Haiti Trip #2 - Latifeau

This is a copy of what was posted in my church weekly email.

Alan Bowling is joining a team from Engineering Ministries International to work with Grace International Haiti to design a prototype sustainable community in Latifeau, Haiti. He flies out Friday 4th and returns Sunday 13th.

The EMI team of 15 professionals will design a prototype sustainable community for displaced survivors of last year's earthquake. EMI will master plan a 105 acre campus for a new town of 3,000+ people, including homes, community center, school, church and market. 70 acres of the property will be prepared for agri-business, fish farming and sugar cane.

Additional Non-Governmental Organizations involved with the project include Forward Edge, Project Eden, Fuller Center for Housing, Project Gaia and NIKE.

Prayer for this trip:
1. Bowling Family - Maggie and the kids have a smooth time.
2. Team Cohesion - 15 strangers in strange quarters doing a heap of work in a short time
3. Holy Spirit guidance on the ability to make quality decisions
4. Property - a special blessing on this land and the hope it can provide for a community of Haitians.
5. God-success on this project, however He chooses to define it (not be limited by our assumptions and understanding of what success is).

The Blessing of Affirmation

John the Baptist is rotting in prison, and while we do not know the exact nature of that state, I am sure the conditions were difficult. It may be that John was placed there by King Herod for his own safety, seeing as though John spent his days sending daggers of truth at the Powers who preferred the darkness. This safe keeping proved short-lived.

He is no longer John the Baptizer; rather, he is John the End-is-Near. It is dark, and I imagine John's surroundings began to corrupt his inner soul. Why am I here? What was I doing? Where did things go wrong? John sends his friends to Jesus. "Please see if He is the One. I want to know if this was worth it."

When they asked, Jesus responds "Look around you... and tell John what you see. What he has done has prepared the way, helped open doors, and the seeds he laid are beginning to take root.

'John, people do not know what to make of you; they gossip over you, and are not sure to bow to or avoid you. But when I see you, I see your forbearer Elijah.'

You go back and tell him."

Matthew 11:14

Roller Ratings

As we return to life on the ground, I thought it worth providing my followers a roller coaster score from this past week. I will try to be fair, not judging by the sheer intensity of individual experience & recognizing that each coaster ought to be judged on whether it lives up to its own hype.

Magic Kingdom Space Mountain: 7/10 - The classic Disney ride. With all the trappings of a heart-racing experience, I found myself a bit aloof at the 80's music and stale references to the 70's space program. However, the consistent speed and the twirls did wonders for my hair. Rode with dad & Emily.

Magic Kingdom Big Thunder Mountain: 9/10 - For what it lacks in G-forces, it makes up in scenery, rickety-ness, and the continuous fear that we are going to fly off the tracks. Extra kudos because the whole family was able to partake, with Eliza burying her head in dad's lap throughout.

Animal Kingdom Everest: 8/10 - Clearly, I was a bit shook up by this one. One, I haven't cast my lot on whether the Yeti actually exists, so having one's shadow come racing towards me did not help with my post-lunch digestion. Going backwards was a good touch, and by the 2nd round with mom, my nerves had loosened. Certainly the scariest of the rides.

Hollywood Studios Rock-n-Roller Coaster: 8/10 - Pretty well makes the day at Hollywood worthwhile. Rode it once with mom and again with dad & Emily.

Magic Kingdom Goofy's Barnstormer: 8/10 - While it is not in the same category as the big boys, you must always stay true to your first love (as well as your first roller coaster, 2007). Fun for the whole family, with a couple of good dips and some acceleration along the turns. Everyone rides.

Epcot Maelstrom: 6/10 - Emily loves this one (always the one for historical fiction), but I found the trolls a bit disturbing, especially riding this at night just before returning to our tents and sleeping bags.

Cool Runnings

A quick note before I crawl into my sleeping bag. It is 10:45 and we've just walked a half-mile from the movie screen to our campsite. Garrett and Eliza are fast asleep, and Mommy is reading in the warmth of the laundry room across the drive.

We cut things short at Animal Kingdom today to meet Ethan and Micah for a quick play-date at the Trail's End restaurant, with a night-cap of campfire marshmallows, singing and dancing with Chip and Dale.

As the rest of the crowd succumbed to the call of the pillow, Louise, Daddy and I shivered our way through a drive-thru style screening of Cool Runnings, which I believe is one of John Candy's last great performances. Surrounded by planners and their woolen blankets, we held ourselves close and endured.

This week has been packed full of fun. This moment will be one I proudly remember. Goodnight.

Opening Ceremonies

Eliza:
Things began well this morning. We woke at first light to the sound of 58-passenger diesel buses stopping within a stones throw of what we had been led to believe was a pristine campsite, but were quickly on our way across the water to Magic Kingdom.

Arriving with the gates still held shut by pixie dust, we were welcomed by Mickey and all of his compatriots and then allowed to follow the rush to the center of the universe. Garrett was trampled, but the rest of us passed through unscathed.

Mom was jonesing for some coffee, so dad took us to the first ride we found: Stitch's Great Escape.

Things went well right up until the start of the experience, which is when they strapped us into our seats, turned the lights out, started blowing smoke in our face, commenced to screaming, and had faintly glowing images of Stitch jumping through the room. It had all of the elements of a joy-filled memorable Disney ride experience except joy, happiness and the sense that we were not going to be eaten.

All was well when they stopped 90 seconds later, with me curled under Daddy's right arm and Garrett curled under his left. He wiped our tears away and promised us ice-cream. Where is Mommy? Let's hope that the day improves from here.