March 7, 2014
M’ sonj’e ou. I
remember you.
Today marked our final day in what has come to be a majestic
utopia for team March 2014. Haiti or
“Ayiti” will forever hold a place in the hearts of 10 people who arrived as
individuals but left as a family. Beyond
our team family, each of us formed lasting bonds with the authentic Haitian
people we were blessed to spend our week with.
After our venture through the
Haitian mountains God blessed us with a day of fun in the sun at Club Indigo
Resort. Eight of our Haitian helpers
journeyed to the beach with us in the “Paddie Wagon.” The ride in felt exhilarating as we all sat
in the back of the truck singing American pop songs while the Haitians laughed
and were forced to join in.
When we arrived at the beach I was
awestruck at the beauty of God’s creation.
The clearest blue diamond water of the Atlantic Ocean sparkled up at us
surrounded by a majestic mountainous backdrop.
Both Haitians and Americans basked in the view before plunging into the
cool water. Everyone’s faces lit up with
childlike enjoyment as we splashed and swam and laughed together. Before we knew it, it was time to chow down
at the buffet. Authentic Haitian cuisine
prepared for an all-you-can-eat feast was music to all our ears. Who doesn’t love good food?! We enjoy another universal characteristic of
our humanity together.
The highlight of the day for all
was the Haitian v. American pool basketball showdown. Everyone competed with wide smiles and
echoing laughter. It really became more
of a boys v. girls game as Talilah joined our team. Although the girls MVP was probably Sam as he
troughed through the water like an American football running back with three
Haitians on his back. This was a perfect
end to our beach day as we shared our universal love of games and innocent
play.
It was a quiet ride back to the compound as we
all felt the inevitable farewell approaching.
Arriving back at the guest house meant saying our final goodbyes with a
very real fear of the unknown of when/ if we would see our friends again. The vulnerability we had in this unique
experience forced an unbreakable bond between our American team and our Haitian
friends. Our Haitian friends translated
English to Creole and Creole to English.
They prepared all our meals for us.
They guided us on unfamiliar terrain.
They took our hands to prevent us from falling. They sweated with us. They sang with us. They laughed with us. They played with us. They cried with us. They shared joy in our triumphs. And together we accomplished our feat. We came to help build a school and we will
leave having built a community that surpasses cultural barriers; a community
both Haitian and American. We are united
in our humanness and when we work together and learn from one another there is
nothing we can’t do with the help of our loving God.
On this day, March 7, 2014, we
will remember you. And we will forever
remember Haiti and the community we built. This community can only to be strengthened
over time as we set out back to America to advocate for Hands for Haiti. Our Haitian friends will forever remain in our
hearts. M’ sonj’e ou. We remember you.