Today our assignment is to reveal the stories of some of the local children at the village. So with the help of John, our translator, we are able to share Lendz's story.
Lendz Joseph is an adorable ten year old boy. He and his six year old brother, Lendly, have been outside the clinic everyday. Lendz and Lendly live across the road with their parents, grandmother, and aunt. They have purchased some land and are now collecting materials to build a new house. They have been renting their current home, a shack made of mud and wood, for about a year.
Prior to living in Latennerie, the Joseph family lived in Grand Rivière. During the school year, Lendz and his father take a bus to Grand Rivière. Lendz's father teaches in a public school, and Lendz is in his fifth year of primary school. Lendz enjoys going to school, and he says his favorite subject is math. In Haiti, the public schools are good, but space is limited, and more wealthy families have first pick, so the boys have go to private schools. The family must pay tuition for them to go to school. Lendz's mother Adeline tells us that it is difficult to pay for the two tuitions every year. The tuition for Lendz school is 50 U.S. dollars per year, and L'Ecole Methodiste, were Lendly attends, is 20 U.S. dollars per year. Adeline says they get through their hard times by working. Lendz's father is a teacher, and Adeline cooks and sells plantains at tre church. When money gets tight, the family will sell the hens they breed to pay for the children's tuition. Adeline tells us that it was easier when she was growing up. Prices have risen, and it has gotten harder to care for the boys as they've gotten older. Tuition for older students is higher, so as Lendz gets older, it's harder for them to get by. Also, when he finishes primary school, the closest intermediate school is in Cap-Haitien, about 30 minutes away by car.
The family works extremely hard to ensure the boys always have what they need. Mealtime is very important to the family. They use it as a time to stay close within one another. Lendz tells us that he has always had enough food, and his favorite things to eat are meat, spaghetti, and beans. The family buys most of their food at the local market and grow beans and plantains in their garden. They also catch crawdads and fish in the river behind their house. For water, the family uses bagged water or digs to find a spring. The river's water isn't drinkable, but they use it for bathing and laundry like many of the other locals.
The community here is very close, especially the church community. Adeline and Lendz both stress the importance of church to them.
Another thing Lendz finds important is having fun. The last day of school is Lendz's favorite day because his family has an end of ther year party for him and his brother. Joseph loves to play keeper while playing soccer with his brother, friends, and other classmates.
When asked about what he wanted to do in the future, Lendz said he wanted to become a doctor. This is because his cousin and role model, Wishner, is a doctor in Northeastern Haiti. But for the next few years, all Lendz wants to do is play soccer.
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