Day 2 of Traveling North

by Megan Cavanaugh

February 12, 2010

Yesterday was another day full of bus traveling, but at least a bit less chaotic than the day before. We think positive! In my opinion there are only a few things worth mentioning about yesterday.

First, we stopped at a bus stop in the Dominican border and had some of the best coffee I've had in my entire life. We also ran into Rinkah Hill, she and her husband are fellow members of the Cap Haitien Health Network and live in Haiti running a new hospital in the north. When the earthquake hit, they kind of had to open on the fly in order to accomodate overflow from other hospitals in the north. We are happy to see a familiar face. I hear a horror story about how some people had no idea what an earthquake was so when it hit they ran INSIDE buildings and homes for shelter and were killed. This is so sad but makes sense- there hasn't been a earthquake in Haiti in almost 200 years, why would people know what to do?

When we arrived in Cap Haitien, the main city in the north, it was getting dark. Father Dorcin was a welcome sight, there to greet us with a pick up truck. Always reliable, always cheerful. We load all the stuff in the bed of the pickup truck and climb in. We completely fill the bed. I happily volunteer to ride in the back on top of all the luggage. If I had it my way this would be the only way I'd ever travel- the bed of a truck with the warm air rushing at you. We roll through the city of Cap Haitien which is still bustling from the day. It has the smell of a Haitian city- salt air, charcoal and diesel.

We see some wounded people walking around, crutches, bandages etc. No doubt this city had an influx of earthquake refugees. I am so grateful this city was not destroyed by the earthquake with its houses stacked upon each other built into the side of the mountain. It's a pretty amazing sight.

We bump along in the truck out of the city. The air is warm and feels great. I've read a small amount of Haitian history and I've got way more to learn, and who better to ask than someone who lived it so I ask Papito to tell me about Aristide. He is a wealth of information, and I learn a bit about the good, the bad, and the fear.

We pull farther out of the city on the stretch of highway, the lights of the city become a glow over the horizon. I remember the first time I came to Jakzil and riding on this road was not even remotely the same. It was dirt, huge rolls and potholes you couldn't go faster than 30 mph for fear of losing a wheel. Now it is smooooooth. In the country it is dark and we only see one other car for the next thirty minutes, though I do see a few people on horses trotting down the other side of the road. No street lights and empty flat road we dodge the cows and goats that are napping in the middle of the warm cement. This makes me remember a time in the past we drove down this road at night with only one headlight and everyone had to be a cow spotter.

Holy stars, I've never been anyplace where you could see so many. And I see at least half a dozen shooting stars before we get to the dirt road turn off that leads to the town of Jakzil. It's smells like jasmine the whole way down the road. Calming and welcoming, I am so happy to have arrived in Jakzil.