Haiti has a truly special place in my heart. Being my last trip with this group, it was definitely difficult to leave. I have been on the same trip for three years now and always find myself learning something new, coming back with a refreshed outlook and priorities reorganized. This time, I relearned something I had previously realized on my first trip. There was one experience that is incredibly funny and a bit ridiculous but it stuck out to me.
At the orphanage we visit, there is not a lot of entertainment at night but they manage to set up movies on Friday nights. Someone acquired a small projector and some even smaller speakers. They project the movie onto the wall of their dining area and back out the projector far enough so everyone can see they screen but close enough so there is still good picture quality. The kids have their choice of three movies: Madagascar, Lion King and High School Musical. The movie of the night was High School Musical, which the kids have clearly watched way too many times as they can recite the movie, in English which none of them really speak fluently.
As the movie gets started, some of the boys who are not close realize that the movie is being played and start running over to watch it so they don’t miss one of their favorite songs. Apparently, they were so worried about missing it that they didn’t wait until they were fully dressed to come over. So, I am sitting in an orphanage in the Central Plateau of Haiti watching young Haitian boys dance without shirts to High School Musical and all I can see is absolute elation on their faces. They completely forget who they were, where they were, what they were doing. They lost themselves in happiness.
I thought back to the last time I felt like that and it was the day before while playing soccer with the kids. I felt it while getting through a whole conversation speaking only Creole. I felt it while having a really deep conversation with one of the boys who had lost both his parents in the earthquake in 2011. And I felt it while, although frustrating at time, leading the group through Haiti to show them the wonderful views and even more wonderful people.
I think what I did when I switched my path from business to development was trying to not only maximize the amount of times I would lose myself in that pure happiness moment but also the amount of times I would help other people find that happiness. And I hope that continue to leave that legacy in my life and in others’.
Hey Alex! I have always wanted to get down to Haiti myself and it’s wonderful that you’re actually doing something that makes a difference. Happiness is so incredibly important and it’s amazing that you got to be a part of something so great. Do you have pictures up on Facebook? I’d love to see more from your trip!
Hey Alex I think it’s really awesome that you have been passionate enough about this trip to return on it three years in a row. It’s also super impressive in my opinion that you have been present enough to find the time to appreciate even some of the sillier moments on the trip.
Hi Alex,
Thank you for writing this post. It is so beautiful to see looks of elation of children’s faces. The look of happiness that has not been tainted by growing up. The happiness that can shine through years of pain and sadness. I can’t even remember the last time where I was blissfully joyful, and lost in my own happiness as it seemed these children were as they watched one of my least favorite movies (only because I too, have seen it way too many times). I am glad to hear that your time down there has brought them and you happiness. I wish that you can maintain that source of joy forever, as it will be multiplied in time as you touch the many lives which I know you will.
Stay light,
Jordan