Thank You

I pull my hand through my long brown hair as I survey the pile of donated items piled on the kitchen counter. Friends and family back home have given clothes, underwear, combs, soap, toothbrushes, pencil cases with pencils and erasers, and a variety of different toys. Altogether my parents were able to fill up 4 suitcases so we have a large assortment of things. Now that my parents have returned to Canada, I have some extra time on my hands, but where should I start? Well, first things first, I guess. Who should we give it to? Since we won't be returning to the village till July and we have just given all the kids we knew there care packages before we left, I think it would be better to hand out here in Port-au-Prince where we live. Suddenly a thought strikes me. I should go talk to Denise.
"Denise, eske ou kapab ede mwen silvouple?" (Denise, can you help me please?) I ask, "Oke", she answers cheerily. Her eyes widen when she sees the pile of things on my kitchen counter. I explain to her that family and friends back in Canada donated all these things for the people in Haiti and then I ask if she would like to pick out some things for her family. "Silvouple" (Please) she says and minutes later she's picked out a skirt for herself, two shirts for her little boys, a tube of toothpaste, a bar of soap, and a pencil case for Nicholas for school. When she's done I give her some toys for the boys as well. You can tell on her face how happy she is. Do you know more people who could benefit from extra clothing, toiletries, and school supplies I ask her in Kreyol? Oh yes, she says. In Kanepevet there are lots of people who could use these things. Well, why don't we get to work on making bags for them, I say, and since you used to live there, you will know what piece of clothing fits what child. As we get to work, I sneakily peek at Denise's face every few minutes. Nothing can wipe the smile off her face as she carefully examines the clothes and then tells me the name of the child who we should give it too. Darlene, Sandra, Ti Ton Ton, Nadja, Senleek, Patricia, Evant, Jebel, Angelo, Kalya, Emerson, the list goes on and on. At each name her face lights up and I can see the joy in her eyes as she thinks about how happy they will be with the various items. In the next few weeks we hope to go there with Anoud and Denise and hand them out in Canopy Vert. We want you to know that the love and care you’ve shown by donating the various items, really makes a difference for the people here and are much appreciated. On behalf of them, thank you so much.