A few things I feel like I
need to say…. it is important to note etiquette when posting pictures during
travel such as this. I don't like to take or post pictures of people that I do
not have a connection with. At the CLM launch we had a connection with the
women entering the program. They knew why these white people were there. At
HELP I was able to have personal conversation with Civil Jean,
hear his story and ask his permission to share and post. To just snap away
pictures of people from afar, to exploit images of poverty lacking background
and relationship is a part of poverty tourism. I refuse to be the white person
smiling in the middle of a sea of Haitian faces in order to make a viral post
on Facebook. I hope you will too.
With that being said, there
were some small moments in the second half of our day that melted my heart and
helped me look past the issues in Haiti in order to see the people of Haiti.
In the early afternoon we
had a few precious moments on the roof of St. Joseph's Home. As I glanced over
the railing I noticed two kites flitting in the air. Two children were laughing
and playing with their homemade kites on the roof of a building. They made them
fly higher and dip down. They would giggle and laugh with each other. Precious,
precious joy.
On the road to Jacmel our
bus passed a procession. The shiny black vehicle had red and white flowers piled
high on the top of it. A sousaphone played at the corner while people in their
best clothing poured down the street. It was lovely. The fact that I do not
know if it was a wedding or a funeral humbles me. A reminder that there is so
much for each of us to learn about other cultures.
As our bus rounded a
corner on the mountain pass a motorcycle and its driver and passenger came into
view. They were standing beside it taking a selfie. So, the need to express
yourself and selfies themselves are international!
While sitting at dinner
this evening, beautiful lively joyous music arose from down the street. It got
louder and louder until it was outside the courtyard. As we peeked around the
corner there was a crowd of dancing Haitians. They danced in two moving circles
taking turns hitting sticks together. Trumpets, whistles and drums played and
the dancers cheered. A little leftover carnival celebration.
If I say Haiti... and all
you think of is poverty, earthquakes, hurricanes and suffering... read this
post again. Then read it again, and again to the person closest to you. Yes,
all of those issues are here. However, before you see the issues look at the
people. Their joy, their hopes, their humanity. Let your heart break for the
people and then find ways to accompany Haitian people that are working to
improve Haiti.
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