
Lessons in Generosity...
This past month I have learned a lot about what it means to be generous. At first glance, one would say that Haitians are always wanting something from the foreigner. Going to the market, I'm approached by "beggars" asking for change. It's only taken 1 month and I'm receiving phone calls from a mysterious "orphanage manager" asking for me to "collaborate" with him and help his orphanage because he heard I was a foreigner (I have no clue who he is or how got my number). The price of certain items tend to go when the "blan" shows up. Eggs that first cost $2.75, have now doubled with a certain vender. Sadly, she does not get our business anymore. These are only a few examples...
But, I have been able to see beyond this narrow dark view. I see the neighbor girl coming over and the ladies of Ruuska village sharing what food they have with her. Or the kids sharing licks from a popsicle. I watch people eating, and they take a couple bites and then pass the bowl on to the next person. One morning, we gave our grounds keeper a piece of coffee cake for his birthday... which we saw about 3 other people eating. 1 piece of coffee cake was shared between at least 4 people!
Personally, we've been given plantain chips, half of a watermelon, a dinner of goat meat, and countless other food items. Not to mention, just the little things that people do everyday here to make our life easier.
After church yesterday, we waited for the pastor to finish 2 meetings that he had. He then ran next door to his house and returned with a container of rice and chicken for the kids to eat on the drive home because he knew it was late. When we stopped at a store, he bought soda drinks for all of us...
It's humbling to be blessed by those around us. But I love it. It makes me feel that they don't just see a dollar sign associated with my white skin. Friendship is about a give and take relationship. Today when I sent the container back to him via my husband, I included some chocolate chip cookies that I had made. It wasn't a whole batch, but it was what we had to share. I'm learning that it truly doesn't matter the amount that you share, but the fact that you share what you do have with a cheerful heart.

I hope the kids next door enjoyed this homemade funnel cake as much as mine did :-). Share what you got friends! Even if it's odd and weird...