Haiti is incredible. So much beauty and ugliness coexisting, unlike any other place I’ve been before. There is so much poverty packed onto half an island yet I’ve never met such vibrant, strong, and persevering people. They are so much stronger than I am, so much stronger than Americans are. Not only in day to day life but spiritually as well. Even though some of these people’s futures are unforgiving and their homes are held together by Samaritans Purse blue tarps, their faith and hope seems boundless. And even though some of these children are covered in dust, walk barefoot on the stony streets of Titayen and most don’t know where their next meal will come from they have joy. Genuine joy that brings a smile to their faces as well as mine and lights up their dark eyes that seem to look right through me. It still shocks me how they’ve experienced that world so differently than I have. How can these two worlds coexist on the same planet? Worst of all people, myself included before this trip, have chosen to be ignorant about Haiti and countries similar to it that are in need. We are spoiled and selfish. Haiti will be burned into my mind both the good and bad memories but I am thankful. I never want to forget the poverty, the people, or the mixed emotions that tormented me all week. I can’t forget about that little island that brought the biggest reality check of my life.