Good Morning

“Good morning!” The words echo back at me in a slow speech from eleven little voices as we wait for dinner to be served. No, it isn’t morning, but good afternoon will follow soon. As the children huddle around me, anxiously awaiting what’s to come from my mouth next, I can’t help but realize that I have no teaching experience whatsoever, let alone teaching English. So far, they have learned to say watch, glasses, shirt, and shoes in a somewhat broken tongue. As I point from one object to another, they giggle at their attempt to sound out the words, and once we are fully educated on my wardrobe, we begin to develop an understanding of my face: head, eyes, nose, ears, hair, and mouth, or mouf. In the midst of our lesson, I quickly discover that some sounds are going to take practice…a lot of practice. But we go back and forth, repeating the same words for half an hour, some voices more confidant than others. I find that Bony, an immediate leader, will be a quick learner. And some, like Peterson, my sidekick, are a bit more shy when it comes to mispronouncing. But, even as they butcher some syllables, I can’t help but smile because sitting before me are eleven beautiful children, eager to learn and to grow. Eleven children, eleven orphans, who have faced the cruel and harsh reality that many of us are so privileged to avoid. Their faces convey hardship but their expressions reveal hope. Amid the poverty, the devastation, and the hunger, they have one another; they have a place to call home. And while they will never have biological parents, they witness unconditional love every day from their Poppy, Tom, a man who sacrificed his comfortable life in a country of opportunity to serve the broken-hearted in a country so economically poor. This summer, I hope to teach these children English; but more importantly, I hope to instill in them love, a concept that is almost nonexistent on the streets of Haiti. While a child with an education has the ability to succeed in this life, a child who possesses the knowledge that he is loved will succeed beyond measure, reaping the blessings of an eternal life. What an absolute joy it is to serve these children, to call them by name. As we sit together, three fighting for a spot on my lap, we laugh and we rejoice in one another’s company. And as we fight the language barrier, we are together, and there is no other place that I would rather be.