The Wait Is Over

I move the curtain aside and look out at the ever changing sky. One moment it's bright, the next somber clouds darken the sun. I let the curtain fall and then go back to restlessly pacing the house.

Finally, what feels like for the hundredth time, I log onto my computer. Within seconds I've signed on to twitter and type 'haiti elections' in the search bar. The screen quickly fills with one sentence updates. Most say that Michelle Martelly is the winner of the presidential elections, but a few report that Madam Manigat won by 50.48%. No one knows for sure.

I scan the lines and notice a few, "This is Haiti, you don't know till it happens." I also read that the streets have turned from celebrating Martelly's victory to a tense quiet. Waiting, waiting. I sigh, It's not something I'm particularly good at it.

I log off the computer and stretch.

"You want to read a book Jayden?" I ask, looking for a distraction. He looks up from his Thomas track set on the floor and grins. Quick as a flash he's monkeyed his way up two shelves and stretches to reach his Thomas books.

"Careful Jay."

He looks at me, clambers down and then dives head first onto the couch. I pull him close and open the book. "Click, Clack! Click Clack!" "Thomas puffs down the track." Jayden interrupts. I turn the page and let him say the words. He has the book memorized and it's fun to listen to him recite the whole story by heart.

We're barely half way through the book when I hear a familiar honk.

"Daddy's home! Daddy's home!" Jayden jumps off the couch and makes a beeline for the door.

Jason walks in a minute later, smiling.

"I just had the UN pull their guns on me!" he says.

"WHAT?"

"Yes. They had our street blocked off, so I had to kind of go around the roadblock. No one was in sight. When I started to honk for Anoud to open the gate they jumped out of their armored vehicle guns drawn!"

"Weren't you scared?"

"Nah. Once they saw it was me they sheepishly grinned and waved. I knew they wouldn't shoot me."

"You don't know that!" I reply. "They've been rotating different soldiers through, so there's a possibility they may not have recognized you!"

Jason shrugs as I shake my head.

An hour and a half later we're eating dinner as the news quietly plays in the background. We don't normally listen, but they are finally announcing the results and we don't want to miss it. At first we were planning to wait with eating dinner, but after listening to an hour of senators names and percentages we decided to just go ahead. The announcer's voice drones on and on and I do my best to listen. Finally he pauses and Jason and I look at each other. Is this it? With my chicken burger half way to my mouth I strain to listen.

"Michelle Martelly 68%, Mirlande Manigat 32%." Cheers break out in the background. I drop my half eaten chicken burger and head outside. Cheering, fireworks, gun shots, yelling, singing, laughing. All happy noises.

Jason goes outside to tell Anoud and Denise and they shout for joy too. He was the people's choice and with him voted in, there won't be rioting on the streets. Instead we hear chanting, music, honking, gunshots, and fireworks. For a moment in time, it sounds like the whole country rejoices.

The pall this country has been under since this whole nightmare began last November lifts. The people rejoice. Silently thanking God that all this is over, I pray that God will work in the heart of this man. He has a big weight on his shoulders now and the people have great expectations, but only with God's help will he truly be able to make a difference here.

President Michelle Martely, center.