This reflection is by Autumn Hensel, a May 2006 UWSP graduate from Sartell, Minn.
One of the more memorable experiences I
had in Haiti was during a visit to a school in the slums of Gonaives.
Gonaives (Gun-I-Eave), is one of the larger cities in Haiti. This city was
still
recovering
from a devastating hurricane that had flooded the city and surrounding areas
a couple years earlier, killing thousands of people. The school we visited,
being three stories tall, had been one of the only places of refuge for
families living in the area.
We were led into a simple, yet euphoric chapel, where we were greeted by seventy bright-eyed, uniform-clad students. The principle gestured proudly as one of the nuns conducted the children in song. Their voices sounded so beautiful and so full of hope; I felt myself wanting to sing along with them. We later found out from Augie, one of our guides, that the translation of the song they sang was: "If we brush our teeth every day and throw our trash away, the world will be a better place."
Already overwhelmed by the poverty of Haiti, many of us laughed and commented on the apparent naivete of these children. After all, the solutions to the inequalities, environmental degradation, and corruption go far beyond personal hygiene and proper trash disposal, don't they?
However, the school children’s song left an imprint in my heart that would not fade. As I boarded the plane to leave the country, I could still hear their words echoing in my mind. And I realized that these children communicated to me the most valuable lesson I will ever learn.
We have a responsibility to do what we can in this world. Even if our actions seem worthless, we must have faith in their part amid the grand organization of things — that our lives may be small, but hold amazing potential to play an important role in social justice. I hope that the children in Gonaives believe in the words they sing. "If we brush our teeth every day, and throw our trash away, the world will be a better place."
