Personal Narrative: Children With Disabilities In Haiti

As I journeyed to an orphanage for children with disabilities in Fermathe, Haiti, I was able to provide love to children who face a lonely world while standing up to a country that shuns them. The children there were outcast by society and left at the gates by their own parents. They were left without love, and they were left to die. While there, I had the opportunity to play, dance, and sing with them, and I also had the chance to feed them. There is something humbling about feeding another human. Sitting there spoon and food in hand, they had no option but to trust a stranger with their life, for they were dependent on me for their next bite. Sitting there feeding them I realized that they had every reason to be hopeless, every reason to be angry at the world, myself, and God, but they carried no such emotion. They radiated joy and love to me a complete stranger. They welcomed me to their house with open arms, and the least I could do was give them food. So as I continued through the week, I had the opportunity to show Haiti what amazing people they were. We went

While there, I spent a week remodeling a house for an elderly lady who receives Meals on Wheels. During that short week, I ripped up floors, painted walls, remodeled soffits and most importantly spent time with my homeowner. I learned about her past, her children, and her hobbies. My site team and homeowner became a family. I repaired the tangible and observable problems house while at Salkehatchie, but most importantly, I, with the help of my site, helped to heal the emotions of the homeowner herself, something that usually goes unnoticed. We took away her loneliness for the week and replaced it with a family to count on to listen to her and to love her. My experience at Salkehatchie showed me that building a relationship with others is just as important as building their