In Haiti, there's always another mountain behind the mountain.

Bonjou! It's co-leader Maddie! What a beautiful and powerful day in Fond Tortue it has been for Team Haiti. Our day started with a Haitian delicacy for breakfast - pumpkin soup! It was a delicious and wonderful way to start our final full day in Fond Tortue. After eating breakfast, we headed to the community church to celebrate mass for Ash Wednesday. We arrived after a short fifteen minute walk through the town. As a whole, Team Haiti found Mass to be a humbling and awe-inspiring experience. The congregation felt like home to the group, even those who aren't Catholic. The young priest and the congregation were very welcoming to us. For the members of Team Haiti who are Catholic, Mass was a time where the true meaning of Universal Church came to light. After Mass the group decided to go on a hike through the Haitian mountains. Originally, the plan was to a hike a mountain that we had already been up, but that changed when the kids in the village wanted to take us up a different mountain. We agreed and our adventurous mid-day activity began! For some (mainly me) the hike was challenging and honestly extremely sweaty. But the different views of the village and the group bonding made it all worth it! After arriving back from the long and adventurous hike we all enjoyed a yummy lunch! Following lunch we had a little time to rest before François took us on a tour through the village to show us the devastation of Hurricane Matthew and explain the process that the coffee goes through from plant all the way to bean! Seeing the devastation from the Hurricane throughout the village left the group feeling somber and upset that the houses couldn't be immediately fixed. François also showed us the process that the coffee growers go through to prepare the coffee bean for Just Haiti coffee. For the group it was a experience that showed them just how much labor and intention goes into preparing the coffee bean for consumption. Well, friends and family, it's been an insightful and impactful few days in Fond Tortue and we are very sad to be leaving tomorrow. But, we are also looking forward to experience Port-au-Prince and all that the rest of this week has in store for us! Thanks for reading the blog and we'll be home soon...but not too soon. :) Peace and Prayers! Maddie