Lost and Found

Eddy and I are back from our 11 day trip to the west coast.  What a great time we had!  Oceans, mountains, Redwood forests, miles and miles of scenic highway, delicious food, and some much needed time together....

A couple of days ago, I left Eddy sleeping in the hotel room and went to sit in the lobby.  While there, I drank a cup of coffee, read the newspaper, and visited briefly with a friend who was checking out.  When I went back to the room, Eddy was just waking up.  We spent some time watching the drama of the Chilean miners unfold and then decided to head out and search for some breakfast.

It was only then that I realized I had left my purse sitting on the floor next to my chair in the hotel lobby.  I raced over in a panic.  Of course, it was no longer where I had left it.  I rushed up to the counter and asked if anyone had turned in a purse, hoping against hope....  The clerk said yes, a purse had been turned in and asked me to identify it. 

When I got back to the hotel room, I looked inside and there was all my "stuff," including my credit cards and over $300 in cash.  Not a thing was missing.  How thankful I am for honest people!  And how thankful I am that I left my purse laying around in this country instead of some others I've been in!!

If I had forgotten my purse in Haiti, I may have recovered it but the money would most certainly be gone.  It would have been found by one of two types of people; the first would be a criminally minded thug who would pocket the money without a second thought.  The second would be a god-fearing Christian who would take one look at the money and throw their hands up in the air, praising God.  "Mezami!  Bon Dye bon!  Gade yon Bon Dye mwen sevi.  Ou we sa li fe pou pitit li?  Mesi Bon Dye!"  (Oh my gosh!  God is good!!  What a great God I serve.  Look what He has done for his child!  Thanks be to God!!")

While it's less likely that a lost item will be found and returned in Haiti, there still seems to be a bigger generosity of spirit in Haiti.  Here in the States, the more someone has, the less likely s/he is to share with others.  Or, if he shares, it will only be a small percentage of his wealth and will in no way affect his standard of living.  But in Haiti, someone living with little to nothing will gladly share whatever he has with any friend or stranger.  It's baffling!

So, what makes us so different?  Is it a difference born of culture or genetics?  Or maybe, is it that folks in desperate situations see things differently?