April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
CULTURAL IMMERSION
From Siena to Haiti
Siena College freshman Caroline Bablin, 18, was charmed by the child, who's named Bichon, during her recent service immersion trip with the Franciscan Center for Service and Advocacy.
She felt that simply giving the suitcases of school supplies, laptops, soccer balls, French workbooks and toothbrushes she and her classmates brought over wasn't enough.
"It's cool to know they're still there with him," Caroline said of her sunglasses.
The Siena student raised almost $1,000 at her parish, St. Matthew's in Voorheesville, by raffling off a holiday gift basket back in December. She and a dozen other Siena participants planned for the January trip for months, studying basic Creole and creating lesson plans and games for their task: teaching English at St. Gabriel Middle-High School, which was started in 2012 by a Haitian man who attended Siena. Christ Our Light parish in Loudonville has supported the school and other projects in Fontaine.
Nervous at first
Caroline wasn't sure what to expect about leaving the country for the first time, or about teaching Haitians.
"We weren't sure how much English they knew," she said. As it turned out, "they love to practice. The first day, when we ran out of things to do, we just started talking to them."
St. Gabriel's currently has about 150 students between seventh and 11th grades. Caroline taught mostly ninth-graders who ranged in age from 15 to 18. For four days, the Siena students had the floor for three hours each morning.
"It was very hard to keep their attention for that long," Caroline said. She orchestrated games like Simon Says, Boggle and outdoor tag to help the students learn vocabulary words, and rewarded high performers with Jolly Rancher and Starburst candies.
They were just as excited about the pens she brought as they were about the treats.
"They went completely nuts," she said with a laugh. "As soon as I opened a pack [of pens], they would swarm. It was kind of dangerous, actually."
English lessons
School is optional in the afternoon in Fontaine. Many students stayed for extra instruction, and adult community members sought English lessons, too. Students and even younger children not yet attending school liked to hang around outside and talk to the Siena students in English.
"That was really rewarding to see," Caroline said. "They would come up to you and say, 'I want to be your friend,' [and] walk up to you and hold your hand" on the way to the soccer field.
She was inspired by the children's eagerness to learn - knowing English could get them out of Fontaine for more job opportunities, or even prepare them for college - as well as their positivity and faith.
"They have so little, but they're always so happy," Caroline said. "They had such a strong belief [in God]. It was humbling. I find myself now at church praying for the kids," and praying more intentionally and deeply.
"I came back with a much [greater] appreciation for myself, for my life in general," she continued. "I realized I don't need so much of what I have."
Caroline has attended St. Matthew's parish her whole life. She said her confirmation was a good experience, but "back then, I don't think it meant as much to me as it does now. I was just sort of going through the motions."
Faith-focused
Now, "I feel a lot closer to my faith," she said. "People at my church know me. I'm part of the community [because] I got a lot more involved and started to really listen to the readings and prayers. I know [others are] there for their relationship with God, and it helps me to focus on mine, too."
A college with a religious affiliation was a good choice for her; Caroline noted that she may not have had the opportunity to travel to Haiti if she'd attended a different college.
Still, the chemistry major is thinking of transferring to The College of Saint Rose in Albany so she can play on their volleyball team.
Caroline hopes to return to Haiti or to visit other countries in need. Until then, she's keeping in touch with the Haitian children on Facebook: "I made many friends, not only in the Siena group."[[In-content Ad]]
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