"Piti Creole"

Written by Karin White, team participant


Creole is not my first language. Obviously! I only claim to know "piti creole". I can count to ten, identify the colors and name some shapes. I can say good morning, good night and excuse me. I know how to tell the children to sit down and not to touch things. I survived with "piti creole" this trip. However, my husband, Dr. Mike, spoke Creole through out the day during medical clinics. It is a no brainer that speaking someone else’s language greatly improves communication. Michael’s translator Herby was faithful and persistent in teaching him Creole. The Haitians were impressed when he walked through a well-child check and spoke Creole to the patient.

For us going to Haiti isn’t just about learning Creole or leading a medical clinic. Going to Haiti is about sharing God’s love. It is about speaking God’s language, through our actions, to a very lost, hurting, hungry and dying people.
My trips to Haiti have been growing experiences for me. I’ve heard myself say to people, I didn’t change Haiti, it changed me. Ungratefulness, prejudice, selfishness, pride, and a hard heart all become the opposite when a person visits Haiti. From the moment you allow the people into your heart and you feel their love you are forever changed.