The distance between Florida and Haiti is approximately 838 miles. Those 838 miles make all the difference in the world though. Having been back in the United States for just under a week, I’ve been really cognizant of this.  We are so close together yet so different.

My first day back I turned on the shower and was immediately aware of how much water pressure there is in my shower. I had nothing to complain about in our hotel in Cap Haitien, in fact I loved it. However, the water pressure in the shower was more of a sprinkle than a shower. It got the job done but it was not what we are used to.

Later as I drove around town, I became aware of how clean and empty the streets were. There was still traffic but there were no close calls. No pedestrians of motorcycles with misses that were literally inches from my vehicle. There was no trash covering the ground like an unwelcome blanket of snow on a very warm day. There might be an occasional newspaper or bottle here or there, but it definitely was not anything like what we saw in Haiti.

Then there was the harbor. Cap Haitien has a harbor that COULD be beautiful. Unfortunately, it isn’t. Instead it is harbor full of sunken boats, garbage, and unrealized potential. As I drove through Huntington Harbor the difference couldn’t have been more stark.

Haiti is an absolutely beautiful country. There are some absolutely beautiful scenes and locations that look like they are straight of a movie. Then right next to it are areas scattered with litter and debris. It is amazing to me at how much of a difference can be found just within the country. Then move less than a thousand miles away to the United States and things are even more different. Technology is different. Transportation is different. Lifestyles are completely different.

Haiti is a country that seems to not be able to catch a break. However, there are organizations like the Reliv Kalogris Foundation that continue to make a difference, one person at a time. As they help one person at a time, they are bringing hope and change to this country. I only hope that someday all of these little seeds of hope will grow into something that helps Haiti realize its potential and help the people of Haiti live happier and healthier lives.

About Post Author

Robert A. Laird

Robert A. Laird is an entrepreneur and also Executive Director - Creative for Shepherd's Grove Presbyterian Church/Hour of Power with Bobby Schuller where he oversees the television show of the same name. He also works with the Reliv Kalogris Foundation as it strives to feed starving children around the globe.

robert.laird@dapsmagic.com

http://robertlaird.me

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Tomorrow begins my third trip to Haiti with the Reliv Kalogris Foundation. If I had been asked ten years ago if I would count Haiti as one of my most traveled international destinations, I probably would have just laughed. Now, it is almost becoming a yearly destination. And that is a good thing.

The Reliv Kalogris Foundation feeds around 40,000 people, mainly kids, every day around the globe. 13,000 of those kids can be found in Haiti. Haiti is a nation with great need. According to The World Factbook, 58.5% of the population lives under the poverty line. The unemployment rate as of 2010 was 40.5%, however more than 2/3rds of the labor force do not have formal jobs^[1]The World Factbook: Haiti https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ha.html. Houses are often made of cinderblocks, rough wood, trees, and are crudely built by the standards we are used to in the United States. Common utilities aren’t quite as common there. Waste disposal especially appears to be a problem. Roads are often in disrepair, as are the vehicles that inhabit them. It should also come as no surprise that nutrition can be an issue. This is where the Reliv Kalogris Foundation comes in.

Every day 13,000 kids are fed through feeding stations throughout Haiti. The difference between those getting the nutrition supplied by the Reliv Kalogris Foundation. In the next few days I’ll get to once again experience what it is like to provide not only nutrition, but hope, to these kids. During this trip we’ll be feeding kids, painting walls, and getting a taste of what life is like in Haiti.

Haiti itself is a dichotomy. It has some of the most beautiful vistas I’ve ever seen anywhere, then turn and look another direction and see poverty and debris. Every trip I’ve been I’ve been able to observe the beauty of Haiti even more.

I have no doubt that this trip will be incredible full of high points and low points. I will be attempting to post daily a blog, photos, and video from the trip (if wifi allows). Follow along my journey on instagram (@roebearlaird) or the Reliv Kalogris Foundation on instagram (@relivkalogrisfoundation) as well!

If you have any questions about the Reliv Kalogris Foundation and/or Haiti, please feel free to ask in the comments section below. Please feel free to share this post and help us get the word out about the Reliv Kalogris Foundation and how it is feeding the kids of the world and Haiti!

Let’s go make a difference!

About Post Author

Robert A. Laird

Robert A. Laird is an entrepreneur and also Executive Director - Creative for Shepherd's Grove Presbyterian Church/Hour of Power with Bobby Schuller where he oversees the television show of the same name. He also works with the Reliv Kalogris Foundation as it strives to feed starving children around the globe.

robert.laird@dapsmagic.com

http://robertlaird.me

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