Today we spent the day at Ecole
Unite in Haiti, the school built from Fransco’s dream and the school for 270
beautiful children.
The day was full…. Full of fun
and love and yet heartache and confusion. We accomplished our project of
painting the new classrooms in between playing with the children. It seems cliché
to suggest that all Haitian are beautiful but they are…. Their eyes are deep
and soulful and watching their oft serious faces burst into smiles is pure joy.
While painting the classrooms was
awesome and needed, the real power in the day came when we fed the children. Having
walked through their homes the day before, we had a good idea that many
children may not have eaten that day before coming to school or perhaps for
several days. While it seemed small and insufficient faced with the scale of
the poverty and hunger, leaving those beautiful children with a fuller belly, a
bright place to study and some much needed school supplies, felt wonderful.
This trip….in particular the Haiti
portion, has raised so many questions and thoughts. I find it difficult to
process them all and anticipate finding it impossible to share the profound experience
with those back home.
While feeding those children for one day was great… they
and their families need food security on an ongoing basis… they need sanitation
infrastructure in their community and electricity in their school. They need
homes.
It all seems overwhelming… it makes you question your priorities and
plans for your own life, it makes you feel shame for your own good fortune. We
need to help but in ways that are not a hand out… they need a hand up so they
can live a dignified and sustainable life.
As I said, I am not sure, but I think
it starts with each of us….
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