Haitian Beauty

I was told by so many before I came here to Haiti that this experience would change my life.  I tried to have as few expectations as possible and have been so blessed by what I have found.
Haiti is beautiful.  I expected that the landscape and the people would be beautiful but the city is so rich with color and life.  The air is filled with rich smells and the colors are so beautiful.  If you took one photo of the street you could stare at it for hours to find all the beauty in one small space.  So many small paintings put together to make a large painting.  So much like the people.
The hardest thing I have encountered is to not be able to speak the language.  I want to know all the stories of the people here and the paintings of their life. It is truly moving how much joy and love for God they carry in their hearts.
I can't help but think that God brings so many American missionaries to Haiti for the sake of the Americans more than for the sake of the Haitians.  I think we as Americans need to see how much we take for granted in our lives and in our faith.   And I just hope that the American missionaries leave as much love behind as they are receiving.
I came here to help start a garden project at the orphanage.  I was asked and greatly encouraged by a wonderful woman named Anita and her wonderful husband Tom.  I know she also knew that this would be a good experience for me to become closer in my faith to God. She was right.
Today we are going to the orphanage to see what we can do to set up a small garden which hopefully in the future will lead to greater things.  My eyes grow wide at the agricultural possibilities here in Haiti.  Oh how I would love to be able to grow food all year long at my farm.  And to grow such lush tropical fruits.
We will do our best to get done what we can and hopefully instill excitement into the beautiful girls (and a couple of boys) at the Orphanage.
Anita and Tom if you are reading this please know that your encouragement has planted seeds in my heart forever and I hope to be able to return that to these extremely rich and beauty people of Haiti.  

I would encourage anyone to make this trip.  You will be surprised.  I hope to return home to tell everyone I know that Haiti is not a poor place.  Haiti is very rich.  Very rich.

Erica Lavdanski
Organic Farmer
Reading, Pa