Friday, July 29, 2011 (David Battiste)

Hey everyone! This is my first blog ever so be patient with me. I've had an interesting time in Haiti. I tried to come here with no real expectations, but I still had my preconceived notions of what I would encounter- poverty, destruction, illiteracy. Don't get me wrong…those aspects are here abundantly. It's hard to describe the daily struggles we seen in the villages and cities. The crowded streets really are a site to see.
One thing that stood out for me though is how well dressed everyone appeared to be. I know this may sound shallow, but I just didn't expect it. Most of the people I saw were wearing clean, nice clothes. They definitely had better fashion sense than me! I couldn't help but wonder how with all problems this country is having could this be? With struggles to put food on the table, clean clothes would seem to me to take a back seat.
A couple of mornings ago, I was brushing my teeth on the porch outside our room. With 12 guys sharing a room and small bathroom, teeth brushing was usually relegated to outside. Since we had to use our own water anyway, it makes a lot of sense. I was alone on the porch starting to brush when an older Haitian man walk about 10 feet in front of me below the deck. He kind of startled me. I wasn't expecting anyone walking down there. He had a white beard and just gave a nod and he lifted a piece of scrap plywood leftover from the recent construction of our building. Under the board was a plastic grocery back with a shirt in it. The man took off the shirt he was wearing and changed into the shirt from the plastic bag. It was little nicer than the shirt he had on. He then put that shirt in the bag and the bag back under the board – smiled and went on his way.
I was uncomfortable watching this. I know I was there first, but I felt like I was invading his privacy. He didn't seem to mind in the least, obviously part of a normal routine. But there was something about spitting from my luxurious accommodations (in Haiti standards) a few feet from this man's dressing room that made queasy. Someone smarter than me could probably draw some very profound conclusions from this experience…all I know is how it made me feel.
I wondered what his story was. He probably worked on the mission. My guess is he has to travel a long way to work and wants to keep his good clothes clean. I've found the Haitian people I've met to be very proud, very talented, capable individuals. We worked with Nono at the job site this week, and he was one of the best carpenter's I've seen. Great work ethic…great character.
People are telling me to stop writing, so I will wrap this up. Thanks for all who made this trip possible for us. God has shown me hope for the nation of Haiti through both organizations like Mission of Hope and also though hearts of the people of Haiti.
God Bless!
Dave