Rain

 

i have always loved rain storms.  being in a tropical climate, Haiti goes through the evening rain storms complete with thunder and lightning almost every night.  the rain keeps things growing and washes everything clean, but here rain is different.  for the children of haiti, rain is different.  for the thousands of people living in tents, rain is different.  For them rain means not getting a good nights sleep.  it means worrying about your "house" and your "bed" flooding.  for them it means the cholera might come back and start spreading again.  

the rainy season is getting close and so many people are still living in tents without hope for anything different to face the coming season.  i was told that during the dry season as the water table drops, cholera cases decrease (hence we havent been hearing as much about it on the news in the US lately).  but if it didnt drop far enough the coming rains will bring it right back.  i am under no illusion that it wont be devastating if that happens because of the way people are forced to live here.  Wednesday night there was a big storm.  Thursday so many kids were sleepy.  they were restless and laying their heads down on their benches.  We were told that when the rain comes- the children living in tents do not sleep well.  even though i have seen the poverty everywhere and knew these children live in the poorest areas of the community it somehow hadnt hit home to me that these kids that i have been playing with every day are going home to a tent.  the way that hits you in the heart is so completely opposed to the joy the kids show playing games with you, singing for you- it is so hard to process all the emotions and thoughts going through my head.  i think it is going to take a while.  i might still enjoy rain storms when I get home but I dont think i will ever think of them quite the same again.  we ended the night on the balcony- praying for those in the tent cities last night after another rain storm. 

Jenn M.