All ten of us have
different stories to tell and they are constantly changing to reflect the
unique experiences that define who we are. What’s clear though is that Haiti
has become ingrained in each of our stories and that no matter where we go or
who we become in this life, we will look back on our time together here and
remember the hopefulness for a better future and the joy we witnessed during
the week we’ve spent together.
At
first reference, joy seems to be a funny term to describe anything about Haiti.
The mere reference of Haiti conjures up images of poverty, nutritional
deprivation, natural disasters and subhuman living conditions to those in the
developed world that have never been here. But if you dive deeper than the
international crisis headlines and National Geographic photos, you will find
that joy manifests itself in every aspect of Haitian life.
We
had the opportunity to witness some of that today as we spent relaxing at the
beach at a typical Caribbean Resort called Club Indigo. It was a typical beach
day for the Americans in our group filled with beach games, pina coladas
(non-alcoholic), and relaxing in beach chairs. However, it was anything but
typical for the six Haitians who joined us. It was a day of firsts for Joanes,
Bo, Jakob, Oudi, Wood, and Fresnel. It gave them a chance to refresh their
spirits in a way that had never been afforded to them. Our Haitian friends
played volleyball for the first time, ate at a buffet style lunch and kayaked
for the first time - seemingly minor life events, but it meant a lot to them.
Their smiles and laughter during the day reminded us to be grateful for what we
have and to appreciate the simple joy you feel when you make somebody’s life a
little better.
As we
discussed “joy” this evening, the group commented on the joy and optimism we’ve
seen and heard of throughout our discussions and in our dialogues with the
Haitian people. The youth recognize that it is essential for them to expand
their knowledge of the natural world and become multilingual in order to create
a Haiti that supports a higher quality of life and creates an economic
environment that gives the country a competitive edge in an increasingly
globalized era. They’re willing to rise to this task because they are not
content with their world as it is today and are eager to remake their world as
it should be.
The
group also felt joy in the knowledge that there is an abundance of natural beauty
here and this lends itself to the hope that a thriving tourism sector can be
established. That became evident as we played volleyball, kayaked and swam
surrounded by the palms, sandy beaches and breathtaking views. In fact, Haiti
was once called the “Jewel of the Caribbean” due to its luscious foliage and
abundance of agricultural plantations. That is no longer the case today because
of a mismanaged stewardship of the island’s resources, but there is hope that
it can regain its footing as a Caribbean tourist destination.
In summation,
today was a bit more relaxing than the first three days, but no less but revealing.
Joy is abundant to those who seek it and there are infinite possibilities to
experience it. Most importantly, joy is contagious. When you see others feeling
joy, you begin to sense and feel it, and suddenly the stresses of our jobs,
family, ambitions and education seem to fade away, however short that feeling
may be. My final thought is that time is the most important limited resource we
have a human beings, and we ought to live our lives in ways that cause joy in
the lives of others so that when people reflect on our stories, they will say
that you were a good person who left a fleeting impact on the lives of others. ~
Nathan
