Graduate

This picture is a very proud moment for this young man and for several surrounding him, including my own parents who have supplied his educational funding since adopting his sister 12 years ago. My dad had the honor of being able to attend his graduation ceremony a few weeks ago, and while there Manius gave a speech in Creole to family and friends. The circumstances my father witnessed with people's reactions to his speech that day prompted my dad to request it translated in English. It was so stunning that I wanted to put it up on the blog for everyone to be able to read and digest. For all who are sponsoring a Haitian child for school, this serves as a tremendous impetus for continuing to aid these wonderful and deserving children. Very few Haitian children ever graduate, they cannot afford the cost and the land deprives them so badly it is difficult to even survive, let alone get a full and complete education. But for change to come, Robinson believes in the necessity of education. This year with your help we have 64 children back in school! What a privilege for us to be a part of this kind of impact. Read this speech and allow the meaning to settle, it will surely stir your heart!

My warm greetings go to everyone this morning. Today I feel really enthusiastic about completing my secondary classes which, to me is a miracle, impossible, an enigma. After a past loaded with efforts I've been successful in making the impossible happen. Suffering, hunger, lacking clothes have motivated me to reach that impossible thing. I question now whether suffering is for destruction or construction; what is its role in a man’s life?

In my opinion, suffering is there not only to fashion our character and enable us to become mature but also it is presented to us as a way of better self-knowledge like a thinker says: "Trial is the time that reveals the truth in human beings; until it comes you never know all about a man." Suffering presents itself as the essence, the salt of our life, and a movie camera which records our past. It trains us for the future. Every time we remember that we have much suffered in order to get something, we value it. Besides, suffering is there to help us understand others in their suffering, like the great philosophers and protagonists of introspection say: "Who knows himself well also knows others." Jesus Christ, when He came on earth, went through so much suffering and that's what characterized his earthly walk. That's the reason He understands and has compassion for us when we call upon Him. As a matter of fact, anyone who wants to eat the best production of the city, of the land, and even of heavens must show determination, patience and courage. That person should even drink the cup of suffering because to get any good thing requires an extra and particular effort.

That contentment that I feel is not only my fruit but also that of other people because I am like a chain, a house built with materials from other houses in the same way that God created the world out of opposites and yet from the union of opposites came the most beautiful harmony. I don't know what I have to give to those people who have helped me achieve that seemingly impossible thing. No new word, no new expression comes to my mind for me to express my gratitude towards them. Anyway, I'd like to use my poor speech to address them.

First, I particularly thank my family, my father who accepted to bear all sorts of sufferings, like lacking clothes, going thirsty and hungry, for my sake. There were times when he was even exposed to death. Those sacrifices cannot be acknowledged with just thanking words but I believe that God who, in His love can give beyond my request, is able to reward him according to his works. Thanks to Pastor Louis Robinson who accepted to love me all the way. When my mother passed away I was on my 2nd year of primary school and I found myself in a dead-end due to my family’s incapability to handle the situation then. My father was on the point of moving to the Dominican Republic by himself. As for me, I thought it was the end of my life but yet it was the beginning brought about by God’s direct intervention.

God has chosen Pastor Louis Robinson to help me. This relationship that God has established between him and me is unexplainable; I see it as an enigma. Pastor Louis Robinson is from Desdunes and I am from Terre Blanche. It is unthinkable to everybody that Pastor Louis Robinson would treat me so well while we’re from different localities. He doesn’t discriminate against me like I would be his slave and he would be the master, nor as orphans and non-orphans. At some point I have been asked whether Pastor Louis Robinson was my father. That’s how God works; whatever He does is beyond our understanding, our intellectual abilities. Although we live in a world where everybody is after their own interests he (Robinson) makes the difference, he cares about the happiness of others. He agreed to help me selflessly, he accepted to be a father to me. I don’t have enough time to speak about his works. May God, in His grace, protect and bless him with all sorts of blessings.

My thanks go to the believers of Christ Community Church in Michigan, particularly the (Doyle) Berg family who considers me as their son. This family was not afraid to give of their life to me, to make personal sacrifices for me, accepted to walk in the snow, cared about me, worked hard every day so that my dreams could come true. I know the sacrifices and tribulations they went through in helping me. They always put aside their nationality, their skin color and their culture for my sake. What a love! May God, in His mercy and boundless grace, pour down on them all sorts of blessings.

Thanks to Mrs. Louis Robinson, sister Eloude, sister Paulette, sister Anie´ce, brother Emmanuel Pierre. Special thanks to Mrs. Hermane Fleurina, brother Cluvinson Ginius. I don’t have enough time to quote all the names but they are ineffaceable. I pray for special grace of God on every one of them, may God protect them each day. I say a large thank you to all of you for spending this moment with me. Americans say; “Time is money.”, which means time is precious, but still you put aside your personal business for being here with me. May God, in His love and grace, be with you ‘til the end of the world.

Thanks!

Hope you were as moved as I was, blessings always.