A Difference In Worlds by Sadie

A Difference In Worlds by Sadie - January 2017 Scholarship Essay

A dirt field with small, yellow grass patches, the scene is not what most call beautiful, but I do. The sun beats down producing sweat from my pores, yet I don't mind. Small children climb on me, mess up my braid, and touch my face; however, I don't care that they are dirty or that they smell. To me, they are beautiful souls in beaten bodies.
In August 2013, I registered to serve the people of Haiti. Being inexperienced and young, I had a plethora of fears. Would I be safe? Would I be miserable without the comforts of my home? But I felt a calling, and I had to go and experience this third world country. As I gathered skirts, t-shirts, and supplies, my nervous excitement built until June 21st, 2014 when the time came to leave.
When we arrived in the Port-au-Prince airport, my team and I caught stares as we walked to our bus that would take us to the compound. We arrived at a tall concrete wall with broken glass bottles stuck out of the top. Quickly, I began to feel the heat that I had been told the climate provides. Our rooms were not much cooler, with sixteen people filling the small space. During the first night of sleep on my top bunk, I had a challenging time trying to stay on my small, hard, unrailed bed.
After a plain breakfast the following morning, we crossed the compound boundaries into a field where Haitian children played. With two team members at my side, I cautiously stepped through the dirt into a shockingly different culture. Immediately, my hands were taken by two, adorable, girls. They led me to a soccer game being played with a dirty, flat soccer ball. Kids flocked around me and took turns sitting on my lap. My braided hair was immediately taken out and played with. My second thoughts were washed away. We hugged, kissed, laughed, played, and communicated without language. We danced in the sun and ran in the dirt. My love for Haiti was ignited.
I met hundreds of beautiful hearts while passing food out, building homes, and spending time with the Haitians. They changed my outlook on life. I do not need the world’s approval; instead, I need to be happy and to make others happy. Haitians have so few possessions and a hard, repetitive life; yet, I only saw gratefulness, expressed through singing, dancing, and giving. Loved ones back home often do not understand why I rave about Haiti and why I return, and they may never understand it. My favorite place is a dirt field with a shining sun and happy people all around me.