We are all excited about my big brother, Don, (aka Misye Komik) and his team coming late April.  One of his first time team members, Cavelle Simms, wrote a poem and gave me 16 years ago (1997) after I had been living here for two years.

I am thrilled that after all this time I will actually be able to share my life, my Haitian family, and my work with Cavelle who has been behind me for so many years.  Coming for the first time, too, is her daughter, Sarah and her husband, Stephen.  There will be other first timers coming as well and some who have been here before and wanted to return.  You will hear about all of them, and from them, when they are with us. I mention Cavelle because I am going to use this blog to share her poem with you.

The Other Side

If I could place just for one day
Any child of mine
Somewhere to teach them gratitude
The place is not hard to find

I’d ask my dear friend, Karen
To take one on her knee
With another from the orphanage
Just so they could see

I’d get her to point out to them
All is not there to take
Or even get to make the choice
Ice cream or chocolate cake

There’d be no house, but a mere hut
No shoes upon their feet
No worry about your buddies
Thinking your Nikes are neat

No worry that your classmate
Has brand name fancy wear
Or has an earring in her nose
Or three in just one ear

No worry that your computer
Will soon be obsolete
For because it’s one year old today
Another has it beat

No worry that your corn pops
Won’t last ‘til grocery day
Or when you ask for ten dollars
Will five just come your way?

No worry, worry, worry
About all this crazy stuff
But to wake up in the morning
Just might be enough

To bring polluted water
For your family
And hope there’s food to go around
Praying, “Dear God, let there be.”

Then take the little food there is
And cook it really long
And then you wonder as you eat
Are the bugs really gone?

When the day has tired your body
And you now must face the night
No fan to cool you down, my son
No books read by beaming light

No “Tender Treasures” to tuck in
No clear water by your bed
No fluffy, pretty pillow
To lay your pretty head

I’d pray that when I brought them back
Eyes and hearts open wide
And realize that when life’s coin was tossed
It could be them “on the other side”

~C. Simms 1997

Jesus said,  “Let the little children come unto me”.

Sixteen years ago it was, as it still is now, ALL   ABOUT   THE   CHILDREN.

Thank you for making it possible for HATS to continue to minister to the children in this valley area.

God bless each and every one of you.

~Karen and the children