In the Eyes of a Haitian Child

(Purses made in Haiti, some from snack bags, are colorful and useful)


Some events in life give one hope for the world.

Last night, a concert in Western Massachusetts definitely fit that bill. Titled "In The Eyes of a Haitian Child," the special event drew a fairly good sized crowd out on a cold March night.

Marisa Massery, organizer of the concert, is a young woman who has traveled to Haiti through The Haiti Plunge, a program of COTY (Church Outreach to Youth Project, Inc.) in North Adams, MA.. More than 700 young people from Western Massachusetts have traveled to Haiti through COTY in the past several years to help dig wells, establish a bakery, subsidize schools, plant trees, and participate in other projects.

The concert organizer is vibrant, enthusiastic, and passionate about helping the people of Haiti. She did a commendable job of getting many people to perform at the event. She will be traveling back to Haiti with COTY within the next few weeks to help in the reconstruction, following a devastating earthquake in January that devastated the already poverty stricken nation.

At last night's concert, Luke Massery, a classical pianist and Marisa's brother, also performed as well as Michael TweedKent, cellist; and choruses from three high schools as well as singers from a private girls school.

During one song, sung and played on the piano by Marisa, slides featuring the children of Haiti flashed on the stage, touching the hearts of everyone in the audience.


COTY was founded in 1983. According to their website, its purpose is to "provide unique and challenging opportunities for youth to be of service to others and to make a difference in the world."

Dozens of young people at the concert sang with all their hearts and souls for the people of earthquake-torn Haiti. To see their faces, filled with hope and compassion, as they performed for people suffering greatly from tremendous losses, turned out to be a very moving experience for the audience.

During the intermission, representatives of COTY sold both small and large colorful purses made in Haiti from discarded snack bags of all kinds. Just to think objects of beauty could be fashioned from what Americans would consider trash boggled the mind. Also for sale were CDs of Marisa which included the song she wrote, also the title of the concert, "In the Eyes of a Haitian Child."

Proceeds will be used for the COTY Center's "LifeStraw" Project, which will provide special water purifying straws for the children of Haiti.

The whole evening turned out to be a totally uplifting experience. It was gratifying to see so many young people, on a Saturday night, using their talents for others who are broken and suffering in a foreign land.