After breakfast we went to City Soleil. This is the original headquarters for HOM. When we got off the tap-tap, we were swarmed by children of the community. Sadly, they were looking for water from us. Scott has his granola bar stolen and they yelled "chocolat! chocolat". They wanted hugs and to hold hands. I knew little of what they said, which was a little heart breaking. We got a tour of the church and the grounds. There was a kid drinking water from the ground. A few minutes later, he just pulled out his manhood and started peeing right next to us.
As we got back in the tap-tap, we asked the interpretor if he wanted some water. He is well dressed and looks good. He hesitated and said if he drank water, he couldn't eat lunch. Meaning that the water would fill him up and he wouldn't be able to eat as much lunch. (we were providing a lunch for him). At that point, I had finished my whole water bottle and was starving for lunch. I've never had to choose between water and food. He was smiling the whole time - as if it was no big deal.
Next we went to the tent cities. It was scary pulling up and realizing we were getting off there. These are the lowest of low in terms of housing. The children there were naked or 1/2 dressed, dirty. One male boy about 5 was just in a shirt. They children had orange tint to their hair and distended bellies - all signs of malnutirition. The tents are so small. I can't imagine living there. No running water or electricity. What did they do when the sun went down? I can't imagine being woman there. They were all sitting outside under shade. The children followed us around - holding our hands or asking to be picked up. The description of what I saw, I can't process. It's like something traumatic happneded and you don't want to talk about it after or think about it. I felt almost like I did when my grandmother passed away in November and I just got through it by trying to forget it was real or detaching that from my thoughts. It's hard to be unemotional here though.
We went to another HOM community. This is where they are building a new church to replace the one that fell, a new school, and a medical clinic.
When we got back, we had lunch. Forest, one of the HOM people, told us that not much has changed since the earthquake. That really shocked me because I coudln't imagine the earthquake not producing this type of living condition. If anything, he said that the trash and living conditions are better. Wow.
We played catchphrase when we got back and walked around Terre de Noire neighborhood. It's amazing what's around us. The houses are better, yet still just pieces of scrap metal put together. We walked around a market with raw meat and veggies just sitting there, with huge swarms of flies. Everyone we say said "bon soir" or "salut" and greated us with a smile. I keep telling myself not to think that they just think we are snobby Americans, gawking at their life. Nadesh, a woman who lives on the compound, told us that we need to think they thye feel so honored. We took time away from our jobs, our family, our life to come here and help serve. Selfless service. I don't know if I feel exactly selfless -- I mean I wanted to come for medical knowledge as well. The more I think about it though, the more I realize that most of my knowledge will be a reflection of myself and my life, rather than on pediatric doeses or diagnosing ear infections.
We asked our interpretor if he had children. He said his wife had miscarried. He said "God has a plan. " I think that's just my interpretation of "everything happens for a reason". It's faith that everything will work out for the best.
One thing that keeps popping up "Are we living the lives that we're expected of us, rather than the lives that make us feel whole".
One thing I'm glad about is that I didn't come looking for personal character change from Haiti. I wanted to come for the experience and to help by practicing medicine. Now that I'm here, I can already see that Haiti's changed me. I didn't have an epiphany and then go to Haiti. I didn't say "I need to be more grateful so I'll go to a 3rd world country". I had my epiphany when I was here.
The water truck drives around blasting music and sounds like an ice-cream truck. They continue to play Celine Dion "my heart will go on" and Christmas music. Makes me smile everytime.
Much love,
Britt
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