Zanmi Nou Reynold By Coryn

Reynold is one of the many Haitians who help make this mission possible. Along with delivering water three times a week to all the missionaries, he has helped us get our own vehicle, connected the pipes under our kitchen sink, brought a five-gallon bucket of mangoes, taught us Creole and much more! 

Reynold started learning English with the help of the Davis family, another missionary family from the U.S. that served in L’Asile. My dad and mom have picked up where they left off and Reynold’s English is getting better every day! The hardest part about English for Haitians is pronunciation closely followed by a much bigger vocabulary. 

For example, the creole word ‘manje’ means both food and to eat! It is a verb and a noun! Not all Haitian Creole is like that, but many words are. Our work in teaching him English is mostly helping with pronunciation and grammar and expanding his vocabulary. Every Saturday aftenoon around two Reynold comes on his moto to pick up my dad and two kids and brings us to his house. We practice English and Creole for two hours and then he drives us back. 

I like to think that I help him learn English too, in little quantities, but not as much as my parents. It’s an odd feeling teaching someone who is almost 30 years older than you! Reynold’s family (wife and two girls) are also helping us to learn Creole little by little, or piti a piti in Creole. 

Reynold loves Daniel and smiles whenever Daniel greets him by giving him a rock. “Why you give me rocks Daniel?” Renold asks. 

Daniel responds by lifting his arm up in the air, as high as he can, so Reynold can see the rock. 

“Uh” Daniel grunts until Reynold takes the rock only to receive another. Reynold is one of the only Haitians Daniel likes.

 Reynold has truly been a witness to our family of a true servant’s heart. We cherish his friendship and are immensely blessed by his cheerfulness and help.