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Helping Haiti

Building a village school brings
appreciation for her education.

Stephanie Podolsky
Teen2Teen Staff Writer

A

s members of the Jewish
community, we all have
the responsibility of tikkun
olam, repairing the world. While I par-
ticipate in many community service
projects in the Detroit community, I
took my service to the global level in
an effort to fulfill my commitment
to God of making the world a better
place.
Through my high school club, build-
On, I traveled to Haiti with club mem-
bers of other high school chapters. We
trekked to the small village of Berette
to build a school for the children of the
village. This experience was especially
meaningful because it was made pos-
sible from contributions of my class-
mates and community. The money
helped purchase the building materials
needed to construct the school and
some of my travel expenses.
Driving through Haiti's capital,
Port au Prince, opened my eyes to
the devastation the country still faces
from the earthquake that struck two
years ago. It seems as though it only
happened yesterday; beggars lined the
streets as tents filled the open space
and smog from the burning of plastics
and trash filled the air.
Once out of the city, I saw a whole
new side of the country: beautiful
mountains and a glistening coastline,
full of green vegetation. I was excited
to adapt to the village life and give
them a gift of education — something
often taken for granted in the United
States.
The village warmly welcomed us
with a ceremony full of prayer, songs
and excitement. It was an emotional
ceremony that conveyed how appre-
ciative the villagers were of our com-
mitment to building them a school.
Working alongside the villagers gave
me the feeling of community. This
school is an invaluable gift. It will
bring hope for a better future for their
village and the rest of Haiti. They so
desperately want it and understand it
is a necessity for improving the coun-
try's standards and way of life.
I lived with a host family without
the convenience of running water,
electricity and air conditioning. This
trip made me realize how lucky we are
to live the lifestyles we have in the U.S.
Every night many of the neighbors

Stephanie Podolsky spent time this

summer helping to build a school in

Haiti.

would come over to hang out and
meet us. We would sing, dance and
definitely laugh a lot. I even got to
experience a Haitian birthday party
for another student's birthday during
our stay. While going out to dinner for
birthdays is a tradition in my family,
a Haitian birthday party consisted of
dancing, music made by the villagers
banging on buckets, and the whole
community's participation. It is amaz-
ing how close a community can be
without the distraction of technology.
It is hard to describe the meaning
and impact of this trip. It made me
appreciate and value my education. We
always want more, yet they are content
with the little they have. I learned I do
not need anything other than the neces-
sities of life. Everything else is only a
desire. It was not until I got home that
I realized how easy my life is: I have
a sink where I can brush my teeth, a
shower to clean my body and a nearby
school giving me a great education.
So, in the end, I think this trip
taught me about appreciation, but
it will not be for many years until
I understand the true extent of the
impact I left from my participation.
Aside from the sadness, there is so
much pride and hope in the Haitian
citizens, and I hope that one day the
country will turn around. It is these
acts of Gimilut Chasidim (loving kind-
ness) that I believe will make our
world a better place. ❑

Stephanie Podolsky, 17, of Bloomfield
Hills, is a senior at Andover High School

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September 13 • 2012

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