Haiti, for so long, has been portrayed in the news for its poverty, the devastating disasters it has had to withstand and endure, the corruption that exists throughout its government, and the way other countries perceive this nation. However, on our Global Encounter trip to Haiti this past week, what we, the students and faculty of Saint John’s High School, experienced was raw beauty, unconditional love, and faith-filled hope for the future of this striking and beautiful country.

After a long day of travel, beginning with a 2AM departure from Saint John’s, followed by a four hour flight, and a two hour drive to Brit's Home, we were already having a bit of “sensory overload.” From the heat, to the welcoming smiling faces of Haitians who drove us, to the busy, trash-ridden streets, and all of the beautiful chaos in between, it was a tiring and stressful day, but in the best senses of both words. What we were greeted with when we arrived was something that caught us all off guard.

I liked the next scene of our journey in Haiti to what it must have been like during Christ’s time on Earth; reception with unconditional love. Immediately upon entering the orphanage, we were greeted with song - arguably the most beautiful rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” - and hugs, handshakes, and “high-fives” from complete strangers who we had done nothing for! While, at first, guilt crept up upon receiving these gifts, the notion of Christ and the undeserved, unconditional love he gave us all, came to mind and was what myself and many of the rest of us saw and experienced in these children. We were immediately accepted into their community, into their world, without any sort of want or any kind of expectation that we give back what we had just received. There were moments throughout our first day in-country that I forgot where I was, that the faces I saw, the children I embraced and played games with wanted nothing more than a simple human connection. Of course, this is not the case for many Haitians, but those we were with for the duration of our trip exuded this type of happiness day in and day out because of what BLB provides for these children; a future filled with hope.

It goes without saying, of course, that taking in sights, people, and love at the orphanage was one thing, but taking in the rest of the country, and its people outside of BLB’s walls, was an entirely different experience in and of itself. “Mounyobay responsab anpibagay, yap eqzijeplis anko nanmen li” (Lk 12:48);

“To whom much is given, much is expected,” a bible verse near and dear to my own heart. This verse was one that is stressed to all of the volunteers that come through BLB’s doors and it helped keep our group ever mindful as we met the family we would build a home for - a single mother of four, living in a cinderblock home, not more than 35 square feet in size, with a tarp for a roof. It was a devastating sight to see, a scene that made it impossible for each us to not think about the exorbitant amount we have to be thankful for, and to muster up some kind of semblance of compassion for this beautiful family who was in need of so much. If anything, this initial experience pushed us to levels of productivity throughout the week many of us did not think possible. When you see the face of poverty, the face of the marginalized, you see the face of God, and you find yourself working harder than ever knowing you will change this family’s lives forever.

When we broke ground on this building of this home, we began by digging up all the ground around us - filling it with anything we could find as we worked to create a solid and secure foundation. This required buckets and buckets of rocks from every crevice of land we could find, including the river bed just a few feet and one steep drop-off away! When we ran out of water to mix the concrete, we used a “bucket brigade” to replenish the barrels necessary to mix the concrete. We nailed knotted wood, learned what the word “flush” meant, framed walls, built walls, and painted a two-room home that measured nearly triple the size of the home our family previously lived in. We worked alongside Haitian men and women that didn’t know the meaning of the words “quit” or “break”. These helpers all had children within the village we were building the home in who were constantly lending a hand to help for a “p-willy” (better known as a lollipop). The strength, the resolves, the love, and the incredible faith-filled hope this country has is truly unprecedented. If we, back home, exuded just an ounce of these qualities and characteristics, throughout our entire country, we would be far less divided and far more caring for our fellow man. These young men from Saint John’s, along with our chaperones experienced all of this, repeatedly, and what a beautiful gift it was to have experienced.

In reflecting on this beautiful journey, I can confidently say that our time spent in Haiti was far too short – and I know I speak for everyone in our group when I say this. There were lessons learned, people met, and experiences had that allowed our eyes to be opened to what matters the most - faith-filled hope for the future, unconditional love for one another, and raw, powerful, unending beauty from a country and a people that know no limits to any of these values they possess. While we may have made some positive change and impact on those we served while in Haiti, our group was shaken to its very core with profound changes, realizations, and experiences. It was clear that some of these feelings were felt instantaneous and some will come to realize later on. Either way, it goes without saying that this experience will stay with all of us for the rest of our lives, and it is our hope that we continue to live out these amazing gifts in our everyday lives.

-Kevin