Today is why I came to Haiti.

Sure, I was sent by DePaul to gather information and document the various projects going on here with which we will be affiliated, and I have both in spades. But today was for me.

I can’t seem to avoid the cliche remarks we’ve all heard when you watch lives like these on tv. Life changing, humbling, life affirming, heartbreaking, etc. They apply for sure, but fall short.

I sit here in my air conditioned (!) hotel room and all I can think about are the people I met today. The ones who might not be able to sleep tonight because the rain we had earlier turns their floor to mud. Wondering what will happen to the woman who was so weak, detached, and despondent today that she couldn’t stand. She needs help immediately or her kids will be without their mother.

Then there’s the women we met that have been helped by Fonkoze for a little while now, and can see the change in their livelyhood, attentiveness, and laughter. Real change.

Then the two schools. One a church that they’ve had to use after their school was destroyed. The people walked an hour to meet FATEM and our team for a short while. The parents have been asked to help build the new school. By the way, it’s only $20-50 to send a kid to school for the year.

I managed to drop and break the lens of the camera I’ve been using, but not before I was able to take pictures of the rural kids. I would take their picture and then let them see themselves on the LCD. They would point and call out each person’s name, all the while laughing and clapping and jumping up and down. Some were more shy than others, but they all smiled quickly and without hesitation. Suffice to say me and my camera were the center of attention when it came to the kids. I will post those as soon as I get back.

Our hotel is the nicest yet. Window mounted AC, that’s all I have to say. Too bad the festival across the street is still going strong with 10,000 watt speakers. And yet there I go. Complaining about a roof over my head.

These are all things you’ve seen and heard before. I’m just sharing my little slice. I know the tenacity to help that I feel tonight will fade. I will slide back into Chicago life. Gluten-free pizza. Starbucks. School. Complaining about the trains. Yada yada yada. But not before the DePaul program is seen through to the end, and certainly not before I set up my own plan to donate regularly. So while today was for me, I’ll do what I can to make tomorrow for them.