The story shared here represents the spirit behind our actions. It represents the reason we do what we do. We can’t always fix all your problems (although we’ll try!), we can’t replace all your treasured mementos and we don’t always have the answers. But we can sit. And we can listen. We can love well; and we can pray on your behalf.
So that’s what this team did – they listened to Alexia’s story; they allowed him to be heard. That’s why we need you to go – to listen to the stories that need to be shared.
Monday, January 25, 2010.
6:30am. Time to wake up. The ten of us quietly shuffle around the orphanage getting ready to head into Haiti for another day of helping out. The smell of apple cinnamon and maple brown sugar oatmeal hit your nose as you step outside the church. These few minutes in the morning are really the only quiet times we ever have to ourselves. I look around as my teammates are quietly eating oatmeal, reading their bibles, doing devotionals, and preparing for the day.
We head out around 7am. As we cross the DR and Haitian borders, we normally rent two security guards for the day. However, today the DR president is heading into Haiti and there is only one security guard that we can buy. His name is Alexia. He hops into the back of the truck with us as we continue on our way to Fond Parisien, the hospital/church we have been helping out at. As we are making our way to the hospital, we notice that Alexia doesn’t look too happy. Mind you, our rides crammed in the back of the truck together seem to bring out the fun and laughter in our team. I believe this is when the nicknames started coming as well: Jacob the Social Cracker, Sara Choe the Asian Tiger and Me the Dolphin Whisperer. Oh fun times! So as we are joking around having a grand ol time, Alexia sits there very serious and looks kind of annoyed. None of us really thought too much of it at the time.
As we arrive to Fond Parisien, we are all assigned different tasks. Sara Choe and I are placed in the hospital helping the doctors with patients. There are over 100 patients that have arrived today. Meanwhile, Ashley and Aaron have their own mission to spend around $5,000 to buy food and supplies that can be given away. So, off they go with Alexia in the truck to make some border runs to get rice, beans, and whatever else they can find.
When Ashley and Aaron return from their mission around 4pm we come to find out the story of Alexia…
Aaron said that Alexia spoke English (which none of us knew) and told Aaron that he looked sad. Aaron told Alexia that he wasn’t sad, he was just tired. And then Aaron asked Alexia why heseemed to look upset. Alexia then replied and told Aaron that he had lost his entire family in the earthquake. He was the only one who survived and the only thing he has is the uniform on his back. He told Aaron that he did not know what he was going to do and what his future held. He said that he now feels obligated to go to school to become a doctor so he can help people.
When I heard of this on our truck ride home that evening, I was torn up. I slowly started to crumble inside. No wonder he wasn’t laughing with us earlier. No wonder he was upset! Ugh. I cannot even imagine. The thought of losing my entire family, not knowing what my future holds and somehow managing to work all at the same time is just beyond me. What do you say to someone like this? There are simply just no words.
This is the story of Alexia.
He is not the only one with a story like this. At this very moment, there are thousands upon thousands of Haitians without homes, families, jobs, stability, a sense of security or a known future.
Please keep these refugees in your prayers. And when you pray, pray specifically for Alexia who is one of the many amidst the devastated and brokenhearted.
Please keep these refugees in your prayers. And when you pray, pray specifically for Alexia who is one of the many amidst the devastated and brokenhearted.
If you’d like to spend a month in Haiti this summer with the World Race you can apply here.
