Saturday, March 1, 2008

Welcome to Haiti.

Our plane landed in Port au Prince, Haiti, early in the morning on February 20th. With much anticipation, Eric and I faced the front of the plane and waited to de-board. We sensed movement and light behind us, and turned around to discover that people we de-boarding the plane from the front AND the back – everyone behind us had disappeared. Pleased to discover we had very quickly moved from the back of the line to the front, Eric and I walked to the back door of the plane and emerged to discover Haiti.

I have found that there are moments in my life that seem to stop time. A moment (an image, a feeling, a conversation) that I immediately know will become a part of me. Emerging out of the plane in Haiti was one of these moments.

The details that stopped in time:
- The plane parked in the middle of the runway.
- The sight of hundreds of Haitians carrying suitcases, walking from the plane, across the pavement and towards the airport.
- The view from the top of the metal airplane steps.
- The mountains and palm trees and desert all around.
- The live music beckoning us from the airport.
- The warm air swirling.

Welcome to Haiti.

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