Home, sweet home.

Yes, we finally made it back to Peoria. Safe and tired. Many of the team were awake all night and ready to leave. I was up at 4: and the coffee was ready. We left the clinic at 5:30 for lovely Jacmel airport. We were told to be there for weigh in. In typical Haitian fashion we stood around until 8:30 AM before our 7 AM plane showed up. We were able to load all of our bags and tote boxes on the plane. I had my doubts but we managed. Since our group was down to 14 that made it somewhat easier. We got to the small airport and loaded gear and us on a very nice bus and off to the international terminal. That was the usual zoo with crowds and impatient people. We finally got us all checked in and went to the snack bar/gift shop/rum store for the traditional purchases of a Haitian Hot dog. Souvenir t-Shirt, and case of rum. They were out of the 15 year rum so we got a case of 5 star for FOTCOH fundraiser. Our plane was nearly on time and full. We arrived in Miami and our luggage followed son. Debbie had checked her carry on and her digital camera was missing. That was heartbreaking. We shoved our checked baggage through customs and breezed through that. Now we have 5 hours to wait, eat, read & relax. Around 5 we arrived at the gate area. The Miami airport was very crowded & busy so we chose to pass through security early. At the gate area, since we were split into two flight 1 hour apart we stayed together because our gates for departure were next to each other. American was over booked so the early 6, (Donna and I included) chose to get bumped to the later flight with the rest of the team. Donna and I were finally hungry but the nearby snack shop was almost out of food. That reminded us of our recent Haitian experience of toilet paper and food shortages. Fortified with a warm Cuban sandwich we got on the plane which was late but we could not change that. At least it was there and we were 1 step closer to home. We arrived in Chicago sometime around 10:30 pm . Some of our bags and boxes were on the earlier flight and the boxes were in baggage claim. The rest of our luggage came, except Debbie's carry on. After a 1 hour search and confrontation with the lost luggage counter, she found her bag about to be put into the lost luggage room and we headed for the charter bus. We had lost the driver's cell phone so we played telephone tag for awhile as he was driving around and around the airport. We again managed to fit it all on to the bus and took off. We made a rest stop in Dwight Illinois at the McDonald's and it took 45 minutes for that sleepy crew to prepare some food. We arrived in Peoria sometime around 2 or 2:. I never consulted my watch. We were home, showered, and ready for bed at 3:30 AM. Up at 7:30 AM and tired all day. We downloaded our pictures and I plan to post them here this weekend., so please stay tuned.

I sincerely want to thank you for your many prayers and for your support. As I said, I plan to post pictures soon and also after the picture party which has not been announced. I still plan on going in late May as there remains no other available pharmacist. Perhaps you can include that in your prayers. Thanks for putting up with my mis-spellings & poor grammar. I know there is a nun somewhere in Heaven who is reading this with anger.
God bless the Haitian people with peace and prosperity. May God bless all of you.