My short trip was hardly sufficient to get a full picture of Haiti and its people, and I'm still trying to process all that I saw and experienced and learned, but one overriding thought has prevailed: To transform Haiti from a failed state into a prospering one, the children must be raised to believe that it is possible. They must be given a reason to hope that a better future is within their reach. Years of turmoil and setbacks and tragedies have, understandably, made it impossible for many adults to expect life to get better, but perhaps more than any charity or program or relief we could offer is a willingness to stand steadfastly with children like this little girl and give them reason to believe that better times are ahead. And I was so encouraged to travel with people who are doing exactly that.
