Manis
“Bondye wè tout bagay, e li pa ta dwe frisonen …” (God sees everything (and he wouldn’t be thrilled… if I do that) came out of Faustin’s mouth when I asked him to kill a cockroach that scared me. Even though he wasn’t comfortable that he had to refuse my wish, he looked at me straight in the eyes and said no. But, immediately I was the one that felt ashamed. This boy is seventeen, his mother died when he was a baby, his father is terminally ill and lives far in a province. Faustin doesn’t go to school, but he is grateful for a job he does and strongly believes that God has His reasons for creating things the way they are. And he is truly happy, truly faithful and one of the best people I’ve ever met. And he taught me and teaches me every day what Jesus taught us and wanted us to follow. Of love and respect, every day, all the time. All the creatures. I apologized immediately for even asking him to do that…
I had lessons in my life, some were bad, some were great. But I never had a lesson like this one from a seventeen year old boy. And I’m so grateful for it. Teach people to love and then you won’t have to punish them, ever. Teach your children to love and you’ll secure their future. Trust me, I never felt closer to what Jesus teaches us, then when I’m in Haiti. Life in Haiti is so much more intense, in every possible way. Seeing outrageous poverty, famine and at the same time extraordinary ability of surviving, taught me not to take things and people for granted. Not to take life for granted. Because today you are, and today you might not be. And all that counts is how much you loved and been loved. And that includes helping somebody/anybody who needs your help. We have a luxury of chance, of making choices. Thank God. Well, Haiti doesn’t. Haiti made me to make my choices and decisions wiser and with more courage and compassion. And I thank God every day for that. In Haiti, when you are hungry, you die. If you are sick, you die. If you don’t have water, you’ll get sick and then you die.
Life is very plain in Haiti. And when the sky is clear, you get the better picture, right? So, my lesson was very clear to me. And I’m so proud that this kid taught me a lesson for life, that through ‘very everyday’ situation he reminded me to love and respect every God’s creature, because I do not have right to take life, I do not know which day is my last day and because I’m here to help to preserve life, from every possible aspect.
And, basically, because life is much better when you try to be better. When you give your best, all the time, as much as you can…
So Junior (21), Faustin (17), and Manis (24) are kids that taught me how to live better and how to try to be better without expecting anything in return. Because – give and you will receive more rewards than you can imagine.
And thank You all for helping us to help them… God bless you!
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