My Haitian patriotism runs deep.
I want to become one of the honorable men prophesied by Toussaint Louverture after he was captured by the French.
I remember being made fun of in middle school because of my Haitian accent. I made a pact with myself then—when I grew up, no Haitian would ever have to leave their country to face the humiliation awaiting them overseas. My compatriots risk their lives in makeshifts boats on stormy seas for better opportunities; they don’t know what is really in store for them.
I want to take part in the rebuilding of Haiti and watch this third-world country change into an elite nation, just like the U.S.
When I grow up, I want to open orphanages in my homeland because orphans over there are treated no better than slaves. I want to open universities in Haiti because there are too many gifted students there who can’t afford to go to college. I want to open shelters for the homeless who get soak in the rain—a situation that breaks my heart whenever I walk by.
I want to start a program to help Haitian adults get back to school; so many of them are illiterate—including my favorite aunts and uncles.
I deeply believe that I have the heart, dedication, and courage to become a public servant like Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr. or Abraham Lincoln. I see a lot that is wrong with the world, and I want to be an agent of change.
I made this pact back in middle school because I was sick and tired of the way we, Haitians, were being treated. Ever since that day, I made it my mission to be the National Haitian Hero I know God wants me to be. This pact will teach me to be unselfish and remember that I am not living only for myself and family, but for millions who are so desperately in need of my help.
Yes, I could have talked about my personal difficulties; however, I realize that I am part of something much bigger, and choose instead to focus on my God-given destiny of servant leadership.
Miami, September 17, 2011
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Born in Cap-Haitien, Haiti, Jeffrey Pierre is an aspiring writer, movie producer and dentist. “It’s not that I cannot decide which of these professions I want,” he says. “I just feel there’s no reason why I can’t do more than one thing with my life.” Jeffrey migrated to the U.S. in 2005 and recently graduated from William H. Turner Tech.
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