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NYRed Bulls Postcards from Haiti: Jerrod Laventure find his roots

By Jerrod Laventure / New York Red Bulls Forward

Day 5

For me, today was the biggest day of the trip so far. Knowing that I was going to see first-hand the statue of my great grandfather as well as the place where my father grew up made it the highlight of my time here in Haiti.

This morning we went to a park in Port-au-Prince to see the bust of my great grandfather, Horatius Laventure. According to the statue, which was erected almost 46 years ago to the exact day, he was a great Haitian educator and a general in the army. I can't describe in words what I felt -- just an immense pride for being part of the Laventure family. It was just an unbelievable feeling, one that I have never felt before in my life. Knowing that my family had such an influence over our country was just overwhelming. I will never forget that moment as long as I live.

After visiting the statue, we were off to the village of Lasserre, where Wyclef Jean grew up. We started off on a well-paved road, then a little less-paved road, and finally a dirt road. During this sequence, you could see all the aspects of life that are in Haiti and it gave us a glimpse into the everyday life of the Haitian people. As the road changed, so did the standard of living.

As we kept going the areas became poorer and poorer. I thought it was very interesting to see what people were going through during a regular work day. We saw women with 40-pound bags of rice walking down the road, street vendors trying to make money to feed their families and children carrying heavy jugs of water.

It was great to meet the people of Lasserre. They all seemed very proud of the fact that Wyclef was born there. They seemed happy for the donation of sneakers and candy but collectively seemed a little uneasy of the fact that there were other needs that may have been a little more important that we didn't address. I thought about that and it just shows how much these people need and how much they don't have. Being in the U.S., we take so many things for granted and I don't get to see things like that. It definitely puts things in perspective.

We got to witness a food distribution organized by Yele Haiti in Lasserre. This was a little overwhelming at times because we got to see the dire need for food in the village. Once the truck arrived with the bags of rice and beans, we could see the excitement in the eyes of the people waiting in line. Everyone waited patiently and then hoisted the 40-pound bags onto their heads.

It was unbelievable to see the span of ages that carried the bags -- as young as 10, 11 or 12 all the way to elderly women who looked about 80. It shows the hardships these people have to endure everyday just to make it. The spirit of the Haitian people is incredible.

From there, we ventured to a relative of mine's house in Port-au-Prince that I have never met. All I had was an address given to me by my father. I was a little reluctant because I didn't know what to expect going there and unfortunately, I didn't get to meet any of my family. There were some translation problems and we may have intimidated them a little bit because of our security presence and unfamiliar faces.

However, just to be able to take a look at the house that my father and all my uncles on my father's side grew up in was hard to put into words. My father has always told me stories about how and where they grew up but it is totally different seeing that place in person. You experience it and you live it. It was greater than I ever imagined.

We grabbed a quick bite to eat and then went shopping on the streets of Port-au-Prince. I made it a point for myself to buy some of the brilliant artwork the Haitian people make out of virtually nothing. If these people really had sufficient supplies, Haiti would for sure be known as one of the greatest artistic nations of the world. It was beautiful to see some of the art they created and as a group, we purchased close to 25 pieces from the street vendors.

Our day ended with our second visit to L'Athletique. Coming back to the facility was great because I felt like the people knew us now and they recognized our faces. It showed the character of the people and how they enjoy every bit of life. I was also happy to go back there for the same reasons. I saw the familiar faces and felt like I had made friends.

Playing soccer helped me form a relationship with them that would otherwise have been close to impossible. It was hard for me to connect with the kids because of the language barrier, but on the soccer field we all spoke the same language; we understood each other perfectly.

The kids playing were about 13 or 14. I could tell they have been trained very well. They understood tactics, positioning, organization and were extremely skilled. It lifted my spirit so much seeing the enthusiasm and competitiveness they showed, putting everything on the line for the team, going in hard for tackles on the solid ground filled with rocks the size of tennis balls. It made me want to work so much harder for them.

During the game, I remember hearing gunshots in the background, which was later identified as UN peacekeepers confronting gang members in Cite de Soliel. Immediately I was taken aback by it and I think I might have been the only one other than my Red Bulls teammates who was affected by the firefight and plumes of smoke a short distance away. The kids seemed unaffected by everything that was going on around them and just kept on playing. It didn't bother them one bit and seemed as if it was an everyday occurrence.

The game ended up 1-1. Afterwards the players and coaches presented us with medals, which was quite a thrill. It was definitely something we didn't expect and it shows how they were very appreciative of us coming and playing with them.

We didn't get to spend as much time with the kids when we made our donation of cleats, shirts, goalie gloves and socks because it was getting dark, but you could see how grateful they were for the donation. Everyone has been asking for my jersey, but because we had to play in it I was a little disappointed in not being able to get rid of it earlier. I was glad I was finally able to give it away. It felt like I was giving back even more and I now have a part of myself to give to them because of my Haitian roots.

This has been an eye-opening experience for me and it is definitely one of the highest points of my life. Being able to see my family's roots and heritage first-hand is something I will never forget. Spending time with the youth in Haiti and seeing the people struggle in everyday situations is something that will absolutely affect me when I go back to the U.S.

I understand how hard people have to work for things over here that we might be able to achieve easily by turning on a faucet or driving down the street to the store. It has been a life-changing event for me and I hope I can remember this experience and hopefully return again soon.

-Jerrod