Ferra

This is Ferra she modeled for my head drawing class in my last semester. This is a section from a paper I wrote about her:

There is a girl I have drawn once before, she might not be considered beautiful in the world’s definition. She is quiet and quick to smile. And always holds perfectly still as we draw her. Her skin is dark and her expression is always pensive. Her name is Ferra and I drew her for the second time today.

Our group of five all sat quietly drawing in a semi circle around Ferra. Breaking the silence, Fran, one of the two older women in class, asked Ferra where she was from. She replied, “Haiti.”

I tensed a little remembering the horrible earthquake that happened there only a few weeks ago. Fran continued, “you’re so far from home, Is your family alright?” Ferra paused, “My brother is alright…….but my mother died.”

At first I wasn’t sure if I had heard her right. As the realization of what she said hit me, I found myself holding back tears. Her mother had died. I thought of my own mother. My heart sank for her and my drawing didn’t seem so important any more. Fran said, “I’m so sorry” over and over. Ferra said, “it’s okay.”

I thought, "it’s not okay,you can't be okay" but I could tell she was trying to be strong for us.As I walked away from that class I thought about what is really important.

I want the way I live to reflect my testimony. I want my life to have meaning. I want to spend my time doing things that truly matter. This drawing probably isn't one of my best, I know I could never do justice to how beautiful Ferra truly is.But every time I see it I will think of a beautiful girl from Haiti and I will be reminded of what is truly matters.