On the way to Haiti

I write this from the Miami, FL airport, on a layover to Port-Au-Prince.

It's been a pretty crazy past week and a half. Last last Fri, I got a phone call from R, the attorney who's been in Haiti for the past 2 months. She asked if I'd be able to come in about a week and a half.

So, the past week was filled with trying to wrap things up with work (haven't completely finished with that, but hope to do so through email and the web), shopping for supplies, scheduling vaccinations, and meeting with friends. Wonderful, yes. Exhilirating, that too. Tiring--extremely.

Tues, Wed, Thurs, I drove to Fresno for some teaching and tutoring, Fri morning I was in Pasadena for a study group, Sat there was a wedding I attended, and then back to my Bakersfield home for frantic packing, and then the drive to OC.

Sun, I was at my church in OC, and told many of them about the trip
("when are you leaving?"
"about 9:30 tonight"
[surprised reaction]).

And now it's Mon morning, and I'll hopefully be on a plane to Port-Au-Prince in a few hours.

I have the feeling I've once again packed too much stuff. R sent me a link of an organization that had suggestions for its volunteer workers, and it was a pretty long list. And she also suggested I bring 5-7 business casual work outfits (she'd mentioned that sometimes Haitian government officials just happened to drop in, and of course it was on days when she was wearing her most casual clothes). And she also suggested some books, since things can get a little boring sometimes at night, with no reliable electricity. All this is justification, of course, because I tend to have the habit of bringing too much stuff when I go on a trip of more than a night and a day. So almost all I brought was personal: a large checked baggage case, a stuffed carry-on, and a very stuffed backpack.

I wonder if R and S, veteran travelers that they are, had just brought a carry on for personal stuff, and checked in luggage that was purely work related. I rather suspect that to be close to the truth.

Anyway, I'm a little surprised that I'm still functioning with as much activity as I've had (and as little sleep), and also very excited to get there.

As always, I greatly appreciate your prayers. Please pray that I'd keep a good attitude in all circumstances. And that I stay spiritually focused in the next few months.

Thanks.