First impressions are said to be important. Arriving to Haiti by air, hills of deep green rise out of the blue ocean beneath the clouds, a beautiful island nation. As we leave Port-au-Prince to travel to Thomassique, we drive through those verdant green hills, along mountain ridges with views of wide valleys. We drive alongside and over rivers and lakes, all framed by palm trees, green bushes, farmlands, and occasional tropical flowers dotting the green, under a bright blue sky.

Views during our stay include a star-studded velvet sky, a hike alongside a waterfall and swim within its pools, a walk up and down the green hills, and a white-rock beach, kissed by the clear blue waves, with the sun setting over the mountains in the near distance.
The physical beauty of the country and its landscape are clear, but after one visit and certainly after four, it would be negligent to believe the nature is the summation, or even the primary source, of the beauty within.

Stepping inside the home of strangers who have become friends. Warm embraces and warm food. The scent of garlic and lime mingling with roasting chicken or goat. The taste of fresh passion fruit juice and mangoes. The sound of hymns sung in fifty blended voices each morning. The giggles and shouts of teenage girls and little boys playing outside. The strength in the arms of the women and the grace and dignity that remains despite hard circumstances. The enthusiasm of little children at school, sports camp, and bible school. The camaraderie of working hard together for a common goal. The realization that our God is the same in every language, across every sea, under every sky where His followers praise Him. These, and a million other details, are the essence of the beauty to be seen.

The island nation is still beautiful as you ascend over it toward home at the end of the trip, but as you look downward, you see much more than green hills. Last impressions and memories are important too.