Your giving helps sponsor Connie Curilla who has taught in rural Haiti for two decades. This is her story of returning to a new school year this fall.
I arrived safely back in Bohoc in Haiti yesterday evening (September 7). We had rain on and off a good part of the way (and my things got wet even though they were under a tarp -- thankfully, nothing is ruined). We had quite the race up the mountain trying to make it through the bad places in the road before the rain made them impassable. We were mostly successful!
For those of you who know the road, we went through Ranquite - a more direct route. Apparently, the normal way through St Raphael is virtually cut off - even a little rain means you can't get to the river to cross it at St Raphael. The first place that our driver Elizert was concerned about did give us trouble, but he was able to use his gifted driving ability to make it through. The other places were not a problem, thankfully!
Then, we thought we'd try cutting off some time by by-passing Pignon - going through Passe Caimite. Elizert had just been through there recently and was sure we could make it. On the way down to the river, one guy told us to turn around as he said the river was too high. The next guy said we could make it. Elizert saw the river and said, "no problem". But neither of the guys had said anything about the bank of the river being high and soft!
As we got closer to the edge (going rather fast so as to make it across the somewhat high river), we saw that there was a large drop to the river -- too large for the truck to make it safely! Elizert got the truck stopped just before it went over the edge - it felt like it would have toppled over nose first, though I am sure it was never that bad. When Elizert tried to back up, the sand was soft and we just dug in deeper. At least that meant we wouldn't inadvertently go on into the river.
Before long, a group of people had gathered with hoes and shovels and after an hour of digging and hoeing and pushing and gunning the motor, we got out of the sand and backed up the bank with the helpers and onlookers cheering and clapping! Elizert works at that spot quite a bit digging sand from the river for various community and haff (Haitian American Friendship Foundation) projects, so he knows these people well. He gave the oldest man present $90 Haitian ($12.68 US) to split between the people who had helped. Another cheer (for the money) and we were on our way back through Pignon and home!
Blessings and thanks to those who prayed us home!
Connie