We arrived in Neiba after a 4 hour trip and a brief encounter with a truck which caused us to lose a mirror on the right side of the van. We received our rooms at the hotel in Neiba and we were ready for the next day. (By the way, our rooms were a whole $18.00 per room per day.) While we were offloading our bags into our rooms Fernando Cuevas (the preacher in Neiba) arrived and greeted us. The room was a bed and bathroom, without a shower head, and a sink. There was an air conditioner and a fan. The air conditioner only worked some of the time. The fan worked all the time and we were lucky. We planned a time for next day to go to Jimani (pronounced “him a knee”) for church.
We started out with a flat tire. The trip to Jimani was short about 45 minutes. It is located next to the boarder of Haiti. It is a very poor town and the church is small. They have needs that are so many. The people are very poor and have little to nothing. There were goats around the church as services went on. The temperature was about 4000 degrees and no air flowing. The sun was beating down on the tin roof and baking everyone. The local people wore their best clothes and some had long sleeves on. The church is one room and holds about 30 people sitting very close together. We worshiped with them and then departed. They were so happy to have us there visiting and we were so glad to be there. We then went to church in Neiba that evening. It was much larger and had 70-80 people. Again we were greeted with smiles and hugs.
On Monday we started work of coordinating the VBS for the group that was to arrive on Friday. We went to the orphanage and found so many different issues. The orphanage needed painting, the kids needed toys, the refrigerator need to be replaced, the stove only had one burner working and on and on. We had planned to paint the orphanage but after purchasing everything we talked to Fernando and he stated that he would have it done with all the supplies that we had purchased. I purchased some rope and built a swing for the kids since they had no toys and absolutely nothing to do.
The smiles say it all! They played the rest of the day on the two swings. Children are children and they are satisfied with the small things when you have nothing.
Tuesday and Wednesday were taken up by meetings preparing for VBS stuff. One of the most important issues was there was no place for kids to play. Therefore you had the kids in the classrooms the entire time. The group needed that information before they come so they can be ready for it. We departed back to Santa Domingo to purchase items and to get Joanne Sutterfield back for her to catch her plane out
Back in Santa Domingo we went shopping. Joanne purchased many toys. The one that was really very interesting was the building blocks. We returned back to Neiba and presented the toys to the kids they started to try to keep them for themselves, we explained they were for all the kids so they started sharing. The building blocks were a major hit. Boy, were they good. One made a tower one made a gun another made a car. They just kept working at it and made so many different things. Joanne thought hard and long about that one thing. Well it paid off!
Then came the group on the 20th. They arrived in a storm and the ride was very rough. They were late getting in and had to go through customs. I had arraigned for a bus to take them from the airport to the hotel. The same bus would take us to Neiba the following day. We got to the hotel and everyone was tired. There a burger place next door to the Hilton and some went next door to get a hamburger because after this stop was the best meal they would ever have, Rice and Beans or Beans with Rice. Then they would get a treat for a week – Rice and Beans. Just ask any one of them if they want some rice and beans.
So it’s the 21st and we are off to Neiba. It is a 4 hour ride and we stopped along the way at Burger King of all places for a clean bathroom and one last hamburger. We arrived in Neiba and everyone received a room. There was some swapping around and the air did not work in every room and now they are seeing the accommodations for the first time. Nobody complained and I was worried they would not be happy but this group just got settled with no complaints.
Everybody is settled and now comes the mission. The orphanage needed so much. I had called for an ok prior to the group and was told to get their opinion. It turns out their opinion went way past what I planned. We ended up purchasing a new refrigerator and a new stove top. And in the process we ended up with a free fan. The kids loved everything that was either purchased or brought for them. It was such a blessed event.
So, let’s get back to what happened along the way. On Sunday we departed for Jimani where everyone went to church and found the experience very different. They arrived and found that the church was very small and very poor. They accepted the church and sat down and enjoyed the service. The biggest difference was the people and the surroundings. They were situated in a very hot environment and a very small room, but they accepted it without complaints and without judgments. They were so agreeable! This is so important when going to a different country and a different environment. When the service was over we took pictures and departed. Along the way back we stopped at a prearranged place for lunch, at an outdoor café under a canopy of trees. The local people came there to sell and buy articles and to swim. We ate Beans and Rice with fried chicken parts.
After lunch we headed back to Neiba. We arrived and had a meeting with all the people involved in the VBS. Then later that evening it was church. The group’s first large church experience. The feedback was very good. Then off to the hotel for cold water showers, which did feel good. We did have supper before church. It was Rice and Beans with fried chicken parts, parts that were cut very strangely. Since it is redundant to remind you of what we ate, I will say now we ate Rice and Beans with fried chicken parts every day except the day before we left Neiba, we ordered pizza for supper. After several days of Rice and beans we tried the ham sandwiches which turned out to be good. We had that for two days but all other meals were BEANS and RICE!!
Then came VBS. It turned out so well. I will let others tell you about it. When we left for Santo Domingo everyone was ready. Nice hot showers and a swimming pool. There were no real problems anywhere just new experiences. I feel that everyone did have a memorable trip, something they will keep forever.
Dave Heath
