Herby Pierre

Herby With Clifford


Herby told me his story one day at the orphanage. I added some historical facts and a little imagination. He liked what I wrote so I'm posting it here...

Fishing in Haiti is hard work. The blistering heat of the day was not comfortable, but it was familiar. As he cast the nets out and pulled them in his thoughts turned to his family. Another child to love, another mouth to feed. These days, the supply of fish was very low. Two generations of fishermen commented on how the fishing “used to be.” What fish they did drag in, were to be salted and preserved for market day. Market days were the busiest days in the village.

Haitians of every age were in the market. They were there to sell their fruits, vegetables, meats and anything else that they could get someone to buy. The " blancs" were the best people to sell things to because they didn’t know much about the pricing system. The market days were loud and many people pushed their way through the crowds. Tomorrow was market day, but Herby’s mother would not be there selling fish. She would be enjoying her new son.

On October 8, 1984, a Haitian fisherman became a father. The sun shone on the back of his neck as he walked home along the dusty road. The trash on the side of the road that had laid there for weeks was being burned. Even after all of his years in Haiti, the smoke still burned his eyes and nostrils. He was headed in the direction of his village much earlier than usual that day. It was difficult to leave the family’s fishing vessel, seaside with his father, but he knew that he must make the journey home. In the heat of the morning, his wife had begged him not to go to work that day, but he had to go. His promise to her that he would be home early was fresh in his mind. As he entered the village and neared his small, thatched roof hut, he heard the cry of his son. Joy filled his heart as he looked at his new child, he knew that Baby Herby would be a fisherman just like him and his father before him. In the early 80’s when this child was born he had no idea of what the days ahead would afford him. Many years later, he would know first hand that in Haiti "it is really hard to find something for yourself." To clarify he adds, "that means the resource is not comfortable in Haiti. Sometimes you can find something to eat and you don’t know for tomorrow." At age 23, he wants to finish school and he knows that "God will provide a way for that - cause - Him (God) say if you seek me you will find me."
Source-Matelas is where they call home. Generations of his family have raised their children in this area. Each day, Herby’s father and grandfather would gather their nets after a cast and search for what was left in the over-fished, polluted waters that line the Haitian coast. The fishermen did all of their work from the sea side. With no resources to buy a motor for his boat Mr. Pierre stood day after day on the seaside never giving up always casting his nets. If a motor was affordable, they wouldn’t have a seaworthy craft. Because of the dire conditions of the Haitian people, the majority of Haiti's fishing fleet stayed in the contaminated waters close to shore. This is where Herby’s ancestors fished, unfortunately, this is where the fish are scarce.
Hope still loomed in the air. The economic situation in Haiti would improve, it just had to because people just couldn’t continue to live in Haiti with its current condition.
Weeks had past since the birth of her son, but she still didn’t have the energy to sell the fish in the marketplace. As she lay on the dirt floor of her hut, she fondly remembered a jubilant day. Hopefulness was in the air and Haiti’s future was once again at stake. As The Pierre’s stood in the streets of Port Au Prince, they saw Pope John Paul II. His visit was almost as exciting as Carnival. He had seen Haiti. He declared that "Things must change here”. These were words that Mr. Pierre clung to. Finally national attention had been brought to Haiti. The people, the poverty, and the public unrest were unimaginable and now they were front page news - worldwide. Mrs. Pierre, newly pregnant, wanted a different life for the child she would bring into this world. However, the Pope’s hopeful words and idealistic thoughts were soon buried when over 200 peasants were massacred at Jean-Rabeau. The demonstrations for access to land had failed. Hope had all but been killed.
At his birth, Herby had become a citizen of the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. His struggling, hungry family barely had enough fish to sell much less eat. It had been a year since the Pope’s visit and unrest was in the air. Anti-government riots were taking place in Port Au Prince and other Haitian communities. Violence was rampant in the streets. All around their area, political unrest was evident. But in their home, the Pierres were concerned with the new mother’s health. At the time, they didn’t know it, but the reality of life in Haiti was inevitable. Herby would grow up without a mother.
The long days passed slowly. The widowed father cared for his young son. He gave what little he had to his family. His son was a friendly, happy boy. While his father was at the sea, he had many caretakers. One day his father asked Herby to help carry the fishing nets to the coast. He enjoyed swimming beside the fishing boat and watching his father’s muscles bulge as he pulled in the nets. Herby liked being with his father while he worked, but he wasn’t’ interested in a life of fishing. It wasn’t long before Mr. Pierre knew that he couldn’t care for Herby like his mother could have and he wanted Herby have a better life than his own. With all of the love in his heart, he began to look for his son a new home, an orphanage.
The sisters at the orphanage enjoyed teaching Herby and they gave Herby their best by loving him as a mother would.Herby was a bright child. He loved to learn and was a seeker of knowledge. He would try to read any book that he could get his hands on . He was eager to learn and was very well behaved Herby made many friends and he excelled in the areas of language. He learned French and English very quickly and began translating at a very young age. His optimistic outlook on life, in a very desperate country, carried him far.
Herby was 15 years old when he became both mother and fatherless. Herby moved back to his area to live with and care for his grandfather. With no access to healthcare, Herby spent each day helplessly watching as his grandfather began to go blind. He gave his last ancestor the constant assistance that he required. Even though the days were long and hot, he began to grow close to his grandfather. All of the days that he had missed while living in the orphanage were retold countless times and he began to piece together the missing parts of his life. Even though he was raised by The Sister’s at the orphanage, he remained a very important part of his family. Herby would be here for his grandfather as long as he needed him.
His grandfather became like a father to him. When he could, he helped him pay for school. Herby’s money that he earns translating helps his grandfather have the things that he needs. Herby’s quest for knowledge is very strong and evident. He is a very bright young man. He learns quickly and is a good teacher. He seeks knowledge in every area and has an unquenchable need for furthering his education.
He was in a nearby village with some friends and he saw a girl that he recognized. Childhood stories were passed between the two and soon they realized that they had grown up together. The girl had been in the same orphanage with Herby. As she told him her story he became increasingly interested in what she and her children were doing. She noticed Herby’s translating abilities and told him to come to Bercy if he wanted a job. She was an employee at an orphanage and the American visitors always needed translators.
Herby is a Haitian orphan. When he can afford to pay for school is attends the 11th grade. His retelling of how he grew up and survived in Haiti deserves to be recorded.
It is Herby’s desire for everyone, Haitian and American alike, to know that "wherever we go, God’s commission is our commission."
Herby Pierre August 2007