He Tried to Sneak In
Jamel, Haiti
Summer 2013
I was running a summer program for kids in Jacmel, Haiti. We offered them arts and sports programs. But the real draw was the free lunch of beans, sardines and rice. We had enough food for just 100 kids a day. This kid didn't make the cut for the day. So he hung around the fence all day and begged for food. At one point, I caught him climbing the fence, trying to sneak in and I had to get the guard to throw him out.
It was very hard to throw him out. But there were 30, 40 kids behind him who also wanted to come in. So we had to draw the line at 100. I've never missed a meal. I've never been hungry. I've never had to beg. But if this kid doesn't beg, he doesn't eat regularly. This was my hardest lesson learned that summer.
