Looking Back

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

"Piti Creole"

Written by Karin White, team participant


Creole is not my first language. Obviously! I only claim to know "piti creole". I can count to ten, identify the colors and name some shapes. I can say good morning, good night and excuse me. I know how to tell the children to sit down and not to touch things. I survived with "piti creole" this trip. However, my husband, Dr. Mike, spoke Creole through out the day during medical clinics. It is a no brainer that speaking someone else’s language greatly improves communication. Michael’s translator Herby was faithful and persistent in teaching him Creole. The Haitians were impressed when he walked through a well-child check and spoke Creole to the patient.

For us going to Haiti isn’t just about learning Creole or leading a medical clinic. Going to Haiti is about sharing God’s love. It is about speaking God’s language, through our actions, to lost, hurting, hungry and dying people.
My trips to Haiti have been growing experiences for me. I’ve heard myself say to people, I didn’t change Haiti, it changed me. Ungratefulness, prejudice, selfishness, pride, and a hard heart all become the opposite when a person visits Haiti. From the moment you allow the people into your heart and you feel their love you are forever changed.