A life that consists of...

the "shower" room

washing clothes in the river

(continued from "Mr. Bennet post on March 11th)

Why them not us?  What fate decided that I would be born into the "land of opportunity" and Bénnet would be born into a life of struggle?

A life that consists of ...walking to the river each morning, while still half asleep, to go get water for the day.  "Showering" by standing in a large plastic wash-basin and pouring small bowls of water over your body.  Buying food at the market each and every day because you don't have electricity in your house.

These activities are not just reserved for the poorest of poor, those people without work.  No.  These are the daily activities carried out by the local shop owners, farmers and many of the health care workers I have been fortunate enough to work with.  Some of these health care workers are leaders in their community and supervisors of their district.  People who, in the United States, would certainly be earning enough to have multi-bedroom house, a car or two and the ability to send their kids to school.  However, here in the rural, Central Plateau of Haiti - the poorest region of the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, most of these luxuries are unattainable primarily due to people's ill fortune of being born here.

Yet amid the daily struggle here in the rural mountains of Haiti, people carry on.  Working through the physical struggle of daily life.  Maintaining hope for a better tomorrow.  Even while, at times for me, it seems hopeless.

getting water from the river

I mean, how are you supposed to better your situation when you have to spend the majority of your time working, just to provide food, water, shelter, clothing, and health for your family?  I used to have this notion that if you work hard enough, you can achieve everything that your heart desires.  I used to think that everything is possible.  Sadly, here, that is certainly not the case.

With that being said as easy as it is for me to enter into a downward spiral of pessimism and doubt (of which I am often paralyzed by), that does not do us any good.  Because, as I have experienced, realized and been reminded of time and time again,

"You cannot get sick enough to help sick people get better.  

You can not get poor enough to help poor people thrive.  

It is only in your thriving that you have anyone to offer anyone.  

If you are wanting to be of advantage to others, 

be as tapped in, turned in and turned on as you can possible be." 

~ Esther Hicks

While I do believe it is extremely important to empathize with people who are struggling or suffering...dwelling on it won't do me, you, or them, any good.  What will do them good is action.  Action that supports the development of sustainable human capacity building.  Measures that help give a hand up, not a hand out.

My trips to Haiti have made me realize that while everything might not be within one's reach, anything is possible.  Working hard might not guarantee success, but not even trying will certainly ensure failure.

Health Care Worker utilizing his knew knowledge
to show a patient how to stretch

~ Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Jan 21st, 2014