By Sarah Sanchez

I went on a mission trip to Haiti with a team a few years ago, and the team and I always talk about how much we miss Haiti. But I think it’s strange that we’re talking about how much we miss a Third World country, where people live in poverty and barely have enough food to eat. The other day, I really thought about what it was that I missed about Haiti and the first thing that popped into my head was the people.

The Haitian people who lived in the villages were always so friendly to us. They would wave at us as we walked by, have us hold their children, or ask us to pray with them. They were welcoming everywhere we went. They treated us as if we were family, even though we were strangers who didn’t even speak their language.

The Haitian children were a whole new level of friendly. Whenever we had an opportunity to play with the children, my arm would end up being tired from holding so many of them and my legs would be tired from running around with them the entire day. At one point, I had a little over ten children surrounding me, each fighting to hold my hand, trying to play with my hair, trying on my sunglasses, asking me questions in Creole or doing anything to get my attention. The funny part was that as soon as I turned around to look at them, they would give me the biggest smile. The love they showed us was truly remarkable.

It wasn’t until we were back in a United States airport that I realized how different Haiti was. The moment I realized we weren’t in Haiti anymore was the moment I turned to say “Bonswa” (meaning hello in Creole) to someone, and I didn’t see a smiling face like I was used to in Haiti.

It’s amazing to think that I miss a country where we didn’t have any electricity, where we didn’t have clean water, where we barely had enough food, and where  I’ve sweated more than I’ve sweated my entire life. But still, I have the urge to go back just so I can see those friendly faces and feel that special love all around me.

The question I found myself asking is: why do I have to go back to Haiti to feel this way? Why can’t I have that same feeling when I’m in my own hometown? Why can’t we be friendly to one another here? So I ask you to please help me spread love around the community. Say hi to one another, smile at each other, open doors, help with grocery bags, or carry out a simple act of kindness to show a stranger this love. As the years progress, I find the world becoming less civil. But who says we can’t change it? Let’s work together to make this world we live in a better place.