Poor Haitian Encourages Rich Haitian--June 2019
Anderson (2001)
Port-au-Prince
Anderson is a 22-year-old young Haitian man who lives in a slum located just off of Route 9. I won’t name the place, but it borders Cite Soleil. I first met him in 2001 when his concerned mother brought her four-year-old son to me for a presumed heart problem. Anderson has a Ventricular Septal Defect which is a hole in the lower chambers of his heart. However, the hole with the loud accompanying murmur does not harm him and does not require surgery or medication.
During his short life, Anderson has survived multiple natural and manmade disasters including hurricanes, tropical storms, an epic earthquake in Port-au-Prince that killed hundreds of thousands of people, vicious UN versus gang wars, a thriving slum kidnapping business which reached its peak in 2006–2007, epidemics of cholera , chikungunya, and zika, bad governments with corrupt politicians, horrible roads, urban decay and pollution, and lack of virtually all basic necessities.
However, using ways unknown to me, for the past two decades Anderson has appeared unexpectedly for short visits in the Soleil clinic. And this has allowed me to watch this young man grow up. With the advent of social media, Anderson now actually gets on my nerves with his constant stream of texts. He has turned into a relentlessly driven person– always trying to improve himself in the face of daunting local barriers.
Recently, Anderson told me that he is becoming a tourist guide. I don’t know why Haiti would need more tourist guides right now…but WHATEVER. And he pleads with me saying that he wants me to give him English lessons on WhatsApp. Anderson states that he wants to become a “better listener”, which I find interesting since Anderson “pale twop”. He wants me to send a one-minute audio recording each day so he can learn to speak like we do.
Luke, my 16-year-old Haitian son, sent Anderson an audio message the other morning intending to help Anderson. Luke told him about a book that he is reading. Anderson answered Luke back in very respectable English that “reading was a good thing for Luke to do”.
This audio exchange was interesting for me to hear. Anderson, who has very few material possessions, was encouraging my son to read books. Other than the ubiquitous Haitian bible, I doubt there are more than one or two other books in Anderson’s house. Yet, there he was encouraging my son to “make something of himself”.
Comparing these two guys–
Anderson has grown up “looking for food” each day. Luke has never looked for food one day in his life in the States. Food is always there.
Anderson has had few cups of cold clean water in his lifetime. Luke has cold clean water every day from the kitchen sink.
Anderson hears gunshots at night as violence erupts from one slum to another. Luke has rarely heard the live sound of a gunshot.
Anderson’s house has no electricity and private wifi for him is only a dream. Luke takes power 24/7 for granted and could not imagine life without a fast internet connection.
Anderson’s chances of going to the university are small. He has no money. Luke is expected to go to the university and he assumes he will.
Anderson has been given very few opportunities. Luke has been given many opportunities.
Anderson, with his naivete and innocence on his sleeve, completely believes he will be successful in life. He works with a passion. Luke expects that he will be successful too. But his passion is not as intense living in a soft society that coddles its people and gives everyone a participation trophy.
There are hundreds of thousands of Andersons in Haiti. There are millions of young men like Luke in the United States. I want both guys to “succeed” but success for either young man is not guaranteed. Supporting Anderson is so different than supporting Luke.
Finally, this Anderson/Luke comparison begs the most important question:
Which young man is poor and which is rich?
Luke (2019)
John A. Carroll, MD
www.haitianhearts.org
5 thoughts on “Poor Haitian Encourages Rich Haitian”
David Volk
says:
June 6, 2019 at 10:37 pm Edit
Poignant. I am impressed. Gives me something to think about, with my own spoiled children, …and myself. “Pale twop”, for those who do not know is “talks too much.”
Replysays:
June 6, 2019 at 10:46 pm Edit
I love this. As a lucky Haitian like Luke, I often ask myself that question especially when I’m in Haiti. I actually wrote and published a similar story titled: Rich baby, Poor baby, comparing the birth of my oldest daughter in the US to a baby I witnessed being born in a countryside makeshift clinic. Both Anderson and Luke would agree that Luke is at least materially rich. Now, wealth in spirit is another matter.
ReplyAda
says:
June 6, 2019 at 10:49 pm Edit
Your blogs always move me to tears and make me think deeply about life . Thank you for sharing your insights and wisdom.
Replysays:
Could I somehow speak with Anderson about helping me with a small project in Soley?
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