Citadel  Team

   

This morning we woke up early for our trip to Citadelle Lefierre.  Upon the arrival of our truck, we exited the complex and started our trip north-bound.  In the early morning sky we got a glimpse at the wondrous beauty of the many stars and what we believed to be the planet Venus.  After witnessing the sunrise, and being about halfway to our destination, we stopped in the town of Dondon.  Locals had set up a street-side breakfast market with eggs, roasted nuts, bananas, hot coffee, and more!  Feeling well-fed, we drove off once more on our journey to the citadel.

 

Upon the completion of our citadel-bound drive through country that looked like a Jurassic Park filming location, we arrived at the bottom of the mountain on which the citadel sits.  Here, tourists can find the Sans Souci Palace.  This palace is the gateway to the great fortress on top of the mountain.  At Sans Souci Palace, we met up with our day’s tour guide, Johny.  Johny gave us a very fascinating history about the palace, the citadel, and the leader that inspired them, King Henri Kristof.  In the 1820s to 1840s the palace was destroyed by a great earthquake, but the great skill of the architect is still impressive. 

 

   

Following a short tour through the palace, we got back in our truck to begin a climb up the mountain.  (At one point we got out of the truck and walked the rest of the way.)  We reached the citadel and began our tour in the outer courtyard of the great fortress.  Walking the stacks of cannonballs, we began our unorthodox exploration of the historic site.  About halfway through the tour, we stopped to have lunch, sharing our PB&J sandwiches and bananas with everyone within sight, including workers, security, and tourists.  I spilled some strawberry on a historic site, but nobody cared to complain since we had bribed the security service with lunch (rules forbade taking food and drinks into the citadel, but I guess they’re more like guidelines).  Our bribery continued to pay off later, when security allowed us into a blocked off area (which really stressed out Johny).  While moseying about the fortress, Logan and I rebalanced a cannon with our weight in an attempt to check for a cannonball, but ended up finding a beer bottle that had been stashed within. 

 

 

 

When the whole citadel had been explored, we made our way back to Pignon.  We met up with Terri and Cadena who had stayed behind, and exchanged stories as we waited for dinner.  After eating some Haitian pizza, Breanna, Joslyn, and Cade got their hair braided. 

 

-Ryan VerMeer with help from Kade and Logan

 

 

Today Cadena and I stayed at the campus to do some painting.  After lunch we rode on moto’s (motorcycles) to Savanette to visit the family of the child I sponsor in the Thrive program.  This is a highlight of the trip for me.  I last saw Victoria two years ago.  We brought them food, rice, beans, spaghetti, margarine, oil, laundry soap and a few other things. 

 

 

God has blessed me with the resources to be able to sponsor a child.  Once you see the poverty and realize there is something you can do.  How can you not help?

 

Terri visiting her sponsor child!

 

We also met Victoria’s older siblings, they were happy to receive dresses, dolls and a little wooden car.  Before leaving we had the opportunity to pray with and for this family.

 

Terri and Cadena