indescribable.
I have attempted to write this blog post three different times and yet I never can find the words that I need to properly describe what I have been experiencing here. It is hard to put to words what I feel everyday, all day, but I think the best definition is: at home.
I have been spending almost all of my free time with the older kids. Teenagers are not a population that I usually consider myself interested in. I find them to be difficult to connect with, and hard to talk to. But there is something so different about these teenagers. They make me feel like I have a family here in Haiti. They tease me constantly, they comfort me, teach me, learn from me, and most of all we genuinely love each other.
Their love for me is so apparent when they care for me. When leaving church we ride home on a bus of Kids Alive kids, we need to walk up a busy street to get to the bus. It must have been apparent that I was a little overwhelmed by being one of the two only white people standing out like a sore thumb in a crazy sea of Haitians all rushing to their destinations. Fabiola, one of my favorite teenage girls, scoops up my hand into hers and grasps me tightly with both hands. She led me swiftly through the crowd. I find that these teenagers are so perceptive of even slight emotions, they definitely are so thoughtful to how I am feeling, or how a particular situation will make me feel.
They have also been so helpful to me. Donalson, one of the older boys has been such a blessing to me. He sits with me daily and works with me on my Creole. I have learned so much from him, and he takes such ownership over teaching me. In any situation if I am speaking to a group he will come up to after and critique what I could have said differently or compliment my word choice.
There are many perks to working with the older kids, you are able to learn a lot from them, and be able to constantly joke and tease each other. I have been blessed with a love for these amazing kids that I didn't expect to fall in love with. I came here expecting to love on the little kids and ended up making lasting friendships with these high schoolers that I could not love more if I tried.
I have been spending almost all of my free time with the older kids. Teenagers are not a population that I usually consider myself interested in. I find them to be difficult to connect with, and hard to talk to. But there is something so different about these teenagers. They make me feel like I have a family here in Haiti. They tease me constantly, they comfort me, teach me, learn from me, and most of all we genuinely love each other.
Their love for me is so apparent when they care for me. When leaving church we ride home on a bus of Kids Alive kids, we need to walk up a busy street to get to the bus. It must have been apparent that I was a little overwhelmed by being one of the two only white people standing out like a sore thumb in a crazy sea of Haitians all rushing to their destinations. Fabiola, one of my favorite teenage girls, scoops up my hand into hers and grasps me tightly with both hands. She led me swiftly through the crowd. I find that these teenagers are so perceptive of even slight emotions, they definitely are so thoughtful to how I am feeling, or how a particular situation will make me feel.
They have also been so helpful to me. Donalson, one of the older boys has been such a blessing to me. He sits with me daily and works with me on my Creole. I have learned so much from him, and he takes such ownership over teaching me. In any situation if I am speaking to a group he will come up to after and critique what I could have said differently or compliment my word choice.
There are many perks to working with the older kids, you are able to learn a lot from them, and be able to constantly joke and tease each other. I have been blessed with a love for these amazing kids that I didn't expect to fall in love with. I came here expecting to love on the little kids and ended up making lasting friendships with these high schoolers that I could not love more if I tried.
Fabiola and I on the bus home from church, with little Naelle.
And of course I still am loving that I can love on these little babies all of the time. Who could possibly resist that smile?!
<3 Cassidy
I know right! They just steal your heart! Fabiola is looking more and more beautiful!
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