tap tap

So today I rode in my first Haitian tap tap. Now you may be thinking to yourself, "What in the world is a tap tap?". Let me explain: people in Haiti don't drive. Cars are too expensize, when do you have time to learn, there is SO much traffic, etc. So they either walk or ride a tap tap. A tap tap is like the taxi of Haiti. That is basically all you see on the roads tap taps and relief vehicles. It is a tiny truck with a covered bed, and bneches. In America we could fit maybe 6-8 people, they fit like 15! You don't hop in and tell the driver where you want to go, each truck has a stretch of road they drive, adn you just wave them down. You hop on and when you want to get off you "tap tap" the back glass to let the driver know you want off. Then you pay normally 5 goudes a ride (which is basically 8 cents). Tap taps are usually brightly colored in the craziest patterns.The funniest thing about tap taps is that they always have something about Jesus across the front, "I love Jesus". "Thank you Jesus", etc and the back or sides are covered with names and faces of rappers! It's hilarious.

So everyone was in all different places this morning, but Erica and I still wanted to go to church. Our gatekeeper/security/body guard of the house said he would take us. He does not have his license so we would take the tap tap to church. Totally fine, and really excited. We had to get the full Haitian experience. The thing with tap taps is you do call one up to come get you, you have to get to a pick up spot or to a road and wave one down. So we had to walk in true Haitian style to the road, Down our big hill, down the road a ways to the main road people drive. After a few full ones past, one came by with just enough room for us. We took this tap tap down to the big intersection. We got off and walked down to the pick up spot to get to church. There were so many people walking around, and waiting for tap taps. The streets are covered in mud and trash and we had to carefully walk through it to find a tap tap. Eventually we hop on one. Next stop First Baptist Church of Pernier, or so we thought. We get a little ways down the road and we here a big pop! The tire had completely busted!! I felt kind of bad for the guy, but what could be do. So we walked the rest of the way to church.

After church we waited and waited and waited for a tap tap. We probably stood outside of the church for 30-45 minutes waiting for a tap tap. But they were all so full!! No way we could fit. So one of Zeke's friend had a vehicle being washed across the street so he gave us a life to the big intersection and we took a tap tap to the turn off to our house.  What an experience! I felt like such a Haitian. Walking around in the heat, hoping on tap taps, and tapping away. Though it was a lot of waking and waiting, I am SO glad we did it. Such a fun story and a great experience!

As we were walking the mile or so to the house I began to realize that this is some peoples everyday life. It really hit me how good we have it in America. I mean I understand the cultural difference, but some of these people walk for forever in the heat carrying children, going tp work, going to church, going to the store. Anything in their daily life is spent fighting over a seat or hand raining in a tap tap so they can get where they are going. Or walking for hours in the sun trying to provide for their family. We complain about having to walk around campus for 15 minutes between classes in the heat or cold, when a lot of these people don't even know what air conditioner is. I pray that I don't lose that since of appreciation for what I have been blessed with. I love that He gave me this great day, and I hope to take a tap tap again!