about it. There’s no doubt that they’ve had a bigger impact on my life than I’ve had on theirs. I will be leaving a big piece of my heart with these people and this country. God bless.

Jess Buckle
HATS Visitor
We’ve made a difference, I believe. Big stuff, little stuff; it all contributed to the greater good and that big picture: keeping HATS a surviving and thriving, safe haven for the children of Deschapelles, Haiti. And oh my, what children they are. As expected, it was tough to leave. There were tears, whispers, hugs and I’ll miss you’s. I learned that it gets easier (only a bit) for those who’ve done this a few times. As Bob says “I’m part of the furniture now. I don’t say ‘goodbye’, I say ‘see you later’.” Maybe that’s how you cope with leaving…you return. Once, five times, 10 times. However many. Guaranteed you’ll leave a different person than when you came in.

Aimee Feaver
HATS Visitor
Culture shock for this Canadian team at first, but a ride through busy, vibrant streets proved terrifically interesting; busy markets, vendors selling exotic fruits, clothing and shoes, used tires and rusty metal… and then the gorgeous countryside: banana plants, mangoes, cows and goats and pigs and dogs, the Golfe de La Gonave by our side. Rice patties indicated we were close to our home for the next week. We were greeted by Magalie, a house mother, with hugs for all and, of course, the children themselves, so gorgeous and endearing. A beautiful meal was followed by a sharing of impressions: there is a lot of poverty but so much potential and hope. We are already in love with Haiti.

Team Canada
HATS Visitors
I’m not sure what we’re doing here, just showing up for a week – it’s not like it’s sustainable. And I don’t want to become depressed by some of the harsh realities that Karen has to deal with every day. You know it’s ONE thing to start an orphanage and school (Yes, Karen has done things that are beeeeyond me), but it’s ANOTHER thing to raise the 20 babies that become YOUR kids!!! Not only are they a big family, but they are a big family containing individual stories that got them all to where they are in the orphanage. I don’t even know how to describe it…I have never seen a woman her age with this much energy…fun loving energy that is. She so inspired me today and really is a wonderful mother to all these children.

Barbara
HATS Visitor
This is my first time traveling outside of Canada and I am proud to say it was for a mission trip. I have always wanted to go on one and see what it like in other parts of the world and do what I can to help out. Haiti is a terminus life change for me and how I look at things. Seeing these kids and how they have such a passion for each other and for us is truly inspiring. I look back to what I was like at that age and I don’t think I was half as kind or generous as they are. This morning we did devotions and as I was speaking about what an impact they had on me only in one day I started to tear up…it was very emotional to talk about.

Isaiah Henderson
HATS Visitor
I had anticipated that I would enjoy spending time getting to know the children and being a part of Karen’s daily life in Haiti but I had not anticipated that it would capture my heart like it did. I will miss spending time with the children and Karen but I am hopeful that I’ll be able to see them all again in the not too distant future.

Sara-May Cardy
HATS Visitor
I am so thankful to Jesus for the opportunity to serve at HATS and to finally experience the great work that God is doing there. I look forward to seeing them all again when I visit next time.

Nancy Goodwin
HATS Visitor
Personally, this is my first time here. I’ve never done a mission trip of any sort before and I’ve certainly never been anywhere this hot before. I keep seeing things that are different from what I’m used to, and hearing about things even more unfamiliar to me. One of the most surprising things to meis how quickly I’ve grown to love all the people here. Everyone here is great, and the team is wonderful too. Watching everyone support each other warms my heart almost as much as the sun warms my skin. I’ve learned a lot from this experience, and I know that this trip has already had a profound impact on my life.

Matthew Sketchley
HATS Visitor