Off Topic... My Brush with Haiti

A few short years ago I spent a week in the Dominican Republic. We stayed at an all-inclusive resort complete with waterfall pools, swim up bars, all you can eat breakfasts, sunsets and sunrises you can't even imagine. we were told it was probably a good idea to just stay on the resort property, but that would be so unlike us. So, we took two tours that I can recall the best. One was a horseback tour through the mountains guided by spanish speaking guides who would ocassionally yell "Andele! Andele!" If you weren't hanging on tight to the, well the thing you hang on to on a horse, you might fall off because these horses were definitely Spanish speaking. Off they went usually up an unpaved rocky hill, or through a wooded trail and finally reached the bar at the top of the mountain before returning back down the other side. Honestly I can't remember what we learned or saw during that tour, I was too nervous on my first horse, to really take it all in.

The second tour was the Safari Tour. This was done in an old military personnel carrier. A small ladder dropped off the back and passengers had to climb up into the vehicle. There were maybe fifteen or so people aboard this tour with us, which travelled the paved streets to the Rum Factory, the rocky back roads to small villages, and of course off road through streams and rivers. All the while, the tour guide/bartender, passed out free Rum and Cokes, or just Cokes to those young enough to know better.
It was during this tour, through the small poor villages, that became a real eye opener. Initially we stopped at a Dominican school. It was small of course, but the kids wore uniforms. If the kids families' couldnt afford the uniform they didn't go to school. The kids in the small rooms were amazed to see one of our fellow tourists showing off his Camcorder. When these kids saw themselves on the small screen they lit up with bright smiles and laughter, and comments that would probably be memorable had I known more Spanish than "Cervesa." We then piled back on to our roving bar, and stopped at a small hut which was the home of a lady who apparently was the elite of the village, since she had something that resembled a fireplace inside her mud and stone hut. After the village stop, we travelled off road, across a waterway sending high plumes of water cascading to our sides. Half the passengers were buzzed by now and some screams were let out as we splashed through to the other side. It was during this leg of the tour when we met up with yet another country. As we travelled up a dirt road, children would come out of the trees and line the road as we approached. Some of these kids were shirtless, all were shoeless.. As the vehicle approached, the kids began to run alongside reaching upward to both sides of us. The tour guide in front explained these were children who crossed the border from Haiti and would walk for miles to get to this back road. The kids simply held hopes that they could get atleast a piece of candy to eat. At home in Haiti, they had nothing, the guide explained. These kids were all skin and bones, all smiling, all arms raised begging for anything any of us could spare. It didn't take long for most of the tourists to start digging into their bags, looking for any spare food or snacks. Anything found was quickly tossed overboard into the awaiting hands of the hungry children. With every piece of candy, or crumb dropped to them, huge smiles and waves came bounding back to us as we slowly pulled away. That evening we spent a good portion of time talking about how we can get home and dig out our unused shoes or extra clothes to donate to these kids, or even supplies or uniforms to donate to the school children. I don't know about anyone else on that trip, but that day has stuck with me. How one small piece of candy lit up these kids' lives for even just a little while. The smiles and joyful waves were the most sincere thank you's I have ever witnessed.

As the news reports come in daily from the earthquake damaged Haiti, I wonder about these children. As I look at the news footage, the smiles are gone. A country which had so little, that young shoeless children walked for miles for pieces of candy, now has even less. Unfortunately, I am not in a position to help physically or financially at this time. However, my thoughts and prayers are with these people and with the rescuers we have sent to their assistance.