How hard is it to wake your kids up for school in the morning?
One of the kids that we profiled this week walks for two hours, one way, every morning, in order to get to school at Hope for Haiti.
Danita’s students are known by the red uniform the kids wear and the big red ribbons in their hair.
They are so proud to be able to learn, to have the privilege to be there. In the mornings it almost looks like a force is drawing all these kids with little red skirts, before the sun is up, all in the same direction. Most walk across town ALONE in order to be able to go there, and wear that red uniform. Sometimes they will wear it to church even, if it is the nicest outfit they own.
When you grab a coffee at Starbucks a few times a week, and complain because it was almost $5, the total of that coffee could pay for a child’s entire education. Their schooling, food (which is usually the only hot meal they receive a day), uniform, books, the whole 9 yards!
Whenever someone enters the classroom the students stand up and say in one voice, “Bonjour [insert name]”, then they are led into a song as a form of greeting. The first day that I was here I was drawn to a familiar tune coming from the cafeteria. When I got there, the kids were getting ready to eat their lunch, singing, “How Great Is Thy Faithfulness”, worshiping to God in thanks for the meal (maybe the only one) that they were about to receive.
After their morning is over, they will surely return home, take off their uniform and shoes, and play outside, almost naked and definitely with bare feet, in an effort to keep their outfit and one pair of shoes nice for church and for tomorrow – when they are able to proudly make the walk again.
The Roaring 20s 