The distance between Florida and Haiti is approximately 838 miles. Those 838 miles make all the difference in the world though. Having been back in the United States for just under a week, I’ve been really cognizant of this.  We are so close together yet so different.

My first day back I turned on the shower and was immediately aware of how much water pressure there is in my shower. I had nothing to complain about in our hotel in Cap Haitien, in fact I loved it. However, the water pressure in the shower was more of a sprinkle than a shower. It got the job done but it was not what we are used to.

Later as I drove around town, I became aware of how clean and empty the streets were. There was still traffic but there were no close calls. No pedestrians of motorcycles with misses that were literally inches from my vehicle. There was no trash covering the ground like an unwelcome blanket of snow on a very warm day. There might be an occasional newspaper or bottle here or there, but it definitely was not anything like what we saw in Haiti.

Then there was the harbor. Cap Haitien has a harbor that COULD be beautiful. Unfortunately, it isn’t. Instead it is harbor full of sunken boats, garbage, and unrealized potential. As I drove through Huntington Harbor the difference couldn’t have been more stark.

Haiti is an absolutely beautiful country. There are some absolutely beautiful scenes and locations that look like they are straight of a movie. Then right next to it are areas scattered with litter and debris. It is amazing to me at how much of a difference can be found just within the country. Then move less than a thousand miles away to the United States and things are even more different. Technology is different. Transportation is different. Lifestyles are completely different.

Haiti is a country that seems to not be able to catch a break. However, there are organizations like the Reliv Kalogris Foundation that continue to make a difference, one person at a time. As they help one person at a time, they are bringing hope and change to this country. I only hope that someday all of these little seeds of hope will grow into something that helps Haiti realize its potential and help the people of Haiti live happier and healthier lives.

About Post Author

Robert A. Laird

Robert A. Laird is an entrepreneur and also Executive Director - Creative for Shepherd's Grove Presbyterian Church/Hour of Power with Bobby Schuller where he oversees the television show of the same name. He also works with the Reliv Kalogris Foundation as it strives to feed starving children around the globe.

robert.laird@dapsmagic.com

http://robertlaird.me

Happy

0 0 %

Sad

0 0 %

Excited

0 0 %

Sleepy

0 0 %

Angry

0 0 %

Surprise

0 0 %

Today begins my third trip to Cap Haitian, Haiti. The first day really is all about getting to Miami so that tomorrow morning we can fly into Haiti. The day began quite early with the goal of getting to Los Angeles International Airport by 7:30 for a 9:00 flight. Traffic was light until arriving at the airport. The rainstorm that hit Southern California yesterday and cancelled lots of flights apparently led to rescheduled travel today. Finally arriving at our terminal, the check in was smooth and so was security (even if it was a bit slow). 

Finally through security there was just enough time to stop by Starbucks and arrive at our gate just as it was boarding. The boarding process was quick enough and it seemed like this would be a fairly smooth flight to Miami… until I looked out the window and saw two mechanics working under the wing of our Boeing 777-300. No announcements had been made so I didn’t really take much notice of it. As time went by, nothing seemed to be happening and our departure time came and went. A brief announcement was made that there was a small issue that would be quickly fixed and we’d be on our way. Knowing that we would be leaving soon, I decided to play with the in-flight entertainment system. I was pleased to discover there was quite a large selection of movies to enjoy. Seeing that we’ve been watching The Lord of The Rings trilogy, when I found The Hobbit it seemed only appropriate to throw it on. Soon I was engrossed in the movie and time was going by but the ground underneath us was not. 

An hour later, we still found our plane sitting at the gate. An announcement was made that things might be a bit more serious than originally thought. More mechanics and trucks arrived. The pilot reassured the passengers that every effort was being made to get us off the ground shortly and he hoped to have information soon. 

The next announcement was made nearly a half hour later. This time, everyone was asked to disembark from the airplane as the gate was needed for another plane. We were instructed to grab all carry on items and go to another terminal where the plane would hopefully meet us… once they figured out what gate it would be meeting us at… assuming they could get the mechanical issue figured out. 

The plane quickly emptied and we all made our way towards what was presumed to be our new terminal. Halfway there, an announcement was heard instructing all on our flight to return to the original gate. Turning around, we made our way back to the gate where we found they were already re-boarding the plane. Once on board and back in our seats, we were told that a few passengers were being rounded up and that soon we would be under way. One of these passengers that was not on the plane was two seats over from me and had difficulty with English. Another half hour or so later my row-mate had arrived and the Captain was telling us that we would be under away soon…. again. 

Finally, the plane backed out and sat until two other planes were out of the way to allow us to leave. Then began the very long wait to actually get to the runway. As we waited, the Captain announced that there were just 10 planes in front of us and that it would take three to four minutes per plane. During this wait, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey reached its conclusion. As we finally barreled down the runway, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug began and we lifted off for Miami. 

We are now scheduled to get into Miami shortly before 8:00 PM tonight and tomorrow we will be flying to Cap Haitian, Haiti. As I’m writing this, we are flying over Oklahoma City and I am looking forward to being able to walk again (there has been some turbulence so the seatbelt sign is still on). By my calculations, we’ll have been sitting on this plane around 8 hours by the time we arrive in Miami. To say today has been an adventure would probably be quite the understatement. 

Once we arrive in Miami we will make our way to the hotel, get a bite to eat, celebrate National Wine Day, and I plan on shooting my first video of the trip. Throughout this trip I will attempt to shoot one video a day and post it on my YouTube page. I will probably also include them with the daily updates here on this website. We will also get to connect with all the people we will be traveling with, including Scott Montgomery who is the Chairman of the Reliv Kalogris Foundation and an all around awesome guy. 

If you would like to support the Reliv Kalogris Foundation and the work it does both in Haiti and around the globe, please feel free to share these reports from our trip and help raise awareness of what the Reliv Kalogris Foundation is doing. You can also follow along on my instagram (@roebearlaird) and the Reliv Kalogris Foundation instagram (@relivkalogrisfoundation). 

If you have any questions about the Reliv Kalogris Foundation and what it does, please feel free to ask them in the comments section below! Thank you for reading and for any support you might offer to the Reliv Kalogris Foundation! 

About Post Author

Robert A. Laird

Robert A. Laird is an entrepreneur and also Executive Director - Creative for Shepherd's Grove Presbyterian Church/Hour of Power with Bobby Schuller where he oversees the television show of the same name. He also works with the Reliv Kalogris Foundation as it strives to feed starving children around the globe.

robert.laird@dapsmagic.com

http://robertlaird.me

Happy

0 0 %

Sad

0 0 %

Excited

0 0 %

Sleepy

0 0 %

Angry

0 0 %

Surprise

0 0 %