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Today was our last day in Haiti on this See the Change trip with the Reliv Kalogris Foundation. The day began with a bit of a break as there wasn’t a formal meeting time for breakfast. Despite this, most of the group ended up down in the dining area around 8:30 for a final meal in Haiti together. Where other mornings we had been offered a breakfast buffet, today we had the opportunity to choose off the menu. Both are fantastic and once again the food was fantastic, as was the coffee.
Once breakfast was over everyone went back to do some last minute packing and bring their luggage down to check out. Then, it was time to ride aboard a Tap Tap. A Tap Tap is basically a Haitian taxi that is a pickup truck. Generally as you drive around Haiti you see them all over the place, completely packed. Sometimes you will even see people riding on the roof and hanging off the back with the money taking, who stands on the back much like an old school garbage person on the back of a garbage truck. The one we boarded was hired specifically for our group so it wasn’t too packed. Thankfully also the day wasn’t super hot because if it had been a normal Haitian day, I would guess that the ride would have been quite uncomfortable.
The Tap Tap was hired to take us to St. John the Baptist School in Petite Anse. This is right next to the children’s home in Petite Anse where we had visited on Sunday. The ride over was definitely an adventure. As we started out, everyone was commenting on what a lovely day it was. Soon we found ourselves in the middle of town on a not so clean road in a traffic jam. It was caused by a big truck that seemed to be having difficulty navigating the narrow and full road. This definitely set us back quite some time and shortened our time for the school but it also gave us the true Haiti experience. I can only imagine the frustration of all the Tap Taps that were stuck on that dirt road through down town as that truck basically just stopped traffic in both directions for quite some time.
The truck finally found its way off the road and traffic resumed and we made our way to the school. Once we arrived, we found most of the children sitting on benches under a tree just outside of the school waiting for us. As we walked up, they sang a welcome song. This song seems to be fairly common in Haiti as I have heard it at other schools before. It is very sweet every time I hear it though and the children were very cute. They also had a program for us to show their appreciation to the support of the Reliv Kalogris Foundation.
Music, comedy, poems, and even a brief skit were all a part of the program that the children put together for us. The principle was very gracious and thankful to us for visiting and also for our support. She also stressed that the words spoken and the music sung were all representative of how the children felt, and not just something the teachers told them to do. It made the performances even more precious. Originally the plan was to finish the morning with them by handing out shakes but because of the traffic jam, there was sadly only time for the program. I have a feeling the program ran longer than was expected as well. All of that was ok though because it really was a precious time with kids who may not know us, but loved us just the same.
Kids who attend St. John the Baptist School live in some of the most impoverished part of Cap Haitien in Petite Anse. They can’t afford school books. They can’t afford notebooks. They can’t afford school. The state pays for the teachers salaries but nothing else. This school offers these children a shot at education that they just wouldn’t be able to have any other way. The only thing families have to do is pay for their uniforms. With the help of the school and the Reliv Kalogris Foundation they are getting hope for a future with their education and with their health from the products that are distributed. Seeing those happy faces eagerly looking up at us as we arrived really was an incredible validation to the work that we support with the Reliv Kalogris Foundation.
Saying goodbye is never an easy thing. As we said goodbye to the kids at the school, we were also beginning the process of saying goodbye to this trip and the Haiti contingent of the Reliv Kalogris Foundation. With lots of hugs, waves, and “au revoirs” we all piled back into the van and soon found ourselves driving back to the airport. The drive seemed quieter than most, probably because everyone was processing the experiences they had this week.
Arriving at the airport we were warned to grab our bags and get inside as quickly as possible. This proved to be good advice. For the moment the Tap Tap started handing bags out, there was ample local assistance eagerly offering to help bring the luggage the 10 yards to the door. It took a bit of convincing but finally we were able to get them to understand we didn’t want help… mainly by just saying “merci non” over and over while grabbing our bags from them and walking into the airport… Inside, the day of lines began. The process to get through really wasn’t that long or terrible but it was simple.
Flying out of Cap Haitien is almost like flying from an airport back in time. Once through security and customs, everyone is emptied into a big room full of chairs. There is a row of windows that are probably six feet up, and another row of windows where the second floor would be. The second floor is only on one end of the room though so only a few people can see out of any windows and out onto the tarmac while waiting for their plane to arrive. Our plane ended up being a bit late but there were interesting people to talk to while waiting at the top of the stairs looking out the window. Also, a DC-3 flew in while we waited and that led to some interesting conversations around us as well.
Our airplane finally arrived and we found ourselves gathering up our bags and preparing to leave Haiti. As we handed our ticket to the agent and walked out onto the tarmac, a local band played music to bid us goodbye. We walked out to the airplane on the tarmac on the same path that we had walked in several days before. Boarding the Airbus A-319 we found ourselves easing away from Haiti and into comforts that in America we often take for granted. The plane had charging ports for phones, screens in every seat, air conditioning, leather seats, and no dust.
The plane took off just a few minutes late and as we lifted off from Cap Haitien I had to wonder what the future holds for this city and for this nation. Yesterday, while visiting the Cathedral in Cap Haitien Cyril made an interesting observation. In the United States George Washington, our first head of state voluntarily stepped down after 8 years in power. This led to a precedent for peaceful transfers of power in the United States. After Haiti declared independence from France, the leader of Haiti instead declared himself Emperor and made a power grab. Two years later, he was killed. For over 200 years now Haiti has struggled with its leadership. This struggle at the top has not been easy for the people of Haiti. They struggle every day and desperately need help. I’m so thankful to be a part of the Reliv Kalogris Foundation as they help the kids of Haiti, one kid at a time.
If I heard it correctly, there are 11 million people in Haiti. Many of them are impoverished. The need is incredibly great and can be very overwhelming, especially when you are on the ground and seeing it first hand. However, then you see how the Reliv Kalogris Foundation is feeding kids and the difference it is making one kid at a time and one community at a time, and you realize there is hope. The Muppets sang a song once about all it takes is just one person to believe in you and how the world can be changed that way. I think that is the strength of this Foundation and also its future. If just one person believes and invests $5 a month that feeds one kid per month. Then another person does the same and another kid is fed.
As that continues to grow, not only are these kids lives changed but also the communities that the grow up in. Who knows, maybe one of these kids will end up being the next Doctor Manno and change the lives of thousands for the better. Or maybe, they will just grow up to be healthy members of Haitian society who have healthy kids, healthy families, and start to help Haiti towards a positive tomorrow. That’s how we can change the future of Haiti for the better. I am looking forward to finding those people who are excited about changing Haiti for the better with me and I can’t wait to continue to return to Haiti and see the change again and again.
To donate to the Reliv Kalogris Foundation, please visit: relivkalogrisfoundation.org
