Representatives of Haiti Sak Plen are already on the ground, prepping for the construction of a home for Michelle O. and her family of six children. They’ve spent the last couple of days securing materials, doing sitework and ensuring that the foundation for the home is well-established.
We’ve also rekindled old friendships and checked in on some of our previous projects. Two years ago, a new home for the Polikap family was our primary objective. We hoped that our contribution, (which, in and of itself is a compilation of the contributions of all of our generous donors) would not only provide much needed shelter, but also inspire these people to improve their conditions themselves. When we departed with heavy hearts, we hoped the store of materials we had left would be transformed into more living space, and used for the betterment of people we had come to love. We were so pleasantly surprised to find that two years of industry and a meager supply of resources had added a gate and a “kitchen” to two of the homes we had worked on.
If that weren’t rewarding enough, we also had the good fortune of finding that two years had also been kind to our friends. Stanley, who was 14 when we last saw each other, and who’s parents have long since passed, leaving him in the care of friends, has grown and become much more fluent in English. I added him as a friend on Facebook and within moments he began commenting on my photos. As I saw the notifications rolling in, I could only wonder about the sensation it must offer for him to have a window into our world. Clicking through pictures of heavenly vacation spots must be surreal to someone whose travel has not often, if ever, extended far beyond the grey cinderblock surroundings of his makeshift home.
Certainly the internet must offer a juxtaposition of hope and despair – a communique’ that life exists in other forms – something which could provide as much encouragement as it could its polar opposite. As Stanley flipped through my images – representations of wealth – would he feel admiration or jealousy? Would he swell with optimism our would he cringe with anguish? Either way, I suppose he’s entirely justified. We are blessed. We are given much.
