Personal Narrative: My Home In Haiti

I was born and lived in Haiti for eight years of my life. The poverty there is so high that it has been labeled the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. That is where I grew up. People had homes, but they could often be blown away by strong winds. Our materials for building homes was of very poor quality and limited. We had so little money that I often saw kids and their families sleeping on the side of every street corner. I was one of the most fortunate kids. I remember sleeping on a dirt floor in my grandmother’s little hay house when I was around six years old. At least I had a home. I was put in an orphanage where I was later adopted and brought to the United States. Almost everyday, at the orphanage, the kids and I talked of how

we dreamt America to be. We dreamt big houses, high paying jobs, and no poverty. Clearly we were wrong.
I see the poverty present even in the US, and I want to help. The best way for me to help is to give to those who are not blessed with the conveniences I am now privileged with. Due to my experience in Haiti, I feel volunteering with Habitat For Humanity is the best way I can benefit people who are not as blessed as I am.

Habitat for Humanity travels around the world building homes for the homeless.

I have seen first hand what poverty is, and I want life for those people to change. Because I am good with my hands, building should be of no trouble for me. In Haiti, I loved to play with the carpenter's tools; making small cabinets or door and more. I have volunteered before with a home rebuilding organization. We demolished an old home in order to prepare it for renovation. Thinking back to it now, these things brought me joy. Not the simple act of service, but specifically using my hands to bring change. I think that is why I am motivated to help out with Habitat for Humanity. Also, my friend has a yearly summer commitment to help build homes for the homeless that I find most intriguing. He posts pictures on Facebook, and I admire them thinking to myself how awesome it would be if I could do that.

“Why can’t I do that?” is the question that always follows that thought. Time and transportation. Time is my worst enemy. There are so many things that I want to do in my life that I can’t because I haven’t got the time or the means of transportation. My time is consumed by work, school, and extracurriculars. That is why I love my school’s mission of service. It provides every senior the opportunity to do service on a weekly basis for the entire year. Since building homes was not an option, I chose something that can still provide my with the satisfaction of helping people in poverty: Cass Community Social

Services.

At Cass Community, I get to make food for the hungry. I come in every week on Wednesday and prepare items that a chef then uses to make meals for thousands of people a day. This food kitchen is not only a food kitchen, but an entire organization for people in poverty. Cass provides home, food, care, and help to a numerous quantity of people. I get to make a change in their lives by providing my food making and preparing skills. I work at the Detroit Zoo, doing just that. It brings me joy that I can do what I love both to support myself and make a change in people’s lives.

Habitat for Humanity is my next step to changing poverty. I love using my hands, and I think Cass Community has prepared me to use them even further. I can proudly say that if I was given the opportunity to go build homes every week, I gladly do it. I know what affect a home can have on a family. I know when I entered my new home in America, I could not be gracious enough. I literally could not stop smiling. I understand the struggle people without homes go through everyday to even live. I know the pain. I lived through it. I want the change. Habitat for Humanity is my plan.