Hope
Hope or Espwa (Creole) is a pervasive word in Haiti. It’s found everywhere from souvenir bracelets to tap-taps to names of non-profits. People on the outside may question so much hope in the midst of daily difficulty as odd or even trite. Academics and arms-length reporters theorize about hope for Haiti due to its young labor force, proximity to the US, natural resources, and Caribbean beauty.
While I’m grateful for those assets and do believe they can be leveraged for good, Haiti’s Hope is much bigger and, at the same time, far simpler than a mix of policy, demographics, and geography.
To those who have been to Haiti, hope is experienced more than it is questioned or analyzed.
Hope is heard in voices worshiping at church.
Hope is felt in the hug of an orphaned child.
Hope is seen in the eyes of pastors and leaders who are committed to serving others.
Hope is grounded in the One who makes all things new, and it is this living Hope who continues to draw us to Haiti, change our hearts, and move us forward together, for children and family…and we are grateful.
“Hope is believing we will succeed tomorrow at what we failed at today.” – Kate, 17, recent vision tripper/Hope experiencer