Hello and thank you so much for your interest in RTPI’s 2018 mission trip to the Island of LaGonave Haiti. This year’s mission team is made up of Alfonso Kirk (Murrieta CA), Christopher Coleman (Tampa FL) and Bill Parker (Jackson MS). Alfonso arrived in Tampa on Tuesday Nov. 13th and Bill arrived on Sunday Nov. 18th. Saturday and Sunday were spent collecting last minute supplies and completing the packing process. Because our villages are extremely remote, it’s imperative that our team travel with all of their necessary supplies. Unfortunately due to a bag embargo imposed by American Airlines, our team was limited to 2 bags a piece with no option to pay for additional baggage. But the team did a great job of maximizing the space they had, including their carry-on bags to be able to include all of their supplies as well as some medicine, hygiene products and clothes for the people of our villages.
The team made it through security at Tampa International Airport with little issue (although their stuffed carry-on bags did get flagged and needed to be inspected☺) and arrived at their boarding gate with plenty of time to spare. They arrived in Port Au Prince around 12:30 p.m. local time where they met up with our Haitian Pastor, Pierre Fedner, who had traveled from the island to meet the team. From there they had to hustle to the headquarters of Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) to catch their charter flight over to the island of LaGonave. MAF is a wonderful organization that has been a tremendous blessing to our work in Haiti. Prior to connecting with them our team had to travel by car, 2 hours up the coast of the mainland to catch the “slow boat” over to the island. This boat ride, which is powered primarily by sails, takes several hours and has proven to be quite dangerous. Now, thanks to MAF the trip to the island has become much quicker and safer for our teams.
The last communication we had with the team came around 3:30 p.m. local time. They had arrived safely on the island and were heading up the mountain to the village of LaGonave. Once in the village the team will no longer have a cell signal so we do not anticipate hearing from them until Wednesday when they will travel part way down the mountain to the market in the village of Palmas.
We are so grateful for your support and prayers. This is a difficult trip both physically and spiritual and our teams always report that they can “feel” your prayers and draw strength and encouragement from them. Please continue to check in with us over the course of the next 10 days as we update you and inform you of specific prayer requests as we receive them.
The team made it through security at Tampa International Airport with little issue (although their stuffed carry-on bags did get flagged and needed to be inspected☺) and arrived at their boarding gate with plenty of time to spare. They arrived in Port Au Prince around 12:30 p.m. local time where they met up with our Haitian Pastor, Pierre Fedner, who had traveled from the island to meet the team. From there they had to hustle to the headquarters of Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) to catch their charter flight over to the island of LaGonave. MAF is a wonderful organization that has been a tremendous blessing to our work in Haiti. Prior to connecting with them our team had to travel by car, 2 hours up the coast of the mainland to catch the “slow boat” over to the island. This boat ride, which is powered primarily by sails, takes several hours and has proven to be quite dangerous. Now, thanks to MAF the trip to the island has become much quicker and safer for our teams.
The last communication we had with the team came around 3:30 p.m. local time. They had arrived safely on the island and were heading up the mountain to the village of LaGonave. Once in the village the team will no longer have a cell signal so we do not anticipate hearing from them until Wednesday when they will travel part way down the mountain to the market in the village of Palmas.
We are so grateful for your support and prayers. This is a difficult trip both physically and spiritual and our teams always report that they can “feel” your prayers and draw strength and encouragement from them. Please continue to check in with us over the course of the next 10 days as we update you and inform you of specific prayer requests as we receive them.