This is written by Adam De Jong, Founder and CEO of Dwell Earth, an Earth block company in partnership with Vermeer Corporation. Adam travels around the world working with businesses to run these machines. He currently is in Pignon, Haiti, working with a contractor name Sanon. His company info can be found at http://www.dwellearth.com.

When you don’t have food in your belly, you don’t have energy. On every project I am confronted with the same challenge. Most of the guys I am teaching are hungry most of the time. Every time I am confronted with it, I am at a loss for what to do about it and torn for how to react to them rubbing their bellies with expectation.

If I bring a loaf of bread, a riot breaks out (because even though I just shared they will not). If I bring 3 loafs then the same will be expected of me the next day and the next day and then the day after that…. and so on it goes until I do not even have enough to feed myself. These men do not know my financial standing. All they know is that I am a “blan” (white). To them this means that I hold everything and if they beg in the right way, I will be kind enough to take away their hardships. Even as I drive down the road people will jump up and start rubbing their bellies at the sight of my white face.

Who does not wish that they could take away the hardship of the hungry? But how is it possible by taking from one and giving to another?

All that can be provided as a lasting gift that can keep on providing is opportunity. Opportunity to learn something new. Opportunity to earn a wage. Opportunity to achieve more, to challenge yourself, to rearrange your priorities…..

We are all born with different sets of circumstances but in everyday there is opportunity. Take it or leave it… Opportunity surrounds us.

I am giving all that I can, but my heart still breaks when I hear, “mwen grangou” (I am hungry).