I meant giaggi when I was about 10 years old he was your average kid who liked
old he was your average kid who liked
old he was your average kid who liked comics and playing video games
comics and playing video games
comics and playing video games but despite we’re the same age and like
but despite we’re the same age and like
but despite we’re the same age and like the same things we’re very different
the same things we’re very different
the same things we’re very different from each other while I was the chubby
from each other while I was the chubby
from each other while I was the chubby ten-year-old who liked playing video
ten-year-old who liked playing video
ten-year-old who liked playing video games and my bit greatest worry was not
games and my bit greatest worry was not
games and my bit greatest worry was not getting dessert at the end of dinner he
getting dessert at the end of dinner he
getting dessert at the end of dinner he was a quiet kid whose demeanor was
was a quiet kid whose demeanor was
was a quiet kid whose demeanor was dogged by the experiences of his life
dogged by the experiences of his life
dogged by the experiences of his life but most importantly he lost both his
but most importantly he lost both his
but most importantly he lost both his arms during an earthquake in Sichuan it
arms during an earthquake in Sichuan it
arms during an earthquake in Sichuan it was on May 12 2008 when an 8.5 magnitude
was on May 12 2008 when an 8.5 magnitude
was on May 12 2008 when an 8.5 magnitude earthquake struck the heart of switch
earthquake struck the heart of switch
earthquake struck the heart of switch one I remember sitting in class 800
one I remember sitting in class 800
one I remember sitting in class 800 miles away from the epicenter of the
miles away from the epicenter of the
miles away from the epicenter of the earthquake smelling up feeling a small
earthquake smelling up feeling a small
earthquake smelling up feeling a small vibration in the classroom little Dino
vibration in the classroom little Dino
vibration in the classroom little Dino later when I found out that like Jia
later when I found out that like Jia
later when I found out that like Jia drear my friend to be there were
drear my friend to be there were
drear my friend to be there were thousands of other victims that were
thousands of other victims that were
thousands of other victims that were incapacitated but by the rubble waiting
incapacitated but by the rubble waiting
incapacitated but by the rubble waiting for the rescuers to reach them meeting
for the rescuers to reach them meeting
for the rescuers to reach them meeting him for the first time was a shock for
him for the first time was a shock for
him for the first time was a shock for the both of us but it was through my
the both of us but it was through my
the both of us but it was through my trips to his hometown and his trips of
trips to his hometown and his trips of
trips to his hometown and his trips of mine where we realized we really had a
mine where we realized we really had a
mine where we realized we really had a lot of difference in the way we live and
lot of difference in the way we live and
lot of difference in the way we live and the different tasks in life we had well
the different tasks in life we had well
the different tasks in life we had well he taught me how he ate without his two
he taught me how he ate without his two
he taught me how he ate without his two arms and how he used his prosthesis I
arms and how he used his prosthesis I
arms and how he used his prosthesis I showed him my prized Pokemon collection
showed him my prized Pokemon collection
showed him my prized Pokemon collection in my bedroom but despite his handicap
in my bedroom but despite his handicap
in my bedroom but despite his handicap he was really seen with his prosthesis
he was really seen with his prosthesis
he was really seen with his prosthesis because when I later found out that it
because when I later found out that it
because when I later found out that it was really heavy and cumbersome but
was really heavy and cumbersome but
was really heavy and cumbersome but during one night when I was having
during one night when I was having
during one night when I was having dinner with was with him and his family
dinner with was with him and his family
dinner with was with him and his family and one of his donors I saw him wearing
and one of his donors I saw him wearing
and one of his donors I saw him wearing his prosthesis and he was slowly working
his prosthesis and he was slowly working
his prosthesis and he was slowly working his way through his dinner
his way through his dinner
his way through his dinner you know sometimes spelling a bit of
you know sometimes spelling a bit of
you know sometimes spelling a bit of sauce or porridge on his lap
sauce or porridge on his lap
sauce or porridge on his lap and one of the donors asked him a
and one of the donors asked him a
and one of the donors asked him a question in English and she said how’s
question in English and she said how’s
question in English and she said how’s your prosthesis holding up and as you
your prosthesis holding up and as you
your prosthesis holding up and as you know that jaja didn’t speak English so
know that jaja didn’t speak English so
know that jaja didn’t speak English so she he stared at her blankly and amid
she he stared at her blankly and amid
she he stared at her blankly and amid that silence I heard from someone on the
that silence I heard from someone on the
that silence I heard from someone on the table that the prosthesis is holding up
table that the prosthesis is holding up
table that the prosthesis is holding up pretty well we’re hoping to get a new
pretty well we’re hoping to get a new
pretty well we’re hoping to get a new one next year so Joshy wouldn’t have an
one next year so Joshy wouldn’t have an
one next year so Joshy wouldn’t have an easier time prior to meetings a Jew
easier time prior to meetings a Jew
easier time prior to meetings a Jew I knew suffering from a distance
I knew suffering from a distance
I knew suffering from a distance sheltered by my privilege and life was
sheltered by my privilege and life was
sheltered by my privilege and life was never the same for him after the
never the same for him after the
never the same for him after the earthquake and makes problems that they
earthquake and makes problems that they
earthquake and makes problems that they never expected popped up after the
never expected popped up after the
never expected popped up after the earthquake and they had to rely on the
earthquake and they had to rely on the
earthquake and they had to rely on the donors money in order to sustain the
donors money in order to sustain the
donors money in order to sustain the future judges future however
something that I realized is judge’
something that I realized is judge’ didn’t really have a choice because he
didn’t really have a choice because he
didn’t really have a choice because he had to in order to get these funds he
had to in order to get these funds he
had to in order to get these funds he had to show demonstrates the donors that
had to show demonstrates the donors that
had to show demonstrates the donors that the way he’s using their money is
the way he’s using their money is
the way he’s using their money is manifested in useful means where the
manifested in useful means where the
manifested in useful means where the donors could see nine years later
donors could see nine years later
donors could see nine years later traveling halfway across the world for
traveling halfway across the world for
traveling halfway across the world for boarding school in the States and going
boarding school in the States and going
boarding school in the States and going to my first medical service trip in
to my first medical service trip in
to my first medical service trip in Haiti after Hurricane Matthew I was
Haiti after Hurricane Matthew I was
Haiti after Hurricane Matthew I was transformed and transported in a
transformed and transported in a
transformed and transported in a different different world and different
different different world and different
different different world and different place and as I was driving around
place and as I was driving around
place and as I was driving around port-au-prince after delivering supplies
port-au-prince after delivering supplies
port-au-prince after delivering supplies to a prison in nearby port-au-prince we
to a prison in nearby port-au-prince we
to a prison in nearby port-au-prince we stopped by at a local supermarket for
stopped by at a local supermarket for
stopped by at a local supermarket for lunch and in sand in the supermarket
lunch and in sand in the supermarket
lunch and in sand in the supermarket there was a great pretty tall wall
there was a great pretty tall wall
there was a great pretty tall wall surrounding the supermarket and inside
surrounding the supermarket and inside
surrounding the supermarket and inside that supermarket there was rows of cars
that supermarket there was rows of cars
that supermarket there was rows of cars such as Land Rovers BMWs and Ford’s that
such as Land Rovers BMWs and Ford’s that
such as Land Rovers BMWs and Ford’s that each reflected the harsh glare of the
each reflected the harsh glare of the
each reflected the harsh glare of the sunlight and stepping inside I was
sunlight and stepping inside I was
sunlight and stepping inside I was transported in it into a different realm
transported in it into a different realm
transported in it into a different realm and there were rows and rows of consumer
and there were rows and rows of consumer
and there were rows and rows of consumer goods that towered over me you could
goods that towered over me you could
goods that towered over me you could find haagen-dazs ice cream Hot Pockets
find haagen-dazs ice cream Hot Pockets
find haagen-dazs ice cream Hot Pockets Arnold Palmer I would even argue that
Arnold Palmer I would even argue that
Arnold Palmer I would even argue that the the supermarket there was had
the the supermarket there was had
the the supermarket there was had products that were even more diverse
products that were even more diverse
products that were even more diverse than some stores in the states but
than some stores in the states but
than some stores in the states but outside beyond that wall there was there
outside beyond that wall there was there
outside beyond that wall there was there were children drinking unfiltered water
were children drinking unfiltered water
were children drinking unfiltered water off of well and that slight infuriated
off of well and that slight infuriated
off of well and that slight infuriated me and was the impetus for me to go and
me and was the impetus for me to go and
me and was the impetus for me to go and try my best to provide the most I can
try my best to provide the most I can
try my best to provide the most I can while I was in Haiti and here you could
while I was in Haiti and here you could
while I was in Haiti and here you could see the the supermarket that was there
see the the supermarket that was there
see the the supermarket that was there and then the children they were outside
and then the children they were outside
and then the children they were outside I’m drinking unfiltered water from the
I’m drinking unfiltered water from the
I’m drinking unfiltered water from the well but nevertheless with my passion
well but nevertheless with my passion
well but nevertheless with my passion the reality was still there
the reality was still there
the reality was still there we lacked basic medications and for
we lacked basic medications and for
we lacked basic medications and for blood pressure and diabetes and diseases
blood pressure and diabetes and diseases
blood pressure and diabetes and diseases that were often curable in the first
that were often curable in the first
that were often curable in the first world countries were now incurable
world countries were now incurable
world countries were now incurable because of our lack of resources
because of our lack of resources
because of our lack of resources later that day when I visited an
later that day when I visited an
later that day when I visited an orphanage to provide medical check-ups
orphanage to provide medical check-ups
orphanage to provide medical check-ups to the orphans there I met a group of
to the orphans there I met a group of
to the orphans there I met a group of teenagers who were just like me either
teenagers who were just like me either
teenagers who were just like me either eager to help and make a difference in
eager to help and make a difference in
eager to help and make a difference in this world and before the teenagers left
this world and before the teenagers left
this world and before the teenagers left they gave these keepsake bracelets to
they gave these keepsake bracelets to
they gave these keepsake bracelets to the kids there and later that day when I
the kids there and later that day when I
the kids there and later that day when I found out when I came back to provide
found out when I came back to provide
found out when I came back to provide more medical check-ups I saw that the
more medical check-ups I saw that the
more medical check-ups I saw that the the orphans weren’t wearing those
the orphans weren’t wearing those
the orphans weren’t wearing those keepsake bracelets the teens gave them
keepsake bracelets the teens gave them
keepsake bracelets the teens gave them when they left to me a young romantic
when they left to me a young romantic
when they left to me a young romantic whose dreams were always to help the
whose dreams were always to help the
whose dreams were always to help the underprivileged it was it seemed as it
underprivileged it was it seemed as it
underprivileged it was it seemed as it was all a facade for the teens to come
was all a facade for the teens to come
was all a facade for the teens to come help and play with the orphans my dreams
help and play with the orphans my dreams
help and play with the orphans my dreams of helping others became disillusioned
of helping others became disillusioned
of helping others became disillusioned as I realized that most of what we did
as I realized that most of what we did
as I realized that most of what we did was kind of useless having no lasting
was kind of useless having no lasting
was kind of useless having no lasting impact on the children I asked myself
impact on the children I asked myself
impact on the children I asked myself was i contributing to part of the
was i contributing to part of the
was i contributing to part of the culture that was coming in and
culture that was coming in and
culture that was coming in and exploiting the underprivileged but
exploiting the underprivileged but
exploiting the underprivileged but looking back I realized that like gee
looking back I realized that like gee
looking back I realized that like gee Adger they had no other choice in order
Adger they had no other choice in order
Adger they had no other choice in order to sustain themselves for and provide
to sustain themselves for and provide
to sustain themselves for and provide themselves with food water and shelter
themselves with food water and shelter
themselves with food water and shelter and it was only interacting and living
and it was only interacting and living
and it was only interacting and living with the local Haitians when I realized
with the local Haitians when I realized
with the local Haitians when I realized the true needs of Haiti the Haitians
the true needs of Haiti the Haitians
the true needs of Haiti the Haitians need jobs
need jobs
need jobs the orphans need an education and the
the orphans need an education and the
the orphans need an education and the elderly need adequate health care
elderly need adequate health care
elderly need adequate health care instead of blindly helping I realized
instead of blindly helping I realized
instead of blindly helping I realized that we first need to understand the
that we first need to understand the
that we first need to understand the true needs of Haitians before we could
true needs of Haitians before we could
true needs of Haitians before we could provide adequate support for the
provide adequate support for the
provide adequate support for the recovery and growth what also emerged
recovery and growth what also emerged
recovery and growth what also emerged from these interactions were lessons of
from these interactions were lessons of
from these interactions were lessons of art and faith and generosity
art and faith and generosity
art and faith and generosity at a church service I saw those who had
at a church service I saw those who had
at a church service I saw those who had served the the day before coming with
served the the day before coming with
served the the day before coming with their best attire singing songs of
their best attire singing songs of
their best attire singing songs of praise and worship
praise and worship
praise and worship despite their dire health problems
before I left for Haiti a mentor told me
before I left for Haiti a mentor told me do good well and I never really
do good well and I never really
do good well and I never really understood what he meant by doing good
understood what he meant by doing good
understood what he meant by doing good well until I actually went went forth to
well until I actually went went forth to
well until I actually went went forth to experience the what it means to do good
experience the what it means to do good
experience the what it means to do good well because while we can always provide
well because while we can always provide
well because while we can always provide blind help towards those who are less
blind help towards those who are less
blind help towards those who are less privileged than us sometimes all these
privileged than us sometimes all these
privileged than us sometimes all these people need is someone to talk to them
people need is someone to talk to them
people need is someone to talk to them and understand their struggles and truly
and understand their struggles and truly
and understand their struggles and truly share their experiences with them thank
share their experiences with them thank
share their experiences with them thank you
you
you [Music]
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
”
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