Supply the Love: Haiti
In 2017 we launched Supply the Love! We supply the camera and film and you supply the love. We would love to have you be an ambassador of Print the Love! If you are traveling to an under-resourced community anywhere on the globe in the next year and would like to participate in spreading random photo kindness to the local people, lets chat! Together we can make a difference! Application is online.
The Supply the Love program is 100% supported by donors. If you are not travelling, you can still donate funds towards the camera and film for those who are.
As part of the program, we ask that ambassadors write a short description of their experience. All the words are their own.
Cindy in Haiti
I had the opportunity to go to Haiti in July for a Summer School Camp put on by Community Coalition for Haiti. This was my second trip down to Haiti, my first one was through my church Bloomington Evergreen Church. As I was getting ready for my trip I came across a Facebook post about an organization called Print the Love. I grew up with a family that took TONS of pictures. When I read about their mission to “promote hope, love, and encouragement by uplifting others, helping them to see the beauty in themselves regardless of their circumstances by giving them a picture”, I knew I had to apply for a camera. To my delight, my application was accepted and off to Haiti I went with a Polaroid camera and packs of film. Below are just a few of the experiences that I had while I was there.
This is my dear friend Junior (blue shirt) and his beautiful family (uncle, mother, sister and niece). Junior’s mother was so thrilled to have a picture of her family. They are currently building a cinder block home and she wanted to find a safe place for the picture so she could put it up in their new house when it’s finished being built.
This is Ladine and her mother Bryenne. Watching their facial expressions as the picture started to appear was the greatest thing. Bryenne kept flipping the picture over trying to figure out where the image was coming from. It was wonderful.
We came across this group of young men in the village of Chabin, that were getting ready to have a soccer match. They put together this tournament during the week of the World Cup. At first, none of them wanted their picture taken. I finally talked one of the teams into taking a team picture and when they saw the picture develop right before their eyes, it was game on with picture taking. We did team pictures, individual pictures, they even started posing. It was amazing! I also learned that they don’t like to smile in pictures. “It’s not professional” is what I was told. Love it!
Haiti has a complex, rich, fascinating, and tumultuous culture and history with stories of resistance, revolt, and instability. But one of the fundamental aspects of Haiti and its people is their resilience. In spite of slavery, multiple coups, various occupations and militarization, and natural disasters, Haiti continuously fights to remain strong. I love this country and the people who call it home. My heart will always be with Haiti!
