tre bel.

Meet Mia. A beautiful little girl that lives in Leveque. The more time I spend with Mia the more I adore her. She has a wonderful little laugh and is always smiling. My lap has become her napping spot each afternoon I’m there. Her naps don’t last long, but always come complete with drool which always makes me laugh. She is my buddy and is by my side wherever I go. This afternoon when we arrived at Leveque she was outside and saw us coming. When we saw each other both our faces lit up and as we drove past to park I could hear her screaming with excitement. My heart melted instantly. She definitely has a special place in my heart.

What makes my heart break for Mia is the constant teasing she has to endure. My roommate, Lindsay, first told me about Mia and that everyone (kids and adults) make fun of her. Mia is one of many malnourished children here in Haiti and her hair is orange as a side effect. Because of this, Haitians view her as ugly and call her that on a daily basis. A few days ago I witnessed it first hand. Mia and I were together and I noticed her face change as she looked at a group of Haitians. Each one was looking back at her, pointing and talking. There was a translator right by us so I instantly asked what they were saying. (Another reason I wish I already could speak Creole). He confirmed what I already thought. My first reaction was to run over and fight them…but they were a lot bigger than me and I figured that probably wasn’t the best response of course. So instead, I asked how to say “you are beautiful” in Creole. I got really close to Mia’s face, looked her in the eyes and said “tre bel”. As I continued to tell her over and over, her smile grew and I knew for at least that second she was hearing the truth.

The thing about Haitian culture is they are extremely blunt and are quick to call people ugly who look different then them. To them it’s not rude to call a two-year-old ugly to her face or behind her back. This is a culture where that is okay, even normal. I will never agree or understand this, but I know that I can’t change it either. I know though, that everyday I’m with Mia she will know that she is beautiful and loved. That is one thing I can do. 

Update: The little girl I wrote about last is doing well. Her burn is healing great and quickly. Praise the Lord!