"The people of Fondwa taught me by example what true selflessness looks like."

“Fondwa’s poverty looks different than what we might see in Indiana. Haiti’s needs are overwhelming and sobering--humbling in a way that is difficult to understand until experiencing it yourself. Ten people living in a lopsided house held up by poles, no running water, toilets or showers; recognizing someone not just by their face but an outfit that’s not been changed for days: after my first trip to Fondwa, viewing my home and possessions in the same way was impossible.

The blurred line of what I need and what I want suddenly came into focus. I’ve seen the hardship of poverty, but I’ve also learned something about kindness. The people of Fondwa taught me by example what true selflessness looks like.

During my first trip to Haiti, we brought candy for the children at the orphanage. Whenever we handed a child a treat, he would run back, bite the candy in half, and give the rest to someone who had nothing. Some mornings the neighbors would invite us to their homes where they would make and serve us coffee.

The people of Fondwa made each other and us feel cared for and safe. The ways in which they tend to one another made as big an impression on me as their economic needs.”