Haiti

A country of hope and faith.

My passion for traveling doesn’t always bring me to beautiful and relaxing places. I travel because I want to see the world, to see other places that other people don’t want to visit. I love to experience different cultures, meet other less privileged people and people who would like to meet other people from other parts of the world.

My friends asked me why I wanted to go to Haiti. And when they found out that I went without a company, they were even worried.

This again showed that I am a risk-taker. I go to places, and I do things that maybe, an ordinary woman won’t go and may not do. I always say that life is an adventure, and seeking adventure is just a norm for me.

I stayed at Airbnb with my host, who was also my driver and tourist guide. He was nice, and I felt safe in their house that has a bodyguard with a riffle.

The airport welcomed me with a sign of faith. “God always provides”’ was displayed in front of a passenger van. Right there, I saw and felt the faith of Haitians, despite the situation that they have.

The house where I stayed was far, almost an hour away from the airport. I took a taxi and didn’t expect that long distance. Honestly, I was getting worried. I pacified myself and told my inner self that I should not worry, and I will be fine. As we drove, the traffic was getting worse. But it wasn’t the traffic that made my ride longer-it was the sights that I saw on the road. 

My eyes were wide open, and it was hard for me to stare at things I see for a long time. Right at that moment, I realized that the Philippines isn’t too bad. Haiti is too far behind than any other country I’ve seen. 

The catastrophic earthquake in 2010, unfortunately, has made this country devastated and struggling. Yet, with the hard life they have, their faith is visible in many places.

My energy was worn about, but I could sleep for few hours that night despite the feeling of sadness. The following day, my host drove me around Port-Au-Prince. Our first stop was the church, which is beside the market. Most streets have people walking. There are many small stores, and a lottery was in almost all of them. Passenger vehicles were packed.

Not everything was sad scenarios. He drove me to the area where the rich people live, including the foreigners. Most of their houses have high fences and bodyguards. I went to a department store where those expatriates shop to check out what they have.

We passed by so many sights that I thought, for me, were heartbreaking to see and absorb. These are Haiti's people, busy with their normal lives, trying to earn a living and survive. I am sure most of them have faith and gratitude in their hearts. And I know for sure that these people have dreams too.


Faith is everywhere. I spotted this water tank delivery that displays the face of Jesus. We know life is tough sometimes, but when people have faith, life seems less challenging. 

I had a good meal. I saw flowers. I visited a church. I met friendly people, talked with kids, and witnessed the display of faith in Haiti. Even though it’s one of the world's poorest countries, there’s beauty around it.

My trip to Haiti was a short one. I left Haiti with a heavy heart yet grateful for the life and blessings I have.   And I told myself that I would come back to bring a mission.

The world is beautiful.  Some countries may not as developed or as rich as some countries.  But we can try to make it attractive by doing good things for them.