I have been trying to formulate in my mind, (somewhat unsuccessfully), how on earth to possibly describe in words my time in Haiti. There is a quote that I read that puts my experience into one sentence.
"There is a point where you realize the world has just been revealed to you."-Tracy Kidder
That is simply it for me.
This trip changed my definition of many things; namely poverty. I have traveled many places.
I have seen poor conditions and vulnerable populations of people from China, to Kazakhstan, and Guatemala. I realize now that I have never known or understood poverty until I stepped foot onto the nation of Haiti. I will not go into the details of this underdeveloped nation or the conditions I found but it was simply astounding and a force of change in my life.
The people of Haiti are remarkable and fiercely resilient.
I was able to provide medical treatment to many of the survivors of the January 12, 2010 earthquake. These people are beautiful and kind. They are grateful recipients of help which is desperately needed. I was only there for seven days and felt as if I barely touched the surface of the people, the culture, and what the needs there are. My time spent among the Haitians was precious and will remain with me for many days to come. It was a remarkable experience that one blog post will simply not do justice to. I will instead try to describe the landscape, culture, and people through the photos that I took while there.
Only a photo can capture the sweet innocence of a baby, the tired smile of a single mother with nine children who has been waiting to be seen for three hours in 100 degree heat, the grateful touch of a person whose pain is relieved temporarily by something as simple as a Tylenol. I could go on and on but I will let the pictures speak for themselves.
These pictures are my tribute to the people of Haiti. I have great respect and love for the nation and people of Haiti; for those who perished January 12, 2010, to those who live on with their injuries, visible and invisible. I have seen firsthand the true definition of resilience in the Haitian people. It is a country whose spirit and people will never be broken.
Thank you everyone for your prayers and support. God is faithful. Providing medical relief to the survivors of the earthquake in Haiti was an experience I will not soon forget.
