Final thoughts

Well, we've been home for 2 days now.

Our trip home was eventful with Mariah, then Tevan getting the same flu bug that my mom had. Mariah was up all night sick in Miami and Tevan was really sick all the way home from Miami to Calgary. He was a real trooper, using his bag on the plane and never once complaining. Plus Ariane was still suffering with her bad ear and fever. I was so happy when we finally made it here. The kids have all turned a corner and are on the mend, although Tevan is still pretty green. I think he'll be back to normal by tomorrow.

Unfortunately, with me taking care of three sick kids on the plane, my camera was got lost on the plane from Miami to Dallas. I called yesterday but the Lost and Found was closed, so will be calling again today and sure hope someone turned it in.

I've been thinking about our time in Haiti and what it meant to me and to our family. Haiti is a beautiful, crazy, upside down, magical, terrible place. It's a place where children die every day from malnutrition, water-borne diseases, and preventable illnesses. It's a place where labourers line up every morning at 4:30 am on a bridge near the orphanage, hoping to be hired for a day's work in the fields so that they can provide for their family. Where women can't read or write, but can do complicated math calculations in the marketplace. It's a place of corruption and distrust. But also a place of laughter and unending hope where people find reasons to celebrate, to laugh and to make connections with others.

Haiti can seem lawless and chaotic, but when you observe the culture, there are complicated social and cultural rules that govern everything that goes on. People live according to age-old rituals and culture, with both harsh aspects and beautiful and gracious ones. It's a reminder that our way of doing things and of living life isn't the only way or even the right way. Being a part of another culture helps keep things in perspective here and helps me to be more open to the myriad of differences in the people I meet every day.

I had time in Haiti to reflect, to slow down the hectic pace of my life, and to spend time with my children. I had a chance to welcome more people into my family as Mariah and I visited with her father again and had the chance to meet Mariah's siblings. I enjoyed the beauty of the country right outside the gate of the orphanage and I got in touch with nature in a way that just doesn't happen in a big city (cows mooing, goats sqealing, roosters crowing - oh joy!).

My two oldest kids had a chance to reconnect with their roots and heritage, while they all had an opportunity to learn about different ways of seeing the world and different ways of living. They saw what their efforts could do to help others, forged friendships, and worked alongside people who live in very different circumstances. I know their lives are richer for the experience.

Haiti reminds me that it is possible to make a life count for something more than commercial success and material gain. I can use my gifts, my education and my blessings to help others. In Haiti, if you are hoping to change a country, you will be sorely disappointed. But if you do what you can to touch one life, you can make a difference. That applies not only to Haiti, but everywhere. We're here for a bigger reason than just finding success as defined by our culture. We're here because God made us and our lives have a purpose. We can be fueled by our passion to make this world a better place, one individual, one person at a time.

It has been a joy sharing my experiences with you!

For those of you who are reading and want to know more about Hands Across the Sea, directed by my mom, Karen Huxter, you can post a message here for me, email me, or email hats.haiti@starband.net. You can also visit hats-haiti.com.

There is a team travelling from Nova Scotia in a few days to spend 2 weeks in Deschapelles, Haiti and they will be posting their photos and blogging about their experiences on this same site. I hope you'll turn in to read about their adventures.

Liette