Cerises, Cerises!!!!

One of the things that I miss about being in Haiti are the early mornings. The sun began to rise at about 5:00AM and the people in Leogane were on the move shortly thereafter. From the rooms in the church that we stayed in and eventually the balcony of our home, where we slept, the sounds of motorcycles, schoolchildren and street vendors soon filled the air. I enjoyed laying on my little (usually deflated) air mattress and just listening to everything. I think that I accurately represent all of the volunteers that I was there with when I say that the most distinct sound of our morning was always the "Cherry Lady".

We could always count on this woman to come down our street yelling, "Cerises, Cerises!!!!" I wish that I had an audio recording of her because she had a very distinct sound. One day as I was laying on my little air mattress I heard a woman coming down the street selling cherries, BUT she was definitely not OUR "Cherry Lady"- you could tell without even looking at her. The Cherry Lady soon became an expected part of our morning ritual. The day before I left, I was finally able to capture a photo of our dear friend.

Is this a random, perhaps unimportant memory of my unforgettable visit to Haiti? Maybe. But, for me, this is one of those memories that I will always carry with me. Who knows, maybe someday I will be walking down the street and hear a faintly familiar voice...... it may be the Cherry Lady, or it may not. But either way, it will be another key that will unlock this great memory as well as the floodgate of incredible memories that I will carry with me and cherish forever.