Haiti: Part 7

Day 7

My last full day in Haiti.

It's not that I was eager to come home─but I was ready.

I was ready to sleep in my own bed, make my own food, and drive my own car. Based on what I gathered from group members, it was the little things we all looked forward to. Little things like driving on a flat surface, sitting in an air-conditioned house, and eating a big bowl of ice cream. (Which, I will have you know, was accomplished within hours of my arrival back in the states. A cookie dough blizzard from Dairy Queen, if you really wanted to know.)

More than anything though, I was ready to apply what I'd learned and observed in Haiti to my everyday life back at home. A realization from Haiti was that I have so many resources readily available to me─so many different outlets and ways in which to do things. 

I also realized that we have a lot of distractions in America, technology landing pretty high up on the list. But I don't think the solution would be for me to completely throw social media, the internet, or my phone off the bandwagon. There would still be other distractions.

We live in a technology-driven society. 

If I want to reach out to those around me, I can't totally disconnect myself from the greatest outlet available in which to share with others. I must give credit to the internet, there are great ways in which to use this resource. Our church services are live-streamed, after all. And without the internet, you wouldn't be reading this blog post right now.

However, I won't deny that there are also several ways that the internet can prove to be quite distracting. One minute you're looking up a recipe on Pinterest, and an hour later you find yourself scrolling through pictures of walruses. (Okay, I'm probably the only one who does that. After seeing a real-live walrus in Sea World two years ago, I fell in love. What can I say, I have an obsession.)

I have these resources─my computer and this ability to share─and I've got quite a few things to say, so why wouldn't I take advantage of the opportunity? That was my reasoning behind the blog. I've wanted to start a blog for awhile, but I just didn't know what I would share about. The real brainstorming will begin after I complete my last Haiti post. That's when I'll have to start getting creative.

And now to the part you've all been waiting for─what we actually did.

On this particular day, we delivered a pump to a farmer.

What's great about UCI is that they aren't looking to give out free handouts. I should clarify─yes they distribute donated clothes where needed, provide meals at the nutrition center, and take prayer walks to deliver free rice and beans. 

However, when a farmer and his family receive a pump, they understand that it is their responsibility to pay off the pump with time. (I guess it's kind of like purchasing Christmas gifts on layaway.)

Before receiving a pump, a contract is signed stating that it will be 2/3 paid off in two years. This is what enables the program to keep running, and allows for additional farmers to receive pumps in the future.

From what I observed, what they're doing at UCI is instilling independence in the Haitians around them. They don't want to be a crutch for these people, but to provide resources that enable them to provide for themselves and their family.

As a board member from UCI stated, it is better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish. (Wisdom right there folks.)

So back to my story.

We didn't know how long our ride would be from UCI to the farmer, so we all just loaded up into the nearest pickup. Had we known the ride would've been over an hour and a half, maybe we would have chosen a more accommodating setup. Though I'm not sure anything could've made that ride any more comfortable.

I really shouldn't be complaining, because I didn't have the worst end of the deal─not by a long shot. Those sitting in the bed of the pickup not only had to ride sideways, but walked away from our "road trip" experience with burnt shoulders and thighs.

I chose a seat in pickup number one. (Not an established name, but for the sake of explanation, that is what I shall call it.) There were four of us crammed into the back row of the pickup, so you can imagine we didn't have much leg room to stretch. Thankfully, the row consisted of four young females opposed to four big-boned males. 

Four sets of legs crammed into the back row.

I have to say, we had a great time in pickup number one, we really did. First of all, we had air-conditioning─I would just like to say that again─we HAD AIR-CONDITIONING. Second of all, we had some pretty great conversations. I'll leave it at that, because what happens in pickup number one, stays in pickup number one. (Would you believe me if I told you I just made that up? I did.)

When the pickup stopped on the road closest to the farm, the farmer was right there waiting for us.

Everyone piled out of the pickups, we handed over the pump, and off we went. You could tell the farmer was excited. He took the box (containing a very heavy pump, I might add), placed it on his head, and lead us all the way to his field.

The trek down the mountain.

We started off on sturdy ground, then went down the mountain, through the river, and up another steep hill to reach our final destination. It was a trek, but it felt good to get out of the car and get moving. It's crazy though, to think that the farmer takes that trail multiple times a day.

Walking through the river.

Look at that quality pair of sandals. (Sadly they are broken now.)

It was actually kinda fun, our little exploration through the farmland. I must say, the river was a nice surprise as well, and it gave me the opportunity to finally put my handy-dandy water shoes to good use.

The pump was set up by the river, with a long tube leading uphill to the field. It was amazing to see the amount of water it took to irrigate the field of crops. I can't even imagine trying to get water to that field without the pump. And this guy did it every day, rotating between crops, carrying bucket after bucket of water from the river, all the way up to his field.

Setting up the pump.

As we stood around the field, watching the water continue to pump from the river, we prayed for the farmer and the pump that would continue to provide him with crops for years to come. We thanked the Lord for the opportunity to meet with him and to see his field, and we prayed for the crops, that they would provide nourishment for his family and all those who benefited from the harvest. With a translator, of course─so he heard every word of the prayer. We then concluded with a singing of the Doxology.

As I'm sure you can imagine, this was one of those had to be there moments. If you had only seen the smile on that farmer's face. He was proud of his land, of the crops he had grown. He was eager to put the pump to good work, eager to reap a bountiful harvest.

Yeah the car ride was a bit bumpy. And sure, the trek to the field was a little hot, and a little sweaty. But to see the smile on that farmer's face, the smile radiating from his every being─that made it all worth it.

[Interested in reading more? Check out the Blog Archive to the right to find links to my other posts.]

If you liked this post, you might like...
Haiti: Part 1

Haiti: Part 2
Haiti: Part 3
Haiti: Part 4
Haiti: Part 5
Haiti: Part 6