Good people show good works!

Last summer, I had the blessing of visiting a place called Fond Blanc, Haiti. This trip was full of wonderful experiences and many lessons to be learned. The work, heat, and people were just a few of the things provided for me to retrieve what I needed from this trip. Including lessons I was suppose to learn.


Walking the streets of Fond Blanc was very eye opening. The views of children playing with small things, things we wouldn’t consider much, but they consider everything. The view of women, males, and children not properly taken care of and not properly clothed. The views of animals starving, of people's homes falling, all of these things were opening my eyes to one true thing. This thing was the idea of poverty, the idea that not everyone has what I do. Not everyone is fully nourished, or fully clothed, or can even read or write. All the views I had seen were all there for one true purpose. To see the fact that everyone doesn't always have as much as we do. That some people’s lives don’t come as easy for them. Many have to work ten times as much to just get a quarter of what we do. I feel this is a true lesson to us here in America. We take many things we receive for granted, not realizing many others aren’t as lucky.


I remember walking down the streets of the village, with all the unbelievable big smiles and warm welcomings to us visitors. Although this kindness was very outstanding, it wasn’t the main thing that stood out . Their desire to help us, their desire to give us the best deal on what we buy, it was something I didn’t expect. The fact people with so little, would help us who have so much more, really caught my eye. It’s rare you’d ever see someone helping the needy in America, let alone see the needy help the wealthy. Many times the streets of the U.S. are covered in scams and people who really don’t care about helping you. Although this was not the case in Haiti. I remember walking through the village and hearing many deals they were trying to make, like “Two cookies for a dollar!” “Three cookies for a dollar!” just so we would get the best deal for our money. Those cookies would’ve been priced a lot higher in America, but the people in Haiti only cared about giving us the best deal, while also making a little money as well. They also offered their time and their help with our activities, such as lifting rocks and shoveling cement, without having to think twice about it. These people were full of good character and were so willing to help make our lives easier and happier. The lesson I began to see here is to treat people the way you want to be treated. Although we were told not to give the villagers anything because we couldn’t give them all something, it was a lesson for me to use when I returned to America. These people treated us so good, with smiles and never complained. Why would it be so hard for people here in the U.S. to treat others like they had treated us. Haitians had something all of us in America should strive for, they had love and kindness for everyone.


One last thing I was able to learn from this trip was the importance of love and family. The children had no blood family at this orphanage, but they sure did have a family who loved and cared for them. The children's faces glowed with happiness because of the people who surrounded them and loved them. The people who took them in when they had nobody to run to. The group at the orphanage opened my eyes to the importance of family, and how important having someone to care and love you really is. Many children are orphans, and some don’t have the love and affection they need. I got to see both sides in Fond Blanc. I was able to see the children at the orphanage who had many people to call family, while I also saw the children walking the streets who had nobody to call their family. The difference in smiles, and activities was unbelievable. The children deprived of love and families, were also deprived of happiness they could have. Without anyone there caring for them and anyone they can call family, they have been held back from receiving their full happiness. They have nobody there for them, nobody to truly call their family. This difference I saw in the children showed me how truly thankful I am to have a loving family. Family and love are a huge blessing to have, and many are not able to retrieve it.


Haiti was full of many lessons I never saw myself learning. It is a very welcoming place, with very good natured people. The trip changed my life and way of thinking for the better. Opening my eyes to the truth and teaching me ways I should be living. I should be; helping others, not taking things I have for granted, loving every minute I spend with my family, and so much more. All these things I came to realize from this trip, and from the fantastic people. The trip had such a big impact on me, it is definitely unforgettable.