A Risk Worth Taking

Now you get a different take on our trip from my husband's point of view... Enjoy!

For those that know me, you know that I am not a big fan of the heat. For those that don’t know me so well, the reason is because I have a condition that does not allow me to sweat. In fact, I was born without sweat glands (a condition called Ectodermal Dysplasia). Basically when your body begins to get hot, your sweat glands begin to work emitting sweat which releases heat and keeps your body cool. When my body gets hot, there is no mechanism to release the heat and cool my core body temperature. The only way for me to cool off is to get inside a cool climate controlled building or car, jump in a pool or cold shower, or simply anything that can be applied to my skin to help cool me down. If I don’t get cooled off quickly, the result could be anything from passing out, heat stroke and even death.

Many people may not think that this condition would present many problems but it impacts so many decisions that I make and have had to make my entire life. In fact, from the moment Lori and I began discussing adopting from Haiti, my first concerns were how in the world I would be able to go to the poorest country in the western hemisphere, which still hasn’t recovered from a massive earthquake, and where air conditioning and electricity are non-existent or sketchy at best. To most people, safety from theft, robbery, kidnapping, etc. are the first things that come to mind when considering traveling to somewhere like Haiti. For me, it was and still is the heat.

So as we continued through our adoption process, my biggest concern was knowing that I had to make one trip to Port Au Prince for a court hearing. I just knew this was going to happen in July or August when temperatures in PAP were highest. Things that most “normal” people never would have to think about run through my head. What is the temperature going to be when I have to go to Haiti? Can I get an early morning flight so that I don’t arrive at the peak temperature? Or should I get a flight that comes in at night? Is the airport air conditioned? How far do we have to walk to get to the car? Are the cars air conditioned? Are the cars reliable? What if the car breaks down, how would I get cooled off? Is the guest house air conditioned? Does it have running water? Is the court air conditioned? What do I do if it is not? These are just a few of the many questions that ran through my head day in and day out.

When we got word that our lower court date had been set for Friday, January 13, a very small part of me was relieved, but most of me was still concerned. January is the coolest month of the year for Haiti with average highs in the low 90s (still very concerned). But by the Grace of God, we made it. Our flight arrived in the late afternoon after temperatures had been coming down. Even though our planned driver left us stranded, our taxi, as scary as it was, had a very good air conditioner.

On Friday, our court appearance was scheduled for 9:00am. Yet another prayer answered. With court being so early in the morning, I shouldn’t have to worry about getting there in an un-air conditioned vehicle because the temperatures are still mild. We have been told lower court is very quick, just sign a couple of pieces of paper, meet the parents, and that’s it. So if court isn’t air conditioned, it should be handled quickly and we’ll be on our way back. Well, unfortunately, Dr. Bernard had made a doctor’s appointment with his cardiologist for Friday morning because he had not been feeling well. So he loads about 10 or 12 of us on a bus and tells us that the bus is going to take us around town, see some sites and do some shopping while he goes to the Doctor. He said it didn’t really matter what time we got to court, that when we got there, we would take care of business at that time. Obviously, that wasn’t going to work for me.

After explaining my condition to Dr. Bernard, he decided to put me in his car (which is a new Toyota Land Cruiser) with him, his driver and another couple who was going to the airport. After dropping off the couple at the airport and on our way to his doctor’s office, we have a wreck. When I say a wreck, in the U.S. we would have stopped, gotten out, exchanged insurance and phone numbers, maybe called the police. Not over there. After getting hit in the rear passenger side of the car and giving a good tongue lashing to his driver, Dr. B stuck his head out the window, shouted something to the other car, and we were off again. Did I mention we were in a very nice new car?

So after dropping Dr. B off at the doctor, his driver takes me to court. At this point, I’m not sure what I was expecting but it wasn’t what we pulled up in front of. It turns out that the court buildings were destroyed in the earthquake so the court reporters come to you in Haiti. So we ended up at Dr. B’s office. Luckily, the 1970’s window A/C unit was still humming along and office temperature was tolerable (best word I can come up with). It’s a good thing because none of the other buildings around looked like they even had A/C. After signing papers, meeting the parents and waiting about three and a half hours on Dr. B to get back from the Doctor, we headed back to the Creche in the Toyota. Only this time we had some new company… a mama, her infant son and daughter going to the crèche with us.

It was a little steamy in the car on the way back because of the number of us and we were stuck in traffic but we made it. By the time we got back to the Creche, it was 5:30pm or so (remember our appointment was at 9:00am) and the temperature was dropping, especially up in the mountains. The next morning, I had to leave the Creche by 6:30am to make my flight. We took the Creche’s white passenger van with no A/C this time. But because it was so early and I was going to the airport, I wasn’t too concerned. The driver dropped me off in front of the airport, I went right in and walked upstairs to a nice air conditioned waiting area. As funny as it sounds, from my perspective, this was the point where I felt like I had simply, but literally, survived the trip.

Unfortunately, I don’t think I will be able to see the kids again until they come home. This trip was far too risky for me to begin with, and I would be pushing it to go again. But the reward was and will be well worth the risk. Almost everything is out of your control in Haiti. Dr. B and his staff are amazing, wonderful people doing amazing work. But phone reception is sketchy, transportation is unreliable and for me and my condition, the heat is absolutely unbearable. Fortunately for this trip, everything fell into place from the timing in the coolest month to an unplanned, extremely scary (yet air conditioned) taxi ride to an air conditioned ride with a wonderful, Godly man (Dr. B). God had his hands on us the entire time. My only regret is that I didn’t get to spend more time with the kids. And while I’m sad that I don’t know when I will see them again, I am blessed for at least getting to meet, see and play with them for the short time I was there. This was definitely a trip I will never forget!!