Someone I Miss

Every time a topic such as this is brought up, I can't help but feel a momentary (at least) sense of loss. Who doesn't? It is in our nature to love deeply, and when the people who we have formed these kinds of bonds with are not with us, we inevitably miss them.

But it's also a happy day, for though I'm taking about someone who I miss very much and wish very much to see, I also love her very much, and look forward to the day (less than 8 months!) that I get to see her again.

This is Lunevia. She is a beautiful, radiant, funny Haitian girl. I first met her in 2012, on my first trip to Haiti. That was a very interesting trip, and I ended up with a rather odd set of memories, most of which did not include which unusual Haitian name went with each beautiful Haitian child. I do, however, have a thing for faces, and I remembered many more children than I thought I would when I returned to that village one year later. But, I can't remember names worth a flip, which proved rather awkward when they came up to you, grabbed your hand, and asked you their favourite question:

"You remember me? You remember my name?" to which I made the sheepish reply, "Nooooo..." :/ This past trip, I uttered a short fervent prayer that God would somehow grant my unwieldy brain the ability of retention! Lo and behold, He did!

I perceive that I have strayed from my original topic. I could rattle on for hours.

But Lunevia, though I adored all of the children there, is one of the most special to me. She was a hoot! She came with a new hairstyle every day, (though in the picture it is neatly plaited in cornrows) and one day she had six-inch plaits that stuck out from the back of her head!!

Every Haitian child, when they're around you, will cling to you. They hold your hand. They play with your hair. They pull on your clothes, and sometimes try to pull things out of your pockets! Lunevia, with a few of the others, was different. We saw hundreds of children, but these children, only a few of the hundreds, came back with startling regularity. It was truly delightful to see them, not only because we had not seen them in such a long time, but because they had unique, wonderful personalities all their own!!

Lunevia is one of the few privileged children who has the opportunity to access a decent education. The ministry we are guests of during our stays in Haiti runs a school, where generous sponsors can donate small sums to give these children food for the body and the mind. There are so many left. So many who will never have that chance for mental freedom. The percent of illiterate children and adults is very high, and it's truly heartbreaking, none less for me, who is a voracious reader and has been blessed with practically unlimited books to my disposal. There is so much I want to do for these people, and seemingly minuscule resources.

Sorry. Doing it again x) I told you, I can get side-tracked for hours.

But I wholeheartedly do want to help these people. They are delightful people with many delightful customs, though, due to the voodooism that is prevalent in that society, some are not so delightful.

I do always leave the country, while sad, with an indescribably sense of gratefulness. Sure, I miss them, all the people there that I love to pieces. But it's because of that that I feel so blessed. Blessed to have met these beautiful people, who are so worth every moment of longing for them.

They're so worth missing.

~Margaret