Nancy, 9 years old in 2001. 

How many brothers and sisters do you have?
Six sisters and three brothers.

Who lives in your house?
My mom, dad and my sisters and brothers.

What is your favorite subject in school?
French.

What does school mean to you?
I like school because I have a lot of friends who are there.

What do you do with your free time (for fun)?
Take walks with my friends. Go to Dumay.

What is your favorite (most important) possession?
My book bag and my doll.

What is the greatest distance you have traveled from home?
I've been to Port au Prince.

What do you want to be (do for a living) when you grow up?
I would like to be a nurse.

What do you feel about your country?
I like Haiti because it has good, fresh air.

What do you think about Americans?
They live better than we do. I like the way they live.

What makes you happy? What do you like most about your life?
Jesus.

What makes you sad? What is your biggest complaint about life?
The expensive life in Haiti.

What is your greatest wish/hope?
To be a good Christian.

What would you change about your life if you could?
I would like to change my house.

Is there anything else you would like to say?
I would like you to meet my mother. I would like to visit America.

Nine year old Nancy was the youngest child I interviewed. I could quickly see why she was selected to be interviewed though. She carried herself like a little adult and only when she smiled did her youth shine through.

Nancy lives quite far from the village of Dumay, where I was staying. We walked for almost an hour before reaching her small village of friends and family. In her house, little brothers and sisters were naked and napping on the cement floor, trying to stay cool.

Like all the children, Nancy was nervous and gave brief answers. Nancy leads a simple but strenuous life with a foundation of family, friends, and Christianity. Her greatest hope for her life is that she will always be a good Christian. Living in Haiti is hard she admits, but Nancy loves the fresh air of her village.

During the entire interview, Nancy's sister (whom I mistakenly thought was her mom) stood behind me and tried to answer the questions. Therefore, my view of Nancy might be skewed since she was pressured into giving certain answers.

In addition to this sister, Nancy has eight more siblings, five more sisters and three brothers. They all live together in the same two bedroom house. Nancy's father lives with her as well. She and the younger children share the same father, but the older ones have a different Dad who is not around. I don't know if that means he's dead or if he just left. I neglected to ask.

Unlike many Americans, Haitian children love school. Nancy is no exception. She loves it because she has so many friends who go there every day with her. She likes to study French and hopes someday the education she's getting now will lead to a nursing career.

Where is the best place for this nursing career to occur? America, of course! Nancy has only traveled as far as Port Au Prince in her nine years, but hopes to someday make it across the small section of the Atlantic to visit the United States. This is because Americans live better than she does, and she admires them for it. She expressed the desire to have a better home for her to live in with her family.

At the end of the interview, Nancy requested that I meet her mother. She wanted me to make her acquaintance very much. At first this strong desire to have me meet her mother was perplexing. But I realized I was viewed as a possible way out of the country. It's a dream of most Haitian mothers to get a better life for their children, especially if the United States is involved. I felt guilty at this realization; upset that I might be misleading them, but I agreed to meet Nancy's mother. I turned and put my hand out to Nancy's older sister, whom I mistakenly thought was her mother. Of course, Nancy and her sister thought this was very funny and laughed at me. Then they led me into the room where Nancy's mother sat breast feeding one of Nancy's siblings. I introduced myself and we shared a short greeting which was unaccompanied by questions or pleas I couldn't answer.

Nancy's mother let me take her picture, never smiling once in our short visit. And then I was done. I thanked Nancy with a weak "merci beaucoup" and began the long trek back to Dumay.

Although somber, Nancy was one of the happiest children I met in Haiti. She knows her misfortune, but is devoted to Jesus. Hers is more mature thinking than I would expect of a nine year old in the United States. She appreciates everything she has.