You don’t really realize how spoiled
we are, until you go somewhere that doesn’t have all the comforts of home.
Where we are staying, we have many luxuries that most Haitians do not have. I feel quite guilty about it as I step onto the porch to peer at the neighbors who still have severe earthquake damage, a tent for a roof, and rubble.
Running water is a luxury here in Haiti, and yet we can’t drink it or else we could get very sick. Sewer? It’s practically non-existent. If you’re fortunate enough to have a toilet that flushes, you’re doing good (praise God, we do)! But don’t flush the a toilet paper! – I can’t even talk about this.
A quiet night has yet to exist, but it has been Carnival and Crusade – we’ll see what the rest of our nights are like. But there’s a dog next door that seems to only bark at night. I’m tempted to bribe our security guard to shoot it. Kidding! (Ok, maybe only partially.)
The woman who sits under the tree washing clothes has to be one of the greatest reminders of our many luxuries. I hear her outside scrubbing as I type this. She sits there washing, by hand, from 8am until it’s all finished. Yesterday, she was folding when we finished eating dinner around 5:45pm. Yet, she is grateful for her work. She sings a happy tune while she works, smiling and chatting with everyone who walks by. She is joyful at a job most Americans would scoff at. She appreciates the work, and chooses JOY.
She is my daily reminder to appreciate what we have. To look to God for everything. To choose joy.
