The countdown begins. 7 days till takeoff...

There was never any doubt in my mind when I went thru the doors of the airport and boarded my flight to the States that I would be coming back to Haiti the following year. The love I felt and the need to help the children was overwhelming. I would never view my life or the abundant blessings I enjoy everyday the same way again. It was surreal to come back to comfortable surroundings, air conditioning, clean water, and plenty of food for the asking. All a stark contrast to starving people, bathing and drinking filthy disease infested water, and living on the streets with no hope for the future.
Almost upon my return, I started volunteering in various capacities for Haiti Foundation Against Poverty. This is the organization that drew my interest in the first place and of whom with I traveled to the country. I now serve on the board as it's educational director.
My enthusiasm for Haiti has just been contagious. My school (Eagle Crest Charter Academy in Holland, MI), the staff, it's students, and their parents have been some of our biggest supporters. Together they raised over $5,000, not to mention providing child sponsorships, medical and school supplies, toiletries, food, backpacks, shoes, and clothing. There was hardly a week that has gone by since the beginning of the school year that some item was dropped off in my classroom for Haiti. One of our teachers will also be traveling down the second week of my trip to join me. I can't express my thanks enough for this over the top giving. You have all been such a blessing to me.
I find that I am 7 days from my departure date. Hard to believe that after all this waiting it is just right around the corner. So much to do before I leave, but first I must finish all my responsibilities at school to close out the year. Things have really come together there and the Lord has provided the stamina to keep on keeping on.
This weekend I hope to do some creative packing that will allow me to take down all the the early childhood manipulatives that the kindergartners at EC purchased for the little ones at the Les Bours School of Hope. We were able to purchase almost $1,000 worth of hands on learning. I am allowed 2 suitcases of 50 pounds each as well as a 40 pound carry on. Somewhere in those figures, I need to stuff in my own personal items and clothes, as well as snack type food for lunches. We are out working during the noon hour and there is just no where to purchase safe food, so we pack our own.
I also start my first in a series of malaria pills on Friday. I had little to no side effects last year so I am hoping for the same. There have not been the series of shots and meds that were required of me last year. Typhoid pills are good for 5 years, tetanus up to date, Hep series completed. Some mission trips do not require you to medicate, but seeing what I have seen, I would never go without them.
Thank you for reading my first post. I hope this will be one of many over the coming days and weeks of my trip.