Faces of Haiti

Finally catching up enough to start processing my trip. First of course are the photos of these beautiful, incredible people. Despite the poverty, deforestation, complete lack of government services and horrendous conditions, Haiti is still full of beauty, and its people have a pride and dignity -- not to mention sense of humor, charm and hospitality, that far outshine their circumstances.

Here, in no special order, are a young woman selling vegetables at the market in Medor, located just below the rectory where we stayed. Also, kids on their way home from school in Petit Riviere, the nearest city four hours away -- the girls all wear those cute uniforms and big bows in their hair -- and people along the rocky, bumpy, scary mountain roads we traveled by jeep and on foot. That's me with Fr. Stan, a Nigerian priest who teaches school in Port au Prince and served as our Creole/French/English interpreter, driver and awesome travel guide.

In Haiti, they say there are mountains beyond mountains: solve one problem and there's another right behind it. So you keep fighting the good fight, what else can you do? It also explains a certain easygoing, whatever sort of attitude -- kind people smiling in the face of inevitable adversity.