Oak Knoll rising senior, mother bring hope and joy to Haitian orphanages

SUMMIT, NJ, August, 20, 2015 – Oak Knoll rising senior Mackenzie Rohde ‘16 and her mother Deborah recently returned from a life-changing trip to Haiti delivering donated items to orphanages.

Through the trip, organized by the Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco, the pair visited orphanages in the country’s capital city of Port au Prince in May equipped with more than 200 pounds of supplies graciously donated by friends and family of the sisters.

During the trip, which spanned four days, volunteers visited four orphanages, primarily for girls aged three to 16.

Mackenzie Rohde, of Franklin Lakes, described the trip as one of the most rewarding experiences of her life and something she will “never forget.”

“While I thought I was mentally prepared, I was still shocked when I arrived to see the lasting devastation,” Rohde said of the poverty-stricken nation.

The poor conditions, however, served as a stark contrast to the smiles that greeted the volunteers at each orphanage.

“What surprised me the most was that even in these harsh conditions, the girls were smiling constantly and happier than one would ever expect considering their situations,” Rohde said.

Despite the children’s happiness and outgoing affection, Rohde realized their plight and said the trip helped her to be grateful for all her blessings at home.

“I was able to reflect on how fortunate I am being able to go to such an amazing school with not only a great education, but with people who care about me and respect me,” she said.

Leaving the children on the final day of the trip was the hardest part, she remarked, though she plans to return one day, hopefully with new beds and pillows for the girls to rest their heads on at night.

“Each girl attached to me as I tried to leave and that was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do,” she said. “Although we didn’t speak the same language, that was not a problem at all because our hugs and smiles made up for the language barrier.”

Among the donated items the volunteers brought were vitamins, which Rohde highlighted as the girls they visited had a diet that mostly consisted of rice and beans, along with the occasional fish.

“It was hard to see a nine-year-old girl look like she was only four due to the lack of nutrition,” she said.

In addition to the vitamins, the group also brought hair accessories and candy while engaging the children in a variety of fun activities.

Deborah Rohde said her daughter was a magnet for the young children they visited during the trip, which has part of the Rohdes’ relationship with the Salesian Sisters that has included volunteer work for the past eight years.

“It was hard for Mackenzie to even take a step without the girls’ arms wrapped around her,” she said.

Like her daughter, Deborah Rohde was touched by the children’s display of love, which she described as a testament to the resiliency of the human spirit.

The Salesian Sisters of St. Bosco, also known as the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, originated in Italy more than a century ago and number more than 13,000 members in 94 different countries, according to the order’s website.

Service is a core part of the mission and educational philosophy at the Oak Knoll School. While community service hours are not required, each student participates in service throughout the region and beyond.

Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child is an independent, Catholic school, coeducational in elementary school from kindergarten through grade six; and all-girls in middle and high school from grades seven through 12. For more information about Oak Knoll, please visit www.oakknoll.org or call 908-522-8109.